"Iris"

Finally finished "Iris"--the Biopic of English intellectual Iris Murdoch. Why "Finally"? it's because I never had the guts to finish it. I cannot count how many times I popped it in the DVD player only to eject it quarter of the way through. --the reason is, I just can't watch Iris succumbing to Alzheimers--yeah. I think it is just horrific, especially in her case where words and thoughts matter to her more than anything.

and i love her novels.

But anyways i just wanted to share an insight that I got from the movie (and the film has a lot of "points to ponder" and oh my the Platonic ideals abound--anyways), through Iris' husband played by Jim Broadbent. It was in the part where he did the eulogy for their deceased friend Janet--

and he talked of Anna Karenina throwing herself

(to be continued...)

***
...under the train. it's not really the thought of suicide that he wanted to emphasize (though yeah it seems a very inappropriate topic) but the fact that when

Anna, after jumping (facing imminent death) thought of a joke that she thought Vronksy would find funny. And all she could think about on her final moment was how much she wanted to tell it to him--but alas it is too late (Iris' husband then explains that it saddens him deeply that he could never have the opportunity to tell Janet his jokes).

*shit.

I think i have to consult my copy of tolstoy again to verify, because besides remembering the fact that I was dreading to read this part of the novel (ayoko mamatay si Anna) i only distinctly remember the imagery of Anna's portentous dream of this small man doing something--i forget, and yes, her genuine affection for Vronksy--and her horrible awakening that she didn't really want to kill herself.

>>>
experience them both for yourself
;-)