Throw Me Tomorrow

 

Throw Me Tomorrow

"Conversations with Marlon Brando" by Lawrence Grobel

Marlon. Brando. Icon. Also a very thoughtful man, if he's interested in the subject matter or having a conversation with a writer/journalist he admires or likes. I never was obsessed with Brando or his films, I like them, like I like ice cream, but I don't obsess about the cream. On the other hand, many people do obsess over Brando, especially regarding his personality, and his dislike of the acting profession - which I think is not true. 

He doesn't like 'professions' in general. But clearly he does like acting, and I think the reason he likes it, is because he's a very curious sort of guy. He likes to research and learn. And I think a big part of acting is the research part, and the ability to watch and listen to others. He's also quite funny in this book which is pretty much in the Q&A format. Clearly he asked for, and insisted, that this interview would deal with issues of the Native American world, and the horrible things that were done to these people. And in actuality, the best part of the book is Brando putting his thoughts and articulating his 'anger' regarding how the American Indian was treated in its past and also, in contemporary times. He's very observational and extremely smart fellow. And yes, he does talk about acting - but he doesn't gossip. Except for his dislike of Charlie Chaplin, because he treated his son very mean or rude manner. Also his brief commentary on Tennessee Williams, Kazan, is interesting. Again, he's a very talented observer and I suspect that if you are a friend of Marlon Brando, then he's a friend for life. It seems he has a series of long term friendships from people he grew up with. An interesting little book. 

April 3, 2014

April 3, 2014

I’m not as good looking as Marlon Brando, but I do look up to him as a remarkable dresser, especially from “The Wild One” era.   The white T-shirt, jeans rolled up cuffs, and motorcycle boots is such a classic and great look.  With me, I believe in the uniform, but I like it better when the wearer can decide what uniform they want in life.  I don’t like to wear a uniform due to occupation or work.   Whenever I look for work, I shy away from occupations where they issue you a uniform.

Although strangely enough there are occupations where the uniform and the man looks good together.  Almost a perfect meeting of the mind and body - and that is the UPS carrier.   I never saw a UPS carrier look awkward in their uniform.  I also like the color brown, despite the fact that many probably find it a bit dull, but to me it’s a color that one can add a certain amount of imagination to it.  Brown is also quite stable where it conveys a sense of comfort, simplicity, and quality.   Also it is a color of being industrious, hardworking and more important to me, being reliable.   Which is what you want in a UPS employee.   Sadly, I don’t have the brown quality in my life.

I’m more of a black and white person, but only visually.  I’m a firm believer that one should live in the grays.  Technicolor is for sure, not me.   Being sort of a 19th century personality, black was considered to be the color for romantic poets, and I’m surely in that bracelet, as my fans know by now.  I see black as being very elegant, but I don’t tie it in with power, death or evil at all.  To me, it is like looking at the color white.   I can project myself there without hindrance or a worry, because I feel I’m looking into the void.

Oddly enough I find white to be a tad sinister.  Also quite obsessive as well.  The first thing I think of is wearing a white suit or white pants, and having either a piece of food or sauce splattered on the pants, or not controlling the urine at the right time.  It exposes one to the world, when in fact, you don’t want to be exposed at the moment or time.  Wearing white is almost like being naked in front of a hostile world.  Also it can reflect one’s mood, and white can either be peaceful or a horror show of sorts.  “A Clockwork Orange” is a film that I believe to be white.  If Alex’s gang wore black, it would have been comical, but the whiteness of their outfits offers a sense of terror or horror.

Brando, I think was not worried about wearing white, because he wanted to show the sweat, the dirt, body fluids, and the by-products of a specific time and space.   He would never wear brown, because surely that is a sign of being stable, and that was the last thing on Brando’s mind was to be fixed or secure.  

Lately I have been wearing a white T-shirt and black jeans.  Black shoes, and white socks.  I’m hoping that it will convey a sense of balance, where I’m looking into the void, but the contrast of the black and white will lead me to a better spot, or at the very least, a comforting one.