OH BOY! CV19, haven’t you farked things right up, eh?

But not for long, sucker! ‘Cause we’ll be back!

With most of us having grown up watching the movies, in many ways, we’re so well versed with the dramatic narrative of catastrophising that’s now streaming through our smart phones, is rife on our tellybox not to mention Karen et al on Facebook clogging up our feeds – the real experts, innit! (Take note, Kaz; “Insufficient facts always invite danger,” said Dr Spock)

So, praise be, the sensible humans who know that in order to survive, we must stay strong under his eye and behave akin to the kids in Bird Box so when Sandra Bullock says it’s really important to ‘CLOSE YOUR EYES!’ – we know to jam those peepers SHUT!

Of course, Corona isn’t Netflix.

And I am not taking any of this lightly and neither should you, but I just wanted to throw some words together that have been Temple of Doom-rolling around my nut for a few days and release them to anyone who’s happy to read something around CV19 that doesn’t include the words ‘unprecedented’ or ‘furlough’.

Of course. Covid-19 isn’t a film. There is no popcorn (or tinned tomatoes nor eggs).

BUT what we do have is a global population that have grown up watching similar stuff unfold – albeit at cinemas and on the small screens in our living rooms.

The result is that many of us have The Knowledge!

We’re pros at screaming at the telly whenever someone decides to enter a dark room via a door in dire need of WD40 (IDIOTS!); we’re pretty confident in predicting that carefree, stubborn and sunkissed teens are going to end up in the belly of a Great White and that a wooden fence pole sharpened by Grandpa would be crucial to rid Santa Carla of all those damn vampires!

We’ve seen this stuff simulated a million times over. We are ready!

This is not to say that we should start summoning our frustrated heroic alter egos and take on this invisible killer virus irresponsibly – we all know who the real super heroes are in this, the NHS of course and all the keyworkers. These humans are THE most valuable components that keep a society going when in the face of a global pandemic (MY GOD, I never thought those words would ever feature here on my blog!) but instead, we must keep clapping at 8pm every Thursday and do everything we can going forward to ensure this appreciation is not simply tokenistic and is financially rewarded and simply take heed of all that movie and TV experience we have sucked up over the years.

And I’m not even talking about the obvious ‘virus’ movies like 28 days later or Outbreak – they’re almost too literal.

There’s relevance to be found in films from even the most unlikely places. Take Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for example (keep reading!)  which weirdly became quite poignant as I went out for a little run last week. The emptiness around strangley reminded me of that scene when the Potts family and Truly end up in Vulgaria and the villagers are all scared, locked in their houses for fear of the Baron and the Child Catcher.

Or The Sound of Music – as a kid, I remember not liking how it went from high octane happiness jam-and-bread and doe-a-deer to super scary and tense once traitor Rolf turned to the dark side and the Nazis got involved and started hunting the Von Trapps around the Abbey as the entire family tried to escape.

And now, we are all too aware of how the drama of film has become our daily reality in so many ways. 

I don’t think life will ever be the same again.

The narratives are all there in these films and series’ that have shaped us, that we’ve grown up with; that we cherish and remember.

Perhaps unknowingly, we really know the score and even though there aren’t any CV19 zombies literally out there,  instead, what is very, very real is this threat to our freedom and existence – but you know what? We will beat it!

Because folks – Good Will Hunting. I mean, good. will. out!

Remember, it always does. 

As long as we keep looking out for each other, avoid trying to outrun anyone that looks like they might be a vampire on a motorbike, stay safe, stay well and stay home.

Join in and comment and chat below about your favourite movies, what you’re bingeing on currently (I’ve gone back into the X Files and as a family we’re going through all the Adam Sandler movies for LOLS) Have you watched The Tiger King (I mean, seriously, WTAF did I just watch there?) or even if you just want to stop and say ‘HI!’.

Keep connecting and communicating and thank you as always for reading. Stay positive!

May the force be with you.

Always.

FT xx