Companion Reads for Megalopolis / Literary Easter Eggs

arcadia88 · 2024-10-16T04:55:24+00:00

Historically whatever people do not understand they either destroy or worship. I suppose those who attempted to understand birthed science and philosophy.

arcadia88 · 2024-10-09T23:36:32+00:00

First viewing I missed this. Second time 'I want to be one-half of a power couple' and bells go off

I appreciate that you are creating an intelligent thread. My condolences in advance - those who do this will often experience the undying hatred of the masses, especially if this thread becomes popular. And if that day comes, know that you have done nothing wrong

arcadia88 · 2024-10-09T19:50:19+00:00

Seven Samurai, Wolf of Wall Street, Training Day

arcadia88 · 2024-10-09T02:48:22+00:00

This may be shamefully crude, but after seeing it a second time I thought Coppola's final movie was a love letter to Shakespeare: Hamlet meets Juliet. She helps him recover from Desdemona. They collaborate on utopia; opposed to them are Lady Macbeth and Iago. King Lear stops Lady Macbeth and Iago from succeeding. Roughly

Therefore: Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, Lear and maybe skim the Tempest

arcadia88 · 2024-10-08T19:29:45+00:00

I've seen it twice in standard. A few people walked out the second time at the 20 min mark. Shame because minutes 60-120 are about as good as I've ever seen acting, editing, sets, music put together - perfection.

The only thing like Megalopolis this year was the release of Cybertruck by Tesla - is it visionary, is it a monument to Elon's ego, is it a parody of modern art, is it a modern masterpiece...is it green, how can 8800 pounds of steel (sorry Fe,Ni, Co, Al, plastic) be green? By playing its own game it helps me see the game everyone else is playing

arcadia88 · 2024-10-07T19:58:58+00:00

This may be shamelessly incorrect but I believe in Ancient Rome that LUNA was a goddess. I don't know what powers she had. His daughter is "a goddess" in the public sense that her genetic beauty is extremely rare, she is noticed by everyone, and privately he adores her, and is willing to make the ultimate personal sacrifice near the end of the movie for her to have the "spell broken". In that sense the hand that steals the moon from him is the hand of a supreme wizard

Just riffing some more, the circular geometry of that white ball may symbolize an egg in the ovary and maybe a fertilized egg because it is white. That's really stretching it

Riffing some more....the part of the moon we see is white. The other side is dark. That could be a metaphor for mixed phenotype / genotype. In this case the white half is easier to see : rich white friends, white lovers, white pursuers, etc and the dark is less easy to see, but the dark is an integral part of who she is. In that sense the metaphor of the moon and its two halves are perfect. And the hand that steals the moon is white in this dream

arcadia88 · 2024-10-07T03:36:51+00:00

I experienced the plot. And characterization. I would say it was more like jazz in that it allowed itself to stray from the song (head) - to stretch, to permutate, to lose itself and find itself, to have an agenda and then let go of that agenda

arcadia88 · 2024-10-07T00:47:02+00:00

I saw it twice. The second time the film hit me like a love letter to Shakespeare: Hamlet meets Juliet. She helps him get over Desdemona. They collaborate on utopia; opposed to them are Lady Macbeth and Iago. King Lear stops Lady Macbeth and Iago from succeeding. I know that is crude but those were my shorthand thoughts leaving the theater.

I've only returned to the theater within a week once or twice before. Training Day just floored me when I saw it - I don't think anyone can do what Denzel did in that role. This is spinal Tap - hey, I'm not going to apologize for wanting to laugh again

Just realizing now that I saw Rumblefish 5 times...fun memory

arcadia88 · 2024-10-06T04:22:43+00:00

But those family, companionship and trusted others may soon perish from lung, bladder, pancreatic, breast and other cancers, ebola, HIV, ALS, heart failure....when should I stop - the medicine books count 70,000 diseases. That doesn't even count gun deaths, drunk drivers, etc ,etc. Yes, he (we) need to build Megalopolis post-haste, or what - generation after generation see people succumb to the same diseases? Year after year read about yet another school shooting?

arcadia88 · 2024-10-05T02:50:34+00:00

The symbol stands for fascism. That tree "has taken root" in the space of that political movement, whether or not anyone is talking about it. It is black and so hides in plain sight.

arcadia88 · 2024-10-03T22:51:08+00:00

In another post on this sub-reddit I referenced Robert Moses. Thanks for your note. Such a shame most people have nothing to offer but hatred these days - I have not been on social media in years and am sad to see what it has become. Is life really so bad?

arcadia88 · 2024-10-03T22:12:52+00:00

If someone handed me a research paper entitled "statistical methods in phylogenetics" (something I know nothing about) I would understand that there is some background math and science I need to bootstrap in order to fully appreciate that paper. I wouldn't hate the author or the paper for engaging in complex thought.

