"Your name is John Coffey?"
"Yes sir boss. Like the drink, only not spelled the same."
I had the wonderful opportunity tonight of watching Stephen King's 'The Green Mile' on television with my siblings. To be honest, I am not a fan of the author... he's one of my least liked authors. iDislike, perhaps? Unsurprisingly, films based on his works have not left good impressions on me either, excepting Kubrick's 'The Shining' (which any sane person will recognize as a timeless masterpiece of the silver screen). So it came as a bit of a surprise to me when my brother announced that the Green Mile was based on a story written by Stephen King. If all surprises came in as good a package as this film, then I would gladly welcome them.
Alright, so I'm a little behind with the movies these days. A lot of people have praised Hank and Duncan for their excellent performances-- even King for this touching but haunting tale of a man condemned by his own gift. So iWon't take that beaten path. I want to talk about this movie as more than just a movie but as an actual effect on one's perspective on life. You see, prior to watching the Green Mile, I was thinking to myself (philosophically) about what justifies a life. And iDon't mean our purpose on this planet or why God put us here. I mean, when you're dying and death is a strange man knocking at your door: what do you have to say for yourself? As Tom Hank's character put it, "When I die and stand before God..."
Hedonism is a lifestyle that I find has always come to odds with this question. I mean nothing serious against the pleasure-seekers of this world but it does occur to me that they may not have anything to say before God. Or if you do not believe in Him, then before their end (for is not Death a force of its own, making all men answerable to it?). So there it is. I watched this movie and I thought to myself, in reference to the character of John Coffey, there was a man who knew what to say. Well, to be specific, there was a man. Sometimes iThink that few people truly die as men. I am no authority on death or on what it takes to be a real man but this is simply a thought you must read slowly-- that if you have given to this world some good despite any amount of suffering it has given you, then maybe you can die a man. Maybe you'll have something to say.
If you think this is rubbish then I have been reading too many books lately and watching too many movies. But I hope my words mean something or it'd be a terrible waste of my hurting brain. Nonetheless, iWill write again about some of those books I've been reading. Heart of Darkness, A Passage to India and Ender's Game. Goods ones. A couple of them are even on my iLove list.
Write you later. Go read something.
-The illiterate Blogger-
2 comments:
This movie almost made me cry. :\
I realize this is an old post but I will comment anyway...
The great--and probably terrible--thing about King is that he is such a prolific writer it is hard for someone to not find something they would like in his writing...even if it is only one book. As a general rule though his movie adaptations tend to be terrible, somehow this managed to seep through and be good.
"that if you have given to this world some good despite any amount of suffering it has given you, then maybe you can die a man. Maybe you'll have something to say."
Very very interesting thought, and definitely something to think about.
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