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2001-07-06 / 6:58 p.m. ~Kubrick Cognoscenti~
The movies last night were amazing. "Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the Bomb" is really a hilarious film. Outrageously smart and subversive. And the acting......wow. George C. Scott was incredible, Peter Sellers too, and it was James Earl Jones' acting debut. My favorite line occurred when George C. Scott and the Russian Ambassador started fighting, actually attacking each other, and Peter Sellers as the President says, "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room.". The crowd was very handsome, mostly men, I noticed, and though I was late, sort of on purpose, sort of due to the tree falling across the highway blocking two lanes of traffic (big storm earlier in the day), and a bit worried after seeing the look on the bum's face when I told him I had nothing to give him (why did he stay by my car, even when I turned to see I'd turned off my lights?), I had time to people watch. After the first film - and when was the last time I went out to a double feature anyway? how fun! - I wasn't sure I could stay, should stay, wanted to see this next film, but I went to pee and walked back up to the lobby, and Jesus God, the men! Okay, "A Clockwork Orange" is NOT a chick flick. I know that. But these were the beautiful people (cue Marilyn Manson here), the hip film cognoscenti of this city, and wow, what a crowd. Lots of goatees, a few tattoos, lots of men with long hair, women with big shoes, Aisan girls with skinny Caucasian boys, it was too cool, and no one looked like he/she knew he/she was cool. No pretensions, just WOW, we're seeing "Dr. Strangelove" and "A Clockwork Orange" at the FOX, and isn't this cool? I imagine most of the kids hadn't seen either movie before, but there were the fans, the ones who knew both films, and I longed to join in some discussion, made heavy eye contact (?) with lots of folks, wanted to grab one of these beautiful and hip and knowing guys and go make out in one of the dark recesses downstairs. (And isn't it funny how every time I go to the FOX I still see men heading into the women's bathroom and vice versa? They never see the little old backlit sign hanging at the bottom of the stairs, way up on the wall. I giggle every time). But I went back in the theatre and found a different seat, one not so close to what I knew was going to soon be in front of my eyes. And from there I watched the people, while they played David Byrne over the loudspeakers. It was too perfect. Lots of beer drinking, and at first I saw this as blatant disrespect for this fine theatre, but later I remembered all the concerts I've seen there, the first time I saw The Grateful Dead was in that theatre, and I relaxed, knowing there is probably often drinking going on, maybe puking in the seats, it's okay, I've drunk there myself, settled in with a Bass to watch a movie or see a show. Before the intermission began, a voice had come over the loudspeakers and told us how long we'd have to get popcorn or refreshments, and that in 25 minutes we would be watching the next "optimistic film", which got a good laugh from many. "A Clockwork Orange". I'm not sure where to begin here. My memories were a bit convoluted, but there was indeed a giant faux penis sculpture "Put that down! That's an important piece of art!!", and there were numerous rape scenes (during the first, a woman across the aisle collected her purse and left the theatre, not to return - I expected as much - maybe she'd been raped, a lot of women have been, and they don't want to see it again, not even played out on screen in a subversive film from 1971). I wasn't sure I'd be okay with it, but it was a film after all. I've read that it was originally rated "X" and I can see that. What struck me most about the film was the nudity, and it occurs to me that movies today are extremely violent, so violent we most likely don't even notice it anymore, but one seldom sees nudity, not full frontal, female nor male, not prolonged. Kubrick lingered on the naked female form in this film. He also showed the naked male form. He put it in front of us and dared us to look away. And I didn't, did not look away from any images there. Malcolm McDowell has an amazing voice, made an excellent narrator, and he was quite lovely to look at back then - his acting was really unbelievably good. After watching "Dr. Strangelove" I realized that it may have been Kubrick actually pulling these performances out of these actors. It most likely was. Strangest thing though, and probably because Kubrick was an American ex-pat living in London, was a little Benny Hill homage towards the end - when Alex is hospitalized after trying to kill himself, there's a nurse having sex with a doctor in his room, and of course she runs from behind the curtain, uniform open, large breasts heaving and bouncing as she goes. Total Benny Hill. So, I made it, a weeknight double feature, and I have a new appreciation for Stanley Kubrick, I notice his style, his imprint, his ability to work with his actors, bring out the best in their performances, and I think he was a genius, very cutting edge, very timeless and yet from a time we may not have encountered yet. Cost of the War in Iraq
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