The Hospital

I am the angel of the bottomless pit! The paraclete of Kaborka!

Have there ever been greater words uttered in a film? "Network" was the movie that has brought Paddy Chayevsky the most attention over the years, but "The Hospital" was, to my mind, his finest work (as much as I enjoy Ken Russell - and "The Devils" is one of my all-time favourites - "Altered States" really was just silly), both a snapshot of the culture of the time and an enduring statement. George C. Scott is at the top of his unparalleled game, and the rest of the cast letter-perfect in this extraordinary indictment and satire of American culture, using a big-city hospital as the centerpiece. Brilliant and enduring, and one of those flicks that I never hesitate to recommend to *anyone*. What, you haven't seen "The Hospital"? You don't *look* like a WWII Japanese soldier who's been hiding out on an island in the Philippines for 80 years because he never heard the war ended. Watch this NOW.

Oh... wait... you mean this *isn't* Arthur Hiller's 1971 masterpiece? Some jagoffs just grabbed the name for a zero-budget splatterfest? You've got to be kidding... Some people have absolutely no respect for the history of cinema. I get really pissed when people do that, and it happens a lot. Honestly, when Paul Haggis re-used... no - STOLE - the title "Crash" after David Cronenberg put out his stunning adaptation of J. G. Ballard's novel I was so offended I wanted to drive down to Scientology Central and throttle him with my bare hands. Show some respect to your superiors, will you?

Really, don't get me started.