The final words of the Lord of the Rings- the final volume of which is The Return of the King - is Sam saying "well I'm back," turning the whole darn thing into a homecoming tale.
I would also point out that dozens and dozens of classic bluegrass songs have the longing for home as their central theme.
Yes! and picking up the LOTR thread, note as well that "The Return of the King" means Aragorn is finally home after exile. The Elves go home to the West, taking Gandalf with them. Frodo is too traumatized to go home, but in a way, being reunited with Bilbo, also on the boats going West, is his home. And if you really want to stretch the metaphor, the Ring itself must go home, back to where it was created, for the world to achieve peace.
A signed photo of Jake LaMotta should *not* be languishing in a box! Surely there must be a wall in your home that can accommodate that!!! (My Dad boxed Lew Tendler in a gym in Philly somewhere when he was young. Tendler won, of course. My Dad taught me a left hook when I was 10. He really wanted a son.)
Anabasis is also about a return home. And the movie The Warriors is based on it. It always depresses me when I see that movie, and it says "Based on a novel by Sol Hurok." Poor Xenophon gets no credit at all.
The biggest hit in the history of the Warner Brothers studio concerns a character who must leave their safe, ideal home to go to a foreign land, and after a great struggle they return home to find it has been taken over by enemies. They use their wits to gather a small force and defeat the monsters, taking back their beloved home but in doing so, realizing it was never perfect. They now see the cracks in the facade and hear the cries of those that were left out, ironically the enemy they just vanquished. Their home, and they, must change, and a new synthesis of morals and societal standards must be put in place that addresses the needs of everyone, not just their side. Ultimately, our hero realizes that they no longer fit in this "new" home, and their place is back out in the foreign land where it may be more dangerous but the rewards are greater.
Around the holidays, when the disputes about whether Die Hard is a holiday movie begin to bubble up, there is one consideration I suggest in favor of its status as a holiday movie that often — not always — prompts the naysayer to reconsider their position: that McLane is just trying to be with his family. (I do wish he exercised his wits in less violent ways, though.)
Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? Maybe, but it’s also a homecoming movie. All John McClane wanted was to get back together (back home) with his wife. Hans Gruber interfered, and McClane had to use his wits (plus guns and explosives) to overcome.
With your wide range of knowledge, as you often demonstrate here, I'm not surprised you made a good case for the connection between Greek poetry and American movies.
The golden age of Pixar movies were all about getting lost (a childhood fear that even adults like Odysseus relate to) and finding a way back home. Toy Story, Cars, Finding Nemo, Monster’s Inc. are also amazing movies because they tap into the western storytelling tradition in a way.
Brillant piece. I love this movie. Need to watch it again, now that I know what it’s actually about ;-) And all the more reason to read Odyssey again as well.
Isn’t Joyce’s Ulysses about Stephen and Bloom wanting to get back home ?? Obviously I know the wholebook is modelled on Homer - doh ! But it is a modern novel. In Malcolm Lowry’s Under The Volcano the protagonist dreams of a home he will never see again. The protagonist of Roth’s fantastic novel “An American Pastoral” tries to re-find the home that is lost . I guess it depends on the definition of that word “home” . Steely Dan (not novelists) wrote an entire song about this - “Home at Last” . Its everywhere in literature old and new. Alienation by any other name would smell as sweet.
Whoa- had no idea about the link to Homer. There goes my complimentary post-50 Elitist membership. Time to dust off The Fugitive for another look- great writeup.
There's also the Coen Brothers, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which is directly modeled on The Odyssey and has multiple episodes and characters directly copied.
Most of Western literature I would argue is about the wandering search for the lost home, also know as Eden, and the end of wandering is to find a new, changed, version of it.
Two favourites --
War and Peace is about homecoming -- Pierre's journey in particular, but the whole last section is the arrival of domestic bliss.
Le Grand Meaulnes is about another search for the once and future lost home.
Elitist is fine with me, Ted. Be One. Proudly. As far as I'm concerned modern culture is way too full of film and print stories that make excuses for mediocrity and indifference. I get it that people are feeling overwhelmed and powerless. But they always have a choice. This is a terrific perspective on The Fugitive that I would never have found on my own, so thank you.
Agreed. But keep in mind too many people slap the label "elitist" on others out of resentment, envy, or fear. To bring them down to their level instead of aspiring to raise themselves up. Knowledge equals power. It's right there in Genesis. And some people will always use their knowledge to the detriment of others. That doesn't make knowledge wrong in and of itself or striving for greater knowledge wrong. What you do with your knowing is what counts. How you treat others also counts equally. The current White House occupant uses cunning as a power play to great effect. That doesn't make him knowledgeable or, heaven forbid, wise in any sense of that word.
The final words of the Lord of the Rings- the final volume of which is The Return of the King - is Sam saying "well I'm back," turning the whole darn thing into a homecoming tale.
I would also point out that dozens and dozens of classic bluegrass songs have the longing for home as their central theme.
What's the alternate title for The Hobbit?
"There and Back Again"
Yes! and picking up the LOTR thread, note as well that "The Return of the King" means Aragorn is finally home after exile. The Elves go home to the West, taking Gandalf with them. Frodo is too traumatized to go home, but in a way, being reunited with Bilbo, also on the boats going West, is his home. And if you really want to stretch the metaphor, the Ring itself must go home, back to where it was created, for the world to achieve peace.
