Cassavettes' Opening Night
The description of this film talks about the protecive beliefs and deceits we tell ourselves to make ourselves comfortable with our lives. It talks of shells of realities and the resulting "spiritual" growth that happens when those shells fall apart.
Actually, watching the movie, these themes are somewhat buried. You're not sure what counts as a shell and what doesn't. Which shell is she fighting, running toward now? Without reading the description a person would be very likely completely lost. Some of this at least is due to the main character's ability to break from reality quite severely and Cassavettes' ability to confound the viewer as much as any regular bystander witnessing such a thing would be. What was most brilliant was his ability to take on such a difficult message and to portray it through the chaotic lense of reality. Half of the plot is useless by conventional standards, Most of the scenes don't have the purpose of setting up the next scene until the end. but like reality there are sidetracks that happen when people struggle to work out something internal that we just don't know how to deal with. Our choices don't make sense, they don't lead efficiently to some goal or end. But the fact that they happen matters.
Cassavettes has the uncanny ability to portray the everyday viewpoint and also to deal with topics that are hardly ever addressed in a straigtforward manner.
And I need to express my love for Gena Rowlands while its on my mind -- she plays characters that carry resembances to certain tyes of women that I have always esteemed and whose transparency has always struck me in the most intimate of ways. Typically, women in their late 30's - mid 40's, divorced, borderline alcoholic, wit to kill and silence any obstacle, the ability to laugh easily and make others do the same, and somehow to feel and accept so genuinely -- no matter what life has given them, impulsive, bold despite fears and terrors., and truly never quitting. Thanks KS, and so many others who bought or offered to buy me dinner or a drink. You never failed to engage me for a moment.
Time to do practical things.
The description of this film talks about the protecive beliefs and deceits we tell ourselves to make ourselves comfortable with our lives. It talks of shells of realities and the resulting "spiritual" growth that happens when those shells fall apart.
Actually, watching the movie, these themes are somewhat buried. You're not sure what counts as a shell and what doesn't. Which shell is she fighting, running toward now? Without reading the description a person would be very likely completely lost. Some of this at least is due to the main character's ability to break from reality quite severely and Cassavettes' ability to confound the viewer as much as any regular bystander witnessing such a thing would be. What was most brilliant was his ability to take on such a difficult message and to portray it through the chaotic lense of reality. Half of the plot is useless by conventional standards, Most of the scenes don't have the purpose of setting up the next scene until the end. but like reality there are sidetracks that happen when people struggle to work out something internal that we just don't know how to deal with. Our choices don't make sense, they don't lead efficiently to some goal or end. But the fact that they happen matters.
Cassavettes has the uncanny ability to portray the everyday viewpoint and also to deal with topics that are hardly ever addressed in a straigtforward manner.
And I need to express my love for Gena Rowlands while its on my mind -- she plays characters that carry resembances to certain tyes of women that I have always esteemed and whose transparency has always struck me in the most intimate of ways. Typically, women in their late 30's - mid 40's, divorced, borderline alcoholic, wit to kill and silence any obstacle, the ability to laugh easily and make others do the same, and somehow to feel and accept so genuinely -- no matter what life has given them, impulsive, bold despite fears and terrors., and truly never quitting. Thanks KS, and so many others who bought or offered to buy me dinner or a drink. You never failed to engage me for a moment.
Time to do practical things.
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
Usually I'm well-behaved when I go out. This just happened to not be one of those times.
Just sending out random thoughts...and some kisses..