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"America" (Simon & Garfunkel) - a song for our times (piano cover and commentary)
Where is Saginaw? What is a turnpike?* And why won’t I stop bothering my friend Kathy?
*(This has been a genuine question for me; I haven't heard this word in Australian English!)
I recorded this amateur piano cover of Simon & Garfunkel's 1968 song "America" a few months ago, back when my keyboard still lived on a raised surface rather than on the floor. As did my hopes 🥲. Feels nostalgic.
I don't have much new to say or add about recent political events, although (perhaps unsurprisingly for someone of my demographic) I'm still not a big fan of billionaire climate-deniers who talk of "finish[ing] the job" rather than bridging divides, and who don't seem to face consequences for assaulting women. Especially when the global climate emergency is so pressing and severe, societies are already polarised, and misinformation is rife. Regardless of perceived short-term economic gains (easy though that may be for me to say, as someone not faced with that particular choice). I dislike the idea of powerful individuals taking advantage of fear for politician gain, and encouraging people to hate one another.
Posting a song cover is out of keeping with this channel, given I've so far only posted video essays (and I'm very much not a musician). Surely making a video essay with some political hot take or relevant film analysis would be more my style? Yet in this instance, and especially in these early days, I'd rather leave discussing recent elections to the experts. However - perhaps similar to how a picture can supposedly tell a thousand words - I realised that this particular song, and sharing it along with some written commentary, potentially offers something constructive in this particular context, in November 2024.
"America" is ostensibly a song about two young lovers on a roadtrip across the United States. They are "looking for America". On the surface, the song sounds dreamy and romantic, but it's deeper than that, and more melancholic. "America" was written during a period of civil and international unrest in the 1960s; this means that when the song's narrator sings about "looking for America", he's likely referring to searching for a sense of hope, or a sense of American identity that feels coherent to him. He and his companion travel the roads and highways, itinerant and searching, like so many others just like them ("Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike/ They've all come to look for America"). They are isolated, yet persisting; "empty and aching", yet still optimistic and finding moments of joy in their existences. Professor of Music Theory James Bennighof notes in his 2007 book The Words and Music of Paul Simon that many other such "lost souls" are on the highway with them, each on their own journey alone even if they are physically accompanied by a friend or a family member. It's a bittersweet song about searching for hope, connection, and a more aspirational national identity in times of turmoil.
Not especially well-played or sung in this instance. But a good song.
How do you interpret it?
#america #americanpolitics #election2024 #simonandgarfunkel #piano #pianocover #musicanalysis
Переглядів: 342

Відео

Aussie musicals vs. Mamma Mia!: winners, losers, and 30 years of Muriel's Wedding
Переглядів 6032 місяці тому
The best ABBA musical of all time is not Mamma Mia! - it’s actually a poignant, campy classic from Australia released in 1994… In this video, I try to convince you to watch two wonderful Australian films from 1994 while also discussing some of what they tell us about Australian culture - including in contrast with American culture. As an Australian, I may be a tiny bit biased. ...But what if I'...
Oxbridge peasant reviews Saltburn (Part 2) - class, accents, consumption
Переглядів 2595 місяців тому
Part 1 of this video essay can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/ICc5IeSiyOc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Ganymedia In this video, I use the film Saltburn (2023) as a springboard into discussions of ideas around class, accenticism, and the nature of luck and merit - partly informed by my own experiences of attending 'Oxbridge'. Despite thoroughly enjoying my time studying at Cambridge, I was (and remain...
Oxbridge peasant reviews Saltburn (Part 1) - on style and substance
Переглядів 7907 місяців тому
Part 2 of this video essay can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/u6qXakImlv0/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Ganymedia Saltburn (2023) polarised audiences: some viewers think it’s deep and communicates intelligent ideas, and others think it’s a hot mess which is trying to say and do lots of things, but which is mostly just a fancy disaster. So what was Saltburn really trying to say? What opportunities did ...
What's the point of Oppenheimer? Science, ego, & responsibility
Переглядів 7778 місяців тому
How does the Oppenheimer film portray science, genius, and history? Are these storytelling choices effective? And are they truthful? If you’re a scientist making discoveries and advancing knowledge, how responsible are you for what other people do with your work? To what extent is Oppenheimer a monstrous orchestrator of destruction, or a victim of circumstance and of his own nature? Does he des...
Why do people alter their appearances? On vanity and curiosity
Переглядів 6559 місяців тому
I wrote for The Guardian about one of my biggest mistakes of 2023 - but there's even more to the story than what went live. In this video essay, I explore further why people seek to alter their appearances and whether society needs to expand its understanding of vanity. Bonus content includes true stories from an increasingly absurd existence: about glow-ups, the Breaking of the Pact 2.0, and t...
Barbie isn't owed any Oscars: media literacy, snubs, and outrage
Переглядів 1,5 тис.9 місяців тому
When the media manufactures outrage, who wins? A video essay on media literacy, the Barbie movie's so-called Oscars 'snub', and how bad-faith reporting goads well-meaning people into fighting over non-issues branded as injustices. Time stamps: 00:00 - Intro: personal reservations and 1am emails 00:48 - General overview of pointless Barbie drama 02:32 - Why care about this vacuous media vortex? ...
Poor Things: feminist or degrading?
Переглядів 25 тис.10 місяців тому
Although frequently inventive and aesthetically striking, Poor Things (2023) perpetuates certain conventional tropes surrounding female sexuality and women's humanity. Is it making a point about the horrors of the world - or is it just a bad film? Time stamps: 00:00 - Excessively wooden preamble 00:45 - First shots fired 00:59 - Personal introductions 01:23 - What's the film about? 02:43 - What...

