Welcome aboard.
For all the controversy surrounding these advanced body scanners at airports, I have yet to see a good naked picture of any hapless air-traveler. The one I’m displaying here, a bald woman wearing necklace, earrings and .40 caliber Sig Sauer, is not quite as titillating as one would hope. Other body-scanner pictures posted on the Web show a lot of generally overweight people who, beneath their fancy clothes, appear to be made of polyester filling. When people call these things “nude scanners,” that’s just a cruel tease.
When I think of nude scanners, I harken back to a 1963 movie starring Ray Milland: The Man With the X-Ray Eyes. This movie had quite an effect on me as a 12-year-old, since at one point Ray Milland’s special eye drops enable him to see through walls and — more importantly — women’s clothing. When he goes to a cocktail party, it’s like everyone’s walking around in the buff. Of course he can’t leave well enough alone, and keeps experimenting with the eye drops until he’s seeing through the skin to the skeleton, and finally through the fabric of reality itself — much less interesting than the naked ladies.
If the TSA had scanners as good as Ray Milland’s eyes, then yes: I guess it would be an incremental invasion of privacy, further degrading those of us who already half-disrobe when we go through security to avoid setting off the buzzer. On the other hand, the possibility of checking out some buff bodies might help some of them remain alert through the busy holiday season.
As it is, the TSA’s expensive, refrigerator-sized machines don’t see all that much. But they’re being added to the already daunting gauntlet of groping, latexed hands so that travelers may eventually become accustomed to the idea of flying naked — which is really the holy grail for airport security. After all, we’re not looking for guns and knives now, but for some stone-cold jihadist with Semtex crammed into his buttocks. Against such a foe, dignity is overrated. Shed those clothes and spread those cheeks, folks. Strictly routine.
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Dave, I’d forgotten about this movie. It had the same effect on me as a youngster. Oh the titillation. I didn’t know that it is a Roger Corman film.
What an interesting career Ray Milland had. Oscar winner to staring in ‘The Thing with Two Heads’ with Rosey Grier of all people. Many great actors have followed the trajectory of cheap horror movies to great roles and then back to cheap horror movies. I guess work is work.
Just found a tick on Bella the size of a pea. I hate those things.
Always intersting perspectives from you and written with great elan. I’ve got to find the tweezers. Later, Jim
Yeah, Ray Milland. Great actor. I actually found his character more sympathetic than Ryan O’Neal’s in “Love Story,” just because of the dignity he brought to the role. Oliver comes across as such a twit in later viewings.
Sorry to hear about that tick. I hate those damned things. In Montana, we’d only see ’em in the spring. Never in the fall. I find a rag soaked in rubbing alcohol is a good way to loosen them up for removal.
‘When people call these things “nude scanners,” that’s just a cruel tease.’
Ha! I love it.
And speaking of actors whose movies, shall we say, vary in quality, I always think of Michael Caine. He’s done some great stuff, and lately he seems to be more choosy. But my general rule is that seeing his name in the cast doesn’t give any indication of how good the movie will be.
I agree, but you have to admit that his presence can elevate an otherwise ridiculous script. I saw “Harry Brown” not that long ago. Not a great movie, but Michael Caine never seems to be phoning it in. Even now, I’d definitely rate him among my top five actors.
Oh yeah – don’t get me wrong about Michael Caine, he’s great. “A Shock to the System” (from a novel by Simon Brett) is a great movie because of his performance. It’s a good script, but he makes the movie. Awesome dark humor.
Bad form replying to my own comment, but I remembered that “A Shock to the System” contains one of my all-time favorite quotes. The cop says to Michael Caine’s character, “He was your superior, wasn’t he?” He replies, “No, he was my boss.”
Hehe. Great quote. Glad you mentioned “A Shock to the System.” I loved that movie at the time. I think I’ll put it on my Netflix queue.