Dear Angelina Jolie.. From (me!) Sandra, tvgp
Customer: "you saw unbroken.. What did you think? Had you read the book?"
(Me!): "hadn't read the book.. Movie was phenomenal and I left severely disappointed"
/which requires some brief explanation doesn't it:
"Congratulations Angelina!" On your directorial debut..
First.. On your choice of material; your selection of Louis Zamperini as the remarkable human being to introduce to a global audience through the medium of film -as the book by Laura Hillenbrand, unbroken, was on the NYT best seller list for 4 years.. We can know that his life story, as captured and retold by Laura, is widely known, appreciated, celebrated, longed for, and worthy of being shared in as many different artistic platforms as exist; perhaps even inspiring new ones..
And prior to seeing the movie I was describing it as a grand slam based on the publicity: we've got the author of unbroken who herself had/has severe health and life struggles still managing to produce great literary works the likes of seabisquit and unbroken; we've got a genuine hero in Louis Zamperini; and then you Angelina; battling your health issues simultaneous with wife/mother/ career.. And taking on this HUGE EPIC movie as your INITIATION into directing
So we've got the bases loaded so to speak, and the movie itself up to bat:
And everything - costumes; make-up; cinematography; cast; musical score; narration; editing.. Every decision you made seem to me "out of the park!". Grand slam.. Amazing...
Until..
Until.. Toward the end. -when I started to see..
Text? Sentences and bullet points?!? A paragraph?!? or two to capture the entire aftermath and second half of his epic and inspiring and amazing, complicated and beautiful, most meaningful life?!
I'm still not over it.
Someone told me the book does the same; gives all the time/attention to the 2 years he was a prisoner; to the suffering
And then bullet points the aftermath; PTSD; healing process; journey from internal hell to forgiveness and peace and glory..
And for (me!), and I suspect I speak for many others
It is the aftermath and that journey that can most serve humanity on the whole. So, i would like you both to know, you and laura..
That if you did.. If you could.. If you could capture the aftermath and the second half of Louis Zamperini's life with as much master-level talent as you did the 2 years he was a prisoner
I would and could easily spend my last dollars on the book..
And would pay whatever the cost, and sit for more than 3 hours giving my last dollar and undivided attention to that part of his life.
Not everyone will be a prisoner of war.
But everyone does suffer; everyone will be broken in one form or another; have at least the opportunity to heal; at least the opportunity to learn how to forgive and move forward..
Turn a mess into a message; a test into a testimony
When I look around and see so many human beings stuck
I think the most important thing we can teach and share and celebrate is not the spirit unbroken
But the very messy process by which the human spirit heals.
posted by SHE @ 8:25 AM
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