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @onemadrid40
    @onemadrid40 9 днів тому

    Thank you for this video. “Muriel’s Wedding” changed my life in many ways.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 9 днів тому

      You are very welcome! It makes me happy to read this comment.

  • @MBighk
    @MBighk 14 днів тому

    "Turnpike" goes way back to medieval times. In order to proceed on a toll road you'd have to pass gates and pay the tolls, the guards at the gates held pikes (long poles used for combat), and they'd turn the pike and let you through after you paid your toll. Saginaw is a city in Michigan. Sounds like it took him four days to hitchhike from Saginaw to somewhere in New Jersey.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 14 днів тому

      Thank you for this - as someone who loves writing, word etymology is one of my more niche passions. Your comment was a lot of fun to read! As for Saginaw - I'm afraid I also had to google this one! My Michigan geographical knowledge grows slowly but steadily...

  • @GigaGab
    @GigaGab 15 днів тому

    Wow Rosalind your singing is so beautiful! Your voice is like a Disney princess and you’re talented in many ways 🫶 love this idea of interpreting songs in the context of the current affairs

  • @GigaGab
    @GigaGab 15 днів тому

    Thanks for this video, I enjoyed it and it piqued my interest in Muriel’s Wedding! :)

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 14 днів тому

      This is very sweet! If you do watch it at some point, I'd love to hear your thoughts about it. And I loved our conversation about it (and its themes) the other day. Very thought-provoking! <3

  • @leonoralily3372
    @leonoralily3372 16 днів тому

    Very nice playing on the piano and an amazing voice I hear, dear musicfriend. Now I support your channel with fun and send best wishes to you from Germany Leonora Lily

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 14 днів тому

      This is so kind! Thank you, Leonora Lily!

  • @ganymedia
    @ganymedia 16 днів тому

    Why share this song now? "America" is ostensibly a song about two young lovers on a roadtrip across the United States. They are "looking for America". On the surface, the song sounds dreamy and romantic, but it's deeper than that, and more melancholic. "America" was written during a period of civil and international unrest in the 1960s; this means that when the song's narrator sings about "looking for America", he's likely referring to searching for a sense of hope, or a sense of American identity that feels coherent to him. He and his companion travel the roads and highways, itinerant and searching, like so many others just like them ("Counting the cars on the New Jersey turnpike/ They've all come to look for America"). They are isolated, yet persisting; "empty and aching", yet still optimistic and finding moments of joy in their existences. Professor of Music Theory James Bennighof notes in his 2007 book The Words and Music of Paul Simon that many other such "lost souls" are on the highway with them, each on their own journey alone even if they are physically accompanied by a friend or a family member. It's a bittersweet song about searching for hope, connection, and a more aspirational national identity in times of turmoil. How do you interpret it? More in the caption.

  • @manoahnyagi3783
    @manoahnyagi3783 Місяць тому

    The movie was disgusting! I felt very uncomfortable watching it. Self discovery doesn’t have to turn around sex only! It was extremely disappointing.

