poliphilo: (Default)
poliphilo ([personal profile] poliphilo) wrote2011-11-15 12:10 pm

Living In The Material World

I never exactly had a favourite Beatle. Or- to put it more accurately- my favourite Beatle kept on changing. Sad thing is it was never Ringo.

Even though Ringo is sweet....

Living in the Material World makes the case for George. And why not? George is the one who, after the hullaballoo died down, did the most interesting things with his free time. Because he knew- deep down- that the world is just a funny old illusion (when he sang all things must pass he really meant it)  there was a kind of devil-may-care insouciance about the projects he took on. Handmade films, the Travelling Wilburys, the ukeleles, the gardening at Friar's Court- with all of them he was following his heart, not trying too hard; and so all of them were touched by cool. 

People loved him. I mean, they really did. His friends- Ringo, Jackie Stewart, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty et al-  get choked up talking about how he's no longer around.

The movie has Martin Scorsese's name on the tin and has the snap you'd expect.  With its lack of an explanatory voice-over and its jump-cuts (like the disjunctions of an acid trip) it shares George's own attitude to the merely temporal.
 
My favourite Beatles song is Blue Jay Way. At least, for the next few days it is...

Don't you be long
Don't you be very long
Or I may be asleep.

(deleted comment)

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-11-15 12:57 pm (UTC)(link)
He had excellent bone structure. He looked good at every age.

[identity profile] michaleen.livejournal.com 2011-11-15 01:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I never cared for either John or Paul, so it was always down to George and Ringo -- and Ringo didn't exactly ooze talent.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-11-15 02:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Ringo was the best actor though...

His turn, wandering along the river bank, in A Hard Day's Night gives the film heart.

[identity profile] michaleen.livejournal.com 2011-11-16 11:51 am (UTC)(link)
Indeed.
sovay: (Morell: quizzical)

[personal profile] sovay 2011-11-15 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Or- to put it more accurately- my favourite Beatle kept on changing. Sad thing is it was never Ringo.

Mine always was Ringo. This is what early exposure to Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends will do for you.

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-11-15 07:30 pm (UTC)(link)
Thomas passed me by. Wrong generation :)

I guess the same goes for Friends- though I watched the odd episode. I might have tuned in if I'd known Ringo was guesting.

my favourite

(Anonymous) 2011-11-16 07:36 pm (UTC)(link)
It is 'While my guitar gently weeps' - and it's a George song! It is truly beautiful.
Jenny

Re: my favourite

[identity profile] poliphilo.livejournal.com 2011-11-17 03:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I like that one too.