October 25, 2004
I watched Bukowski: Born Into This this evening, and had I been alone in the room I might have wept at the end; but I was not. I want to watch the movie again with my eyes closed, just to listen to him read aloud. It was an illuminating experience, and I'm desperate to read his work now. But I'm still entrenched in The Voyage Out, which is only arresting me in fits and starts. So many words I need to read. So many to write, too, but more on that some other time (these are my respite from them).
We saw Eyes Without A Face at midnight on Saturday (good times). I saw Vera Drake at midnight on Friday (and had the theater to myself, which is something I love sometimes but only sometimes). Afterwards, a car passed me in the parking lot and then careened directly into another one crossing its path. Like magnets. Two drunk guys cheered from some rooftop somewhere. The girl in one of the cars leaned her head against the window in disbelief. The whole accident didn't seem to make sense; it was one of those moments where something as ridiculous as fate seemed very palpable in the air. I asked the girl if she was okay, and I know she saw me but her window was rolled up.
I had this notion that if brilliant filmmakers tried to write the way they direct, they'd have to come up with entirely new words. The editing of a film is like the writing of a book; taking what already is and rearranging it to make it just so. I wish I had it in me to come up with brand new words, but I usually love the ones I already have too much.
I'm listening to Brian Wilson's Smile (not at this exact moment, but in general). It's good and all, but I think Pet Sounds is better. I'm behind on records: I need the new Tom Waits, the new Elliot Smith, the new Nick Cave which comes out Tuesday... I need money is what I need. I'm doing odds and ends for my dinner at the moment, but it ain't enough but to pay for a few movie tickets and the petrol to get there.
But that's almost always all I usually need (I tell myself, sometimes sincerely).
To finish: a quote from David Gordon Green provided by someone who went to a screening he did a Q&A at.
"I'll pretty much hire the least qualified guy, if he has cool taste in music. We always get these guys who have great resumes, and they're all pricks. I don't wanna be around them when I'm filming."
Posted by David Lowery at October 25, 2004 03:57 AM
Comments
I was lucky enough to see Bukowski: Born Into This on the big screen at BIFF. I saw it closer to the end of the festival, so my judgements may be a little less valid [I was just so tired by that stage!], but at the time I really liked it.
Posted by: Matt at October 26, 2004 12:32 AM