Tuesday 10 June 2008
Collective Conscience, dreams, knowledge, instincts and Waking life!
I've been watching a few films from my listed 20 recently and one of them is the dreamy classic Waking Life. Now my apologies for covering old ground (not that questions are ever repeated around here... ;0)), but when i originally posted the following dialogue from the Julie Delpy/Ethan Hawke scene in Waking Life even Anthony was surprised at the minimal response it seemed to provoke from the board.
I strongly urge you to go through and read the dialogue in the following post. The part about instincts stemming from a collective conscience especially is extremely interesting. My apologies for covering old ground but there really is a world of information in this one scene alone let alone the whole film. Please continue, as you were! If you're more impatient that i am feel free to simply watch the scene here, it kicks in one minute after the clip starts so please, be patient!
I strongly urge you to go through and read the dialogue in the following post. The part about instincts stemming from a collective conscience especially is extremely interesting. My apologies for covering old ground but there really is a world of information in this one scene alone let alone the whole film. Please continue, as you were! If you're more impatient that i am feel free to simply watch the scene here, it kicks in one minute after the clip starts so please, be patient!
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22 comments:
I love this conversation, it is the sort all on here would have in relation to Tony's book.
If the characters had been handed the book after this conversation they would have been gob smacked!
Isn't it!
Thanks Johar, your reaction is precisely the reason i felt compelled to post it again. It's really quite mindblowing when Ethan Hawke's character talks about a few minutes of dream time being your whole life, it lends itself beautifuly to Tony's theory.
Tony - for your to do list:
Get Richard Linklater/Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy a copy of your book!
Hurly, I can't seem to watch a film without my ITLADian glasses on these days!
I watched Unbreakable last night and even saw parallels in that film. What do you think?
Definately, as someone who was plagued with sickness for about 10 years i was quite interested in this film. It quite nicely explores the extremes to which people are (or are not)affected by health issues. This goes to the very nature of the fabric our world is made of, which of course includes us, feel free to add it to the ever growing list in my post, it's currently moving further down the page! ;0)
I found it interesting from the daemon/eidolon dyad.
I initially wondered if Samuel L Jacksons role was that of the Eidolon, shown to be fragile, human, with all our flaws. Bruce Willis's character, I thought may symbolize the Daemon, more developed, able to 'see' things, more powerful and spiritual.
Two halves of the same coin. That is why Samuel's character spent his life searching for Bruce's character, so he could understand why he was on the planet, to give his life meaning.
Isn't that our Eidolonic ultimate goal, to integrate with our Daemon through enlightenment?
I'd say that's a possible way of interpreting it. That's the beautiful thing about film, your perspective is always fresh dedpending on what's happening in your life.
As James Cole says in 12 monkeys:
"The movie never changes. It can't. But every time you see it, it's different, because you're always a different person
The Daemon/Eidolon thing is definately something to consider though, the Strength of the Daemon more so than any weakness of the Eidolon. Weakness in terms of ignorance to the truth perhaps?
What were we talking about?!
We're taking at ITLADian stroll through film Hurly!
Will be watching waking Life again at the weekend now! It's how I would imagine an adaptation of Tony's book to play out!
Thing is i've had dreams like the ones featured in Waking life. Dreams where you're so connected to everything, you know the answers to your own questions and information flows so differently. It's indescribable, Linklater somehow manages to capture it though.
Hurly,
With regard to your dreams and your prolific film knowledge, does it influence your life at all? Are you able to utilize the awareness you have in any way?
Erm, not especially, unless you can be more specific? I've had deja vu, moments of clarity, moments in sport(basketball) where i've experienced being "in the zone" I've always said life was like a film and had my own ideas so similar to Tony's long before i had ever read his book. Utilizing anything hasn't really happened too much, my life's still a mess, unfortunately sucess isn't always a given to those able to retort with wit online 1000 times a day, too much competition!
I wasn't very specific I suppose, I guess it was a general inquiry as to whether these things have influenced your decision making or fostered a certain outlook on life?
My personality and therefor decision making has been massively influenced by film & sitcom, that much is undeniable. My outlook is shaped by experiences i've had, these experiences are usually me trying to re-create moments of great dialogue feautred in films such as Waking life, before sunrise/sunset and Hurlyburly. Does life imitate art or vice versa is probably a more appropriate question for myself!
Well you are the star of your own movie at the end of the day!! lol
That's the thought that get's me through my day/life!
*cough, cough*
That sounds nasty Karl, you want to get some linctus.
HB/JOHAR: What an absolutely fascinating discussion. I once thought it was just me that saw itladian references in movies etc.
You will be pleased to know that last night I lectured to around 40 people in Liverpool (The Liverpool Holistic Circle - http://www.liverpool-holistic-circle.org).
As usual we had a good hour long question and answer session afterwards. Towards the end movies came up and we had a great discussion about itladian movies ... Hurly, you would have been in your element mate. Indeed I suggested that in order to understand these links they needed to get onto this blog and appreciate the wonderful work you have done in this regard. There really is book in this you know!!
I totally agree with Hurly in his reference to Waking Life. The sequence he mentions is so Itladian I felt that I could have written it!!! Thanks HB for pointing this out to me and now reiterating the cultural importance of this movie to our merry little band.
Thanks Anthony, when i watch this scene, alarm bells seem to go off! This movie reminds me of the fact that you can sense there are other bright minds out there in the world reaching out to connect with us, in certain times, this is a very comforting revelation.
A book huh? Maybe i'll get started on that! I'd reccomend "everything i know i learned from T.V" by Mark Rowlands as other reading in this area.
Have you read "The Magic Power of Your Mind" by Germaine?
There is certainly substance to everything...
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