art that moves
art is so amazing.
i just saw the movie “into the wild,” and it entranced and moved me, and reminded me of things about myself that i’d forgotten.
what’s amazing is that this was the story of a kid, a 24-year old, who would otherwise be almost totally anonymous to the world, if a guy hadn’t written an article and then a book about him after he was found dead in alaska. i don’t know how moving that book was. but then sean penn translated the book into a beautiful, sweeping movie that may or may not have been faithful to the true story of the guy. who cares? what he did was take this guy’s life and turn it into something that many of us can identify with, that affects us for the two hours we’re watching it and perhaps a few more days after that, and that leaves a permanent mark in our minds, somewhere.
is all that worth the millions of dollars and thousands of hours penn and hundreds of other folks put into the film? must be. that’s why books are written, performances created, paintings painted. all with the hope of moving people in some fundamental, if fleeting, way.