I have always loved Groundhog Day. I have it on VHS to prove it. Not that it does.
It's one of those films that I can't turn off, no matter how often it is on.
But why?
It is about a day that happens over and over again but what is it really about?
The hope that it will be better next time?
Closer to perfection? But perfection is wrong... right?
People hate perfection. Believe me, I know!
It's a concept that turns only to criticism rather than praise. They dislike people who inadvertently search towards it because "they" are people who don't realise that perfection is a direction rather than a destination.
Is Groundhog Day about second chances? Trial and error? Shooting for the sun and hitting the moon, then hitting the sun on the rebound?
Or is it just Bill Murray?... No, it is more primal than that.
But in the last 2 days on 2 nights I have watched 2 films. I have seen them both before and I wasn't intending to watch TV but they were on and I couldn't resist.
Deja Vu (Denzel Washington - exploding boat - 500 dead) - he gets to replay the day. Great film.
and....
Next (Nicolas Cage - nuclear weapon - probably lots of people dead) - he gets to replay the day. I was saving Next - it might have been another 5 years before I watched it again, but it reeled me in.
And 3 seconds after I started preparing the Groundhog Day blog-subject in my head while reading the paper, I read Barry Cryers' Q&A quiz, which mentioned the same film, (but that is a coincidence and we are not doing coincidences today).
He was asked "What is the film you can watch over and over again?
'Groundhog Day' is his reply. And he gives a reason. "You'd think it would get boring but it doesn't".
There's an idea. It is the very predictability that makes it unboring.
That is it, isn't it?
Familiary plus twist. That's the formula to all sorts of success. Not just the movies but any sort of story. Or fashion and not just textiles, but also cars or any other type of engineering such as the minor variations in iPhone that the marketeers persuade you that you need.
A tweak.
An inflection.
A slight adaptation to the format.
A wink.
That is what makes business possible and life interesting.
There is something primal there but the chance of seeing the same day done better is irresistible because we think we kind of know the story. We must know it. We have just seen it .
We know how it ends.
And then, all of a sudden, we don't.
The rug is pulled from us.
And if the bulk of the journey is enjoyable or entertaining, affirming or reassuring, then the rug disappearing is exciting and challenging, threatening and dangerous.
That ratio works well. That level of peak and trough.
That's why a vortex of change is constantly uncomfortable, whether related to health, wealth, mind or domesticity. Whereas a few twists and turns along an otherwise pleasurable ride are exciting. Only you will know how many you need, and what you will risk for them.
You can roll with some punches and have them make you stronger. But some will knock you out and you may not know which ones to avoid.
Your judgement may not be good. You will think it is of course. Ask yourself how you came to that conclusion and make your answer a convincing one.
The periodicity of surprise allows improvisation, which is fun.
And the possibility that what is set and known can actually change is irresistible. What has happened can be corrected.
How big do you want to go with me in this concept?
How big can you take?
You can change the world.
Your world. Or THE world.
Stop me when you don't believe me.
I'm also rather fond of Edge of Tomorrow (Tom Cruise – Alien invasion). Subtitled 'Live. Die. Repeat', you can probably guess on the theme. Revisiting what has already happened and doing better.
So what have we learned today, kids?
Little changes come from paying attention to detail and feeling each other's hearts beat?
Entertain little (or big ) changes in format as you plan your life?
You don't need nuclear weapons to make nuclear change?
Life is format. Base.
With added inflection. Moments.
You need the base.
But it's the moments you recall
I also like hustle movies.
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