Captain Fantastic
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 8:05 pm
The title of this film suggests yet another "superhero" saga, but it's nothing of the kind. Viggo Mortensen gives a superb performance as a sort of left wing survivalist, living in the wilds of the Northwest with his six children. The kids are given the most rigorous forms of physical and intellectual training but, while their skills in their environment are unmatched, they and their father are tested when they are forced to return to "civilization" by the death of their mother.
Besides recommending this as an exquisite film, there's something of particular interest to classical music lovers. In one scene, the oldest boy meets a girl in a trailer park. The vast differences between the two are illustrated when she asks him about the music he likes, and he responds with Bach's Goldberg Variations, particularly Glenn Gould's version [although he doesn't specify further as to the 1955 and 1980 recordings]. He also mentions Bach's Unaccompanied Cello Suites. Of course, the trailer park girl is completely baffled by this, but there's enough boy-girl chemistry to overcome these differences, at least for a few minutes.
Now here's a coincidence. As we were leaving the house to go to the movie theater, I turned off the TV, which was tuned in to the classical "Music Choice" channel on Verizon FIOS. Guess what was playing at that moment? You guessed it...Glenn Gould playing the Goldberg Variations (1955 version)! I kid you not.
Besides recommending this as an exquisite film, there's something of particular interest to classical music lovers. In one scene, the oldest boy meets a girl in a trailer park. The vast differences between the two are illustrated when she asks him about the music he likes, and he responds with Bach's Goldberg Variations, particularly Glenn Gould's version [although he doesn't specify further as to the 1955 and 1980 recordings]. He also mentions Bach's Unaccompanied Cello Suites. Of course, the trailer park girl is completely baffled by this, but there's enough boy-girl chemistry to overcome these differences, at least for a few minutes.
Now here's a coincidence. As we were leaving the house to go to the movie theater, I turned off the TV, which was tuned in to the classical "Music Choice" channel on Verizon FIOS. Guess what was playing at that moment? You guessed it...Glenn Gould playing the Goldberg Variations (1955 version)! I kid you not.
