Letter to the editor by Justine McCloskey

How difficult it is putting this to words when it's, indeed, mostly a vibe. But here goes my humble attempt.

Rex Harrison, the British actor of a bygone era, who embodied some of the most iconic roles of his time, immediately comes to mind when I think of dad/father/daddy/patriarch. Perhaps this signals that there may be some things unresolved in my personal life, but, choosing not to be too introspective, as therapy is costly, and I have a laundry list of things to work through before I even broach this topic, I have decided to channel those thoughts here in Bangs Zine.

Perhaps you know the figure to whom I refer; the original Doctor Dolittle, the snarky but loveable Professor Henry Higgins of My Fair Lady, perhaps you recognize him as Julius Caesar... or maybe, just maybe, if you're an art nerd like me, you remember him as Pope Julius II, in one of the most passionate artist biopics ever made, The Agony and the Ecstasy. Every role is a role of authority. He brings pedigree, and a sexy yet dignified air to all these hard hitting, educated, aristocratic personas, and leaves you wanting more.

Harrison's catalogue of films position him as  the head papa, a zaddy daddy patriarch in the world of golden age cinema. With hooded eyes that pierced right through you, daddy Rex knew better. He could lead you, guide you, take care of you, rule you, haunt you (he played a hot ghost once), and put marbles in your mouth and berate you in a way that no other could. To be able to transform a genocidal militaristic Roman leader into a loveable figure, or a warlord religious fanatic into someone with taste and passion is truly an art form, and I continue to fantasize...

The ultimate daddy - no cap.

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Justine McCloskey is a writer, filmmaker, photographer and programmer. She graduated with honours from Toronto Metropolitan University's BFA Film Studies program in 2013 and received her MA in Art History at UofT in 2018. Her writing and photography have been published internationally, and Justine’s first Canada Council grant-supported short film is currently in circulation. She is attending U of Guelph for yet another MA, but this time in medieval women’s medicine. Wish her good health!

Handles: @justine_olivia