(no subject)

[katallison]

My current quietness in LJ is partly, oddly, due to life being very good lately. I know that a lot of people on my friends list have been having hard times, of one sort or another, and I don't want to seem all gloaty or obnoxiously chipper. But life has, in fact, been--just really good.

This morning I followed a Metafilter link to an article about Jim Jarmusch's newest film, which sounds interesting in and of itself (includes appearances by Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, and Steve Buscemi). But what really wants to make me check out Jarmusch's work, with which I'm unfamiliar, was this:

Jarmusch said the focus on idle coffee breaks is akin to his film Night on Earth, which plays out entirely during five separate taxi rides taking place at the same time in cities around the globe.

"The reason I made that is, when you're watching movies, the guy's girlfriend calls him, she's having something bad happening, and he says, 'I'll take a cab. I'll be right over.' Cut to him getting out of the cab," Jarmusch said in an interview with The Associated Press. "And my brain always says, what about the cab ride? The incidental thing, the thing that's not the destination?"

I read that and thought, Yes. Yes. Because that's where I want to go, not just as audience but also as a writer. I am *all* about the incidental moments, the cab rides and not the car chases. And I think this helps me understand why the freakin' WIP is a bit stalled: Excess of Plottiness. ::making revision notes to self::

Comments

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

oh, Jarmusch! He's so love-him-or-leave-him, I think. I know a lot of people who don't care for his work, but I adore him. Dead Man is the best, I think, but I have a huge soft spot for Mystery Train, which was the first one of his I saw. And you just reminded me that I still haven't seen Down By Law. Must remedy.

I think you'd like Mystery Train a lot, though not positive. :-)

[theodosia.livejournal.com]

A non-plot-driven story can be fascinating in the right hands. CF Lost in Translation, Tampopo, or else there's a plot, but it's not the point: Diva, The Triplets of Belleville, Cry-Baby, Law of Desire....

[killabeez.livejournal.com]

oh, I completely agree. I'm always amazed when people say they don't like Jarmusch.

Tampopo is one of my favorite movies of all time. Kat, have you seen that? The others you mention are all favorites, too. :)

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

Mystery Train! Everyone should love Mystery Train. :)