Eleatic67

This looked like it was pieced together on the back of a moving truck. The "joke" of an uncomfortable and uncooperative subject (Fripp) gets annoying after the first minute. I really found no insight or explanation of the music. The only sincere moment is provided by Belew expressing a profound sense of betrayal and his criticism of the current project being a lucrative vanity project and indulgence in nostalgia. Almost every interview clip seems shallow and random. Were the comments and footage of techs moving crates necessary??? Fripp criticizing Belew's inability to collaborate is rich, given that everyone describes him as the unsupportive petty tyrant.

I could not believe how empty and worthless this documentary was. Watch The Last Waltz instead, and you will find a far more interesting exploration of a musical legacy.

How should we react to souls who bare their pain with unflinching courage? Hopper was a troubled man who tried desperately to transform his anguish into art. For me, it is an open question whether or not he succeeded. Personally, I think a great filmmaker balances quiet moments with high drama. Perhaps, Hopper captures the frenetic and chaotic energy of a society on the brink of collapse. Someone's comparison with Rafaelson and Cassavettes is definitely useful. I don't think this film rises to the level of Five Easy Pieces or A Woman Under The Influence. The scripts and performances of those films are far more original and superior. The performance of the young woman is the most interesting and unique thing about this downbeat indulgence.

I think most of Fuller's films have nothing to do with reality. Generally, they are a patchwork of incoherent nonsense and depravity. He strikes me as a craftsman who knew how to produce a movie for a general audience rather than as an artist motivated by high moral and aesthetic principles. Yes, you can find some great scenes or visuals occasionally, but they are marred by either hyperbole or melodrama that precedes or succeeds them. Nicholas Ray, by comparison, could draw out the most sensitive and thought provoking performances out of his actors. Maybe, I lack an appreciation for grit. There's no elevating or transforming of grit into something true and profound.