Mark Sullivan (AnonymeInc@webtv.net)
Thu, 30 Dec 1999 10:20:31 -0500 (EST)
Hey Ed, Marabou Stork Nightmare is, indeed, another Welsh,
his best in my mind. The entire story is told from the
perspective of a man in a coma who floats between levels of
consciousness as he tries to avoid some horrible
memory.
The title of Jesus' Son does come from the Velvet Underground
song Heroin.
Back on topic: I am also disappointed when a nasty main
character's nastiness must be explained. I saw Talented Mr.
Ripley yesterday. Why did they feel compelled to dilute
Ripley's sociopathic tendencies by having him show remorse?
It just didn't fit -- worry about being caught, maybe, but
remorse? And this from a writer/drector who had no problem
depicting a Nazi collaborator as a romantic hero in his last
film, English Patient. Why don't filmmakers, mostly American,
realize that unrelenting evil can be exciting and fascinating
on screen -- just look at Hannibal Lecter -- why must they so
often make them "human" and explain away the pathology,
making him/her sympathetic or pitied? Revulsion can be just
as, if not more interesting.
I also agree with the list-member who felt the final bit
should have been left out. There was absolutely no reason for
it. The movie would have been stronger had it ended when
Ripley waved goodbye to Mr. Greenleaf. Oh well, still
enjoyable, though.
Mark
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