Review of Mystery Train (1989) by Kim S — 01 Sep 2006

[center][b][font=Times New Roman]Elvis sightings?three in a row?two smelt of sushi[/font][/b].

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[center][font=Times New Roman]- [b]Kim Singh[/b][/font].

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[font=Times New Roman]?Ladies and gentleman, Elvis has left the building?. I guess no one bothered to inform me, as I spotted him three times in a row, over the past week.[/font].

[font=Times New Roman]There I was comforting myself with the fact that I was an opera buff, loved real theater and Bergman films. I had relegated the Elvis sightings to the conspiracy freaks, who sighted UFOs as often as GM?s efforts to exterminate the EV3. But then I had this feeling of déjà vu, when I saw the film ?Mystery Train ?by Jim Jarmusch, for the first time ever. This masterpiece was released way back in 1989, but somehow my film aficionado radar had failed to net it all these years. But thanks to Netflix, I have been having a feast of films I had missed out on. ?Mystery Train? is a quaint film all about Elvis. Jim Jarmusch is a master of cinema, and in his [i]three times[/i], weaves three gems, the most lustrous being the one of the Japanese couple, with Masatoshi Nagase providing a masterful performance of minimalist candor.[/font].

[font=Times New Roman]The very next day, the news was replete with our beloved President hamming it up with Japanese President Koizumi at Graceland. Whereas father Bush had thrown up in the former Japanese President?s lap during a banquet; W made the entire nation throw up, with his lack of judgment; playing up to a Japanese juvenile?s pet hang-ups, just when the Israel ? Palestinian situation was flaring up. It was a sight to behold, when Koizumi did an Elvis impersonation, with W and Laura looking on, looking very very stupid, for having encouraged this excessive behavior. After having snubbed the Chinese premier recently by not according him a State welcome, W gave the official state welcome with all the accoutrements to Koizumi, just because Japan had toed the line on the Iraq war and because Koizumi was hung up on Elvis!![/font].

[font=Times New Roman]The third sighting of the King was at the wonderfully opulent and splendid ?California Theater ?in downtown San Jose. With the tallest building in the city of San Jose, now being a reminder about everything that is rotten and stinking in the fair city, one needs to look upon the California Theater, to remind us that there are enclaves of purity, elegance and fine taste that still reside in our this fair city and there is nothing political about it!! [/font].

[font=Times New Roman] [/font][font=Times New Roman]San Jose Stage Company staged ?Idols of The King? at the California Theater. It was a marvelous production. While the King gyrated on stage, at a respectable height from the stage floor, there was wonderful theatre unfolding on stage, in the foreground.[/font].

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[font=Times New Roman]The delectable find of the evening, was not Scot Bruce as The King, but Randall King as ?The Man?. It has been a while since there has been such incredible talent on a San Jose stage. Randall King, who also happened to have directed this production, blew the socks off the audience with his masterful performance. This man is Orson Wells and Brando rolled into one. He has such incredible stage presence and a depth of talent that is unfair to brandish such a being on a stage populated by lesser beings. He reminded me of Christopher Plummer?s legendary performance in ?Barrymore ?on Broadway a few years back. Randall King has that mettle in him that makes theater a wonderful experience. Randall King luxuriates in his skill and talent. He can captivate the audience just by walking on stage, with back turned to the audience. He knows just how long to stretch a stage silence. He knows when to arch his eyebrow, and when to apply a touch of subtle irony. His man can drive you to theatrical nirvana.[/font].

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[font=Times New Roman] [/font][font=Times New Roman]It was a pity that Randall King did not emerge after the performance to meet with the start struck audience, who had to be content with autographs by The King. The real King had apparently slunk away home, an unsung hero!![/font].

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