I was a little bit bored last night (the first time this season – which, in general, I have found RIVETING) – although the cameos by Ben Kingsley and Lauren Bacall were a HOOT. Lauren Bacall getting punched in the face! What a dame. I’m always just psyched when I see her WORKING. She did a good job, too. And Ben Kingsley was great, trying to deal politely with these two HOODLUMS who keep following him around.<\/p>\n
But the last scene – with Artie – with his burned hand … cooking the rabbit alone in the kitchen … his finger moving down the crinkly old pages of hand-written recipes – the legacy of his culture, his family tradition – and then the longer shot of him alone at the stove, cooking – with this melancholy music playing – was perfection. Scenes like that are what keep me hooked to the show. Why? Because so much of the show is plot-driven – this happens and then that happens and then that happens – and all of that is well and good, but it’s those small private-moments where we get to see a character’s inner life that create not just good television but something akin to poetry. It’s a revelatory moment. It’s why film is the perfect medium for such stuff because it’s beyond words. Moments like that are so rarely is allowed on television because it seems like something should be HAPPENING all the time – and if the scene isn’t driving the PLOT along, then is it necessary?? Actually, this is true of film as well. But in that one moment, we, the audience, were allowed to take a breath … and watch this man, who had been having a helluva time throughout the episode … remember why he loved cooking, have a private moment with the food, with his family recipes … It is his calling. It was a truly beautiful and quiet moment. It’s why I love this business: moments like that.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I was a little bit bored last night (the first time this season – which, in general, I have found RIVETING) – although the cameos by Ben Kingsley and Lauren Bacall were a HOOT. Lauren Bacall getting punched in the … Continue reading