The Secret Life of Dreams

Although many of you may not actually know this, the original 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' was released in 1947 as a Technicolor comedy film, loosely based off of a short story by James Thurber. It starred Danny Kaye as Walter, who in this version works as an editor at the Pierce Publishing company, and Virginia Mayo stars as 'the girl of his dreams'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Life_of_Walter_Mitty_(1947_film)

Now if you've seen it - congratulations! That's an old film, and I'll be honest with you... I haven't even seen it. I did however see the 2013 remake directed by and starring Ben Stiller. In this version, Walter is a 'negative assets manager' for Life magazine. His hardworking and committed, but has a tendency to become 'spaced out' or to daydream. It's such a habit with him, that his colleagues at Life Magazine tease him with the song "Space Oddity" by David Bowing, chanting 'ground control to major Tom... ground control to major Tom...'

The remake is vastly different from the original, and although its origins are haunted by countless directors and producers (including Spielberg) taking on and then leaving the project, and although it only received a mediocre review amongst critics, it will stand as one of my personal favourites for many years. I give it a  10/10. Definitely worth the watch!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_Life_of_Walter_Mitty_(2013_film)

What makes this film so fantastically brilliant is its simple, yet
heartfelt message: Nothing can stand in the way of a dream that is being lived. If you're reading this, and you feel like you can relate to Walter, someone who has so many things that he wants to do, so many things he wants to be but all he lacks is the courage - look no further. Can you see you're reflection in your computer monitor right now? On you're phone? If not, find a mirror. What do you see? The vessel of all you're dreams. But it is also a vehicle, like a shuttle.

Great, now I'm starting to sing "Space Oddity" in my head. But how apt a song it is. It's not just about a spaceman and his shuttle, it's about adventure and the courage to pursue your dreams, and about the whole world cheering you on as you do. I know this is a short blog post, but seriously... give this movie a watch and then go out into the world and pursue your own dreams. Find your own 'launch song' and shoot for the moon. Mine at the moment is 'The Fighter' by Gym Class Heroes.

A couple last words of encouragement:

Hahaha! Just kidding :)

Thanks for Reading,

Adino