LA Story

[cathschaffstump]

First of all, to remind my fellow Wiscon readers that I will continue to watch in February for reading sign up, but we all have to sign up separately as part of our group.

Next, here's this week's installment of ribald Victorianism.

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I promised a piece on Magical Realism and LA Story. Without further adieu...

I watched LA story when it came out in 1991. My reaction was a classic meh. I understood it a parody level, but I had yet to undergo my awakening as a magical realist. The things that happen to you as you get older...

I caught the last half of it on television very recently, and I was amazed at the simple uses of the every day as fantasy. The exaggerated extensions of LA life I appreciated the first time around, such as open season on the LA freeway, and the unavailable restaurant, but this time I was captivated by parking sign as savior, which is planted all the way through the film, from the first time our hero sees another man pulled over, bowed almost in prayer in front of one of the signs.

The kernel of magic that occurs in the movie is very credible. That certain things in life matter, that if you are in love, you can stop engines, make fog roll in, cause the forces of nature to give you a second chance. That there are forces in the universe that want you to succeed, to love, and to be loved, and counsel you in that direction.

To me, the extraordinary in the ordinary is what makes writing tick. That's what I want to capture, and I gotta keep working toward that. I remember reading Little Women. Jo wrote adventure stories full of pirates and swooning heroes, but at a certain point her professor suggests she write about the ordinary. It is the best thing he could have said, as she integrates her love of the fantastic into the world around her. What is more magical than love and how humans love each other?

Steve Martin understands this in LA Story. The movie has the trappings of a farce, a parody, but underneath, if you look closely, you will find a mythic love story.

It goes without saying that I'm putting this on my favorites list, and I hope you will revisit it.

Herm... I didn't write last night. I taught a seminar about English Language Acquisition for new instructors, and I went home to check student revisions. My life is REALLY glamorous sometimes. I am going to go in search of hot beverages, and then I am coming back to try to get things right with Grape Mo, after I look at another student rough draft.

Catherine

Originally published at Writer Tamago. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[dpeterfreund.livejournal.com]

How interesting! I haven't seen LA Story in years, and I am now interested in revisiting it. Netflix, here I come!

I was reading a series of articles on LM Montgomery the other day, I had a similar reaction as you did to LW, realizing how much magic she did incorporate into the story -- Paul's "rock people" and so forth.

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

It's amazing how the best authors often introduce magic in without being too heavy handed.

Catherine

[mochimonkey.livejournal.com]

Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do...

This is one of my favorite movies! I must rewatch this again now.

Star and a heart,
yo

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

I didn't know that it would turn into one of my favorites. It seems you are much smarter than me to start with.

Catherine

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

I love that movie. I haven't seen that in years...I'll have to buy it or something, very soon.

I miss chatting with you guys. I've decided to just work on the one story I've got going until it's finished. It's the Treetalker one, at least.

[cathschaffstump.livejournal.com]

We haven't chatted for ages, unfortunately.

I hope your story is going well?

Catherine

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

That's too bad. It was always a nice time.

I've got a grasp on the beginning and middle! I just have to figure out how it ends...or if it needs a trilogy. :)

[reneesweet.livejournal.com]

I'll have a half-caf double decaf with a twist of lemon.

;) I absolutely adore this movie. You're totally right - it's great storytelling.

[zeelandia.livejournal.com]

I remember watching that movie more than once, I loved that sign.

I'm watching the wiscon page like a hawk!