I read recently about why one should pay closer attention to characters names in books, or the music choices in a movie, or the props in a scene, etc. Artists are always trying to signal. When I caught myself starting to rewatch a favorite film I had already watched frequently, I figured, at least try to pick up some of those other signals this time.

It’s not even a small list. The list of movies I can’t stop rewatching once I’ve been exposed for more than a few seconds. That’s more than enough time for dopamine and other neurotransmitters to signal the limbic system. At which point, my Dale Carnegied will power is as useless as a Bernie placard at a monster truck rally.

Like with most, cable television’s premium channels were my entry drug. Streaming video services now lay in wait behind multiple blue screens. The search feature robs me of the excuse of randomness that channel surfing provided the psyche in those wistfully innocent days of yore. Nowadays, the blue screens view my efforts at resistance like those Publix bakery employees who ignore my initial ‘just looking’ reply and patiently (and contemptuously?) await the order.

There is always help. IMDB is leading the way by offering a workaround method to get around the non-non-GMO snack-inducing replay binges. For example, say Zodiac (2007) is reaching for your gonads and just not watching is not a realistic option. Try this at home. Say to yourself, ‘I’m jusgonna stop and check out where I’ve seen that Vallejo police officer on IMDB, I’ll be right back …’

That’s him James LeGros.  Sure enough, he’s got 119 acting credits. Knew I knew that guy! Now when the heck did he climb into the vortex. Let’s see, was it The Rapture (1991) with the always underappreciated Mimi Rodgers? More likely it was in Cameron Crowe’s Singles (1992).

About that other Vallejo police officer, Elias Koteas (87 credits), I just saw him in The Killing (2013). Oh, and that other guy with the key witness Cheney, named Sandy Panzarella, that’s Paul Schulze (84 credits). He was in Nurse Jackie [make your own jokes]. Was he a cop? If not, why was he part of the Cheney interview?

Classic pitfall. If careless, one can google oneself down a wormhole worse than just rewatching the movie. The one website which answered my question in effect answered every question about the movie, Zodiac Killer Facts.

Holy Oliver Stone! The movie made up a bunch of stuff about Arthur Leigh Allen. I didn’t go there for that. I was OK thinking the heavyset white guy did it [who isn’t]. In effect, that website represents vicodin for your can’t stop watching back pain. Just say no, or at least be prepared to make unflattering admissions like, ‘I’m OK with the white guy being framed,’ and move on. [But they do make make a convincing argument about why the guy who called Melvin Belli’s housekeeper could not have been killer, as the plot of the movie is reliant upon].

Back to the character actors, Chloë Sevigny is a worthy successor to Jennifer Jason Leigh’s mantle of having the most interesting and varied female roles.  Her character’s 1st date with the Graysmith character was great. I was pleasantly surprised to read that Ms. Sevigny is a practicing Catholic.

Which reminds me, I’ve been looking to begin and end an IMDB-based contest. What scene in movie history has the most IMDB acting credits totaled by actors appearing in one legitimate scene (it can’t be a stadium type deal)? Time’s up. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is the answer. I’ll tabulate and offer the proof in a future blog post.

Man, I never got to the music.