Misery
Because most who read here are borderline art and film snobs the chances are good you've not yet seen the video for Pink's new single PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME but I can tell you I'm pretty sure I'm not the only guy out there who was creeped to my very core by it. In the case of MISERY almost twenty years later this Rob Reiner film still delivers the shivers and for my money is far more disturbing than any FATAL ATTRACTION. It's one of the few instances where the movie may actually be better than the book and certainly ranks up there as one of the best adaptations of a Stephen King novel. This is not just because of Reiner's direction but an amazing collection of acting talent. While everybody remembers Michael Caan and Kathy Bates most forget the background pool of Lauren Bacal and the trio of late greats Richard Farnsworth, Clayton Moore and J.T. Walsh. While this impressive list help bring the William Goldman script to life it is Bates who earned movie immortality and an Oscar for her portrayal of Annie Wilkes, a character so twisted it can rival the likes of Alex Forrest or Blanche Hudson and will still give aspiring writers nightmares. Keep your eyes open for Reiner himself in an interesting cameo.
posted by Ink Casualty at 11:22 AM
2 Comments:
Fantastic movie! I was thrilled this movie stayed true to the novel. Love Stephen King and can't stand abominations to his books!
CAR.
The Pink video is really awesome for so many reasons. First because she does such a good job of interpreting the lyrics in an unexpected way. The lyrics and video are so insightful because they portray so aptly the link between abandonment issues and unhealthy self image of needs....and love. Also, these sad women...who never seem to have heard of the concept of self esteem, or feminism...have no self awareness of being nuts. They think they aren't nuts! It's part of the personality disorder o not feel shame, or feel healthy boundaries. That is the most frightening aspect...they don't seem to have any self-learning or growing skills. Really sad. The psychopath is defined by a psychological gratification in criminal, sexual, or aggressive impulses and the inability to learn from past mistakes. Individuals with this disorder gain satisfaction through their antisocial behavior and lack remorse for their actions.
I wish Pink would go into acting because she is so good. she has such potential. Remeber the rumour she was going to be in Penelope Speris' biopic of Janis Joplin? (apparently Zooey Deschanel is cast now)
"Misery" really is one of the scariest movies ever. It's claustrophic scary, and existential. And you're right the cast is excellent. I still miss Richard Farnsworth as an actor...he was really "one of the good guys."
I love how art plays out as both a catalyst and a cure for salvation in this movie. I love how he has to trick his captor wit his own actual work and then sets it on fire. There is a lot of metaphor in the concept of art as a catalyst for bhaviour yet also a healing factor. Reiner doesn't miss this by having Caan kills Bates with a pig. She was a glutton of a person....wanting not just the art but the creator.
I bet someone could write an interesting essay that the story is an allegory for faith. We can have our own spiritual lives and practice...but we become pigs if we want our creator to be our slave and to work fo r our own ego. It's not only a good metaphor for traditional religion...but for spitual greediness. I am thinking of the way ego is discussed in "The New Earth".
Which goes full circle, Bates and Pinks characters in the two storylines works are comparative examples of how the ego warps love and spiritual or artistic passion!
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