Target Village - Clarence

Clarence Oddbody, AS-2 has the faith of a child. He carries his copy of Tom Sawyer with him everywhere. It is not ashamed or afraid to reveal himself as an angel to anyone who asks.

My Collection Part 4 - Hallmark Christmas Ornament 2015

Today I feature my Hallmark Christmas Ornament for 2015.

It is a display of George and Mary together during the final scene of It's a Wonderful Life. George is holding the copy of Tom Sawyer with the inscription from Clarence.

Here it is with the box and hanging on our tree.

When you push the button, it plays "Auld Lang Syne."

Here is our Christmas tree in full:

Movie Review - Clarence

When everyone started talking about the possibility that someone may "finally" be creating a sequel to It's a Wonderful Life in 2014, my first thought was "another one?"

That's because it has already been done before. On second thought, perhaps it hasn't been done before. Perhaps, instead, there has been a spin-off movie.

I am talking about the movie Clarence, Starring Robert Carradine. It was released in January 1998 by Republic Pictures, which also put out It's a Wonderful Life. The movie explores what happened to Clarence about 50 years later after he saved George Bailey.

A scene from Clarence.
Source: http://www.etv.co.za/movies/family/clarence

Clarence feels like he made a mess in Bedford Falls, despite his successful intervention. Because of that, he refuses to serve as a guardian angel any longer.

Not even five minutes into the movie, one angel refuses to return to earth. His reason? He doesn't have wings. In It's a Wonderful Life, we learn that this is the perfect reason to go to earth. Helping others is the way to earn your wings. It's a huge hole in the movie plot that cannot be ignored.

Apparently, in addition to earning their wings, guardian angels also get younger as time progresses.

After some conniving, Clarence accepts a mission to help a friend's wife who is contemplating suicide. He is given strict rules to follow, but of course, things don't go quite right for Clarence. He is forced to break every rule he is given. His intentions are good, but the consequences are always unintended and always bad.

This movie is dated by the technology that appears in it. The family that Clarence helps is a family of computer programmers who are trying to repair a glitchy video game and get it to market. Only adults will recognize the 5.25" floppy disks that the game is programmed on.

The works of Mark Twain again make an important appearance in this movie.

Clarence is only available on VHS. I purchased it in 1999. You can learn more about the movie here.

It's campy, a little bit cheesy, and very over-acted. Yet, I give it 3 out of 5 stars, which is more than I have been willing to give it before.

Blogging From A to Z - T is for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

Welcome to the It's A Wonderful Blog's Blogging From A to Z April (2015) Challenge. For this challenge, I will post every day in April (except for Sundays) about topics related to the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart film, It's a Wonderful Life.

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star":

A traditional children's song became the equivalent of a text message or tweet in a classic 1940s film.

Vintage sheet music for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."
Source: http://bit.ly/19epRxl

In It's a Wonderful Life, "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star is played on a xylophone ... or possibly a toy piano ... to indicate communication between angels.

The first time we hear the tune, Joseph pages Clarence. He sends a message in the form of the first seven notes of this childhood song.

Just before he is told to do that, Joseph's boss (see my entry on the letter B to learn the identity of the boss) tells him that Clarence has “got the faith of a child — simple.”

This is a hugely important factor in why "Twinkle Twinkle" was used as the tune to communicate between angels in the film.

In the Bible, Jesus addresses the innocence and faith of children:

“'Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?' Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.'" (Matthew 18:1-4)

Clarence has the faith of a child because we are all called to have the faith of a child. Jesus tells us that if we do so, we will have access to Heaven. And when we get there, we will be angels. According to this logic then, all angels have the faith of a child. So it is fitting that a children's lullaby would be their communication system - or at least represent communication between angels.

It is also an appropriate song because whenever a star or a solar system talks, it twinkles. We can hear them talk when they are together because they are together. The song is a paging system, or a text message. We hear it only when angels are not together. It is their method of long-distance communication, like a text message or a tweet.

To reinforce the idea of the childlike faith, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is sung to the same tune as the "ABC Song."

We hear the tune another time, during the Pottersville sequence. After George and Clarence are thrown out of Nick's Bar, George decides to search for answers by himself and leaves Clarence behind. Alone, Clarence begins to talk to Joseph. We can hear his words because he is on Earth - even if he is in an alternate version of our world. When Joseph replies, it comes to us as "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

Although hear the tune instead of the music, we know that Joseph asks Clarence if he drank anything in the bar, to which Clarence strongly responds, "No, I didn't have a drink!"

Blogging From A to Z - A is for Angel, Second Class

Clarence Oddbody, AS-2.  Source:
http://www.tomatobubble.com/wonderfulrace1.html

Welcome to the It's A Wonderful Blog's Blogging From A to Z April (2015) Challenge. For this challenge, I will post every day in April (except for Sundays) about topics related to the Frank Capra/Jimmy Stewart film, It's a Wonderful Life.

Poor, hapless Clarence. He can't seem to get a leg up.

Jesus taught us to love others unconditionally. It's in the red words. And yet Joseph can't help but hold him in contempt. His voice just drips of it. In fact, Joseph thinks Clarence will fail. He reveals his Debbie Downer Disease when he sighs, "Poor George."

It's so sad.

Clarence is kind of like Quasimodo in a way. Clarence is an Angel, Second Class, and poor Quasimodo can't even achieve the status of Full Modo.

Second class. In Heaven. Forget political correctness. Forget equality. Clarence comes in with the silver medal, and no wings. He can't see visions without the help of other - better, First Class - angels.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/clarence/quotes/

He can't even get his own movie....at least not a quality movie.

