there’s something sticky on the three
Donnie Darko isn’t exactly the best movie to watch alone. At least not without someone to talk to immediately afterward. It’s in my top five–it’s so avant garde, and even if it ultimately fails to communicate what it’s reaching for, its ambition is staggering. It’s an attempt to convey in film scientists’ goal for years–a theory of everything. Philosophy, theology, sociology, higher-dimensional physics… I think part of the reason I respond so strongly to the film is because it tries to do what my mind tries to do incessantly–to view life, events, matters holistically, interconnectedly, to construct an inhabitable system of life within its own frame of reference that gives it the ability to transcendently approach new knowledge and new experiences through the lens of its system. It goes beyond simply reacting to events it encounters; it asks why and then attempts to connect that event to the whole, the framework, the bigger picture.
Or it could just an elaborate joke played on those of us who overanalyze film. Irony is mentioned prominently at several points in the movie. Might be the director trying to get something through to us. But that’s part of the experience of being an artist in any medium–seeing the range of interpretations and responses people have to your work. People draw a greater range of response from a piece than the artist ever put into it–they in effect become a part of the work through their response. Which is all fine and good as long as we don’t elevate reaction over expression. Then all the art does is provoke, disturb, assault… We have to push through our gut-level reaction to see what, if any, attempt at a message there is in the art. And granted, art is emotion, but isn’t emotion so much more effectively communicated if you don’t feel you’re being manipulated? I think so.
I’ve been reading Stick & Rudder more intently of late now that I’m here. It describes the art of flying, the sometimes counterintuitive senses to which the pilot has to be attuned in order to be the most in touch with the aircraft’s activity, and through that the best and safest pilot. It describes the kinesthetic experience of flying an airplane in great detail. Some of the most fascinating passages come as the author explains how a pilot senses the aircraft is approaching a stall, or the point at which it stops flying and starts falling (there are many factors involved in this process). Airspeed, or more accurately air pressure on the bottom of the wings, being one of the primary determinants of an airplane’s ability to fly, sound becomes an important sense to emphasize–a pilot has to be somewhat attuned to the intensity of the sound of the air rushing around the plane as it can be a good indicator of the proximity to a stall. There are other things too. The process of learning how to fly is going to be a readjustment of my innate response to my senses. I’m going to be developing new reflexes–I have to, really. I’m looking forward to it very much.
/es/\\e
“…push through our gut-level reaction… isn’t emotion so much more effectively communicated if you don’t feel you’re being manipulated? I think so.”
I think so too… this is what I am constantly atempting to do when ejoying visual arts… and you describe it nicely. Enjoy the gut emotion… then check to see if that is the emotion that was the intention of the artist… and mostly enjoy the relization of that power of the human experience.
“it could just an elaborate joke played on those of us who overanalyze film”
hahahahahahaha probably
Trying to connect the different parts of life again, eh? What are you, a girl or something?? ;) Men aren’t exactly known for their analytical powers when it comes to life and ‘figuring things out’. Rather, they tend to leave them alone and accept things the way they appear to be, letting the connections worry about themselves.
Nice entry. I just found that part particularly interesting.
Happy day!
Men aren’t exactly known for their analytical powers when it comes to life and ‘figuring things out’.
In terms of relationships I’ll grant you women have us beat, but in general matters I think we do pretty well :)
Nice entry.
Why thank you.
And who might this be?