Talk about life-changing lectures...(SPOILERS for The Quiet American)

[3pipeproblem]

This afternoon, I went to a lecture about The Quiet American, one of my favorite books (Fowler rocks!). I frankly expected very little, some political commentary, perhaps, and the inevitable remarks about Pyle symbolizing America, Fowler Europe, and Phuong Vietnam. Instead, it was taught by the new head of the film department. He talked about action and inaction, perspectives, the difference between secret agent and terrorist. And he used imagery to underscore all of it. It was brilliant. He talked about Heart of Darkness, connecting Pyle and Kurtz. That really makes sense to me. I have come to regard Fowler's murder (for it is murder, more or less) of Pyle as an act of mercy. Pyle might have become Kurtz. Sure, it would have taken a lot, but I can conceive of it happening. Although Kurtz didn't really live for an ideal. I think someone in the novel says, "He was...an extremist." But about the lecture. He showed clips from The Third Man and Apocalypse Now and mentioned Citizen Kane. It was just lovely. I went and talked to him briefly after the lecture (there were these annoying girls there asking questions like "Who do you like better, Fowler or Pyle?") and he told me Penn is going to have a film major next year! Rejoice!

I think he was impressed by my Reservoir Dogs t-shirt. Heh.

Oh, and I'm going to have to become a bigamist, because I want to marry both him and Chris Cooper.

Comments

[septicemic.livejournal.com]

Good professors can be so sexy. (Also, my love for The Third Man, particularly in connection with Citizen Kane, knows no bounds.)

[3pipeproblem.livejournal.com]

Don't even get me started. It's probably a bad sign that I also have a crush on my dorky-yet-humorous-and-very-intelligent faculty advisor.

I'm embarassed to admit I haven't seen either Citizen Kane or The Third Man (I know, it's shameful, I'm going to be a film major). My film club/residence program is screening Citizen Kane on Wednesday, but there's also a preview of Once Upon a Time in Mexico, which I'm inclined to go see just for Willem Dafoe goodness.

[septicemic.livejournal.com]

I'd go for the Willem Dafoe goodness. You can always rent the Kane DVD, which has all sorts of lovely stuff on it. I should also say that part of my love for Kane and The Third Man (which is sort of the shadow version of Kane) comes from my twisted-yet-irrepressible desire to slash Charlie Kane and Jed Leland together... which is why it's a good thing I'm not in film studies, I guess. Everyone else in the department would hate me.

[3pipeproblem.livejournal.com]

Now I definitely have to see Kane. All hail obscure slash pairings for highly respected films.

One day I will write that Verbal/Keaton fic. Oh, yes. I will.

[septicemic.livejournal.com]

Verbal/Keaton!!!!!

You have to do this.