Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Smooth Talk and Pied Piper of Tucson


Charles Schmid Jr.


After watching Smooth Talk and reading the Pied Piper of Tucson I was amazed at how closely these two stories were related eventhough one story is strictly fiction, based off of a fiction story. Arnold Friend and Charles Schmid are two very similar characters! They even look alike! I wonder if Joyce Chopra based the look of Arnold Friend not only off of the story description but also off of Charles Schmid's look to maybe give it a more realistic and chilling feel? Also, the newspaper article stated that many girls went on dates with Charles but three never returned. How many girls do you think Charles sexually violated the same way that Arnold Friend violated Connie? How many girls do you think did not return home from their dates with Arnold Friend? It seems obvious to me that Joyce Carol Oates got her idea for Where Are You Going Where Have You Been story from the life and story of Charles Schmid Jr. Charles Schmid commited these crimes in 1966 and the story was written in 1970. It makes sense, Connie's mother in the story disapproves of her "trashy daydreams" and both her parents and sister in the movie are warning her to be careful when she is out and about with her friends. It is just the same as what parents had to do in Tucson when Charles Schmid was on his rampage.

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