Solitary Man II

In an attempt to get out of my weekend rut, yesterday I avoided the microbrewery and went directly home to movies influenced by Jonathan Lethem, violence, solitary men and dystopian dreams:

1. The Searchers. I'm sure my father based his identity on John Wayne's portrayals of men in isolation. Wayne's role in The Searchers is "...the definitive role for John Wayne as an icon of the classic Western--the hero (or antihero) who must stand alone according to the unwritten code of the West." -Jeff Shannon



My identity (and the identity of all women in the US) has been indirectly shaped by these portrayals of "real" men. I'm still working my way through the great commentary by Peter Bogdanovich.

2. The Warriors. All of the gangs in NYC come together under a temporary truce for a meeting in the Bronx. After the gathering goes bad, The Warriors make their way south through the streets and subways of the city, facing rival gangs along the way to get back to their turf, the shores of Coney Island.

Hilarious gang apparel (a gang dressed as mimes?) make for some memorable movie-watching, and I love the New York City stage.

3. V for Vendetta. A man in a mask who blows stuff up because of deeply-held political belief and a painful past and who recites Shakespeare? "Real" women who are highly conflicted have gotta want that. (This seems dangerously close to The Phantom for comfort, however.)

4. & 5. Mad Max and The Road Warrior. Cars. Motorcycles. Recklessness. Fearlessness. Lunacy. Cruelty. Gasoline shortages. Real Americana.

"Just one man can make a difference."