Comments | tinpatches: Irish Violence

tinpatches

Irish Violence

Mar 16, 2006 21:12

So I wrote the cover story for the Arts page tomorrow--St. Patrick's Day. It's revolves around Irish culture at Harvard and Boston, so if you're interested in something that's Irish but non-alcoholic tomorrow, feel free to take a read ( Read more... )

Comments 6

Ehsan anonymous March 17 2006, 16:35:59 UTC

Sorry, I had to stop reading your article. Starting anything with a Joyce reference is an immediate turn off. So gross...

So the Irish do more than alcohol, eh? How about that.

tinpatches March 17 2006, 16:53:35 UTC

That's alright. Well, I mean, not reading my article is alright. Disliking Joyce? Not alright. He's the frickin' man.

Oh well. Have you seen "A History of Violence"? That's probably something we can probably both enjoy. It's such a good film--and an important one.

Ehsan! tinpatches March 17 2006, 18:07:13 UTC

I actually did read the article, but I stand by my Joyce comment. Still gross.

I have not seen it, I don't even know exactly what it is about. I do remember going to see another movie (Proof, in case you were wondering) and that people were filling out sheets dealing with their reactions to A History of Violence.

Re: Ehsan! tinpatches March 17 2006, 18:49:09 UTC

It's difficult to describe without giving too much away--because there is a degree of suspense and mystery that make it entertaining. But, to stay general, it's concerned with the American myth of self-invention, both on an individual level and on the broad level that replaces the violent underworld of our cities with the calm, friendly small-town diners that exist only in movies and Rockwell paintings. It's about the unavoidable cycle of violence in American society--and American cinema--and it forces us to squirm as we delight in the action-movie killings (the camera always lingers just a bit too long on the disturbing aftermath). It seems kind of cheesy at first, and you're like, "Why did the Village Voice critics poll name this the best film of the year?", but then you realize later that it's decontructing the cliches of popular American cinema, which, in our national imagination, are intimately tied up with our national identity ( ... )

akatonyblair March 18 2006, 13:48:33 UTC

I bet you were itching to throw in the Stephen Dedalus reference lol.

tinpatches March 18 2006, 18:30:25 UTC

Pshh.....you know it!

Actually, it was funny, cause my editors are also big fans of Joyce. But yeah, I thought of that bit while doing the reporting and just bided my time until I actually got to write it......