Honeydripper

[ellen_kushner]

Just saw John Sayles' movie Honeydripper at the Thalia, where it continues this week. If it's still playing by you, or you can get the video, see this one! It's about people, and music, and America, and tradition, and change, and people, and music. The perfect Ellen movie.

It's also got a keen mythic element, if you know how to look for it.

Comments

[dremiel]

Yay for Gary Clark, Jr.!

[ron_drummond]

In January there was a special preview showing of Honeydripper at Proctor's in Schenectady, John Sayles' hometown, and on the spur of the moment I was able to go. Sayles was there, gave a brief introduction and answered a few questions, and afterwards I was able to meet him briefly. Very relaxed, easygoing guy, as one might expect; fun!

*Spoiler Alert* One thing that struck me that was not at all obvious but only subtly conveyed (and I might be wrong about this, though I don't think so) was that the old blind guitar player was very specifically the ghost of the man that the club owner accidentally killed in his youth. There's many good reasons to see the film a second time, but that's one of the strongest ones for me, to doublecheck to see if maybe I'm right about that one. What do you think? Did you get that at all?

*Spoiler*

[ellen_kushner]

Phew! I'm so glad someone else saw (and loved) it!

The blind guy is the mythic element, as far as I'm concerned. I don't think he's the ghost of an individual - I think he's both a symbol and a spirit - or neither, or both. He's the old way of playing the blues - note that he leaves after the electric guitar triumph saying "Nothing for me here anymore" - which also of course refers to the fact that Pinetop has redeemed himself from his own past - so he's also Retribution Waiting - note he's always around for disaster - or he's just plain Bad Luck.

Also note that the Honeydripper stands outside town at the crossroads. Robert Johnson territory.

And the young guitar player in the flashbacks was neither blind nor hurt in the face.