Went for a run earlier–I feel much better. I was moping around a bit; I had a headache and felt generally lethargic, even after 10-odd hours of sleep the night before. Maybe it was something about getting my circulation up? Who knows, but somehow my thought life seems to gain new perspective through the runs as well… I worry less and things settle.
Watched Pulp Fiction before the run. I liked it, and it wasn’t as violent as I had anticipated, although it certainly was full of rather sordid elements. The dialogue was the best part for me. I’ve seen the chronology jumps done many times before, and the multiple plot lines converging and diverging, so those didn’t really faze me, but the script… wow. It’s a new perspective on the act of filmmaking, since Tarantino uses the dialogue not primarily to advance the plot, like virtually every other film, but to deepen the characters, and many times just for its own sake, and trusts the other elements of the film to move things along. It’s like a human using more than 10% of their brain (10% being the measly capacity we’re reputed to make use of on a regular basis)–we have so much more at our disposal that we don’t take advantage of. The same is true of the director, who makes the actor’s physical expressions, acting, and the cinematography advance the plot, as opposed to the dialogue. It makes the actors more than cardboard plot devices, it challenges the cinematography, and stretches us as viewers to search any given frame for everything the director invests in it. Maybe that’s why the movie seems so random at times–it operates on a different level, with a different visual vocabulary than we’re used to. I was impressed. I’ve always admired films that take advantage of and comment on the full capabilities of their medium–it seems like movies of that strain aren’t “dumbed down” for mass consumption, but are rich and full and more satisfying to watch.
And yeah, I’ll be flying to Albuquerque on Thursday. The sketches are coming along well and I’ve got some good concepts, but still… Le sigh.
I’m glad to see that you enjoyed Pulp Fiction. No doubt you can see now why it’s become a cult classic in the ten or so years since its release. I don’t know if you’re familiar with other Tarantino movies (though I would guess you are, given his fairly high profile), but if you haven’t already, you should definitely see the Kill Bills. Both are good in their own right(s), and they do a lot to highlight the development of Tarantino’s versatility in both directing and scriptwriting, as well as his growing technical prowess. wOrD.
hey…I read that you are into the beatles. I am really into them too. My favorite album is the White album. But I really love Abbey Road. We should talk sometime.
I watched about half of Jackie Brown last night before I had to head to bed, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love how everyone in his movies seems to actually think about their situation–there’s an intelligence to the script and the characters that I really dig.
And yeah, I’ve had the Kill Bills recommended to me many times… I think I’ll wait til they’re both out on video, though, and watch them back-to-back.
Hey. Cool that you’re into the Beatles. They’re one of the very few bands I’m familiar with where it’s hard to go wrong with any of their music–it’s just all really good. The White Album is fantastic, as is Abbey Road (the second side in particular I think is an absolute masterpiece). I like their earlier more avant-garde stuff too, like “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “A Day in the Life.”
I do agree. Their later stuff has had more of an impact on our generation. Finding people that like their earlier stuff is harder. I like their earlier stuff because it is different. Last night, I was listening to “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.” It sort took me to another place. Which according to things I read- it is suppose to do that. Some say it is nothing more then talking about some acid trip. But i think it could just be trying to get away from a life that you might be unhappy with.