In 1990, there was a movie. Not a film. A movie. Called Clarence. It starred Robert Carradine as a younger Clarence. It wasn't very good. I just looked it up on Internet Movie Database, and I can say I'm honestly shocked that it has 5.4 stars. Check it out for yourself.

Now granted, I bought the movie (on videocassette), watched it once about 20 years ago, and I haven't touched it since. I'll have to watch it sometime and review it here. So take my opinion lightly and watch it yourself.

In It's a Wonderful Life, Clarence is accused of being simple. George calls him a fallen angel (Fans of Poison and Bret Michaels bang heads now), and also calls him Gabriel a couple of times.

In many ways, he is like the little guy that George fights for throughout the film. Except that Clarence is fighting for George. The little guy is fighting for the guy who fights for the little guy. That's pretty cool, and pretty special, as well. Check out Clarence's big intro below:

Book Review - The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody

In my book reviews, I give my brief thoughts on what I read. Sometimes I will expound on those thoughts, but more often than not, I will just give a brief opinion. I could go into detail about what the book is about, but a lot of people have already done that. You can read their descriptions of the book, plus the official description on Amazon.

I was more pleased than I expected to be with The Last Temptation of Clarence Odbody, by John Pierson.

Source: http://themanofesto.com/tag/academy-award

It's a Wonderful Life was a dark film. It touched on some taboo subjects that still are difficult to talk about in present times. However, it ended on such a terrifically high note that most people forget how disturbing almost 75 percent of that film truly is.

I will admit that there were times when I was revolted and horrified that Pierson took such a great movie and moved it to an even darker place than what even Pottersville allowed.

Where Pierson excelled was in his attention to detail in the film. I found what I thought were a couple of errors. However, through the miracle of Goodreads and Facebook, I was able discuss these "errors" with Pierson, and came to understand that since this is an alternate version of how the story comes out, the details don't necessarily have to stay true to the film.

I was also disappointed that we didn't find out what ever happened to such a devilish character, or why he was so helpful to one character, yet so destructive to another. The motivation for both was missing. I had this discussion with the author, as well, but I'll leave the pleasure of discovery to you. Maybe you will catch what I missed.

When this book got really, really (really!!!!!) dark, I almost put this book down. It was taking me to a place that I, as a HUGE fan of It's a Wonderful Life, didn't want the story to go. But I followed through, and as much as it hurt, it was worth it. The epilogue is full of quotable moments.

Never think your future is written. It's not. Never let anyone tell you what you can or can't or should or shouldn't do. They need to keep their mouths shut. The world is out there. Now let go of the past and go explore it, even if it is just in your own back yard.

I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

Isn't George Ironic? Don't You Think?

Source: http://www.virginmedia.com/music/pictures/
profiles/when-popstars-get-political.php?ssid=16

His business is in trouble. Potter has (unknown to him) absconded with $8,000. Uncle Billy had neither his mind on his money or his money on his mind. Uncle Billy needs to call Snoop Dogg, fo' shizzle.

Of course, I am talking about the famous Frank Capra film, "It's a Wonderful Life." It’s all I ever talk about.

With nowhere to turn, George Bailey stands atop a bridge, ready to end his life. Then the strangest thing happens....Just as he prepares to jump, someone else falls in. George's protective, humanitarian instincts kick in and the jump changes from suicide attempt to rescue mission.

Source: http://archive.wired.com/table_of_
malcontents/2007/01/alanis_morisset/

It turns out that George rescues his Guardian Angel. Ironic, isn't it? Someone call Alanis and set her straight. Since I'm on the topic of Alanis and irony, she should ask George and Mary Bailey about rain on their wedding day. I'll bet they have an opinion.

Anyhooo......time to cut the snark. Seriously. Now, back to the show.

In the course of their discussion, George wishes that he had never been born. Ironically (there's that word again. What's my problem tonight?), it's one of the few wishes he is granted.

George is swept off to Pottersville, like Dorothy on her way to Oz. There's even wind. Okay, it's not exactly like that, but I'm trying to break some sort of pop culture reference record. Note to self: Google "record for most pop culture references in a blog entry."

Source: https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/almira-gulch

When George gets to Pottersville, he is shown a litany of train wrecks that are other people's lives. Without George, these people are lost.

Not to be too much of a Negative Nellie, that's a really sad commentary about all of these people and their need for someone else to make their lives meaningful. On the other hand, it says a lot about George and his importance to the community, his friends and his family.

George isn't shown one single thing that would change his life for better if he returned to Bedford Falls and not followed through with the suicide.

Nothing he is shown directly impacts or improves his life. Clarence leads him on a path of showing how great other people's lives are because George is in them. And yet, it is enough.

George ultimately decides to pray to be returned to Bedford Falls because, as he says, "I want to live again." That is not a wish, this time, but a prayer. His prayer is answered. He returns to Bedford Falls, knowing full well he will face charges of "bankruptcy and scandal and prison." And he goes joyfully.

He is glad to be alive for the simple fact of knowing that he has positively impacted the lives of so many other people.

For my dollar, that makes him the ultimate humanitarian; George, however, never noticed it. It's like Alanis said, after all: "Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you when you think everything's okay."

Isn't it ironic?

Don't you think?

Ironically (HAHAHA) I couldn't find a picture of Alanis angry. So I chose this one instead.
Source: http://www.jobsnhire.com/articles/6683/20131109/you-oughta-know-alanis-morissette-americas-angriest-singer-is-bringing-a-barrage-of-bluntness-to-broadway-with-jagged-little-pill.htm