O.K., readers out there (you are out there, yes?), I am challenging YOU to take on the following assignment. (Remember, I am a recovering lit. teacher.)
CHALLENGE: How is Apocalypse Now like The Wizard of Oz?
GO!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
We are David and Valerie, friends, former colleagues, film devotees. Welcome to our discussion room on films off all kinds. From blockbusters to bombs, indies to guilty pleasures, even HBO and AMC. Love it? Leave it? Skim, study, or skip, but bring your celluloid or digitally-enlightened intelligence and let's talk! We suggest you start first by weighing in on our post: What's Your Favorite Movie.
Valerie
about mz. v.
As a recovering high school English teacher, and currently doing a stint as education adjunct at CGCC, she is mad for travel, tai chi, chai tea, writing, mosaic tiling, current events, visiting kiddies in Austin and Manhattan, sipping Americanos with her beloved. She seeks continual enlightenment, and movies are one path to that.
David
About Dr. D.
David has enjoyed a number of careers: university professor, high school teacher, businessman...and currently bluegrass banjo player, jam leader, wood artist, glass artist, and would-be novelist. He proudly watches hours of TV and film. He considers film one of mankind's greatest achievements. He enjoys all genres, and appreciates both great and not-so-great films.
Upcoming Titles
What would YOU like us to see?
Nice gauntlet, English Teacher! We must go back to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness to make the comparison complete...however, currently being more artist than literature analyst (lest you wish to venture into the daunting world of French Lit!), I will let my esteemed colleague comment on the book. Suffice it to say that the book, the war classic, and Dorothy's wanderlust have this in common: They take us on journeys that seem innocent enough, at first....and surreptitiously move us toward darkness! When Senior Sheen (unlike his puky kid, who loves hitting his wives in real life) voyages up the Mekong, the first stops are light-hearted: the best being, of course, the stop at surfer's heaven, where crazy-minded Robert Duvall, donning one of his best roles ever, sees great waves amidst the falling bombs! In The Wizard, the first stops for Dorothy are fairly light-weight too: meeting and greeting her strange travel-mates. But alas: Sheen later meets the Dark Side in the person of Brando...and Dorothy encounters the Big Bad Lion! So, I'd say, the two movies are sisters in taking us on the merry road to gloom! What say, film buddy?
ReplyDeleteYes, it starts with Heart of Darkness. It is so well-written, and a classic, but not my cup o' tea. Guess it's a man's novel.
ReplyDeleteYou had me completely until the parallel of Kurtz to Cowardly Lion ("Big Bad?"). Contrare, in my view. The moment Kurtz is killed, all his so-called followers lay down their allegiance now to Cpt. Willard (Sheen). I immediately thought, "The wicked witch is dead. Hail, Dorothy!" which prompted this post. The Cowardly Lion is just that; he's actually a pussy cat, and devoted to Dorothy.
Since no others have weighed in, I'll give you my list of similarities:
Both movies:
1. Have a young and reluctant protagonist (although Sheen wanted A mission, he didn't ask for this one. Both share a mission of having to destroy an unknown enemy, journeying far into exotic land to find.
2. Journey with a rag-tag bunch of allies (PBR Streetgang, Scarecrow, etc.whom we grow fond of)
3. Must slay the evil one which results in freeing others.
4. Prot. captured by ant., yet doesn't kill him/her right away, leading to antagonist's demise.
5. If you adhere to Wicked, both antagonists did not start out evil.
6. Traveling parties stop mid-way where a community takes them in, they refresh, eat, and learn.
7. Prot. remark more than once how far they are from "home" what they know, where they are comfortable.
8. Have a little dog at one point!
9. Antagonists rule over "small" people (Munchkins and VietNamese). They seem loyal, but are only obedient out of fear.
10. Have some drug reference (Poppies! poppies!)
11. The physical journey (age-old archetype) becomes metaphorical for the one each prot. takes that leaves him/her wiser for having seen the dark side of another.
The closer I look, the more I find.
Just the kind of perceptive, well-organized, mindful analysis I'd expect from my film partner, a former English teacher (of high renown)! All eleven points are meaningful...you've taught me that your compare and contrast gauntlet demands a complete and intelligent answer. Between the two films, I'd choose Apocalypse Now any day....never really got into The Yellow Brick Road. Actually, I loved the tornado scene most of all in the Wizard...probably became the foundation for my current passion for every documentary ever made about tornadoes. If my dear wife and kids would not scold me, I'd willingly head off to Kansas in early May and chase twisters. Anyway, back on topic: Apocalypse really knocks my socks off every time I see it. A harsh reminder of the Vietnam debacle. Back to you, Valerie.
ReplyDelete