So they would have to actually endure the said grind, but just forget about it afterwards? That's what they do in hospitals, during operations. They haven't been rumbled because no-one can remember the torture they went through. [I don't think so!]

Just erase their asses.

Gawd, I hate that film. It takes approximately 18 hours to get over its awe-inspiring message of, "sh*t happens".

Nobody has leapt to Nicolas Cage's defence I see.

Correct, if they don't remember it then did it happen to them, or did it happen to somebody else?

Some of my thoughts on this were:

- The users of the drug would be grown-up teenagers, because they'd have spent 5/7ths of their lives oblivious.

- Users of the drug would suffer from a split personality, where their weekday and weekend personae became two distinct people. I imagined that once this happened their weekday personality would get its sh*t together (given that you can only hold down a pretty menial job if you can't remember anything), but then at some point in the future one of the two personalities would become dominant and the other (and its memories) would vanish forever. So you could have old stoners who had once been real professional and could remember nothing about it.

- The 'baddies' are a powerful political movement, who are publicly opposed to the forgetting drug, but are actually responsible for developing and refining it, trying to reach the stage where they can control splitting to create a population which is useful and productive, but can be controlled easily.

- The main plot was going to revolve are a protagonist, who is one of the forgetting-drug users, who gets given a new drug without realising that it renders you temporarily immune to the forgetting-drug, so they actually have to live their life for a week and realise just how messed up the world is becoming, with this shady political power, which is almost openly evil, being pretty much in control, but then getting the option of a 3rd drug which will wipe his memory and having to chose between going back to the party lifestyle he had been living or carry on as a productive member of society and fight the party.

What do you reckon? Worth writing?

Go on then, I'll do it.
Wild at heart
Leaving Las Vegas

I'd also put Keanu Reeeves into the bracket of "actors who've been in some very good films despite their obvious lack of talent at errmmm.... acting".

I can't remember a film when he wasn't more wooden than a tree.

Sounds good to me, especially if a few asses get erased along the way.

One thing: When you are getting involved with concepts of personal identity you need to be careful. The idea that if we forget what happened to us it wasn't us after all is an old one (John Locke was a prominent advocate), but it doesn't make sense when looked at from past to future.

If I am told that I am about to undergo an operation under anaesthetic, that I will be in searing agony for six hours, but not to worry because I will forget all about it afterwards, that doesn't seem to be much of a consolation. I will still be the person having the operation, so from a forward-looking perspective it's still going to be me.

Andrew - there seems to be a soma-esque quality about your idea. Sounds interesting.

Wishy - I agree with both your Nicolas Cage nominations.

Keanu Reeves? Nope, never.

Maybe I shoudn't have written "very" in that sentence.

I still like the Matrix as a film despite the presence of the aforementioned talentless one.

I like The Matrix despite knowing in my heart that it's bollocks.

One or two bits are stand out hilarious, unintentionally.

I've never actually watched it all the way through, so I am about to do so now!

Anaesthetic before or after?

About 40 minutes in.

Absolutely!

Why are they wearing dark glasses at night?

I would have done exactly that last monday, but since then i've watched both Ghost Rider movies and Drive Angry.

So they can keep track of the visions in their eyes?

I'm disturbed by Enforcer's desire to use rubbers on donkeys.

I think Keanu Reeves' woodenness (?) actually suits his character in The Matrix but it doesn't work elsewhere.

Was Nic (now he's changed his name after marrying some teenager) Cage not in Raising Arizona?

<ahem> Wyld Stallyns!!!


Yes, yes he was. One of the Coen brother's finest.

Yes he was. Adaptation is a pretty good film too.

Better than going bareback I suppose...

God I had blanked Keanu Reeves from my mind......

In defence of Nicholas Cage, I did quite enjoy Lord Of War.

And the Green Mile I considered was never as good as it thought it was...

A coupe of Nicholas Cage films I have enjoyed:
The weatherman
Family man.

What about Kevin Bacon?
Apollo 13
Quicksilver.

Tremors!

Oh dear God, add
A few good men
Animal house.

I simultaneously love and hate that movie.

imo Kevin Bacon's best movie is The Woodsman. Not a part many would choose to play.

Lord of War. Another good one.
But you can probably make the same case against a lot of Hollywood actors. Bruce Willis for one and Brad Pitt for another. And then there's J.Depp, esq...

Makes a great thread too.

Is that the one where he like kids a little to much?

It is indeed. A very difficult film to watch, mainly because you find yourself empathising with Walter (Bacon). He served his time and just wants to move on, yet has to cope with the knowledge that he can't change who he is and also has to deal with Sgt. Lucas (Mos Def, also brilliant in this film). The park bench scene was one of the most subtly powerful i've seen. Mr. Bacon deserved far more recognition for his acting in this film than he received.

Yes I have seen it. I think the material made it unlikely to get many awards at least in the mainstream and popularist circles regardless.