With the realization that my day off was coming to an end, the stress of still having stacks of articles left unread welled up. I found myself parked on the couch multi-tasking between typing out a project proposal on my laptop and watching the 1998 movie Meet Joe Black on Astro TV.The movie had already been playing for slightly more than an hour. The storyline was interesting but I didn't completely "get it" because I had missed the beginning; I continued to watch the movie anyway. I would normally have switched channels or moved on to something else.
Truth is, I couldn't keep my eyes off the principal character Joe Black. Actor Brad Pitt, then 10 years younger, with his boyish good looks was just too difficult to dismiss. He seemed to have the best of pretty boy Rob Lowe and handsome Robert Redford ... and was completely mesmerizing. Breathtaking like a saint, and yet, he played the character of Death/Angel of Death.
A brief synopsis of the movie for those of you who have yet to see this old movie:
Joe Black and Bill Parrish enter into a most unusual gentleman's agreement. Wealthy media tycoon William Parrish leads a charmed existence until Death comes calling with an extraordinary proposition - he'll delay Bill's imminent demise in exchange for a tour of life. Innocent, enigmatic and often hilarious, Joe disrupts Bill's world of privilege and corporate intrigue. But when he falls for Bill's beautiful daughter, Joe threatens to change the rules. Now Bill must fight not for his future, but for those he loves in this bittersweet tale of life and death.
Written by Robert Lynch
Well that's not all, the movie ends with two of my favorite songs - combined into one theme song - Somewhere over the rainbow / What a wonderful world.
More Israel Kamakawiwo'ole music on iLike
Now, back to the books ... .
