Conference bookie::movies

461.0. "MINDWALK" by 58776::S_BURRIDGE () Tue Feb 08 1994 12:40

I thought there was a note for this, but I can't find one.

It is directed by Berndt Capra, younger brother of the writer Fritjof Capra,
on whose work it is based, and who also participated in writing the movie.  The
stars are Liv Ullman, Sam Waterston, John Heard, and Ione Skye in a small role
as Ullman's daughter.

It is an odd, talky movie, mainly a vehicle for what I assume are Fritjof
Capra's ideas.  (I haven't read any of his writing.)  There is a sketchy
"plot":  Waterston, a politician who has recently failed to get the Democratic
presidential nomination, visits his old friend Heard, an American poet living
in France.  The two of them visit the magnificent medieval monastery of Mont
St-Michel, on the Normandy coast, and there meet Ullman, a disillusioned
physicist who has been living there, reading and thinking.  Most of the movie
consists of talk among these three, as Ullman expounds her thoughts on the
current human predicament.  These have to do with the need for a shift of
consciousness away from "mechanistic", Cartesian, patriarchal attitudes, toward
a more holistic approach to the world, a recognition of the interconnectedness
of things. 

The ideas aren't particularly startling, and the dialogue isn't always exactly
brilliant.  I enjoyed some parts more than others.  Two strengths of the movie 
to my mind are its setting -- the play of light and sea around the monastery 
is beautiful -- and the performance of Ullman.  I enjoyed watching the 
emotions cross her face, as she played the role of the serious, idealistic 
thinker.

It's hard to recommend a movie like this, as so much depends on whether the
dialogue interests you.  I enjoyed it, but it clearly wouldn't be for 
everyone. 

-Stephen

    
    i saw this a couple years ago at the seattle film festival and
    enjoyed it immensely. it's definitely a talk-fest (e.g. 'my dinner
    with andre').
    
    

    No sex and no violence.
    No passionate love scenes, no chase scenes and no explosions or gunfire.
    Not a dumb comedy, not a hair-raising action thriller, no horror and
    no oversentimental emotion.
    
    Just 3 people puzzling over the direction of humanity in a troubled
    world.  
                                              vvvv vvvvvvvvv
    It was fascinating, thought provoking and very pertinent.
                                              ^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^
    
    Unlike just about everything else we're bombarded with from the screen,
    this one spoke directly to the human predicament without vague
    symbolisms or inferences.  More was said in 10 minutes of MindWalk than
    in an hour of other movies which try to address "the human
    predicament".
    
    I loved it!
    
    **** to MindWalk
    
    
    -dave