To conventional minds the weird seems strange. Inexplicable. But to outsiders and those open to considering more than adherence to convention, the weird is fertile soil. Full of interesting, even arresting possibility.
I'm drawn toward unusual art, including films which are hard for many to grasp. Traditional movies lead viewers by the nose with formulaic plots and manipulative mood music. So if that's your experience and expectation for a film, you're ill-equipped to enjoy weird cinema. It breaks the rules of convention which can be discomforting. You have to expand to appreciate it, not the other way around. It wasn't created as pablum for toddlers.
"True Stories" (1986) was made by David Byrne of Talking Heads. It describes normal life in a Texas town with a surrealistic point-of-view. Everything, both content and visuals, is off-kilter, normal on the surface but with vague suggestions of mystery and deviance.
I like it. Your mileage may vary (YMMV).
When you read about a certain artist involved in a film, I think you sort of know what to expect. I say that in a positive way. Byrne seems to fit that and he's not alone in that good company, IMO.
ReplyDeleteTBH, I've not seen that particular film but I feel that media that looks at things slightly differently can bring new takes on older concepts.
Thanks for sharing the film. I went down the rabbit hole a bit on it. Interesting stuff!
Yes, but... when I first heard of the film (at the time of its release) I mistakenly assumed it'd be a New Yorker's snarky mocking of Texas. It isn't. It actually has a broader, deeper focus: looking at all American culture from a warped POV. Which is really what Byrne is about but I didn't know that. BTW, the British band Radiohead took their name from a song in this film.
DeleteUnderstandable - the concern, not the band link 🙂. I guess an outsider can bring a new way of looking at things.
DeleteYes, such a thing might mean it can be misinformed or just plain wrong at times. In better - or kinder times - works may show things through a different lens. Not one that's better or worse, just different.
Intriguing! I've not heard of it but I'd give it a go. I like some weird stuff but I've not seen loads. We watched a brilliant Wes Anderson film at an outdoor film night that my husband decided to hold for his expedition colleagues which was full of music by Benjamin Britten. It was quirky but fun but I don't think the husband of a colleague, who likes everything mainstream, was impressed! I 5hink it was called Moonrise Kingdom.
ReplyDeleteThat's the spirit! We need to all be open to new ideas and approaches. Films with music (like this one) are easier to enter because of that.
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