February 25, 2007

• Our Ability To Dream

  I had a dream last night that featured Las Vegas in the year 2200 CE, Mary McDonnell as the cancer-stricken wife of the richest man in the world, and Christopher Lee as... Christopher Lee. There was a tightrope walker, a car chase, Karl Rove's cryogenically-frozen head, orange juice, a parade, and an assassination.

  I woke up realizing that if I wrote it all down, I would have enough for three screenplays. And not only that, three screenplays people would actually want to see. Unfortunately, I can't remember most of it.

  I think one of the best things about dreams is that there is no requirement for a narrative. Each moment is its own meaning, and the linear passage of time only allows these moments to be separate from each other. I love movies that don't necessarily fit a narrative, though of course narratives are good, too. For instance, there's 'Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould,' which only loosely follows the chronological life of Gould. The viewer basically sees his life as if it were a dream they were having, with episodes and vignettes and images with only minimal context. Also 'Punch Drunk Love,' which has a narrative but plenty of diversions into ambiguity and raw imagery.

  Anyway. I think I need to be more structured in my writing, so I can catch these things as they fly by.

  • 6:17 pm
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