Wasn't the weather perfect for the July 4th weekend? I think Sunday was one of the handful of truly "perfect" days we are blessed to get each year. Part of my family's holiday weekend was spent at the movies, watching Steven Spielberg's remake of "The War of the Worlds." Once again, we were able to enjoy a first run movie on opening weekend right here in Le Mars, which makes the event even better.

The movie was a fairly faithful remake of the 1950s version, updated with better special effects and reimagined by the always capable Mr. Spielberg. It's a good way to spend a couple hours, whether you love or hate Tom Cruise.

I'm a fan of movies, have been since I was a child. As I have "grown up" and become an adult, I have learned to appreciate the films made in the 1930s and 1940s, the Golden Age of Hollywood. I think this is a natural progression for many of us, as we relate more and more to our parents. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a commercial free cable network that runs old movies 24 hours a day. It's a favorite at our house, and I watched an interesting documentary this week about the origins of Science Fiction films called "Watch The Skies." The documentary featured interviews with filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, James Cameron and George Lucas. Each director explained how the sci-fi craze of the 1950s had influenced them personally and professionally.

As we have become more and more removed from the threat of nuclear annihilation at the hands of the Soviets, it behooves us all to remember the context in which many of these films of the 1950s were made in. I'm just a bit too young to have done the "duck and cover" drills at schools, where children would hide under their desks when a nuclear attack is launched. They must have made desks a WHOLE lot better in those days to withstand the yield of a hydrogen bomb.

Science and technology in many of the films begins as our salvation and ultimately becomes our undoing, or, depending on the screenwriter, the reverse is true. In "2001: A Space Odyssey," the advanced computer, HAL, who controls nearly every aspect of the spacecraft's operation, goes berserk and kills or causes the death of all but one member of the crew, who is forced to disconnect it. Where's good computer virus when you REALLY need it?

The technology is our friend/technology is our undoing argument made by many sci-fi films continues to ring true today. How many of us, in our every day life, carry on a love-hate relationship with cellular phone, computers and all other manner of electronic gadgets?

The final irony for me that I learned from the documentary is that, until the 1950s, no self respecting writer, actor or director would even consider doing science fiction. Now, many, if not most, of the the mega budget, mega grossing films are science fiction. Heck, there's even a 24 hour cable network for science fiction.

Go figure.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who helped me "get out of jail" a week ago in the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Jail and Bail event. I raised a little over $120 during the final shift of the day. Fortunately for me the event ended an hour after my shift, or else I still might be trying to make bail.

As always, I welcome your comments. You can reach me by email at tstangl@lemarscomm.net, telephone 712-546-7031, x40 or toll free 1-800-728-0066 x40.

Thanks for reading, I'll keep in touch. Feel free to do the same.