Emmett James - Admit one : my life in film : a memoir

Emmett James
a memoir

My Life in Film

To protect certain people, some names of individuals and locations in this book have been altered, and some characters are composites.

Published by Fizzypop Productions, LLC
Los Angeles, CA
www.fizzypopproductions.com

Copyright 2010 Emmett James

All rights reserved.

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Edited by Daria James
Design and composition by Fizzypop Productions, LLC
Cover design by Fizzypop Productions, LLC

Publishers Cataloging-In-Publication Data
(Prepared by The Donohue Group, Inc.)

James, Emmett.

Admit one : my life in film : a memoir / Emmett James. 2nd ed.
p. 216; cm.

Previous ed. published: Tucson, Ariz. : Wheatmark Books, 2007.
ISBN: 978-0-9842581-0-9

1. James, Emmett. 2. ActorsGreat BritainBiography. 3. Motion picture industry.
I. Title.

PN2598.J29 A3 2010
792.028/092

Part of the Tree Neutral program, which offsets the number of trees consumed in the production and printing of this book by taking proactive steps, such as planting trees in direct proportion to the number of trees used: www.treeneutral.com

First Edition published 2007
Wheatmark Books, Tucson, Arizona

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

10 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Second Edition

Cecil Day-Lewis spoke of the arrival of the greatest form of entertainment known to the nineteenth century: moving pictures. In 1968, Day-Lewis was appointed Poet Laureate of Great Britain, a position he held until his death four years later. Unfortunately, he would die before his son, Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis, would become one of the finest film actors to embrace the next century, one of the most sought after thespians of the so-called dream-house.

This is a book of my memories, and though I did encounter points of contention (mainly where my memory placed events out of sequence), recollection has its own valid tale to tell. Nevertheless, while committing my memory to paper, I have done my utmost to present an honest account of the events as I recall them.

If I could tell you just one thing about my life it would be this: My alter ego was once a very famous man.

While reflecting fondly on the films that are most memorable to me, I am struck by one pertinent truth (thanks to the 20/20 hindsight of adulthood). That fact is this: A film itself, though unalterable once the physical reel is printed and unleashed, changes continually in the reel of our memory.

One of the earliest critics of drama, the ancient philosopher Aristotle, postulates in Poetics that there are really only six basic points to every story; everything else is merely a variation on a theme. Whether you agree or disagree with his theory, picking up any present-day film guide serves at least to prove that we have accumulated a voluminous set of variations to date. (If only Aristotle had been able to witness Bruce Willis make a career out of mastering hundreds of variants using just one basic story or maybe its better that he was spared.)

I wrote this book under the guise that the key to experiencing film, without losing relevance and meaning, is context. The environment, mood, personal history and circumstances in which a person sees a film changes that film in a necessary, unique, and exciting way. It creates a whole new storya living, breathing film. The film of ones life. That being said, I present to you my story. I hope you will in turn recount your own with similar reverence.

Here is a list of my best of the best ; the ten most enduring films that I experienced as a kid:

1. The Wizard of Oz
2. The (Original) Star Wars Trilogy
3. E.T.
4. Rocky III
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark
6. The Jungle Book
7. Grease
8. The Karate Kid
9. Ghostbusters
10. The Golden Voyage of Sinbad

It goes without saying that you wont see any of your films on that list, Mr. Steven Seagal; these were the movies that had a real emotional impact on me. I imagine that you, Mr. Seagal, would creep onto my list of worst horror movies ever, at a real stretch, but thats about it. The aforementioned, coveted spots are set aside for films creating an experience of sheer joy, wonderment, and exhilaration for the lucky audience, unlike anything Steven Seagal has EVER been a part of.

The days of seeing pure nonsense movies are gone for meno more will I sit through BMX Bandits , Howard the Duck , Mannequin 2, Teen Wolf, Beat Street, or any movie where a monkey is the star. I know now with perfect hindsight and basic arithmetic that a real monkey in a leading role equals a bad movie. You shouldnt even bother wasting your time if one such movie crosses your path. Under Siege (parts I and II), or any of Jean-Claude Van Dammes movies, fall into the same category, all with similar primate lead actors. Farewell to each and every one of you.

Feeling cinematic happiness really meant something to me back in my childhood. I will assume it meant something to each of us. Steven Seagals films dont give anyone that; watching them is just disheartening and quite unnecessary, like pissing down your own leg. The only thing of his that ever made me happy, or that I ever wanted to watch, was

Kelly LeBrock.

Great movies are films like: It Happened One Night, Stagecoach, Some Like It Hot, Citizen Kane, Singin in the Rain, The Godfather, Sullivans Travels, Annie Hall, Red River, Guess Whos Coming to Dinner, The Best Years of Our Lives, Taxi Driver, The Sting, Paths of Glory, Vertigo, The Hustler, Sunset Boulevard, Bonnie and Clyde, The Wild Bunch, Kramer vs. Kramer, Born Yesterday, Gone with the Wind, The Graduate, A Place in the Sun, A Streetcar Named Desire, To Kill a Mockingbird, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Goodfellas, A Patch of Blue, 12 Angry Men, King Kong, City Lights, Blade Runner, Reservoir Dogs, and Midnight Cowboy. The mere mention of these film titles sets off a chain reaction of thoughts, quickly progressing to feelings in everyone and anyone lucky enough to have experienced them.