Friday, January 9, 2009

New Podcast: Literary/Cinematic Analysis of Voyager, Part II


The new podcast is Part Two of a two-part literary/cinematic analysis. In this piece I compare and contrast the Swiss novel Homo Faber and its cinematic adaptation, Voyager. In this podcast I explore the relationships and relations between the key characters in these two narratives.
To listen to the new piece, click here.

The podcast is also available on iTunes under "Gendering the Media with Brikena Ribaj" along with the other weekly contributions.

Note: I picked this photograph from sartorialist as it oozes the kind of urban feel I get from Schloendorff's Voyager.







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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The suffocating, monistic grasp of one woman"...

Well, other good lines in here, again. Thanks for these.
Getting used to them, by the way. Are you going to review any music in these podcasts? I'd be interested in a 'literay' analysis of new indie albums?

Anonymous said...

The second part offers a good sense of European History, too, btw.

And I will be using the noun now "Imperturbability" now.

Unknown said...

The Apollonian and the Dionysian, the way Nietzsche explains it, is at the core of my understanding of many a text.
And, Bri, it's a challenge at times to listen to the podcasts in one go but, like an exercise class, it feels good to reach the end.
I appreciate these and the podcasts are uploaded in my iTunes.
I do have a question about the way Sam Shepard portrays Faber in Voyager. Do you think he is far too new world to do justice to a European author whose main concern in the novel seems to be to represent the many layers of 20-century European intellectuals?

Unknown said...

And the photo matched the context of the 'podgram.'
It had me at the chained bike. for some reason I thought I knew the person standing next to it. And, of course, I don't. But I do know the 'text.'

Anonymous said...

B.R.:
I wonder about Schloendorff's decision to make Faber's character an American. Why did he shy away from Frisch' Swiss designation?
Podcasts are appreciated.

-Doug

Anonymous said...

I liked the subtle 'reading' of the city.
I suppose what stands out to me is how the analysis comes together at the end.
The conflict between 'reason' and 'emotion' is nicely captured here.

Anonymous said...

I'm actually wondering about JJ's selected quote too, "The suffocating, monistic grasp of one woman"... Faber's referring to Ivy here, I get that, but I'm wondering if there's any other lit. reference you're tipping the hat to here. I'd guess, yes?

Anonymous said...

Yes, the monistic grasp. I love that phrase too. I used that phrase this morning.
thanks, bri. I also, appreciate the podgrams!

Anonymous said...

I have a question about Faber's excessive use of science. Do you find it equally represented in both texts?

Anonymous said...

This made more sense to me because I actually know you. It oozes a lot of brikena-isms. More so that the other pieces, I though, and that's why I liked this the best.
Are you reviewing any new '09 films, I wonder? In the form of a podcast, that is....

Anonymous said...

I concur! ;)

Anonymous said...

After hearing this I felt 'gotten' by Faber's character.....
Thanks, Bri!

Anonymous said...

I truly, truly liked this. Because I truly, truly got this.
And this piece is SO NOT just about Faber and that's why it's SO VERY, VERY good!
And in case I haven't been as verbally grateful as I need to be, thanks for always attending to my questions.

Anonymous said...

"'Busy' is a word one uses to people one wants to be left alone by."
'Faber' does it clearly and cleanly but the true secret is to do is kindly.
Good, good piece!

Anonymous said...

When Faber takes off because he feels suffocated and about-to-get-tied-down, as a reader I felt 'gotten.' As a person who goes about daily life, my first reaction is 'weakling.'
And the thing is, my mind does not 'think' so but in a way I'm conditioned to think of behaviors like that as escapist.
However, what I got out of this is that leaving is not always a sign of escapism. Quite often it's a sign of a determined independence.

B.R. said...

-I will be reviewing new 2009 titles on the blog.
-I think Voyager is targeting similar content but a different form. And that's what makes this cinematic text relatable, after all.
-Staying away from a Swiss text meant that he brought it closer to a new world audience. Again, for relatability reasons, I think.
-I find the excessive use of science to be the crux of the conflict in both texts. It is, in a way, what fuels the conflict.

Sra said...

Took me awhile to get to this podcast, busy weekend.

All I can say is you have motivated me to pull Homo Faber off my book shelf, dust it and my German skills off, and give it another go. So thanks.

B.R. said...

What a great thing to read. Thank you!

Unknown said...

And i'll make sure I check out Voyager....