Was My Fantasy For Real?

Because I didn't grow up with cable, we watched some really dumbass movies when I was a kid. We lived at the head of the hollow in the valley of a bunch of mountains. We called it the "Holler." Even now, back home I've heard people walk in a book store and ask for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollers." We understand that. So anyway, my mom's version of what her girls would like to watch was vastly different from what we would've picked for ourselves. Enter: REM LEZAR! What a great name!

Here's the basic plot summary:

Zack gets in trouble in class for daydreaming about a superhero named Rem Lezar, and sent to the principal. He storms out of the principal's office, believing him incapable of understanding him. Later in art class, Zack sculpts an image of Rem Lezar, whom Ashlee has also dreamed about, and has drawn. Ashlee is the first person to believe that Rem Lezar is more than imaginary, but she will not speak with him as long as he keeps up a sexist attitude. The two obtain a male mannequin (apparently, they stole it), and dress it like Rem Lezar, who comes to life in their arms. He can live but a single day unless Zack and Ashlee find the Quixotic Medallion to keep him permanently alive. The fear-mongering face, Vorock, tells them it is hidden at the height of imagination, and Zack concedes to Ashlee's idea that it might be in a building, but when the World Trade Center isn't it, Ashlee accepts going to the mountains, where they (apparently inadvertently) split up their search, each bringing a Rem Lezar.

I don't remember Zack having a sexist attitude, unless it's that one line in the movie where he says something like "You're a girl and you wouldn't understand." Which might apply to a concept like blue balls, but not to Rem Lezar. Here is the video where the kids bring Rem Lezar to life.


Is our fantasy for real, or is it just a dream? I don't know. But looking back on the video as an adult, it's disturbing.

But not quite as disturbing as when Rem Lezar takes the kids on a walk through the park and runs into the neighborhood...musicians? friendly, fun loving displaced people? Not sure. Check it out. There is a style for everybody to enjoy.

Just.  Wow.

In the end, I don't really remember what happens, but seems like each kid gets their own Rem Lezar.  The whole thing was supposed to be about tween angst--they aren't getting along with their parents and Zachy is having trouble at school.  Ashlee has difficulty sleeping at night without a nightlight, even though she appears to be around ten or eleven, which her mother expresses difficulty with.  Her exact quote is, "My patience is wearing thin with you, young lady."  That's the most severe line in the movie.  Nothing too serious.  Rem Lezar deals strictly with the middle class.  The biggest threat is making sure Vorock doesn't get away with hiding Rem's medallion; of course, I always wondered why the kids couldn't just make another one out of junk like they did before.  Rem Lezar was supposed to be a stand-in for kids who are going through a tough time heading into puberty (but not quite there yet).  Come rub my medallion, my pretty...

-- Virgil