Hello, inner hero

The films you love reveal a lot about your soul, a new book says

By LEE WILLIAMS

The Portland Tribune, Jan 29, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

JIM CLARK / TRIBUNE PHOTO

Are you a Charismatic Performer, like restaurant maven Bruce Carey? According to the authors of “Cinescopes,” the movies Carey chooses for his top-10 list reveal a “natural charmer” who’s also a perfectionist.

Do your favorite movies of all time include “Say Anything …” “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “When Harry Met Sally…”?

Then as loud and clear as Meg Ryan’s restaurant scream scene, you are a VR — a Vivacious Romantic.

That’s according to “Cinescopes” (Quirk Books), a book out this month that blends the cinematic savvy of Roger Ebert with the psychological models of Carl Jung.

The book determines your personality type — and an equivalent cinematic hero — based on your list of Top 10 Favorite Movies of All Time.

What we love to watch on the big screen provides a window to our psyches, the the two authors of “Cinescopes” contend.

Your favorite films “reveal both what you are, and what you want to be,” co-author Risa Williams says. “If you’re a Vivacious Romantic, you’re definitely looking for love. But it’s also a glamorized view — how you hope to see yourself.”

Williams and “Cinescopes” collaborator Ezra Werb are Los Angeles-based friends, film buffs and professional behavioral therapists. Williams specializes in cognitive therapy for adults. Werb counsels autistic children.

The book began as a Web site, with hundreds of strangers contributing their lists for blind, individual analysis. Patterns and common themes began to emerge, and with some referencing of Joseph Campbell’s mythic archetypes, the two forged the 16 personality models found in “Cinescopes.”

There’s the Chosen Adventurer (think Indiana Jones); the Rebellious Lover (Meryl Streep in “Out of Africa”); and the Respected Champion (cue the theme to “Rocky”).

“Some, like Dedicated Idealist, personified by Jimmy Stewart, are uniquely Hollywood figures,” Werb says. “And Hollywood has the ability to bring them back again and again.”

You won’t find villains among the archetypes, though. The authors focused on our more positive attributes.

“As therapists, we’re way more interested in inspiring people,” Werb says.

“We wanted to help create identity and have people see this noble side of themselves,” Williams adds.

For some, the results have proved uncomfortably accurate.

“Some feminists haven’t appreciated being known as Vivacious Romantics,” Werb says.

“And some men, too,” Williams adds, with a laugh. “We say, ‘Well then, don’t watch those movies.’ ”

To get an idea of how the book works, seven Portlanders kindly consented to share their lists for a blind reading.

The Portland Tribune ran five of the lists through the process outlined in the book to come up with the personality type.

For two mayoral candidates, Williams and Werb offered some additional analysis. No information on their backgrounds was provided to the authors. Just their favorite movie lists.

So is “Cinescopes” pure party-book fun? Is it silly Hollywood hokum? Or do the book’s readings prove unnervingly accurate?

You decide.

But you might want to keep in mind co-author Williams’ words: “You are what you watch.”

• Sam Adams, city commissioner and mayoral candidate: “

Harlan County U.S.A.,” “My Own Private Idaho,” “Far From Heaven,” “An Inconvenient Truth,” “Smoke Signals,” “Dr. Strangelove,” “Moulin Rouge,” “The Sum of Us,” “Sicko,” “The Big Country”

Cinescope: Determined Survivor

From Williams and Werb:

“Determined Survivors possess emotional strength and wisdom attained from difficult life experiences,” the authors explain. “They’ve navigated stormy waters, so they’re able to stay calm and collected during chaotic situations.

“As leaders, Survivors have a natural likability that helps people relate to them on an everyday level. Determined Survivors love movies about heroes who must overcome personal tragedy or oppression.

“As Scott Favor says in ‘My Own Private Idaho’: ‘When you wake up, wipe the slugs off your face. Be ready for a new day!’ ”

Famous Determined Survivors: Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone with the Wind”; Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) in “The Shawshank Redemption”

• Sho Dozono, chief executive officer and president of Azumano Travel, and mayoral candidate:

“It’s a Wonderful Life,” “An Affair to Remember,” “The Graduate,” “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?,” “The Seven Samurai,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Schindler’s List,” “After Life” (Japanese film title: “Wandâfuru Raifu”), “Star Wars,” “Bambi”

Cinescope: Passionate Maverick

1 | 2 Next Page >>

Facebook	Digg	Del.icio.us
Newsvine	Stumbleupon	Reddit