A FICKLE WEBSITE MARIO ANDREI

My favourite summer movie is The Jungle Book.

My mum took me during my first ever school holiday. I’d never been to a cinema before. I can still remember the place to this day. Everything seemed carpeted. The floors, the walls everything. I had sweets and pepsi and the biggest screen in the world, I thought. I was blown away. I lived a life in a couple of hours. When I thought Balloo was dead I was sobbing uncontrollably but trying to hide it. My mum was consolling me but didn’t seem as distressed as me. Then when it turned out that Balloo was still alive I was fucking euphoric.

But it made me think. On the way home I asked my mum how old I’d be when she died. “Old” She said. “Will I care?” I asked worried about my far off future feelings. She wasn’t sure what to say. She knew I wanted the answer “no” in some ways but as usual she chose honesty. “Yes’ She said. “But it wont happen for a very long time”. That was good enough for me.

When I returned to school a few weeks later we had to do a little presentation about our holidays. I proceeded to act out the entire movie using the other kids in the class. I told them where to stand and what to say, filling in the action with narration. Eventually the teacher had to stop me because I was taking up the whole day. Now I’m a real director I never make that same mistake. I’m home by 4 O’clock on any movie I do.

I haven’t seen the film for 40 years so I’m not sure how good it is but it’s still one of my fondest memories because it was a gift from my mum. My mum died when I was 40. She was right by the way. I did care. But luckily 35 five years ago I’d learnt the bear necessities to get me through. Just like Balloo, she’s still with me.

via lecture films