  • @andrewliu9164
    @andrewliu9164 Місяць тому

    really enjoy watching your video!

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia Місяць тому

      I'm so happy to read this! Thank you! :)

  • @Havelanca
    @Havelanca 2 місяці тому

    What a lovely video, well done! It's very well presented. I'll have to rewatch the Aussie classics after this x

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 2 місяці тому

      Thank you - this is such a kind comment, and very encouraging to read! So happy you enjoyed the video and are keen to revisit the films! :)

  • @Natopera
    @Natopera 2 місяці тому

    I think Australian literary and by extension film protagonists are indebted to Patrick White, who was extremely sceptical of conformity. Satires and dark comedy, which both films are, don't focus on the majority. You can't poke fun at the status quo if you end up belonging to it in the end.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 2 місяці тому

      This is an interesting comment! I feel like satires and dark comedy do often poke fun at the majority, but do so through the lens of the outsider or minority, who sees the status quo in a way that others ignore. Can people poke fun at the status quo if they end up belonging to it in the end... I think that sometimes they can, but these stories usually have a tragic (or at the very least tragicomic) element as there is a tragedy inherent to the character lacking self-awareness. The character Nathan in recent Aussie book Paradise Estate (meanjin.com.au/books/striving-for-paradise/) reminds me of this. Also: interesting idea regarding Patrick White and scepticism of conformity! I'll give this more thought.

  • @STEPHENPASTEL
    @STEPHENPASTEL 2 місяці тому

    As a male watching this film, it came across to me as a 'male sex fantasy', albeit a perverse one, disguised as an 'intellectual' film, which it certainly wasn't. The film never rose above a comic book level of culture. I feel the same way about 'Dogtooth', and in fact, most modern pseudo-intellectual films. The Pre-Code film-makers were honest about their motives, for cramming as much titillation into a film as possible - to get back-sides on seats. Today's Pharisaical film-makers, have devised countless pretexts and mental contortions, to justify the same dubious practices as the Pre-Code filmmakers. Furthermore, if 'sex' is at the fulcrum of all their artistic endeavors, it hasn't occurred to them, that you can produce an arty piece of cinema about sex, without resorting to the exploitation of the feminine form. Hal Hartley's 'Surviving Desire' fulfils all the demands required of great and enduring art, for that very reason. Mick La Salle's piece on 'Poor Things' is worth reading, as he presents a watertight case against the film's preposterous smugness.

  • @jeank8061
    @jeank8061 3 місяці тому

    I just watched this movie - and was so impressed by the gorgeous sets, the creative period costumes and artistic videography. They went thru a LOT of effort to make a beautiful movie - and, IMHO, ruined it by turning into a "soft porn" movie. There wasn't even an explanation as to why Bella had such a huge sex drive; that would have at least made sense in the plot. But no, she just wanted sexual pleasure all the time and that was a big part of who she was and how the men in her life saw her. So limiting. So cliche.

  • @imge509
    @imge509 3 місяці тому

    I find it interesting that most of the praise videos (especially praising cinematography) on poor things is from men while negative criticism from woman. Of course, i am not saying this to bash on men, but I think that's because men tend not to understand what's considered empowering for women so no wonder a supposed feminist movie made by a men fails women. Reminds me the way i have been taught the "correct" way to be a strong feminist, which is either by neutralising your gender ( basically treating everyone and yourself the same which is impossible considering the physiology of AFAB persons, general dangers of being a women in a androcentric society, etc) or using your femininty for your advantage. Only later in life i noticed this definition of feminism also happens to be more convenient for men.

  • @RonaldoMoura
    @RonaldoMoura 3 місяці тому

    As a 45-year-old Brazilian, I saw a completely different film. To me, it's a kind of "The Mystery of Kaspar Hauser" story: the protagonist is kept isolated for a while and just by getting out he/she questions the morality of everyday life. However, it was an enriching experience to hear his/her thoughts.

  • @notwwwansik
    @notwwwansik 3 місяці тому

    6:00 Doesn't that rule apply to mostly white women? For example, non-white women have always been considered promiscuous and so on…..

  • @kateconson1708
    @kateconson1708 3 місяці тому

    Freelance journalism? This is not journalism. First, try to learn how to properly edit your videos. Now this is just some simple girl on youtube sharing her opinions, because probably no one gave her a real, demanding job in any respectable media where she could earn money writing or doing something valuable. Everyone has right to share their opinion of course and I respect that, but this is not professional. This "podcast author" seems to be raised in church, avoiding real life, especially topics about women and sexuality. Young cinemafiles, don't waste time on this pseudo-intellectual "unfortunate critic".

