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Jake Gyllenhaal's Source Code: BUMP THREAD for Amanda's Bowie Info (2011)
Brown Eyes:
Thanks Buds. :) I just get overly excited when I get an opportunity to talk about Bowie. ;D
And, I still can't believe how Jake/Brokie interests have so closely intersected with that.
But, it's very cool.
Brown Eyes:
I feel the need to add a bit more detail about Terry (Bowie's older half-brother). Terry was Bowie's mother's son from a relationship previous to her marriage to David's father. Terry and David were very close growing up, David idolized Terry as the "cool older brother" and I think Bowie truly loved Terry. Anyway, early on Terry had some interest in jazz music in London and was very handsome and smart, etc.. So, when David was a teenager and Terry was older, Terry would take David out to music clubs (somewhat important to Bowie's musical development). Terry's schizophrenia didn't manifest until he was in his 20s (which, I guess is common with that disease). Terry's first episode happened when David was out with him (I think coming back from a club) and Terry thought the sidewalk was breaking in two and turning into a pit of fire (the reference in "Width of a Circle").
I guess Terry's illness was very severe and he was institutionalized for most of his life. There are about a million lyrical references to Terry/insanity in Bowie's music. So, I won't get into all of that.
The train symbolism is important though... Terry tried to kill himself at least one time before he was successful. In his first attempt (I can't recall when it was) he laid on train tracks, but lost his nerve and curled up so that the train went over him, but did not kill him. Ultimately this is how he died in late 1985 (by lying on train tracks).
There is strange resonance in some of Bowie's music... most prominently his important song "Station to Station" (1976)... which begins with the sound of a train. And, live (I've seen only one performance of this live in 1990)... what Bowie does (and has staged it this way since the 70s) is he has the lights sweep over the crowd and the roof of the arena so, with the loud sound and the lighting... you really feel like a train is coming or going over you. I think this song pre-dates Terry's first suicide attempt.... And, I think that staging of the song also pre-dates all of the Terry-suicide story. But, it clearly has profound links to the Terry story post-1985. It's scary-chilling.
Monika:
Anyone else who have seen Source Code yet? I wanna hear what you all think!
and still bummed about the movie not opening here until August 5th. I´m gonna watch it long before then, but I had been looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.
Aloysius J. Gleek:
--- Quote from: atz75 on April 13, 2011, 12:38:10 am ---The train symbolism is important though... Terry tried to kill himself at least one time before he was successful. In his first attempt (I can't recall when it was) he laid on train tracks, but lost his nerve and curled up so that the train went over him, but did not kill him. Ultimately this is how he died in late 1985 (by lying on train tracks).
--- End quote ---
Oh my. I won't say anything more at present other than, yes, the source code inside Source Code. Thanks, Amanda, I would not have known about Terry and....
Two other things: people have mentioned, I think, that Scott Bakula of Quantum Leap has a sort of off-camera cameo as Jake's character's father. But. One thing I noticed hidden in the middle of the long end-credits: "Editorial Spirit (sic) de Corps: Eleanor Rigby." A punster, our Mr. Jones.
And, I must say, because of--well, again, won't say more at present, but--
Mr. Jones is, I think, a truly nice man.
:)
Aloysius J. Gleek:
--- Quote from: Buffymon on April 13, 2011, 03:29:19 am ---and still bummed about the movie not opening here until August 5th. I´m gonna watch it long before then, but I had been looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.
--- End quote ---
Sorry, Monika--what's up with that? Have the Swedish Consulate in Hollywood complain!
>:( ;) :D
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