With apologies to all you fellow dads, I hereby make this confession: I've always been creeped out by the 1989 film "Field of Dreams."
Yes, I know, "Field of Dreams" is the dad movie. It's the flick that a lot of moms will prod their kids to rent on DVD this weekend, so that the youngsters can watch it with their dads on Father's Day this Sunday.
Heck, "Fields of Dreams" is only the second movie in the history of the universe at which it's OK for a grown man to cry. (The other? The 1957 Walt Disney 0flick "Old Yeller").
Yes, I know, "Field of Dreams" is the dad movie. It's the flick that a lot of moms will prod their kids to rent on DVD this weekend, so that the youngsters can watch it with their dads on Father's Day this Sunday.
Heck, "Fields of Dreams" is only the second movie in the history of the universe at which it's OK for a grown man to cry. (The other? The 1957 Walt Disney 0flick "Old Yeller").
In "Field of Dreams," you remember, the character Ray (played by Kevin
Costner) is a farmer and family man who hears a mystical, disembodied
voice urging him to build a baseball field in his Iowa cornfield. Ray
obeys. Lots of strange occurrences follow, the main one being that
long-dead, famous and not-so-famous baseball players (or their spirits,
their ghosts or whatever) begin warming up on Ray's field.
In the final scene (spoiler alert!), Ray sees his deceased father as a young man, decked out in catcher's gear, hanging around home plate. Ray's dad appears as young, or younger, than Ray. They play catch. Ray calls him "Dad." The end.
Creepy.
With apologies to my late father, I don't want to do a "Back to the Future" thing and come face to face with my dad when he looked like a backwoods Arkansas version of James Dean -- when my dad was a wiry, dark-haired teen with a mysterious glare, a pre-Elvisian pompadour, a white T-shirt and high-water jeans.
Now, talking with my dad (in his proper older self) about his younger days was a cool thing, once I grew up and out of his house. (I'm reminded of the Mark Twain quip: "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.")
So what if I encountered my dad as his younger self?
Here's what: What if he didn't like my looks and wanted to beat my butt?
What if I discovered his tastes in music and movies sucked? (However, I'm eternally grateful that he did turn me on to Hank Williams, Dean Martin, Louie Prima and James Bond flicks.)
And I know my younger dad would look at my older self and laugh and say, "See, I told you raising kids would make you lose your hair."
Meanwhile, kids, here are some suggestions of movies to rent for your dad on Father's Day:
"The Godfather." Every dad will be touched by this portrait of a hard-working papa who struggles to pass on the family business to his son.
"The Seven Year Itch." This is a tale of a father who stays behind in Manhattan to slave away at his job while his wife and son go on vacation. Meanwhile, this dad discovers he has a new neighbor, played by an actress named Marilyn Monroe.
(Psssst -- kids, don't let Mommy know you're renting this one for Dad.)
Any James Bond movie (featuring any actor playing the British super spy except that George Lazenby dude). As you present Dad with the DVD, simply say, "Dad, this guy reminds me of you."
But under no circumstances, kids, should you rent "Field of Dreams."
In the final scene (spoiler alert!), Ray sees his deceased father as a young man, decked out in catcher's gear, hanging around home plate. Ray's dad appears as young, or younger, than Ray. They play catch. Ray calls him "Dad." The end.
Creepy.
With apologies to my late father, I don't want to do a "Back to the Future" thing and come face to face with my dad when he looked like a backwoods Arkansas version of James Dean -- when my dad was a wiry, dark-haired teen with a mysterious glare, a pre-Elvisian pompadour, a white T-shirt and high-water jeans.
Now, talking with my dad (in his proper older self) about his younger days was a cool thing, once I grew up and out of his house. (I'm reminded of the Mark Twain quip: "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.")
So what if I encountered my dad as his younger self?
Here's what: What if he didn't like my looks and wanted to beat my butt?
What if I discovered his tastes in music and movies sucked? (However, I'm eternally grateful that he did turn me on to Hank Williams, Dean Martin, Louie Prima and James Bond flicks.)
And I know my younger dad would look at my older self and laugh and say, "See, I told you raising kids would make you lose your hair."
Meanwhile, kids, here are some suggestions of movies to rent for your dad on Father's Day:
"The Godfather." Every dad will be touched by this portrait of a hard-working papa who struggles to pass on the family business to his son.
"The Seven Year Itch." This is a tale of a father who stays behind in Manhattan to slave away at his job while his wife and son go on vacation. Meanwhile, this dad discovers he has a new neighbor, played by an actress named Marilyn Monroe.
(Psssst -- kids, don't let Mommy know you're renting this one for Dad.)
Any James Bond movie (featuring any actor playing the British super spy except that George Lazenby dude). As you present Dad with the DVD, simply say, "Dad, this guy reminds me of you."
But under no circumstances, kids, should you rent "Field of Dreams."
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