  • @AlexanderLaurence
    @AlexanderLaurence 3 місяці тому

    PG Wodehouse is mediocre.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 14 днів тому

      I'm afraid I disagree, and that I feel like a critique this negative of an author should be backed up by something substantial. Wodehouse's works can feel repetitive, sure, and his work won't please people who are looking for depth of character. But creating wildly novel plots, and characters with great depth, is clearly not what he set out to do as a writer of light comedy. There's plenty he didn't achieve, but he did write tightly crafted, well-paced, episodic comedy stories, which employed the English language in highly inventive ways that some consider to be unrivalled. Mediocre seems harsh.

  • @AlexanderLaurence
    @AlexanderLaurence 3 місяці тому

    Every review is about "Not what it is, but what it should be."

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 14 днів тому

      Interesting. I agree that it's rational not to criticise a film just because it wasn't what one wanted it to be. However, in this video, I engaged with what Saltburn is and justified why I believe it didn't work. From there, instead of just tearing it down, I chose to say not only why it didn't work but also what I believe it could have done differently in order to be more effective. Seeking to be constructive!

  • @AlexanderLaurence
    @AlexanderLaurence 3 місяці тому

    Why do we need to see your full body in every video? I think this is a tired trope.

  • @AlexanderLaurence
    @AlexanderLaurence 3 місяці тому

    It takes place in Scotland not London

  • @MikeMW87
    @MikeMW87 4 місяці тому

    Feminist but worst for me ... Main character has no fear .... I had to skipp it since it was so borring .... I looked twice ...there is not a single scene with fear in her eyes ...

    • @christopherrobin361
      @christopherrobin361 3 місяці тому

      It's like she's a symbolically dead soul. Not surprised by it. But Stone isn't that great of an actress to begin with.

  • @Chaosqueenngami
    @Chaosqueenngami 4 місяці тому

    I’ll admit the movie is beautiful, visually. But the content of the movie made me feel uneasy. I personally feel like the movie couldn’t possibly be feminist because Bella’s growth always involves men. When the movie goes from black and white to colour it’s after she has sex with a man. She discovers empathy when a man shows her poor people. Especially the end. She learns to stand up herself by escaping a man and her happy ending only happens because a man gives her his entire fortune. She spends the whole movie running from and to men. In the end, we don’t know anything about her as a person. Sure she wants to be a doctor and socialist, but why? The end was just a her turning into a girl boss through no merit of her own and the was actually kind of depressing.

  • @happinesstan
    @happinesstan 4 місяці тому

    I got the feeling the film was saying "It's not abuse if the victim doesn't realise it's abuse". I can't decide if I liked it or hated it.

    • @daninogil
      @daninogil 4 місяці тому

      except said victim does get that this is abuse others agree that this is abuse and the shouldn't do that/have no real motive to and then keep on doing it anyway/barley regret it. it is just off

  • @cuddlecutie
    @cuddlecutie 5 місяців тому

    That was super interesting, thank you for your insights!

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      I'm so pleased! You are very welcome.

  • @therealtijuanaman
    @therealtijuanaman 5 місяців тому

    I'm not glad Poor Things was made, and I'm not happy I saw it. It was disgusting trash that sends all the wrong messages. It was essentially pedophilia, and the messaging was basically it's empowering to make money through sex. Yeah, in the end she got over on her ex-husband/father, but even that was tacked on and pretty poorly handled, and still not really the right message. And on top of all that, it was aesthetically disgusting. Poor Things more like Poor Film Making

  • @rbwirth12
    @rbwirth12 5 місяців тому

    Idiotic. Frankenstein's monster meets Rochelle, Rochelle, with AI settings.

  • @agourlay8358
    @agourlay8358 5 місяців тому

    Thank you for your analysis and sharing your personal experience, I really enjoyed your videos :) you captured so well some of the knottiness of class in Britain, and validated the frustration I felt with this film - for its apparent lack of interest in really exploring these ideas!

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      You are very welcome! Thank you so much for the encouraging comment - I'm really pleased you felt I discussed class in Britain usefully, and that you've been enjoying my videos. It makes me happy to read this. Thanks again!

