Enemy Mine or Why Your Mickey Mouse Sucks!

1985- The age of parachute pants, neon and pastel men's shirts, break dancing Alex Keaton and Dr. Huxtable. This year also was a boom in big screen sci-fi movies...everything from space vampires (Lifeforce), flying Deloreans (Back to the Future), and geriatric encounters of the third kind (Cocoon). But this was also the year of "Enemy Mine",  the story of a Earthman and a pregnant Drac, but we'll get to that in a bit, so strap in, put your helmet on and get ready to learn why Mickey Mouse sucks, and family is more important than anything in wartime.



Alright space travellers you know the drill...you see the warning pic...so that means there are spoilers from here on out. So no complaining, because:

1. you have been warned

2. you are not allowed to whine and

3. because I have a Drac and I'm not afraid to use him!

This movie takes place in the late 21st century, humans have mastered space travel, met new species and declared war on them. The humans have formed the Bilateral Terran Alliance or BTA so that they can continue with their war against the Dracs...a race that is very reptilian in origin. Enter or two protagonists Willis E. Davidge and Jeriba Shigan. These two go up against each other in an inter-stellar battle resulting in both shooting the other down. Davidge and Jeriba both crash on Fyrine IV, a world alien to both. Both of our pilots survive to find that even though this planet is not the most hospitable it does have a breathable atmosphere, water and rather strange plant and animal life. Unfortunately, this little slice -o-paradise a bit out of the way for both races and rescue seems to be slim to none.

                                             

 

Fast forward three years...Davidge and "Jerry" have become fast friends...teaching on another their languages and about their culture, even with Jerry teaching Davidge his entire lineage in the oral tradition that is monumental in the Drac society. The two have come to rely on one another greatly, even saving the other's life again and again. This leads to one of the funniest scenes in the whole movie, where Jerry and Davidge get into a fight over religion and philosophy...of a sort:

 

Davidge: You know something, Jerry? Your great Shismar ain't shit!

Jerry: [angry] Earthman, your Mickey Mouse is one big stupid dope!
[Davidge tries not to laugh]

 

Davidge finds that the only humans that have come out here are "scavengers"..they are miners and smugglers that use Dracs as slaves. Davidge runs back to tell Jerry only to find out Jerry is pregnant. A series of unfortunate events cause them to leave their shelter, and during the rest of the pregnancy Davidge is taught Jerry's lineage...this will allow Davidge to present Jerry's child into the Drac society and allow him to be cared for.

Jarry dies giving birth and makes Davidge swear to take the child home to Draco. Davidge raises Zammis, Jerry's child, and teaches him the Draco language and his lineage. Zammis is captured by the scavengers, and it is up to Davidge to save him/her (Dracs are asexual). Without delving too far into it..Davidge overcomes the bad guys and save Zammis and the other enslaved Dracs.

Davidge is able to present Zammis to the council and recite his lineage and , later when Zammis comes forth as an adult with his own child...Willis Davidge is added to the lineage.

 

Granted this film did not do well in theaters, but it has become a cult phenomenon. I've heard it compared to Robinson Caruso in space, or the WW II film "Hell in the Pacific". They do have similar plot lines but this film to me stands by itself. It covers the feeling of aloneness creatures can feel, the need to survive and how sometimes the pettiness of fighting over land, resources, or religion need to be put aside to work to better both sides If you have not seen this I doubt you will be disappointed

 

Enemy Mine



Written by: Barry Longyear and Edward Khmara

Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

Starring: Louis Gossett Jr., Dennis Quaid

 

This recipe seems to fit...ironically:

Fried Gator

Ingredients

• 1 pound alligator meat, cut into chunks (can substitute chicken or pork)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour, for dredging
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup hot sauce
• 1 bottle store bought ranch dressing, for dipping

Directions

Heat a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
Lightly season gator meat with salt and pepper prior to dredging them in flour. Combine buttermilk and hot sauce into 1 mixture. Dip the gator meat into the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture and dip, once again, in flour. Then place in deep fryer until golden brown, just a couple minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve with ranch dressing.