Saturday, March 19, 2016

Why not sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll? (video)

Dhr. Seven, Crystal Quintero, Seth Auberon, Wisdom Quarterly; "Bedazzled"


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The "Devil" (played by Elizabeth Hurley) gives advice to the dimwit (Brendan Fraser) in the American remake of "Bedazzled."

The premise is that Elliot makes a Faustian bargain -- sells his soul for seven wishes then tries every form of hedonism to find happiness. What will happen? Do sensual pleasures lead to joy and fulfillment? Sure they do, says the devil as a charming tempter Lucifer/Cupid figure (Mara Devaputra). The thing to be is a bad boy, a rock star!

The Devil's never been so hot or hilarious Fraser is a hapless, love-starved computer technician who falls prey to sinfully sexy Elizabeth Hurley when he agrees to sell her his soul in exchange for seven wishes. But the sly Princess of Darkness has more than a few tricks up her sleeve. And before you can say "Julie Andrews!" Oh, wait, that was the original British cult version with real comedians Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.


In the remake hopeless dweeb Elliot Richards is granted seven wishes by the Satan-girl to snare Allison, the woman of his dreams, in exchange for his soul (his atta or atman, the noncorporeal aspects of his Five Aggregates in Buddhism, which paradoxically teaches anatta for liberation and enlightenment).

In this hidden scene, which parallels the original, Elliot becomes a rock star. Allison loves him. What can go wrong? (In the remake, it was replaced with a nonsensical time travel snippet to Lincoln at the theatre. Here the devil has tricked him into wishing to be a rock star to win the love of his life and thereby expend another wish. Cue the funnier British original.

(Bedazzled 1967) In the scene the devil (Peter Cook) upstages Stanley (Dudley Moore) to steal his girl, a moment after Stanley had her affection by performing a lyrical "Love Me" song.

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