THE LINE AS A CELEBRATED DAREDEVIL
I believe there’s a general consensus that the book versions of things are better than the movie versions. I certainly agree, but this is a pretty good interpretation of one of my favorite books. You’ve heard of this one: Norton Juster’s The Dot and the Line. It’s not only the origin of this blog’s name, but it helps me live my life, in a way. Cheesy? Sure. Useful for me? Absolutely. I wanted to share and let it speak for itself.
Let me know what you think.
just to play devil’s advocate here for a second, isn’t that telling us that who we are on a most basic level is not okay? and that in order to deserve love, we have to change and put on a show? why would the line want to be with a dot that doesn’t love him the way he is?
I think it unfair to unequivocally say that books are better than movies. Apples and oranges that vaguely resemble apples, I say. Let’s just agree on this: movies made from books are sure as shootin’better than books made from movies– woof!
wizard of oz — better than book
godfather — slightly better than book
jaws — slightly better than book
forrest gump — slightly better than book
jurassic park — jury is still out
That being said, I am Legend starring William ‘Wild Wild West Philly” Smith broke my brittle little heart.
Casey: I don’t think that’s what it tells us at all. The line lacked confidence in himself… he thought all he could be was a line. When he tried to be something else he got a cramp. When he realized and actualized his potential, he exuded the confidence and grace that had always been in him somewhere. He doesn’t change, he grows and learns how fantastic he can be. That said, he is not responsible for how shallow (or not) the dot may be.
Timothy: Without getting into a knock-down drag-out fight about it, I decided to choose a stance on the book–>movie dilemma based on the following:
1) Slightly better doesn’t do it for me. No movie-from-book has ever made my jaw drop or knees tremble.
2) I haven’t read the books of any of the titles you listed, so I only know the movie version. The movie versions of most of the books I’ve read are not as good. Two that stick with me – One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and American Psycho.
This is the first I’ve seen or heard of this and really enjoyed it, although i was having the exact same thoughts as “casey.”
funny enough, when you brought up the book/movie comparison, the first thing I thought of was Chuck Jones’ The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and lo and behold! a Chuck Jones cartoon.
but yeah, back to the morals, why is he in love with a dot that is so superficial? and what’s wrong with who we are? although, at the same time, i was practically yelling at my computer “lighten up you stupid dumbass line! quit taking everything so seriously! “Uuugh! I have dignity! i have grace! I’M AWESOME.” Knock it off line, you’re not kidding anyone. you’re not better than me.
and that dot was pretty easily convinced. Realistically, I think the line would have had to work twice as hard to get the dot, while the dot would have lingered around the squiggle for far longer than she ever should. and even then, once she came around, it probably would have been too late at that point.
aesthetically, i like the squiggle more. He’s a visual metaphor for the chaos theory. He’s a jumbled mass of lines, but he is a very distinct character, with movement and emotion and form. all the line does is inhale and exhale deeply. the line is pretty uppity at the end too. hey nice geometric, mathematical shapes, asshole. If I were the dot, I’d like the squiggle as well.
though, i digress…i understand that they are merely metaphors, and i too, have been that line
*sobs*
p.s. – completely agree with you on american psycho. I saw a few scenes on tv last year and really have no desire to ever watch it.
I find it really interesting (interpret as you will) that when the squiggle was on the screen, it was a very jerky ride…the program kept having to stop and reload, whereas when the line made the geometric and very much more complicated designs, it was a very smooth ride. . .
I really liked this film better than the book because I found the motion kept drawing (pun?) me in and through the story. Turning pages was more jerky!
Thanks for posting it.