Tolkien is the master.
Paul Hindemith wrote an 8-minute opera with that very title ("Hin und Zuruck").
There’s no need to leave The Shire when you have friends like Sam.
And blues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5QiISuDlY8&list=RDy5QiISuDlY8&start_radio=1
A signed photo of Jake LaMotta should *not* be languishing in a box! Surely there must be a wall in your home that can accommodate that!!! (My Dad boxed Lew Tendler in a gym in Philly somewhere when he was young. Tendler won, of course. My Dad taught me a left hook when I was 10. He really wanted a son.)
Anabasis is also about a return home. And the movie The Warriors is based on it. It always depresses me when I see that movie, and it says "Based on a novel by Sol Hurok." Poor Xenophon gets no credit at all.
Sol Yurick
Ghaaaaagh!!! The poseur-classicist in me loves this whole post! 😂
The biggest hit in the history of the Warner Brothers studio concerns a character who must leave their safe, ideal home to go to a foreign land, and after a great struggle they return home to find it has been taken over by enemies. They use their wits to gather a small force and defeat the monsters, taking back their beloved home but in doing so, realizing it was never perfect. They now see the cracks in the facade and hear the cries of those that were left out, ironically the enemy they just vanquished. Their home, and they, must change, and a new synthesis of morals and societal standards must be put in place that addresses the needs of everyone, not just their side. Ultimately, our hero realizes that they no longer fit in this "new" home, and their place is back out in the foreign land where it may be more dangerous but the rewards are greater.
Know the name of the movie?
No, not Harry Potter.
Barbie.
Around the holidays, when the disputes about whether Die Hard is a holiday movie begin to bubble up, there is one consideration I suggest in favor of its status as a holiday movie that often — not always — prompts the naysayer to reconsider their position: that McLane is just trying to be with his family. (I do wish he exercised his wits in less violent ways, though.)
There’s no place like home.
Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? Maybe, but it’s also a homecoming movie. All John McClane wanted was to get back together (back home) with his wife. Hans Gruber interfered, and McClane had to use his wits (plus guns and explosives) to overcome.
With your wide range of knowledge, as you often demonstrate here, I'm not surprised you made a good case for the connection between Greek poetry and American movies.
I look forward to your interlocutor unwittingly prompting you to find deep meaning, universal truths and foundational wisdom in Adam Sandler films.
The golden age of Pixar movies were all about getting lost (a childhood fear that even adults like Odysseus relate to) and finding a way back home. Toy Story, Cars, Finding Nemo, Monster’s Inc. are also amazing movies because they tap into the western storytelling tradition in a way.
Brillant piece. I love this movie. Need to watch it again, now that I know what it’s actually about ;-) And all the more reason to read Odyssey again as well.
Isn’t Joyce’s Ulysses about Stephen and Bloom wanting to get back home ?? Obviously I know the wholebook is modelled on Homer - doh ! But it is a modern novel. In Malcolm Lowry’s Under The Volcano the protagonist dreams of a home he will never see again. The protagonist of Roth’s fantastic novel “An American Pastoral” tries to re-find the home that is lost . I guess it depends on the definition of that word “home” . Steely Dan (not novelists) wrote an entire song about this - “Home at Last” . Its everywhere in literature old and new. Alienation by any other name would smell as sweet.
Yes! Home at Last- great song from an outstanding album.
“Home at Last” was my first Odyssey story! I loved it and later found out that its image of being “tied to the mast” came from the Odyssey.
Whoa- had no idea about the link to Homer. There goes my complimentary post-50 Elitist membership. Time to dust off The Fugitive for another look- great writeup.
There's also the Coen Brothers, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which is directly modeled on The Odyssey and has multiple episodes and characters directly copied.
I love that movie! Especially since the title was borrowed from "Sullivan's Travels", another of my favorites.
Another to watch- it's been a long time.
Most of Western literature I would argue is about the wandering search for the lost home, also know as Eden, and the end of wandering is to find a new, changed, version of it.
Two favourites --
War and Peace is about homecoming -- Pierre's journey in particular, but the whole last section is the arrival of domestic bliss.
Le Grand Meaulnes is about another search for the once and future lost home.
Elitist is fine with me, Ted. Be One. Proudly. As far as I'm concerned modern culture is way too full of film and print stories that make excuses for mediocrity and indifference. I get it that people are feeling overwhelmed and powerless. But they always have a choice. This is a terrific perspective on The Fugitive that I would never have found on my own, so thank you.
I'd say he isn't, because an eliteist puts themselves on a pedestal and uses knowledge as a power play. Ted uses his knowledge as an invitation.
Agreed. But keep in mind too many people slap the label "elitist" on others out of resentment, envy, or fear. To bring them down to their level instead of aspiring to raise themselves up. Knowledge equals power. It's right there in Genesis. And some people will always use their knowledge to the detriment of others. That doesn't make knowledge wrong in and of itself or striving for greater knowledge wrong. What you do with your knowing is what counts. How you treat others also counts equally. The current White House occupant uses cunning as a power play to great effect. That doesn't make him knowledgeable or, heaven forbid, wise in any sense of that word.
Yes, it's about how we use knowledge and how we view other people.