friday july 30

today i watched the final half-hour of free willy on television. the film, which i probably hadn't watched since about 1994, was much different than i remembered. while i, of course, recalled the iconic image of willy jumping over that kid to freedom, and the michael jackson song that highlighted the soundtrack, that was about the extent of my memories. things i'd forgotten included:

• willy responding to casual conversation with headshakes or nods, like a human.
• willy's overnight road trip.
• michael madsen as the stepdad who comes through in the end.
• any of the actors in the movie.
• that the villains were trying to off willy to collect the insurance policy -- one million dollars.
• that the michael jackson song ("will you be there") didn't even play over the jumping-into-the-ocean scene, but rather during the end credits.