| The Dream becomes the Fantasy. |
[Jan. 6th, 2009|11:05 pm]
Phrembah (a potato-like mystery)
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I liked The Reader, but I liked the book, and as far as I can tell (I read it ten years ago) they followed it pretty closely. The only weak part, I thought, was that Ralph Fiennes didn't really look like the Kid grown up, I didn't think. The strong part, I thought, was that the women had hairy arm pits, which is realistic for that time in Germany (probably still is). I love these movies where women who have been living in the wild for months are perfectly shaved with foundation, eyeliner and lip gloss all perfectly applied. But that's part of the American Fantasy, isn't it? Playboy Bunnies on the savage frontier. Police women in wool suits and spike heals chasing drug lords across East LA with the cutest little clutch purse-sized pistols.
. . .
There's a book for someone to write: go back and figure out where/when the American Dream turned into the American Fantasy. Do a post-mortem on the American Dream. I like the sound of that, but I'm not really that pesimistic, I just think it's cool to be cynical. It's a hell of a lot easier than being productive, I'll tell you that. And we must all be something, easy or otherwise. Try not to be anything bumpy or painful, though, okay?
[In Watchmen, as the world is falling apart with riots in the streets and such, when asked what happened to the American Dream, the Comedian responds, "What do you mean what happened to it? IT CAME TRUE ! ! ! (hysterical laughter)] |
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