RARA-AVIS: Re: Don Winslow

From: jacquesdebierue (jacquesdebierue@yahoo.com)
Date: 15 Jul 2010

  • Next message: Kent Morgan: "RARA-AVIS: Automotive Noir"

    --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "David Corbett" <davidcorbettauthor@...> wrote:
    >

    > There's a British slang expression for this: fur coat, no knickers, i.e., more surface than substance. A lot of that in the Internet age. SAVAGES has plenty of substance, but it lacks a certain emotional depth, if that makes sense. At the end of movies like VERTIGO or NIGHT & THE CITY or DOG DAY AFTERNOON or CHINATOWN (or THE FRIENDS OF EDDIE COYLE with Robert Mitchum, which I just saw for the first time a week ago), or books like THE LONG FIRM or THE GETAWAY or THE ICE HARVEST or THEFT or GOD'S POCKET (or as discussed, THE ZERO), you feel a certain emotional impact (if not devastation), a blow to your head and heart that stays with you like an emotional hangover. That's what I'm usually looking for. I'm not sure SAVAGES will deliver it, but it's so surprising and fun and smart on so many other levels I'll stick with it just to see.
    >

    On the other hand, California is a place whose superficiality can be felt very deeply... In a sense, it is hard to take it seriously, as witnessed by Chandler first and by many writers afterwards, even Pynchon who's not from there. What I mean is that whatever depth these stories have, you can't get away from the superficiality of the milieu where they occur.

    Best,

    mrt



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 15 Jul 2010 EDT