"They envy us because we are mortal; because any moment might be our last. Everything is more beautiful because we are doomed."You Tube link.
- Achilles, who truly had met the gods.
I watched "Troy". The Iliad story was fun to see in a movie: Achilles, who fights because it is natural for him; vs. Hector, who fights for the sake of his city, state, and people. Which man, Achilles or Hector, most represents the way God designed man to live? Which man most represents truth, beauty, and eternity?
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I am reminded of the following scene from Kill Bill - maybe because Beatrix Kidder is descended from the wrath of Achilles. Her anger is somewhat more controlled, yet her slicing of Sophie's arm is descended from Achilles' desecration of Hector's body. Both Achilles and Beatrix are throwing down gauntlets: there will be no rules of civilization observed in the playing out of their wrath.
There is no Hector in Kill Bill. No one is that noble.
In this scene, notice the "indians on the warpath" music. Tarantino's friend: director Robert Rodriguez, independently composed western/spanish influenced music for the score, just on the chance Tarantino would like it. When Tarantino liked the score, Rodriguez then gave it to him for free.
Also, notice Uma walks as if she has had ballet training.
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Final note: the main characters in "Lonesome Dove" were inspired by the main characters in the Iliad. Woodrow Call was inspired by Achilles, who fought b/c it was natural for him. Gus McRae was inspired by Hector. Jake Spoon, of fatally weak and flawed character, was inspired by Patroclus.
Final final note: The novel's title was inspired when Larry McMurtrey saw "Lonesome Dove Baptist Church, Southlake, TX" on the side of a church van which was parked at a diner in Oklahoma.
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And this is how my mind associates: Iliad ~ Kill Bill ~ Lonesome Dove ~ Baptist church in Southlake, TX. Is that weird? Or typical?
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2 comments:
I think it's a bit more thoughtful and educated than the norm, probably. Whoever the Norm is...
Interesting about Kill Bill. I'm never quite sure with Tarantino how much the implicit associations are deliberate and how much they are accidental/ instinctive (on his part). But when art is really good, it has a life of its own, and Kill Bill is definitely his "masterwork."
Haven't seen it for a while, and I wonder how it's holding up now that the martial arts and anime films he was inspired by seem so much more mainstream & ubiquitous. (I think).
"I'm never quite sure with Tarantino how much the implicit associations are deliberate and how much they are accidental/ instinctive (on his part)."
I've wondered the exact same thing about Tarantino. That is an interesting thing about him.
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