This is the second post in a two-part series in which Shea expresses his sensitive side. For those of you missing the snarky Shea, rest assured that he will return next week taking on obnoxious uses of color. Thank you, IBD Management.
This piece of writing is going to hurt my street cred.
I’m not the guy who normally cries at movies (Old Yeller is an exception), but twice recently I have found myself with tears running down my face at the end of a movie. This is where it gets strange. The first film was Notorious (a true story of the rise and fall of the rapper Notorious B.I.G.) and the second was The Blind Side (a true story of success of a homeless boy who became a professional football player). I highly recommend both of these movies. (For the record, my tears in The Blind Side had nothing to do with Sandra Bullock’s attempt at a Southern accent.)
So what’s going on with me? I immediately realized that these two movies are not on the same list as Life is Beautiful, Million Dollar Baby, Deep Impact, The Pianist, Glory, Philadelphia, The Notebook or Dumbo. So what’s going on with me? Being the analytical guy that I am and filled with a sudden concern for the strange salty substance flowing from my eyes, I had to learn more about why these movies touched me.
I’m also borderline (and by borderline I mean completely) paranoid, so one of the first things I did was check my collection of personal hygiene products to make sure that I wasn’t using something that was specifically for girls (that’s right, I am a man). To make a very long story short, I once had an incident that involved a really bad sunburn, glitter lotion, and a lasting sparkling effect that was fodder at work for a very long time. Who puts glitter in lotion? To some, I’m still known as “Sparkles.” Based on the amount of estrogen in the house where I live, ingestion by osmosis also had to be considered. After careful research, those possibilities were quickly ruled out.
Now back to the analytical element of reaching a sensible solution to my emotional response. There had to be an explanation. What was it about these two movies that touched me so? I was pretty sure that it was not the topical connection to the rise and fall of a gangsta rapper or a talented football player. My mother wouldn’t let me try out for the football team and though I have stepped up to the mic on several occasions, my Southern suburban upbringing keeps me from really connecting to the strength of street knowledge. Now if was street knowledge of J. Crew catalogs, I have that covered.
I started to break it down like I was critiquing an interpretive program. Both movies had similar themes. I love underdogs and both of these movies carried an underlying theme of people overcoming obstacles to make it to the top—though each ended differently. I love that the success of these two individuals was directly related to key persons in their lives. I can relate to that. There are people who have been a part of my life who have helped me become the person I am today. For that I am grateful. So regardless of the movie’s setting—or well as my athletic ability or rhyming skills—I could still relate. The interpretive themes were a success.
Now on to the interpreters themselves. Both movies offered emotionally charged performances to which I was able to connect. I’m a sucker for passion. The two lead characters—Christopher Wallace (Notorious) and Michael Oher (The Blind Side)—were portrayed in a light that anyone can appreciate. These performances also served as the conduit for connecting the tangible to the intangible. The actors helped me connect the tangible elements of the story (sports, music, facts, information, description of the events that took place) to the intangible elements with inherent meanings. The interpreters were successful at conveying the theme passionately.
When it comes down to it, the universal concepts are what did it to me. Both movies were about relationships and when it comes down to it, relationships are our legacy. The films touched on the same universal concepts that most people can relate to. In Alan Leftridge’s book Interpretive Writing, he provides a list of universal concepts that include “fear, love, peace, change, life, wonder, family, history, trade, and death.” Between these two movies, all of these concepts were included along with the inherent meanings of forgiveness, determination, transformation, self-discovery, authenticity, and personal growth that spoke to me.
As interpretive designers, this is what we should strive to create. A theme-driven product presented by a passionate interpreter, creating an emotional response, regardless of the topic, that people can relate to and be moved enough to provoke a response. Now that I have this all figured out, I am going to limit myself to movies that are about typefaces like Helvetica. The only person who emotionally connects to that movie and would cry over the tangibles of stroke width and letter spacing is Paul.
I have to get back to improving my street cred.
This blog is a great reminder that we’re not the only ones doing interpretation out there in the world. I find some of the best examples of interpretation in movies and songs that I connect with. These songs become the soundtrack to my life.
Arguably, the first interpreter was the one to first paint his (her?) handprint on a cave wall with the hope of conveying an intangible message to the next person who saw it (thankfully, for Shea and Paul, Comic Sans hadn’t yet been invented).
I would love to read a series of blogs on interpretation done well (or badly) in movies or songs.
“Relationships are our legacy”. What a great mantra for our lives. I couldn’t agree more.
