Sunday, May 7, 2017

Film - Spirit Unforgettable


What is the use of telling people that the place I live is really terrific -- even better than most places.

But I am going to say it again.  Salmon Arm in the Spring is pretty amazing.

There are other parts of living here that make this a wonderful place for retirement.  One is the fact that the Shuswap Film Society brings in art films every week for a 5 pm Friday night gig.  This week they brought in an extra show on Wednesday: Spirit Unforgettable -- the powerful, devastating and inspiring story of the iconic Canadian Celtic rock band Spirit of the West and their frontman, John Mann, who in 2014, at the age of 51, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

All proceeds from this documentary were donated to the Alzheimer Society of B.C., North and Central Okanagan Region.

And to start with, it is a little embarrassing that the film only cost $7.  Well, just another of the perks of living here -- low cost, high value!

I decided a while ago that if I had my life to live over, I would spend more time thinking and reading about what it is to be a Canadian.  I might even take the Macleans magazine, which I think would help. It is probably not too late to start reading that.

At any rate, Greg, Wyona and I attended the movie as did many other people in our age cohort.  I have never been to rock concert, let alone one done by the Spirit of the West.  If this had been a special on TV, I might have changed the channel.

But the whole evening was super enjoyable.  The popcorn.  The songs that the band sang.  The story line.  The pause to think about what it means to have Alzheimer's or any debilitating disease.  The amazing support of family and friends and the vision of how that can extend people's happiness.

If the movie comes to an art house close to you, it is well worth the adventure of seeing it.

2 comments:

  1. I loved this band when I was in university. Saw them many many times in concert. Just say no to debilitating diseases. If only it were that easy.

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  2. The band members got to talk about their experiences -- joining the band, travelling with the band, how it affected their wives and children, how they tried to keep their families together. A touching documentary and I noticed as the credits rolled by at the end, that many of their songs had been on the sound track. You probably would have liked the show, even without a bag of popcorn in your hands.

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