posted February 10, 2008 01:34 PM         

Watched it again recently.

It's fascinating...

Nothing in this movie is as it first appears. The characters whom the viewer is led to be suspicious of, those who outwardly engage in eccentricity, intensity, honesty, and other socially frowned-upon behaviors, end up proving their innocence, and rising by their own devices, while the ones who put on a mask, and pressure themselves to be perfect, or just "normal", ultimately collapse under their own weight, frequently dragging the others down with them. The stigmatized behaviors only become troublesome on account of their stigma, and because they are forced underground. The secrecy is what leads to so much estrangement, suspicion, misunderstanding, and, ultimately, violence. What an incredible, touching portrait of unnecessary tragedy; The American Dream turned nightmare. Like all the best works of art, I see more in this movie every time I view it.

posted February 12, 2008 02:46 PM         

The lesson is that it's best to be comfortable with oneself - however much of a fight one might need to put up.

Although, one may not need to put up a fight as such. It depends on the situation one finds oneself in and how much one is willing to *do* about it.