What I’m watching: a fascinating documentary about an astrologerDate: 8/25/2020 I’m watching: a fascinating documentary about an astrologer and a deep dive into YouTube.
On Netflix: Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado
What I love about a great documentary is how it can suck you right into the narrative regardless whether or not you are familiar with the topic.
I had never heard of Walter Mercado, but I’m glad I watched this film. Mercado was a flamboyant but relentless positive astrologer who not only was known on his native Puerto Rico but throughout both North and South America.
He instantly reminded me – and I’m sure many others – of Liberace. Both Liberace and Mercado were known for their outrageous fashions, their talent as a showman and for projecting a positive image.
Like the popular pianist, Mercado did not speak about his sexuality. Unlike Liberace, he apparently never had to fend off reports about his sexuality through lawsuits.
Directors Christina Constantini and Kareem Tabsch had unlimited access to Mercado and his doting and protective nieces over the last few years of his life. Their charge seemed to have been to solve the mystery why Mercado, one of the most popular and successful astrologers as well as television personalities, simply disappeared from public view.
They do this, tracing his rise to fame and then his fall. Mercado trusted business associates who literally attempted to take away everything about him including his name. A lengthy lawsuit restored many of the rights he had lost, but his career had lost his momentum.
Through numerous interviews, Mercado comes across as a genuinely nice person whose goal in astrology wasn’t to scare people and promise them things but to make them feel good and have hope.
I really liked this film, as it was a love letter to someone who certainly deserved one.
Dive into the unknown
Up until the pandemic I didn’t think of YouTube in the way I thought of streaming entertainment platforms. Difficult times though can change a person’s perspective and that certainly is what has happened for me.
If you have a Roku or a similar device, you can get YouTube onto your TV. Pardon an old man for explaining the obvious.
I have a very strong interest in the films of the 1920s through 1940s, a time that is very rich in movies but is ignored by the popular streaming services.
On YouTube, I plug in a name or title in the search engine and away I go. For instance I’ve always been intrigued about John Gilbert’s career, especially after I interviewed his daughter many years ago. Gilbert was one of the biggest stars of the silent era, who, according to legend, did not have a good voice for sound pictures.
This is hooey. In reality Gilbert clashed with the boss of MGM, Louis B. Mayer, and he became a dead man walking.
The other night “Fast Workers” popped up in my YouTube search. It was the second to last film for Gilbert. Directed by Todd Browning, it was a very odd and unappealing film, involving the love lives of two pals who are construction workers. Misogyny runs rampant. One could see how MGM was affecting Gilbert’s career by giving him poor scripts.
His voice, by the way, was just fine.
“The Sin of Nora Moran” is another recent YouTube find. I had never seen this film but had heard a little about it. A melodrama from a low-budget studio, the film tells a story that seems familiar but is presented in a wholly original manner. It’s very impressive and well worth your time if you wish to be adventurous in your movie watching.
I’ve indulged my love for serials on YouTube in the past few weeks by watching two from Republic Pictures: “Daredevils of the Red Circle” and “Haunted Harbor.” The first serial is one of the best from the studio. It tells the story of three circus performers trying to track down a criminal mastermind.
“Haunted Harbor” featured Kane Richmond as sailor accused of a crime he didn’t commit and discovering it’s part of a plot to steal gold. It’s very silly, but fun.
So if you find yourself going through Netflix or Hulu without seeing something appealing, and are willing to try something a little out of the ordinary, take a chance and try YouTube. You’ll be surprised at what you find.
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