  • @ganymedia
    @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

    Part 2 of this video essay can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/u6qXakImlv0/v-deo.html&lc=UgyEeIA7S6lyotnfDv54AaABAg&ab_channel=Ganymedia 💃

  • @ganymedia
    @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

    Part 1 of this video essay can be found here: ua-cam.com/video/ICc5IeSiyOc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=Ganymedia 🌱

  • @reeves326
    @reeves326 5 місяців тому

    Thanks for this insightful review!

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      This is really kind - thank you! I'm glad you got something out of it!

  • @thepeculiarjourneyofmontyw8658
    @thepeculiarjourneyofmontyw8658 6 місяців тому

    I absolutely loved it. For me, it was the best film of the year. I've loved Emma since Easy A and I find Yorgos bafflingly fascinating. I truly don't get the outrage or the discomfort. It's quite tame really. But it's not a Marvel movie, that's for sure.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      Interesting! I certainly agree it was one of the most adventurous films of the year - for that reason, again, I'm glad it was made. Also agree that Emma Stone is great. Just didn't enjoy the subtext, alas... I look forward to further films by the director though - I still have very positive memories of The Favourite.

    • @daninogil
      @daninogil 4 місяці тому

      @@ganymedia I don't, every country she visited looked the same as the last and everyone acted the like the people in London it is like she never left and somehow got more miserable

  • @gostepsenglish4431
    @gostepsenglish4431 6 місяців тому

    It's too long, too in love with itself, and everything that can be wrong with cinema.

    • @gostepsenglish4431
      @gostepsenglish4431 6 місяців тому

      Also, there is never any necessity for so much gratuitous sex scenes.

  • @morgannyan2738
    @morgannyan2738 6 місяців тому

    Women ☕️

  • @gertje721
    @gertje721 6 місяців тому

    One film cannot possibly explore and correct all wrongs of patriarchy. It’s kind of an unfair critique to ask it to do so. From start to finish it is surreal with impossible mad science. We are already in and out of the real world watching this creation navigate the oddity of existence and processing that as a clean slate. The consent question is one of those that would have been tough to pull off in a couple hours. How far down the rabbit hole would we have to go to pull that thread given that we are already in a situation that is impossible. To that I think about my own sexual awakening as a child. I remember being a young boy who felt for the first time that it felt really good down there. In this most impossible of scenarios if I had, had an attractive adult male body that other people desired in a world clearly without stis I would have also probably engaged in vigorous bouncing as often as possible. Obviously there are moral questions in the real world about whether a child brain with an adult body can consent but the film is exploring what one might do if they were living this and I don’t see this as an unreasonable way one might process this. Would it be morally correct in the real world, of course not, but also this is clearly a surreal world with a different philosophical question being asked. The movie would have just been over as we left her locked up to protect her from herself, in a bit of time forced her to be married and rolled the credits. Through the sex in many scenarios she learns about herself and does begin to become aware of what boundaries she might like and formulates a framework for healthy relationships. As one would if in this situation. Like not wanting men to be smelly or to just put it in, or not be controlled or abused. I think that the film evokes a sense of discomfort in the viewer when watching a woman explore her sexuality. I when leaving the theater overheard a group of women talking about this discomfort. They had an almost love hate with the movie. The people I talked to seemed to think that it was inappropriate for this to be a theme where we in this society we do not approve of women being sexual. Yet everyone always concedes that women being sexual is not bad yet we are uncomfortable actually seeing it on screen. We still very much believe in the idea that women are best as non sexual beings or whores. They cannot be nuanced humans who have experiences and find their own way, it’s uncomfortable for us regardless of the reality that we all are just people and everyone has this experience with in themselves. Our culture tells us that being sexual is not moral. This film is asking if we didn’t have this framework would we behave the same? I think we would not and I empathize with the character. Like I said I could imagine if I was living this impossible scenario what I would do. They, as all of us really only think about the sex. There is also important moments of a blank slate going from stabbing a corpse mercilessly and being completely selfish to a being that sees unfairness in the world and feeling empathy. In the conclusion she is now using her abilities to help. This is not a film meant to solve everything in feminism but to think of an impossible situation where a being comes in to self awareness. The fact that she has sex as a big part of this journey is uncomfortable and intriguing for us in this culture. That is why they had so much of it. To have the viewer both uncomfortable and compelled so we the viewer are left thinking about our own weird surreal ride through our existence and culture.

