Why John, I think I know who you think it is, but actually it is Thomas Pynchon off to write another novel. There aren't many pictures of him around, so I can see why you ask. Stay free brother, don't get stuck in Gravity's Rainbow.
Cheers, Mark On Tue, Nov 9, 2010 at 3:34 PM, John Carl <[email protected]> wrote: > The curse and delight of being the father of mostly girls, is I see a lot > of > the "romantic comedy genre". The latest being a Heath Ledger vehicle > called > "Knight's Tale" to which I was subjected last night. And strangely has > stuck in my mind today, along with the song Golden Years by David M. Bowie. > > > Actually, I don't know what his middle initial is. And David Bowie is a > made-up name anyway, like Cary Grant. But hell with it. It suits my mood > to make him a DmB. > > What persisted most from the silly movie was a comic character that the > young squire's party meet on the road - a naked poet, Chaucer, by name. > Naked because he seriously screwed up in a game of cards, and he persuades > them to let him tag along, and feed and clothe him, because he's a writer. > > And writers can come in handy, ya know. > > It's not exactly historically accurate. They start out with a Joust and > the > stands rockin' out to Queen's, We Will Rock You, and you know it's not > historical accuracy that matters in a movie like this. But overall, I > have > to say I found the juxtaposition of old and new quite wonderful. And that > which stayed with me upon further reflection was that the poet's words had > more impact upon the elevation of a lowly squire to a noble knight than > mere > cunning of arms could ever accomplish. > > What kept going through my mind most was this > speech<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpJIVfGcL6Y&feature=related>by > Paul Bettany, which I think steals the show, and I thought Garrison > Keillor's P.O.E.M - the Professional Organization of English Majors would > really appreciate this guy. Who used the power of words to transform a > frog > into a prince. And really an illustration of how rhetoric creates reality, > because it's really Chaucer's speech that enable the pretend knight to earn > his way into society's contests where he can compete and become an equal. > And its also, to an extent, the over-blown, poetic aspect of living up to a > story, that drives Ledger's character onward and accepts no compromises > when > things get tough. A sort of Messiah complex, writ on the silver screen and > before our very eyes. > > The whole thing turns then, in my view, when Bettany's Chaucer turns away > from the Lords and ladies and declares his audience to be "those NOT > sitting > on a cushion" and reveals himself as the low-down sophist he undoubtedly > is, > and thus influences all that follows, leading up to the inevitable ending, > two combatants facing each other, mean squint, this town ain't big enough > for the both of us... > > The best cowboys have chinese eyes... > > And more fitting my mood than any operatic score, there's this scene, that > also sticks in the head; our brave knight's first foray into gentile > society, and immediately he gets > challenged<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1_WbhGmpTw&feature=related>by > his nemesis. I thought Heath's acting in this grade B flick was > beautiful. Bowie's Lyric matching the mood perfectly and fittingly. > > Last night they loved you, opening doors and pulling some strings, > > angel. > > In walked luck and you looked in time > > Never look back, walk tall, act fine > > Come get up my baby > > I'll stick with you baby for a thousand years > > Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years > > Go-oh-old'en years. > > > And who is that dark man? Looking on? Exiting stage left? Who is he > really? > > Asks the guy who is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward. > Moq_Discuss mailing list > Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. > http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org > Archives: > http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ > http://moq.org/md/archives.html > Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org/md/archives.html
