Movie: The Legend of Bagger Vance
Jun. 22nd, 2008 02:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amediaWe rented this ages ago, didn't have time to watch it, and dubbed it off onto a couple of tapes (which tells you how long ago it was!). Finally got around to watching it.
I didn't quite know what to expect. This was a fairly leisurely period piece/golf movie/romance with the Mystical Will Smith thrown in for good measure. I think it may have been his first serious movie role, which was why we rented it (we both really like Will Smith), and he was quite good as a cross between Obi-Wan and Master Po.
I know this movie came under fire for exploiting the Magical Negro stereotype, and it was racially problematic in other ways as well - frankly, it seemed to sugar-coat race relations in Georgia in 1930. After we watched it, though, I read in the IMDB trivia section that the names Bagger Vance (Will Smith's character, a mysterious figure working as a caddy) and R. Junuh (the hero he mentors) were supposed to reflect Bhagavan (Krishna, a Hindu god posing as a chariot driver) and Arjuna (the hero he mentors) from the Bhagavad Gita. When I read this out loud, TODS, who has taught the Bhagavad Gita in World Religions, immediately came up with some things that Krishna says that closely parallel Bagger Vance's advice, as well as other close parallels to Taoism and Zen. (TODS is a pretty cool guy to watch a movie with.) So in retrospect, that made me like the movie better.
I also liked Charlize Theron's character, a very determined woman who empowered herself in whatever way she needed to to hold onto her family property in the Depression, sometimes by being firm and direct, sometimes by being seductive or wheedling. Unfortunately her part of the plot was pretty much lost in the shuffle once the movie's focus switched to the golf game. Did she manage to save the resort, her late father's dream that she had made her own? (The publicity that the golf match drew would seem to imply yes, but we don't see it happen.)
I didn't quite know what to expect. This was a fairly leisurely period piece/golf movie/romance with the Mystical Will Smith thrown in for good measure. I think it may have been his first serious movie role, which was why we rented it (we both really like Will Smith), and he was quite good as a cross between Obi-Wan and Master Po.
I know this movie came under fire for exploiting the Magical Negro stereotype, and it was racially problematic in other ways as well - frankly, it seemed to sugar-coat race relations in Georgia in 1930. After we watched it, though, I read in the IMDB trivia section that the names Bagger Vance (Will Smith's character, a mysterious figure working as a caddy) and R. Junuh (the hero he mentors) were supposed to reflect Bhagavan (Krishna, a Hindu god posing as a chariot driver) and Arjuna (the hero he mentors) from the Bhagavad Gita. When I read this out loud, TODS, who has taught the Bhagavad Gita in World Religions, immediately came up with some things that Krishna says that closely parallel Bagger Vance's advice, as well as other close parallels to Taoism and Zen. (TODS is a pretty cool guy to watch a movie with.) So in retrospect, that made me like the movie better.
I also liked Charlize Theron's character, a very determined woman who empowered herself in whatever way she needed to to hold onto her family property in the Depression, sometimes by being firm and direct, sometimes by being seductive or wheedling. Unfortunately her part of the plot was pretty much lost in the shuffle once the movie's focus switched to the golf game. Did she manage to save the resort, her late father's dream that she had made her own? (The publicity that the golf match drew would seem to imply yes, but we don't see it happen.)
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-02 12:26 am (UTC)While they watch this example of a whole man, Bagger is speaking about the entire process with healing authority straight into the shattered heart of Junuh.
Beautifully put!
I'm glad you mentioned the score, too; I thought it was lovely without being obtrusive.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-02 04:12 pm (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Gretsch
Thank you for the compliment. Means a lot coming from a teacher :)
I try to pay attention when a woman is breaking into a male dominated artistic arena. Rachel Portman has composed some excellent scores and won an academy award for her composition for the film, "Chocolat".
Aside from her film scores being excellent she also composes beautiful music. A film score by nature needs to weave into and uphold a film. Beautiful music is not always what is needed. A composer who is able to write a good film score *and* make it beautiful is all the more prized.