  • @residentgrigo4701
    @residentgrigo4701 6 місяців тому

    The film is a somewhat direct adaptation. The basic plot and hyper-focus on her nymphomania are from it.

  • @telmamcgeoch4099
    @telmamcgeoch4099 6 місяців тому

    You failed to mention that it's a film based on a Glaswegian novel by Alisdair Gray published in 1992. So a lot of your comments and issues raised (very important) were not in the horizon then. And it's a period novel.

  • @jelenakatic1778
    @jelenakatic1778 6 місяців тому

    Regarding video title, whether Poor Things is feminist or degrading, it’s neither. Shocking for a neoliberal consciousness, thankfully there are some movies which are not trying to shove “the message” down our throats. This film is about development of human consciousness (not necessarily female one), taboo biological topics and critical social commentary. Maybe the title is just a clickbait geared towards general audiences heavily conditioned to think only in binary terms, but Poor Things definitely doesn’t fit that mold. - - - - Now that I listened to first 5 minutes of this puritanical, capitalist-feminist take, the title sadly wasn’t just a clickbait, but what this “poor thing” really thinks.

    • @telmamcgeoch4099
      @telmamcgeoch4099 6 місяців тому

      Totally agree with you and thanks for taking the time to make this comment. I see that a lot of people felt uncomfortable with this film (which is based on a novel of the same title by Scottish author Alisdair Gray - an incredible full on artist), but that's the human experience. Uncomfortable. And complex.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 6 місяців тому

      Hi there - this "poor thing" thanks you for your comment (!). I think you make a good point in the sense that sometimes films exist to explore complex themes and ideas without leaving the audience with a specific take-home message, and that this can be okay. They're open to interpretation. I had a particular interpretation of Poor Things, which definitely comes at the film from one angle and argues quite hard for that angle. I think the points I make are decent interpretations, and I'm glad they've sparked debate. One thing I will contest quite strongly, however, is the idea that I believe the only approach to Poor Things is through the binary expressed in this video's title. As I'm pretty sure I say somewhere early in the video, a lot of the debate surrounding this film fell into this particular binary. That's why I was interested in it: because it was being talked about, many people were thinking in terms of this binary, and I wanted to add my perspective to the conversation as I felt I had certain points to make that hadn't been made yet at the time of making this video, and which would be valuable for people grappling with the 'feminist or degrading' discussion. If people think about this film beyond this binary or any other, I'd be happy about this! Best, Rosalind

  • @jeremyrfritz
    @jeremyrfritz 6 місяців тому

    Yeesh, this uptight broad is killing my buzz!

  • @chleung701
    @chleung701 6 місяців тому

    I finally got around to watching "Poor Things" and also listened to your commentary on it. Reflecting on both the movie and your analysis, the take away for me , among other things, about how achieving one’s desires often hinges on leveraging what one possesses, be it talent, a platform, $$$ , or even the controversial topics that the director chose to explore.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      I'm really touched that you watched this video - thank you, C.H.! And I think your point is an excellent one. Sometimes desires end up being achieved out of luck, e.g. when someone ends up with e.g. a job or a lifestyle that they didn't know existed or didn't expect to have, but which they like. However, I agree that leveraging what one possesses often comes into it too. An interesting and somewhat mercenary/realist angle. Good food for thought.

  • @anamaria-db7pq
    @anamaria-db7pq 6 місяців тому

    Y'all do yourself a favor and skip this movie. Go watch The Anatomy of the Fall or The Zone of Interest if you want to see good film art.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      For what it's worth - great recommendation re. The Zone of Interest! I am also keen to watch Anatomy of a Fall.

  • @sherlockholmes4059
    @sherlockholmes4059 6 місяців тому

    I watched the movie just because I like Rosamund Pike. Mostly in the first part I felt stressed, the style, the tone/use of music and the camera-work , made my brain shut down a little bit. I was relieved after they entered Saltburn because then everything cooled down, until the scene with Oliver‘s parents and afterwards the party. I was so distracted by this „attack“ on my brain, I don’t think I really had the energy to think more critical about the most parts of the movie. It came over me like a stream. I can only remember the „events“ that disturbed me. Farley‘s part made me more critically think while watching. The rest was just there, no real plot twists just a reveal that makes my eyes roll while thinking about it. I also wanted Farley to be more present, like his struggles were overlooked, Oliver literally harassed him, this got treated like a throw away gag, with no reaction on Farley‘s side. The hypocrisy of his family members were barely acknowledged. Only one argument with Felix happens if I recall correctly . The moment he got send away, erased him from the narrative like he didn’t matter in it at all. Just here to make us believe that there was a deep exploration on the „traditional“ problems in the upperclass. As my final addition I put this shortened version of my opinion’s points „ A package that I could barely look at with nothing in it , because the only interesting thing was underused and then got thrown in the rubbish, before I could grab it“

