On Blind Passion.
February 16th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
Over the past few days I’ve watched a hodgepodge of movies. All great. The one thread that binds them all together: blind passion. Blind passion can lead you astray, it can make you focus, it can steer you into a big puddle of dumb luck. All these films show the various effects of this passion, whether it manifests as frenzy or the deep, cool river of knowing calm.
#1 Saturday morning. Early bird showing of Black Swan.
In this case, blind passion for perfection drives one young woman to madness (among other things).
Note: Another Darren Aronofsky movie, Pi, is damn good and also shows how blind passion = obsession.
#2 Sunday morning. Netflix. Exit Through the Gift Shop.
In my mini-quest to watch as many Oscar-nominated movies as I could, this Best Documentary nominee landed in my instant queue. What I thought was going to be an uber-cool documentary about street art was instead a documentary about street artists and a crazy guy who’s blind passion for capturing life on a video camera accidentally made him an “artist” raking it in at Sotheby’s. It’ll make you both cringe at the situation, feel embarrassed for the art world, and feel stupid for not blindly following your passion.
#3: Monday night: Kurt & Courtney
Years ago while I was a student at Indiana University Bloomington, they had a screening of a documentary about the possible murder of Kurt Cobain in the student union. Admittedly, it was compelling. When I saw Kurt & Courtney on Netflix, I thought I’d found it. It wasn’t the one I saw in college, but it was interesting. For Courtney Love, blind passion = ambition. Like crazy, no-one-and-I-mean-no-on-is-going-to-jeopardize-my-chance-at-fame and-fortune ambition.
#4: Later Monday night: Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Ah, Rush. This documentary was great. In the case of Getty, Alex, and Neil, blind passion wasn’t blind at all, really. It was as clear-eyed as they come. How else could three guys have a successful band for 25 years+? It was just passion for their style of music (and a determination to not cave to the music business) that has made them what they are. It’s old-fashioned love for what they do. And it’s infectious.
