What the New

By Ellyn Lem

What the New Movie 'Old' Gets Right About Aging

Horror aside, the M. Night Shyamalan film makes important points about getting older The 2010 graphic novel "Sandcastle," from which M. Night Shyamalan based his new hit film, "Old," opens with a quote from the French writer Alphonse Allais: "It is impossible to tell you my age; it changes all the time." The message is an apt beginning for both the book and the film, since the plot of each centers on a small group of tourists visiting a secluded beach of an unnamed island that speeds up the aging process — dramatically. One hour there constitutes two years of life, and no one is spared. You can pretty much guess where the film is going, and it's not pretty. Literature has displayed a fascination with the speculative possibilities of quickening or reversing time for years.

Oscar Wilde's classic, "The Picture of Dorian Gray," introduced the idea of resistance to the effects of the aging process by having a portrait age instead of Dorian himself. F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," (made into a Brad Pitt film) has its title character go backward in time. A current popular novel, "The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue," by American fantasy author V.E. Schwab, also takes a magical realism approach; its protagonist is able to resist time and change permanently, which readers find is a Faustian bargain, with more harm than good.

In "Old," Gael Garcia Bernal is among the island's visitors who get very old very fast

Credit: Universal Pictures/YouTube

The Messages About Aging in "Old"

The question at the heart of Shyamalan's adaptation of "Sandcastle"(written by Pierre Oscar Levy and illustrated by Frederik Peeters) in "Old" is whether the film contains any deep reflection about aging or is merely trying to scare audiences about physical changes to the body over time and the absence of control over that process.

On the surface, it seems to be more of the latter.

None of the group members stranded on the beach welcome this sped-up version of evolution, despite temporary perks for the young children who temporarily experience more developed bodies that are ready for adult experiences. However, they all recognize the morbid reality ahead: their lives will end much quicker than any of them planned. Actors on set for TV show Mr. Mayor, aging, older people, popular culture, Next Avenue

As one of the children complains, "There are so many memories we didn't have."

On top of this type of realization, the film doesn't spare details of physical mutability.

Chrystal, the "beauty" of the group (played by Abby Lee), is shown late in "Old" to look like a Cindy Sherman clown, almost as if her plastic surgery features have melted her face into a monstrosity. Most characters soon display some vestiges of transformation — age spots, gray hair, wrinkled faces and more. Viewers are not shielded from the reality that becoming mere skeletal remains will be their shared destiny.

What's Beneath the Surface

Perhaps due to the inclusion of his earlier films' gory details, critics often label Shyamalan as a horror filmmaker, which he vehemently resists. This pigeonholing could detract from larger messages that he wrestles with, beyond his movies' shock value. "Old"does have such messages, but they lay beneath the surface of this gripping thriller with its gorgeous tropical scenery.

Shyamalan, 50, has indicated that part of his interest in making "Old" (he writes, directs, co-produces and even has a cameo in it) stemmed from his parents getting older and seeing his roles with them switched.

Certainly, the central imagery of the "sandcastle" in both the graphic novel and the film suggest the impermanence of life. We all busy building our own "castles," but in the end must let go and recognize the limited time we may have and how temporary those structures can be. Besides this imagery, the film adds additional meaning about aging with a less nihilistic ending than the graphic novel.

At the beginning of the movie, the tension between Guy Cappa (Gael Garcia Bernal), an actuary, and his wife Prisca (Vicky Krieps), a museum curator, can barely be contained due to ongoing conflicts that may lead to the breakup of

their marriage. On the beach in an early scene, Prisca chides Guy for probably not even knowing what book she is reading.

What 'Old' Gets Right

Suffice it to say that the end of the movie, as the couple deals with agerelated vision and hearing problems, they no longer bicker about minutiae. And they learn to adjust to aging as best as possible. Despite the devastation around them, one says to the other, "I want to be here right now."

The closer the couple come to their mortality, their largesse grows — as does their capacity for empathy and understanding. That's one of the things "Old" gets right about aging. International research showing greater happiness as many people age often suggests that adults are more content later in life. They let go of petty grievances and reprioritize what is important.

