_Under Milkwood_ by Dylan Thomas

I have the written version of this and I also havea recorded performance. It’s a play, so it’s nice to have both. It’s a different thing, reading a play versus seeing it performed. Both have merit, but in different aspects.

Dylan Thomas is a poet, and his play is appropriately abstract. It’s basically taking a day in the life of a Welsch town (remember, Thomas is Welsch) and writing about all the characters and dreams in it.

I reminds me of Spoon River Anthology, in it’s scope of characters. But the people move in and out of each other’s lives throughout the day. It is a very sweet look at what could be describes as the author’s hometown, showing the foibles and meannesses as well as the aspirations of the people who inhabit it.

t’s a little confusing, but I think if you let go and flow with it the experience is very uplifting. I think it shows a love for the brotherhood of humanity and a great sense of humor.

The Graduate

This movie endlessly cracks me up. I wish I knew if it was supposed to be funny when it was made. I have the impression it was not, but maybe that’s just my low opinion of people in the 60s.

The movie is SO 60s, oh my goodness. The filmmakers are excited about symbolism; they chose ‘water’ as a symbol and throw it in as often as possible. It feels very adolescent, like they are saying, “Look ma! Symbolism!”

I will say that Hoffman was pretty hunky in his younger years. Not bad, him lounging around in the pool. He puts on these huge sunglasses and he looks very Tom Cruise.

His performance as the awkward college graduate in his parent’s house was SO awkward, it pre-shadowed his performance as the autistic in Rain Man. There was no mistaken he was a fish out of water…Oh look! Symbolism!

Anyway, this is a great funny movie, even it they didn’t know it was funny when they made it.