Calling it Your Job Don't Make it Right, Boss
Thursday, July 7th, 2005 11:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flwydA few reflections after watching Cool Hand Luke for a second time:
I am reinforced by my belief that the hallmark of a great movie is the little shots. I don't think there's another film with as many shots between a person's ankles.*
The film is a fine example of method acting. Paul Newman really did eat 50 eggs during filming. The actors did, in fact, pave a county road. And the book's author spent two years in a Southern work prison.
I'm terrible of recalling quotes at the proper moment. For two and a half years as an RA I wanted to say "What we have here... is failure to communicate," but would only think of it during abstract moments. I've never remembered that line while actually having a failure to communicate.
Dressed in blue prison garb, Paul Newman's profile looks disturbingly like George W. Bush.
My perception is that common wisdom is that the story is a Christ allegory. I'm not so sure. There were a few Christ-like shots, like when Luke is chained and knocked down a hill. Luke spends much of the movie trying to break free of the rules and chains of society, which can be seen like Christ's struggle to leave the society of man for the society of God. But Luke rejects his role as savior, trying to free himself without worry for those who look up to him, and with disdain when they don't go out on their own. Furthermore, Luke doesn't plan anything; he escapes on impulse, which doesn't resemble Christ.
I think Cool Hand Luke is a far better fit for the existentialist hero. After a war in which he partook of senseless killing, he was arrested for a pointless crime. In prison, we see him as a man who doesn't give up, even when he knows he can't win. He states "Sometimes, nothing is the best thing to have." Even though he's only sentenced to two years, he repeatedly tries to escape, a rebellion against the system. But once outside, he's no more happy than he was in jail. Add to that two scenes where he questions God and receives no response, the story sounds a lot more like it was written by Jean Paul Sartre than Luke the Evangelist.
This is a great film. The shots are all beautifully constructed and full of meaning. The characters are deep. The dialog is superb. It could be highly rewarding to watch a shot at a time. But the only person I've heard mention it when I haven't brought it up is my dad. It's ranked #128 on IMDB, but it's not on Roger Ebert's Great Movies List. I don't know that I've ever seen it in someone's top-N list. But everyone I mention it to who's seen it says "Yeah, that was a good movie."
If you haven't seen Cool Hand Luke, go rent it. If you've seen it before, rent it again and take a closer look. There's a lot to see.
Hittin' post here, boss!
*: Porno flicks aside. But your average porno flick has very few shots between the ankles that don't go above the knees.
I am reinforced by my belief that the hallmark of a great movie is the little shots. I don't think there's another film with as many shots between a person's ankles.*
The film is a fine example of method acting. Paul Newman really did eat 50 eggs during filming. The actors did, in fact, pave a county road. And the book's author spent two years in a Southern work prison.
I'm terrible of recalling quotes at the proper moment. For two and a half years as an RA I wanted to say "What we have here... is failure to communicate," but would only think of it during abstract moments. I've never remembered that line while actually having a failure to communicate.
Dressed in blue prison garb, Paul Newman's profile looks disturbingly like George W. Bush.
My perception is that common wisdom is that the story is a Christ allegory. I'm not so sure. There were a few Christ-like shots, like when Luke is chained and knocked down a hill. Luke spends much of the movie trying to break free of the rules and chains of society, which can be seen like Christ's struggle to leave the society of man for the society of God. But Luke rejects his role as savior, trying to free himself without worry for those who look up to him, and with disdain when they don't go out on their own. Furthermore, Luke doesn't plan anything; he escapes on impulse, which doesn't resemble Christ.
I think Cool Hand Luke is a far better fit for the existentialist hero. After a war in which he partook of senseless killing, he was arrested for a pointless crime. In prison, we see him as a man who doesn't give up, even when he knows he can't win. He states "Sometimes, nothing is the best thing to have." Even though he's only sentenced to two years, he repeatedly tries to escape, a rebellion against the system. But once outside, he's no more happy than he was in jail. Add to that two scenes where he questions God and receives no response, the story sounds a lot more like it was written by Jean Paul Sartre than Luke the Evangelist.
This is a great film. The shots are all beautifully constructed and full of meaning. The characters are deep. The dialog is superb. It could be highly rewarding to watch a shot at a time. But the only person I've heard mention it when I haven't brought it up is my dad. It's ranked #128 on IMDB, but it's not on Roger Ebert's Great Movies List. I don't know that I've ever seen it in someone's top-N list. But everyone I mention it to who's seen it says "Yeah, that was a good movie."
If you haven't seen Cool Hand Luke, go rent it. If you've seen it before, rent it again and take a closer look. There's a lot to see.
Hittin' post here, boss!
*: Porno flicks aside. But your average porno flick has very few shots between the ankles that don't go above the knees.
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-08 01:36 pm (UTC)Notice the symbolism of the Mirror-Glassed guard's (the crack shot) glasses breaking when Luke outwits them the final time? This is the system breaking down, turning to outright savagery and vengeance. The system doesn't work.
Sometimes nothins a cool hand.
no subject
Date: 2005-07-08 10:10 pm (UTC)The quote gets plenty ingrained into you if you ever listened to a lot of GNR's "Use Your Illusion 2" - it's the opening to "Civil Wars", which is the best track on side 1.