jelkind@garnet.berkeley.edu (The Unexpected Tiger) (06/11/91)
In article <1991Jun10.195909.12597@zerkalo.harvard.edu> npc@electron.physics.arizona.edu (Nick Christenson) writes: >In C&M, the use of eyes as symbolism is terrific. . . . I like C&M quite a bit (it's a much better film than "Alice" for instance, IMHO) but I personally felt that the bit about rabbi going blind = the blindness of God was just a trifle forced, and less than a trifle lacking in subtlety. The symbolism that I found most appealing was the use of the Schubert G major quartet. When the movie came out, there was a discussion in rec.arts.music.classical wherein some people felt that he should have used the "Death and the Maiden" quartet, which I think would not have been nearly as effective. The G major quartet is "about" the fundamentally irreconcilable conflict between major and minor (it keeps switching back and forth the whole way through), which exactly matches the kinds of moral conflicts that the characters undergo. Including Woody Allen's character, who can't realize that Alan Alda's character indeed has some redeeming features. >. . . .Is there a higher justice as his father suggests or does >might make right as his mother says (his flashback in his old house >of his family's dinner party.) I think you missed part of the point. It wasn't a dinner party, but the Passover seder. I think that Allen himself may be making some belated realization of the true significance of his Jewishness (i.e. other than as a source for laughs like the great scene in Take the Money and Run where the experimental treatment has the side effect of turning him into a hassidic rebbe). But beyond that, the seder is one of the basic rituals centered around the idea of (a) God's place in the world and (b) trying to find a moral structure for the world. IMHO, the seder scene is the only one of Allen's non-parodistic Bergman ripoffs that really works. I am referring to the scene in "Wild Strawberries" where he goes back to his family breakfast party. Richard Schultz
abp@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov (Andrew B Philips) (06/12/91)
In article <1991Jun11.164342.13441@zerkalo.harvard.edu>, jelkind@garnet.berkeley.edu (The Unexpected Tiger) writes: > In article <1991Jun10.195909.12597@zerkalo.harvard.edu> npc@electron.physics.arizona.edu (Nick Christenson) writes: > >In C&M, the use of eyes as symbolism is terrific. . . . > I like C&M quite a bit (it's a much better film than "Alice" for instance, > IMHO) but I personally felt that the bit about rabbi going blind = the > blindness of God was just a trifle forced, and less than a trifle lacking > in subtlety. The symbolism that I found most appealing was the use of the > Schubert G major quartet. When the movie came out, there was a discussion > in rec.arts.music.classical wherein some people felt that he should have > used the "Death and the Maiden" quartet, which I think would not have > been nearly as effective. The G major quartet is "about" the fundamentally > irreconcilable conflict between major and minor (it keeps switching back > and forth the whole way through), which exactly matches the kinds of moral > conflicts that the characters undergo. Including Woody Allen's character, > who can't realize that Alan Alda's character indeed has some redeeming > features. Is this guy serious? Who does he think he is. It's a good thing that I have Woody Allen right here to ask him exactly what he meant. Mr. Allen, what do you have to say about this? ..."He's full of sh*t" :) Just kidding. I could resist it. > Richard Schultz :Andy Philips [Moderator's note: With all due respect to Andy, this is the type of posting that I probably would reject under normal circumstances, as it is witty and amusing but doesn't really help advance the discussion going on about Woody Allen's film(s). But since the charter for rec.arts.cinema is currently under debate - and because I don't want to be accused of not having a sense of humor - I'm posting Andy's article to the newsgroup. So what do you think? Should a posting like this be allowed? If so, what would be the appropriate wording to put in the charter to allow (or not disallow) such posts? If you have any thoughts on the subject, please post your comments. Thanks. -- MKT]