The Grapes Of Wrath, a good film

There's not much going on for me this week.  A lot of reading, a lot of movies, a lot of music.  Just the usual, really. 

I borrowed the movie The Grapes Of Wrath from the library, and I've been watching it.  I read the book last month, so I figured I'd watch the movie.  It's one of the greatest movies of all time, and for good reasons.  I especially enjoy the cinematography.  While watching it, you just want to freeze some of the images and put them on your wall.  There's good use of dark and light, shadows, and unique compositions.  I think my favorite shot is Tom in the government camp tent, just before he's ready to leave for good.  He has his bundle under his arm and his cigarette in his mouth, and all you see is his silhouette against the tent.  That one image tells you everything you need to know about Tom Joad.  

The acting is really great, too, of course.  I especially like John Carradine as Jim Casey.  He's a real character, and has such an expressive face. 

If you own or rent the DVD of The Grapes Of Wrath, I highly recommend turning on the commentary track.  Two scholarly types talk about a number of subjects related to the movie, the book, and the Great Depression.  They have a ton of trivia and interesting observations.  You won't want to miss it.

Now I'm off to do some reading before bedtime.  I'll try to post a bit more often if I can.