PARA TI, CARLOS

Some of you tercer edaders will remember when Carlos "the Jackal" was terrorizing Europe and the Middle East.  When I saw that the the 5 1/2-hour French film about him was out on DVD, I really, really, really wanted to see it.  Two problems:  we didn't have the DVD or a screen to see it on. I wondered if I could importune any new acquaintances here to borrow their tvs if I could get my hands on the DVD.  There's a Blockbuster (not bankrupt here, I guess) next to the Mega store where we shop, so we stopped in to inquire.  There was an amazing array of bad movies in no perceivable order on the walls, so I asked the young man to look for it on his computer.  He kept asking, "just Carlos?"  So I educated him with a brief bio on this Carlos and told him the director was Olivier Assayas.   He didn't seem impressed and he didn't see the movie anywhere on his computer.

Then Mimi and Alain e-mailed us and said they would bring a copy when they arrive this coming Monday.  Hooray!  Now we needed the screen.  El sr J started researching plasma, LCD, and LED, and we went to various stores to compare prices.  We ended up where we always do, at Viana, picked one, and told the young salesman we wanted it delivered.  He said they don't deliver "small" items.  El sr J started making noises about how light it was, so I had to put my foot down and tell the young man, Hugo Antonio, we would not buy it unless it was delivered.  He asked his boss for permission and followed us home with the LED screen on his shoulder.

So, it's about to happen--5 1/2 hours of terror or revolution, depending on your viewpoint.

The young Ilich Ramírez Sánchez.  His father taught him to be a Marxist.  Don't know who taught him that smirk.

In court in Paris, appealing his conviction for (allegedly) killing 2 French agents.  He doesn't look very repentant, does he.

 
The Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramírez, who plays Carlos.

The screen we're going to watch him on: