2 weeks ago
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
POW The Escape/Behind Enemy Lines
How many times did I fly that traject between Holland and Asia, probably over a dozen, I lost counting.
I had a good contact with my father and frequently returned to 'the nest' to visit the old man, he loved to hear all those unbelievable stories and couldn't wait to see the next film in the theater. Most of the times I managed to stay for a month or so, I preferred spring or summer-times, I hated the cold (still do !!)
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My favorite casting office for sure was Central Casting, I was treated well over there and they got me into a lot of nice international pictures I tell you.
The Metcalfe's had their own miss Moneypenny, a secretary ( sorry dear I forgot your name, guys help me ) with a marvelous memory and thanks to her info I was up-dated to when a next major casting was planned and often she patched me thru to Ken who always found a minute or so to talk to me.
So one morning (June 26 '85) she told me there was a need of military input and if I could come over to the office to talk to Maria and Ken. Hé, I was on my way already !!
"Can you do a medic," that's what Maria wanted to know. "Hé, is the Pope catholic?", was my rhetoric. "Who's ill ?" The contract was there, it only needed my signature. It was an action movie again, I didn't mind cos I loved the adrenaline during the takes. This time I had the opportunity to meet with David Carradine himself. This guy had become a legend during the 70's doing the lead part in a tv-serie: 'Kung Fu'. Bruce Lee was to busy to accept the rol of Kwai Chang Caine. Second choice David hesitated cos he wasn't a martial arts master, no, he was a ballet dancer with a great agility and balance. He had to deepen into eastern philosophy to learn how the monks behave and move. Later a became a virtuoso coming to the writing of 'The Spirit of the Shaolin', but the name Grasshopper was always linked to him for the rest of his life. Now David was on his way to be part of 'Behind Enemy Lines'
There were lots of helicopters and I was on board of one of them. We had to fly-in off and on to rescue the wounded. But it was a field of action, we were shot at by the enemy, explosions burst all around us. Smoke, fire and a lot of noise. That was the scene. During the rehearsals several things didn't work out the way they should. And when we finally were in 'action', it still was far from perfect. The ski's of the heli were about a foot from the ground when we jumped down, carrying out stretchers. But our landing place was almost on top of a blast, when this thing exploded the pilot told us to get back on board cos it was too dangerous for him to be there. Imagine all the smoke fxs and other aircrafts flying around us, the visibility was close to zero. From up there, doors wide open, it was a marvelous view, man that was a real war scene. Soldiers all over the place camouflaged by curtains of smoke, flying stuntmen, fire and a LOT of noise. Sometimes pieces of debris came as high as our chopper. The heli twisted and turned, often close to a 90 degree angle. Hé, did I get my adrenaline !!! This was really 'Pow the Escape'. This wasn't the only incident. I think it was the next day when our leading actor nearly escaped a decapitation. It was the talk of the day. David's piece of action wasn't too difficult, he was to get off the heli and run towards the camera. There were at least 4 choppers involved and they were suppose to land in a specific sequence. During the rehearsals (good visibility) there were no problems at all, but when 'action' was announced things were fucked up. From all the heli's David's was the first to land. But the pilot in chop #2 miscalculated and landed in front of the 'leading' one. What's the big deal you'ld say? Well, David didn't see nor hear the obstruction in front of him and was walking directly towards to tail-rotor. He was looking down, protecting his face against the strong winds caused by all 4 of the helicopters. It was damn fucking close when he finally noticed somebody screaming and gesticulating to him. At lunchbreak David come down to our area and started to chat. He didn't seem to have any raised blood pressure at that time but I wouldn't be surprised if he had some 'brakes marks' in his shorts.. He was a very nice person to talk with, friendly and serene. I think it was an honor to meet and shake hands with such a celebrity. David, rest in peace.
The film never made it to the top and was released as:
'Attack force Nam' and 'POW the Escape'
Women of Valor
At dawn on 9 April, and against the orders of Generals Douglas MacArthur and Jonathan Wainwright, Major General Edward P. King, Jr., commanding Luzon Force, Bataan, Philippine Islands, surrendered more than 75,000 (67,000 Filipinos, 1,000 Chinese Filipinos, and 11,796 Americans) starving and disease-ridden men. He inquired of Colonel Motoo Nakayama, the Japanese colonel to whom he tendered his pistol in lieu of his lost sword, whether the Americans and Filipinos would be well treated. The Japanese aide-de-camp replied: “We are not barbarians.” The majority of the prisoners of war were immediately robbed of their keepsakes and belongings and subsequently forced to endure a 61-mile (98 km) march in deep dust, over vehicle-broken macadam roads, and crammed into rail cars to captivity at Camp O’Donnell. Thousands died en route from disease, starvation, dehydration, heat prostration, untreated wounds, and wanton execution.
Those few who were lucky enough to travel to San Fernando on trucks still had to endure more than 25 miles of marching. Prisoners were beaten randomly, and were often denied food and water. Those who fell behind were usually executed or left to die. Witnesses say those who broke rank for a drink of water were executed, some even decapitated. Subsequently, the sides of the roads became littered with dead bodies and those begging for help.
On the Bataan Death March, approximately 54,000 of the 75,000 prisoners reached their destination. The death toll of the march is difficult to assess as thousands of captives were able to escape from their guards. All told, approximately 5,000–10,000 Filipino and 600–650 American prisoners of war died before they could reach Camp O'Donnell.
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Thursday, October 8, 2009
You think about to quit on smoking ? Watch this ...it'll help U.
400 cigarettes and the amount of tar
This is what you are inhaling :
Smoking less is no option !!! You need to kill this 'nicotine monster' inside of you. At least you need the will to quit, it's a fight against a routine addiction. Acupuncture points will support your struggle against this nasty habit, but it's you, only you who desides to light up the next cigarette (or not). Next to activating these points you should watch your eating/drinking habbits as well.
see :
Acupuncture points that helps to stop smoking
And last but not least I can recommend Alan Carr's book about smoking.
click here
.Acupuncture points that helps to stop smoking
And last but not least I can recommend Alan Carr's book about smoking.
click here
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