Thursday, June 10, 2010

A Serious Man

Hi All,
I've just re-watched A Serious Man. It's brought to us by the Coen Brother's. Their typical style provides us with moments that are funny, sad, and cringe worthy. A simple story that takes you on unexpected twists and turns, and leaves you wondering if this is what life is all about. It's just plain wonderful, like so many of their other offerings.

I think my favourite moment is almost at the end when Rabbi Marshak says "When the truth...is found...to be lies...and all the hope...within you dies...Then what?..."
The words are quite similar to the question posed in my Bonekickers post...poignant as you've reached the crux of the story. Just as you're letting the deep and meaningful lesson sink in, you're swung a throwaway line, which turns the whole thought upside down. You're taken right back to the start of the movie and left wondering what life is all about. Just when you think you've got it all figured out they pose the ulitmate question: Can you really control your life, or at you at the mercy of circumstance? Does leading a good and moral life spare you from misfortune? If not, then what?

You're not given any answers to those questions in this movie. Live your life, and when it's all drawing to a close tell me then :)

On a side note here is one of my favourite songs from the movie. 



Jefferson Airplane - Somebody To Love 


When the truth is found to be lies
And all the joy within you dies

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

When the garden flowers baby are dead yes
And your mind is full of red

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

Your eyes, I say your eyes may look like his
But in your head baby I'm afraid you don't know where it is

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

Tears are running ah running down your breast
And your friends baby they treat you like a guest

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

And now my favourite Jefferson song :)




Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit 

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small,
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all.
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall.
And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall,
Tell 'em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call.
Call Alice
When she was just small.
When the men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving low.
Go ask Alice
I think she'll know.
When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead,
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said:
"Feed your head. Feed your head. Feed your head"


I was in my first depression way back in my early teens when I first listened to this a lot. I had a myriad of physical symptoms that were masking what was wrong with me, none of which would respond to normal treatment. So it really felt like the song to me. The world was all wrong and nothing my mother or doctors could give me did anything to help. I'd feel great at times and miserable at others. I toyed with the idea of getting wasted on various things to see if it helped. Lucky for me I figured out that wasn't going to solve any problems either. My brain chemistry doesn't need anything extra to experience everything White Rabbit describes :)

Cheers Guys :)
Kate