It’s interesting that this would be a topic on this blog. I’m reading a book right now (recommended by another interpreter) called “Don’t Be Such a Scientist,” by Randy Olson. It discusses conveying scientific information in a relevant way, mostly through movies. Really good book.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s funny that Shea included Deep Impact on his list of touching movies?
Yes. You are.
I’m not sure that the production of tears is the best signal of a significant emotional response. Onion peeling jokes aside, I’ve had those moments as well, but the scenes where this happens tend not to have the lasting impact that I would prefer for good interpretation to have.
For instance, the most memorable scene in any film I’ve ever seen (and I’ve seen many more than most people) is a very slow zoom into Lily Tomlin’s face in a bar scene in “Nashville.” I won’t put it into context (you’ll have to see the film,) but this one shot, where no one moves, covers about six relationships and by watching her face as it comes into view, you see people cast aside, a moral quandry assert itself, surrender, fear and acceptance.
For my money, it’s one of the most powerful shots in any film, certainly one of the most evocative, and an incredible interpretation of a hugely significant personal event and the relationships and values of several people.
This shot remains crystal clear in my mind over 30 years since the film came out, and unlike the tear jerking stuff, I retain all of its clarity compared to a tear jerking scene.
As Groucho Marx said in “Coconuts”– “Ice Water, you want ice water? Eat onions– that’ll make your eyes water!”
And yes Paul, I caught the “Deep Impact” thing as well.
Okay, haters, I’ve got four words and & symbol for you…Robert Duvall & Morgan Freeman.
There’s plenty in Deep Impact that you should be able to relate to? Critical decisions, meaningful relationships, life altering choices, which is much like choosing a typeface, image or color palate.
While you are at it, go ahead and jump on Dumbo too…see if you can make me cry.
Alrighty Shea, good to see you’re covering topics that I covered in my own blog LAST WEEK! (BTW, Sandra Bullock once sat in the car behind me on the Cape May – Lewes Ferry. We’re pals now.)
For interpretive cinema, I hope y’all have seen “My Life In Ruins”, sort of a follow-up to “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It’s actually about an interpreter, includes themes, tangibles, intangibles, Richard Dreyfuss having Viagra-powered whoopee, and several examples of how not to interpret historical sites. No tears, but still worth the price of a DVD rental.
Is Deep Impact the one where Bruce Willis jumps on an asteroid and yells “Yippeekayay”?
And My Life in Ruins was actually not as bad as I feared it might be.
Watch it, Paulie…you’re stepping close to me pressing the ‘unfriend’ button. First, dissing my fave movie, next you’ll be ragging on the Red Sox…
Grammar Girl 2 (You need to get with the other Grammar Girl 2 and decide who is actually GG1 and GG2. There also is a GG3 who wishes to remain anonymous at this point in time.) you have opened yourself to much criticism from me the Yankees fan. Since you did not take an official shot at the World Champion New York Yankees I let you off with a warning.
Caputo, you can’t even compare Deep Impact with Armageddon.
Just for the record: great grammar!
As much as I would love to take total credit for the “great grammar” compliment, I would be negligent if I didn’t give props to Caputo Copy Editing Inc. Their work is great but working with them is the pits.
This is great Shea. I got to have lunch with Sam Ham and a table of guys and one other woman (his student.) And I was remarking to Sam about him saying that people like us are in the minority–i.e. interpreter types who are interested and curious about just about everything. It made me think of an example I use alot in my writing classes.
Once I was having dinner at a cafe below the venue where I was going to give a concert that night. I overheard the couple next to me who I think might have been on a first date. “There’s a folksinger upstairs tonight, ” the man said. The woman replied ” If I never go to a concert in my life, I’d be fine.” After trying to recover my swallowed heart I started thinking, well, if I never went to a sporting event in my life, I’d be fine. This brings me to the reason I ‘m writing this here…
I have zero interest in sports. Really. Zero. If there was never a game to watch or play again, I’d be perfectly fine. But I loved “Seabiscut” and I loved “Million Dollar Baby.” You are so right, it’s the story that gets people interested. I understand why people love to go to the races or a fight now. I can be their buddy now. We can talk about those stories. And I might support their efforts for a new ball field in town…etc.
You guys see alot of people who think they have zero interest in nature or history I bet. But everyone loves a good story! Others will care about what you care about when you find your story and can tell it well.
Your street creed is done for good, Sparkles.
Looking forward to a brew and some time with you in the Twin Cities area next month.