18 August 2012

The Bourne Lefthandedly

The new film "The Bourne Legacy" features a left-handed character named Aaron Cross, played by southpaw Jeremy Renner. It is good to see so many left-handed heroes. (See previous post on the high proportion of left handers among The Avengers.)

Our lone hero Mr. Cross seems to have everyone against him. That includes the designers of some of his tools, as illustrated below. He is taking aim with a sniping rifle with its bolt handle nestled awkwardly under his chin, a common problem for left-handed snipers. I hope he can do it in one shot, since it might take him longer than a right hander to cycle his weapon for a second try.

Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) takes aim,
with his chin over the bolt handle?

Appearing in a smaller role in "The Bourne Legacy" is leftie Scott Glenn, as CIA Director Ezra Kramer.

Scott Glenn in "Silverado"

Joan Allen, who plays CIA Deputy Director Pamela Landy in the Bourne films, is left handed too. What is it about these left-handed CIA executives? Does being left-handed give you an advantage in this fictional CIA bureaucracy?

Joan Allen (from this site)
Directory/Co-writer Tony Gilroy, who also wrote the first three Bourne films, is not, as far as I know, left handed.


The images of Jeremy Renner and Scott Glenn are from the Internet Movie Firearms Database here and here.

13 August 2012

International Left Handers Day 2012

August 13 is International Left Handers Day! Celebrate your special day if you are left handed. If you are not, maybe this is a good time to honor the left handers among you.

The past year has seen several developments in the world of lefthandedness:
  • The left-handed President of Mexico (Felipe Calderón) will be replaced by right hander Enrique Peña Nieto.
  • About 13 million new left handers were born (assuming about 10% of those born are left handed).
  • James Cameron has been writing Avatar 2, Avatar 3 (and maybe Avatar 4?). Filming could start later in 1012. More left-handed Navi on the screen in 2014?
  • I discovered "left-handed toons (by right-handed people)". I don't know if they really draw these left handed. Are they just making fun of us? 
  •  

  • The Left-Handers Club issued a press release for Left Handers Day. The club is using the 2012 event to push for better teacher training on how to help left-handed children.
  • The film "The Avengers", written (left handed) and directed by southpaw Joss Whedon, featured left-handed Avengers Black Widow and Hawkeye, from a comic book by lefty Stan Lee. (One-third of Avengers are left handed at this stage.) 
So let's look leftward to a peaceful, prosperous and interesting year to come for all left-handers, and their right-handed friends and relations.




Image by RRZEicons used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license, from Wikimedia Commons.

The Avengers: Made By and With Lefties

The 2012 film "The Avengers" features at least two left-handed Avengers. Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff is played left handed by leftie Scarlett Johansson. Hawkeye/Clint Barton is played left handed by southpaw Jeremy Renner.

And of course the film was written and directed by well-known left-handed genius Joss Whedon.

Even more sinister, The Avengers were co-created in 1963 by left-handed Stan Lee (and right-handed Jack Kirby).

Black Widow and Hawkeye handle their Weapons leftie

Scarlett Johansen and fans

Jeremy Renner and fans

Southpaw Joss Whedon

Stan Lee. 'Nuff said!



Photo credits:

Black Widow and Hawkeye in "The Avengers" from Internet Movie Firearms Database.

Scarlett Johansen signing: Matt Sayles / Associated Press, from this site.

Jeremy Renner signing: Associated Press, from this site.

Joss Whedon signing Avengers poster from Huffington Post 

Stan Lee signing from this site.