Competing with these ideas about growing "old" in the film are other themes introduced by Shyamalan's signature plot twist at the end (you may remember "The Sixth Sense").

As new topics, such as the mercenary nature of many pharmaceutical companies, come into play, the audience's attention gets pulled in different directions, leading to less cohesion of a central focus. But unlike the bleak "Sandcastle," made more haunting by its stark black and white images, "Old" does leave viewers with something clear and positive by its close.

Prisca's daughter Maddux (played at various times by Alexa Swinton, Thomason McKenzie and Embeth Davidtz) starts the film singing happily in the car on the way to the resort. At the end, she's singing to her aged mother, "I will remain."

Through this circle of song, we are reminded that life never really ends as long as one person's impact can be carried on by another. That legacy shall always "remain."

Smart Health - Nature's Way - Tracy Bhalla The Marvelous Orange Tree

The sweet smell of oranges is one that I have never found anyone to dislike – it is very uplifting, refreshing smell. Citrus, but without the tang of lemon or grapefruit. There are many “oranges” to choose from of course – mandarin, clementine, Valencia, satsuma, to name but a few. They all are recognizable as “orange” from their smell, but all have slightly different flavor profiles.

Whether you prefer to eat them straight up, in marmalade, or a slice in your drink, you can still benefit from the uplifting qualities of this marvelous plant. It is quite unique in the plant world as it has 3 separate and distinct essential oils. Now when you consider that some plants have none and most just have one, then this is worth noting. The orange tree doesn’t mess about when it comes to defense! (Essential oils, if you remember, are a plants first line of defense against predators.)

Maybe this is why they have been so drenched in meaning and mystery throughout the ages. Many now believe that the classical tale of Hesperides has given the orange tree such legend. Hercules was challenged to steal the “mystical golden apples” (now believed to be oranges) from Hesperides’ garden as a wedding gift for Zeus. Throughout many ancient texts there are images of orange trees, oranges and orange flowers in abundance. They were truly revered for generations.

When you cut an orange open through the peel, you will get the essential oil from the peel on your hands. This is the first of the three oils the tree produces. It is usually produced by cold pressing the peels to extract the oil from the peel, and this is often a by-product of producing orange juice. The most common type of orange for this process is “Sweet Orange” which is atypical of the aroma you associate with the “orange” smell. Some of the properties of Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis) oil are: analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antidepressant, antioxidant, antiviral, digestive aid, liver support/protector. It is excellent when used to help lift moods, assist with pain and inflammation, assists with a range of digestive disorders.

The second oil the tree produces is Neroli (Citrus aurantium var. Amara). This is produced by steam distillation of the orange flower petals, which obviously can only be harvested for a very short period each year and, like all flower distillations, it takes a HUGE amount of flowers to produce a very small amount of oil – and that is, of course, reflected in the price. It takes 1000 pounds worth of blossoms to make just 1 pound of oil. The good side of that is that it is extremely potent and therefore you need only use one drop at a time to get the benefits.

Among Neroli’s many benefits are its propensity for analgesic action, antibacterial, antidepressant, deodorant, skin healing qualities, emotional tonic. It is particularly well known for its emotional support properties and its amazing skin healing properties. And again, a little goes a long way – this is true of all good quality essential oils, but even more so with the florals.

The third oil the orange tree produces is from a distillation of the leaves and twigs to produce Petitgrain oil (Citrus Aurantium). Its many properties include – analgesic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anxiety-relieving, sedative, immune support. This is the gentlest of the three orange oils and would be the one to choose for children or the elderly. As you can see, all three oils have some properties in common, but also their own individual characteristics, so you would choose according to the properties you are seeking out.

Any of these oils can be diffused or applied topically – once diluted in a carrier oil or lotion at a 1-2% dilution. They should NEVER be applied undiluted and always in low concentration levels. They are very potent.

Also, there are a number of citrus oils that are phototoxic – none of the ones mentioned in this article are, but you need to check your Latin names to be sure. Bergamot and Lime are two examples. NEVER apply a phototoxic oil to your skin and then go out in the sun. You will incur severe burns.

email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I web: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracybhalla I www. LogHouseAromatics.com

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