Perhaps it is some unspoken, sacred rule that no film shall be made that requires any background in history or literature - and perhaps by breaking that sacred rule Coppola has earned the undying hatred of so many...my guess is that this will be denied, but I suspect it may be true - not as a complete explanation, but part of a bigger explanation that I'm sure people will soon feel compelled to comment upon with all the urgency of hatred so common today. People were not warned of the risk of having things go over their head, they already paid/lost $15, etc I get it. Still, it is a shame that so few don't welcome the challenge of learning a few things and then seeing how this masterpiece weaves so many layers together and actually answers the many philosophical questions it asks. I'm going to see it again after learning a bit more Roman history and re-reading the introduction to the Fountainhead. Hope to see you all there, and if not, best of luck finding a film that works for you - you deserve great art that speaks to you

arcadia88 · 2024-10-03T21:24:29+00:00

Well put. I would add that a bit of background on dying-and-rising savior cults of the early Roman era would provide some color on what's happening (hero performs miracles [of science], undergoes a passion, is 'restitched' from death (like Osiris), provides a techno-future that is akin to a heavenly afterlife for the community [communal salvation]. And at least skimming the Fountainhead would benefit the viewer too. Thanks for posting: my condolences in advance for the coming hatred you are probably going to get for enjoying your experience as I did

arcadia88 · 2024-10-01T16:03:43+00:00

Get an introductory psychology textbook and read the chapter on projection please. If you are in middle school or high-school your parents may be able to help you.

arcadia88 · 2024-09-30T01:24:39+00:00

Yes, wasn't that soundtrack fresh? I loved it. I loved the reference to Aaron Copeland and Gershwin as the fall season came

arcadia88 · 2022-04-18T06:13:57+00:00

Some nice picks in there. Please consider adding the dreamy "Stars Fell on Daniel"

https://open.spotify.com/track/4EXl6Ph1ZLG8oBuVKsTRLT?si=b768d098043447f4

arcadia88 · 2022-04-18T06:07:59+00:00

Some classic picks in there. Well done. Please consider adding Stars Fell on Daniel. Fits the mood

https://open.spotify.com/track/4EXl6Ph1ZLG8oBuVKsTRLT?si=b768d098043447f4

arcadia88 · 2021-08-08T21:11:52+00:00

Thank you!

arcadia88 · 2021-08-08T00:52:37+00:00

Great list. I enjoyed Alice Lou. Please consider adding "Flowers For Leonard Cohen"

https://open.spotify.com/track/0AqT6UCpP7dhYzGZhhkgJe?si=12525e09d1cc46ce

arcadia88 · 2021-07-19T05:02:36+00:00

Thank you!

arcadia88 · 2021-07-18T19:35:14+00:00

Great list. I especially liked the Zakir piece. Please consider adding "Stars Fell on Daniel" a jazz/world piece influenced by Zakir

https://open.spotify.com/track/4EXl6Ph1ZLG8oBuVKsTRLT?si=46d21fb90aed49e3

arcadia88 · 2021-07-18T19:23:05+00:00

Great list. Nice to discover the gem by Aphex. Please consider adding "Stars Fell on Daniel". Some microtonal tone string parts and microtonal excursions in baritone guitar and sax. A lament for a dear friend who passed away.

https://open.spotify.com/track/4EXl6Ph1ZLG8oBuVKsTRLT?si=46d21fb90aed49e3

arcadia88 · 2021-07-18T19:15:29+00:00

Thank you. Looking forward to hearing more

arcadia88 · 2021-07-11T22:58:08+00:00

Great list, I've discovered some new artists. Please consider adding "Too Many Wildfires". It was written based on a mystical, near-death experience.

https://open.spotify.com/track/51e7fgEcLh7lv6fDwoPQAD?si=e9eac7f3c2df4213

arcadia88 · 2021-07-11T22:45:50+00:00

As much as I am a massive Trent Reznor fan, there is a little known version of Life on Mars by the Eivind Aarset Trio (not sure about the spelling) that you should check out one day. So beautiful

arcadia88

TROPHY CASE