Burstyn's book
I've been there with Ellen Burstyn in a lot of films, but my all-time favorite moment was the way she said to Bruce Dern's relentlessly boastful and mouthy character in The King of Marvin Gardens, "You're full of shit!" The frazzled, end-of-the-road, Uzi-spray impatience in her voice, I mean. It tells you she's said this to Dern so many times she can barely stand to hear it again, but she has to. Because he won't quit, because he can't, because he's gone over the falls and so has she.
This memory came back after looking at some photos on Burstyn's new website, which is up to promote her book "Lessons In Becoming Myself." The press release says it's "candid, raw, no-holds-barred book." Burstyn has ended up in a very spiritually whole and connected place -- you can see that in her face. I haven't been sent her book, but reading about finding peace and wisdom isn't all that interesting...and I hope it's not about that too much.
I love these two events i(seriously) in her autogiobraphcal timeline:
January 5, 1970. At the age of thirty-seven, Burstyn chooses her current name.
Easter weekend, 1999. Burstyn goes on a spiritual retreat for three days, living on the streets of New York City with no money and no identification. A few weeks later, she forgets her wallet and is once again in New York without money or ID, but feels "completely safe and at home, not just here, but anywhere."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 28, 2006 at 8:46 AM
comment #1
Craig Kennedy
says ...
Nice shout out for a great performance in a criminally underrated movie.
Posted by Craig Kennedy
at November 28, 2006 10:14 AM
comment #2
JD
says ...
That Easter weekend thing sounds like it might have been prep for Requiem for a Dream, which was shot around that time (I only know this because Aronofsky keeps talking about seeing The Matrix with Jared Leto while prepping Requiem). I know she doesn't play a homeless person in the movie, but it still sounds like this experience might have helped.
Posted by JD
at November 28, 2006 10:37 AM
comment #3
JD
says ...
Also, while King of Marvin Gardens isn't quite as memorable as my three favorite Rafelson movies (Head, Five Easy Pieces, and Stay Hungry), I always really liked the poster. It's a very mysterious image:
http://www.moviegoods.com/movie_product.asp?master%5Fmovie%5Fid=4420
Posted by JD
at November 28, 2006 10:40 AM
comment #4
NYCBusybody
says ...
"Burstyn goes on a spiritual retreat for three days, living on the streets of New York City with no money and no identification."
Wow, I guess this proves that being homeless is a great, spiritually fulfilling thing to be!
Of course, I pass by a homeless guy in midtown all the time, who has not only a cell phone but an Ipod nano (though I wonder how he charges it). It's not only spiritually uplifting, but there are perks!
Posted by NYCBusybody
at November 28, 2006 12:54 PM
comment #5
Craig Kennedy
says ...
Just when I was starting to yearn for someone totally missing the finer point of a post and then spinning it to suit their bizarre little political crusade, NYC tears himself away from Rush Limbaugh for 20 seconds and saves the day.
Of course it never occurred to him that there is some value to be gained from stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying on someone else's shoes for a while. No, this was just a big shout out for homeless folk.
Posted by Craig Kennedy
at November 28, 2006 1:04 PM