I am studying for a degree in Creative Writing. As I progress along the degree program I am reminded about the books and authors I was interested in from years past. One of the authors has sparked my renewed interest in his work. That author is John Steinbeck. I have read The Grapes of Wrath several times. And I've also read Cannery Row and The Winter of Our Discontent which I was totally taken in by. I'm also going to watch East of Eden which was James Dean's big breakthrough.
I have not read the book so I can't speak about how it was adapted into the film. The film is also from 1992 so it's a bit dated. Yet, I think it's central questions and themes are still as poignant as they were when the book was published decades ago. Steinbeck did great things for the labor movement in this country. His writings have created portraits of the Great Depression that will remain primary sources about the difficult times of the 30's. The film lasts about two hours and right about the 100 minute mark Lenny commits murder against Curly's wife. By that time I was thinking about the central conflict of the film. It a general sense it was labor versus bourgeosie or the owners of the ranch. Curly is a rotten figure and his wife is portrayed as vindictive and easy. The large conflict between labor and owners takes life in Lenny and Curly. Lenny comes off as big, strong, and stupid. Curly is controlling and voilently mean.
By the end of the film when Lenny has killed Curly's wife I was thinking about what was going to happen to Lenny? I think Steinbeck wanted us to consider the fate of Lenny in a larger context? Lenny had the deck so stacked against him, what was society to do with him? Lock him up in prison? The nuthouse? In a time when the Nazis were killing off everyone except the Arayan race Of Mice and Men races the question about what to do with Lenny? He also raises questions about the owners of the ranch. How can they be allowed so much freedom to treat their workers with such wantoness?
Such was life in the Great Depression.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Review of Love and Mercy
I saw this film at Cinemapolis in Ithaca, NY. I was checking around for a movie to see and this one caught my attention after a conversation I was having with a friend I work with. I didn't know anything about the Beach Boys or Bryan Wilson, but after the film I knew a lot about his struggle. And I started to detect a trend in the 80s. It seems like there were a lot of people in rehab or psychiatric counseling during the 80s. I suppose it stems from the 70s where so many people became addicted to drugs or alcohol and wanted to find a better situation.
The actor who played the younger Brian Wilson was very good. So was the psychiatric counselor of Wilson's during the 80s. He really came off as a tyrant. One of the best parts of the film was seeing how the music was made. I really enjoyed all those studio sessions where the musical gifts of Wilson shined. He truly is a musical genius however overused or cliche that sounds.
It was also entertaining to see Wilson succomb to mental illness. I have always wondered about the relationship between creativity and awkwardness or uniqueness. There are so many examples of people who are incredibly creative yet are so self conscious that it brings them down. Or they are just a bit different from normality. I guess this film has the background of the 50s and 60s behind it, so the age of the organization man sticks out. Wilson definitely was not an organization man. Yet so many people from the film were proponents of conformity or normalcy. His father stands out, perhaps the most, as a very strict, unhappy person. And the crazy counselor does to. Clearly though Wilson had problems that needed to be addressed and I was happy to find out by the end that he got the treatment he needed to get healthy.
The film centers on two periods in Wilson's life. First is the time when he was in the Beach Boys and producing music to great success. The second period is about his struggles in the 80s with addiction and mental illness. Both are presented in appealing period settings. The haircuts, the clothing all reflect the trend of the times.
In the end it's Elizabeth Banks who saves the day. She brings Wilson's family to awareness about the abusive psychologist and frees him from his control. Banks comes of as very nice and extremely attractive. I laughed to myself at those period sweaters she was wearing. So 80s. It was nice to find out the Wilson marries his hero and has a family with her.
Good film.
The actor who played the younger Brian Wilson was very good. So was the psychiatric counselor of Wilson's during the 80s. He really came off as a tyrant. One of the best parts of the film was seeing how the music was made. I really enjoyed all those studio sessions where the musical gifts of Wilson shined. He truly is a musical genius however overused or cliche that sounds.
It was also entertaining to see Wilson succomb to mental illness. I have always wondered about the relationship between creativity and awkwardness or uniqueness. There are so many examples of people who are incredibly creative yet are so self conscious that it brings them down. Or they are just a bit different from normality. I guess this film has the background of the 50s and 60s behind it, so the age of the organization man sticks out. Wilson definitely was not an organization man. Yet so many people from the film were proponents of conformity or normalcy. His father stands out, perhaps the most, as a very strict, unhappy person. And the crazy counselor does to. Clearly though Wilson had problems that needed to be addressed and I was happy to find out by the end that he got the treatment he needed to get healthy.
The film centers on two periods in Wilson's life. First is the time when he was in the Beach Boys and producing music to great success. The second period is about his struggles in the 80s with addiction and mental illness. Both are presented in appealing period settings. The haircuts, the clothing all reflect the trend of the times.
In the end it's Elizabeth Banks who saves the day. She brings Wilson's family to awareness about the abusive psychologist and frees him from his control. Banks comes of as very nice and extremely attractive. I laughed to myself at those period sweaters she was wearing. So 80s. It was nice to find out the Wilson marries his hero and has a family with her.
Good film.
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