Comments | extra_aram: This evening

extra_aram

This evening - Indie film

May 22, 2007 11:51

Going to check out new indie/artsy film at the Cedar-Lee Theatre. Going to see either:

After The Wedding OR
Away From Her

I read the Times review of Away From Her and the Plain Dealer review of After The Wedding. Both should be interesting.

I think I will write up my own thoughts.

culture, leisure, film

Comments 4

die7fox May 22 2007, 16:23:43 UTC

By the by, I'm on my second trip through The Crossing. I really can't thank you enough for recommending it. It's coming with me to the Outer Banks this weekend. :-)

I'm actually holding off on reading Cities of the Plain until I read The Crossing again.

Uh, yeah...good freakin' Idea extra_aram May 22 2007, 20:31:20 UTC

I would definitely hold off Cities, until after a re-read.

Have you posted in any depth at all about The Crossing?

I really, really want to read/hear your take on the novel. I have run across very, very few people who have read ANY of McCarthy's stuff, and definitely not something as challenging as The CrossingAnd, personally, I still have a difficult time coming up with a conclusive, central, concise vision that McCarthy relates with all of those crazy-azz vignettes (Don't you absolutely just love the insane scene with the heretic priest, and what about the one with the old Indian man, talking about the Wolf???) WTF, in some ways it feels like the book is more like a "dream that is more real than reality ( ... )

Re: Uh, yeah...good freakin' Idea die7fox May 22 2007, 20:45:31 UTC

I haven't posted anything in-depth about it, but I might after this next read-through. When trying to describe it to my mother I told her, "It's basically a coming-of-age story about a boy who's already a lot older than he should be."

And while an argument can certainly be made for McCarthy upholding "traditional" morality, I think his message was actually simpler than that: Life can be brutal, sparse, and unforgiving. You do what you have to do in order to survive, and let experience be your guide as opposed to a higher power or a set of preconceived notions. At least, that's how I saw Billy. He was the ultimate survivor.

I actually saw a lot of existential philosophy in the book. But then, I'm conditioned to look for it. :-)

A Simple Vision extra_aram May 22 2007, 21:09:05 UTC

actually saw a lot of existential philosophy in the book

Yes, I saw the same thing, but I think McCarthy also tries to respond to that.

I think his message was actually simpler than that: Life can be brutal, sparse, and unforgiving. You do what you have to do in order to survive, and let experience be your guide as opposed to a higher power or a set of preconceived notions.

Interesting. I think I interpret it differently, but that is partly in the context of having read All The Pretty Horses before reading The Crossing.

I do think the Vision is fairly simple and straigtforward, but I think he is leading the reader to a different conclusion than the one you drew: "Life IS (almost randomly) brutal, sparse, and unforgiving, and the generosity and goodness that one may come across is just as random...so you all better really take care of yourselves, and each other." That last part is the traditionally Western/Christian part to me ( ... )