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 5 місяців тому

      Thank you for taking the time to write this - it's interesting to read about different people's experiences of watching the film. Really interesting that you also wished Farley's struggles were highlighted. I suppose, ironically, the film sidelined him almost as did the family (!).

  • @cautionwetfloor2779
    @cautionwetfloor2779 6 місяців тому

    I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the book where revelations towards the end seem to acknowledge the male fantasy that the main story was, and whether this salvages it for you (i tend to think it does). A lot of critics have said this was a major omission from the film.

  • @mariewalker6057
    @mariewalker6057 6 місяців тому

    I took it for entertainment value and found it....Very entertaining.

  • @johnrako
    @johnrako 7 місяців тому

    Were women in the 1960s and beyond conned by being convinced that empowerment equals promiscuity?

  • @timd729
    @timd729 7 місяців тому

    The movie was like the Green knight. Lots of praise, fake positive reviews, but the movie was garbage and quickly forgotten. Typical self indulgent bullshit coming out of Hollywood.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 6 місяців тому

      Interesting to read your comparison of this film with The Green Knight! I confess TGK is a film I began watching but didn't feel motivated to finish. Hadn't thought about it in a while; interesting to think about it again, in this context.

  • @jaylynortiz9304
    @jaylynortiz9304 7 місяців тому

    So interesting. I didn’t really feel like it focused on sex from the male perspective but rather through Bella’s lens and how she even grew out of the first primitive instinct of physical pleasure to wanting more and seeking other kinds of stimulation. I didn’t view it as her becoming a woman just because she had sex but rather a more primitive part of us as we develop and how children especially in puberty years experiment with their bodies and then exploring a more pragmatic approach to sex work and how it fit into what she wanted to experience.

  • @laszlomeier7847
    @laszlomeier7847 7 місяців тому

    This critic is an example of using an ideological lense (in this case feminism) and then be surprised that the film does not fit the lense. A wordy but hollow review that says absolutely nothing about the movie. There is no reason one should think that a movie needs to be feminist just because it has a woman as the main actor. There are so many topics of an almost philosophical nature that speak to the human nature, nature versus nurture, lust and sex, anarchical freedom versus cultural norms. Now the view on human beings is not exactly flattering, and one can agree or disagree. But please try at least to understand what the director has intended to say before you elaborate on what you expect the movie to be.

    • @ganymedia
      @ganymedia 6 місяців тому

      Hey - interesting to read your take. It's true that a film needn't be considered a success or a failure based solely (or even primarily) on whether it comes out well within a certain ideological lens. In this instance, however, given much of the commentary surrounding the film has revolved around its feminist credentials, analysing the film through a feminist lens strikes me as worthwhile, even if simply to gain a better understanding of what might be deemed a feminist film in 2024, and why. I agree that it's a rich film and could have been interpreted through a variety of other lenses. Also, regarding your last point: I tend to think that a film can communicate ideas beyond those the director intended for it to say, and that that gap between intention and realisation, and/or intention and audience interpretation, is interesting to examine! Sorry you didn't enjoy the video, but thank you for watching.

  • @gracelynroberts-cn2hu
    @gracelynroberts-cn2hu 7 місяців тому

    For the record, yes the director was to blame for the hypersexual content. It existed in the book, but it wasn’t so glorified.

  • @mozartsbumbumsrus7750
    @mozartsbumbumsrus7750 7 місяців тому

    Sex IS the best expression of true love but very few understand or know this because no one know whst love is let alone true love. A successful relationship requires a love ethic as bell hooks describes and defines it in her beautiful book, "all about love".

  • @mozartsbumbumsrus7750
    @mozartsbumbumsrus7750 7 місяців тому

    Emily Stone owns this film as a main producer. The sex is not "explicit". Go watch pornography for explicit sex@