Howard the Duck's guide to enlightenment...

Last weekend Micko and I drove up to Coffs to do some shopping.  We stopped for lunch at a club and on a plasma next to our table 'Harry and the Hendersons' DVD was playing.  Neither Micko or I had seen the movie in over 20 years... We got to talking about other movies we remembered from our childhood.  First to spring to mind was 'Howard the Duck'.

You could be easily forgiven for thinking this is Macauley Culkin in a duck costume - the acting ability is of similar standing.

Yesterday, after a full day of swimming, gardening, walking the dog and cleaning, we plonked our arses on the couch to see what was on the box.  What do you know?  Howard the Duck is on... and it's the opening credits.  Coincidence?  

I'd told Micko that Howard was a rude, deviant and terribly horny duck... and that it was probably not really appropriate viewing for a 10 year old - not my folks fault (we watched it in the annex of a friends caravan at Bonnie Doon -  I know, I know... How's the fucking serenity).  Watching it all these years later, he actually wasn't that much of a deviant, he wasn't rude, or particularly horny...  it was, however, a TERRIBLY awful film!  If you haven't seen it, I probably wouldn't bother wasting 90 minutes of your life.

The real question here is did Howard have a message for me... besides a reminder to never watch this film again?

((I'm about to give you a blow by blow description of the storyline.  Be thankful I'm saving you an hour and half of your life - go use it to follow your dreams.  Although the following lacks the incredible (exaggeration) special effects and bad acting, the storyline is much more succinct (and that might say a lot!).))

Well... the basis of the film is an evolved duck arrives here by chance after an explosion at a science lab transports him from his planet to a dark alley in Cleveland.  He meets 'Beverley', a singer in a band who believes they are headed for big things... but are stuck playing dingy pubs for no money due to a dodgy manager they can't escape.

After saving Beverley from muggers and her dodgy manager, she takes Howard home and they get to know each other a little better.  Howard mentions that he has recently given up his 'pipe dream' and taken a 'real job' as an advertising copywriter.... It's not at all fulfilling, but he's been told by everyone around him 'it's time to grow up, Howard'.   

Howard then says... 'Sometimes I still get the feeling there's some kind of special destiny waiting for me'... To which Beverley replies, 'Howard!  That's it!  Maybe that's why you're here?  I believe there are no accidents in the universe.  Maybe you are here for a greater purpose.  Some kind of cosmic cause.'

(My ears prick up!  Maybe this is the answer.. maybe it will point me in the direction of my 'personal legend', my purpose.)

That cause?  Well, durh!  To save Planet Earth from the Dark Lords of the Universe.   

Man!  I hope all of life here on earth isn't completely reliant on me defeating an evil Jeffrey Jones (with a bad make up job and a worse perspiration problem) on a ride on laser.  

Or perhaps, it's some kind of metaphor (thank you Media Arts University Degree - I knew Film Theory would come in handy one of these days).  Perhaps these Dark Lords are actually part of every one of us... maybe they represent self doubt... or speed bumps on our road to self discovery... checking if our resolution, self belief and will is strong enough to pass the tests the universe throws our way.

At one point in the film, everything seems waged against his success... not only is the Dark Lord after him, so too are the Cops and, to make things even more unsurmountable, it's duck hunting season.  It seems good old Howard can't catch a break... if all this wasn't bad enough, he is in a small aircraft with one of the 'good scientists' (Tim Robbins) - but due to his 'evolution' he can no longer fly.

Tim yells to Howard, 'Fly, Howard!  Follow your instincts... Trust your birdness!  Fly!' 

He saves the planet by not only flying, but by sacrificing being able to return to his own... He starts a new life, with Beverley, and ends up (although being on a completely different planet) being exactly where he wants to be... doing exactly what he wanted to do.

So... the moral of the story?

Well... I'm sure that will present itself fully in the future... but right here, right now?

*If you don't have your own wings... perhaps you can make some (a metaphor; don't focus on what you lack... but what you possess).

*Don't let others decide when you should 'grow up and get a real job'.

*Crimping your hair, was always, and will always be a drastic waste of time.

*Pipe dreams are there to be followed - as too are instincts.

*Detours don't necessarily deviate you from your path forever... you are always where you need to be.

*Perhaps my 10 year old self had some good idea's about what she wanted to be... but she had shithouse taste in movies!

Till next time... 

Always trust in your birdness!