A Commonplace Book

Movies are action. In movies things happen. You are what you do. What's inside your head means nothing until you act. Gesture, expression, action. You don't think. You act. You react. To things. Events. You make things happen. You make your history and your future. You cut the wires that defuse the bomb, you lay out the villain, you save the community, you throw your badge into the dirt and walk away, you fold your arms around the girl and slowly fade to black. You never have to think. Your eyes might dart from the alien monster to the fizzing power cables as a plan comes to you, but you never have to think. The perfect stage hero is Hamlet. The perfect film hero is Lassie.