The books of my childhood were on my mind today. The stories of Thomas Hardy, Maugham, Leon Uris, Forester and Forster, and Conrad. Tales of adventure and hardship on the high seas and foreign moors, sometimes a relentless struggle to survive, or a tortured cascade of love and grief. Tales of living as a stranger in distant ports, journals of travel compelled by fear or duty or honor. Now all the stories are a jumble, but if they somehow formed my childish dreams, then I live in a world I've always wanted.
The adrenaline of departure kicked in today, and a month of roaming is exactly what I need and want at the moment. I know the waypoints, but the potential for discovery of new vistas and people is what gives me such energy. I may even visit my adopted town, and that is a happy thought even though in that place I am also generally a stranger. All along the way I will meet old friends, other travelers, who I consider to be my family. There won't be any hardship on this trip.
This week at the cinema was V for Vendetta, Inside Man, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. The last is what prompted the thoughts of the old novels. This film is about a journey of honor and character, with some message that humility can be a powerful force. Some of the commentary on this film spoke about alienation as a primary component of the plot, but I disagree in many respects with those viewers. If one starts with a belief that humans should naturally have connection with each other, then this could lead to what I consider to be a misunderstanding of the story. My opinion is that the plot draws in many natural elements of people operating within a physical environment, and the animals and landscapes are as important to the story as any of the personal relationships. I think the story certainly has more than one layer, and is complex enough in illustration of realism to allow me to consider connectedness as much as alienation.
Just so you're not wondering, I felt each film had its particular strength, and each was enjoyable: V for being unique and so well executed, and Inside Man for being a very clever Hollywood formula which one would never expect from Spike Lee. Three Burials was a flashback to the style of classic novels of struggle and journey and humanness, and for that it wins my nomination as worthy of a second viewing.
I always worry a little before I depart, and so mon ami or mon amie as applicable, the search term if I fail to return in an appropriate time will be air disaster; derailment; kidnapping; industrial accident. Have fun.
The adrenaline of departure kicked in today, and a month of roaming is exactly what I need and want at the moment. I know the waypoints, but the potential for discovery of new vistas and people is what gives me such energy. I may even visit my adopted town, and that is a happy thought even though in that place I am also generally a stranger. All along the way I will meet old friends, other travelers, who I consider to be my family. There won't be any hardship on this trip.
This week at the cinema was V for Vendetta, Inside Man, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada. The last is what prompted the thoughts of the old novels. This film is about a journey of honor and character, with some message that humility can be a powerful force. Some of the commentary on this film spoke about alienation as a primary component of the plot, but I disagree in many respects with those viewers. If one starts with a belief that humans should naturally have connection with each other, then this could lead to what I consider to be a misunderstanding of the story. My opinion is that the plot draws in many natural elements of people operating within a physical environment, and the animals and landscapes are as important to the story as any of the personal relationships. I think the story certainly has more than one layer, and is complex enough in illustration of realism to allow me to consider connectedness as much as alienation.
Just so you're not wondering, I felt each film had its particular strength, and each was enjoyable: V for being unique and so well executed, and Inside Man for being a very clever Hollywood formula which one would never expect from Spike Lee. Three Burials was a flashback to the style of classic novels of struggle and journey and humanness, and for that it wins my nomination as worthy of a second viewing.
I always worry a little before I depart, and so mon ami or mon amie as applicable, the search term if I fail to return in an appropriate time will be air disaster; derailment; kidnapping; industrial accident. Have fun.
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
But Arri's new Rental facility in Sydney is top notch. Whatever i asked for, they pulled it out of the shelves in mostly brand new condition. I deflowered one of their 235s...