This is not the TV show, you know, this is the Nick Nolte film from 1987 that has never been released on DVD. Weeds is an interesting, if flawed film (for some reason or another, all my Tuesday picks are interesting, but not very good films) about Nolte who runs an absurdist theater show with his prison mates. Nolte lifts stuff heavily from Jean Genet and almost gets caught.The major flaw in the film is that you never believe what's happening. The first book Nolte reads is shown to be War & Peace and soon he moves on to Nietzsche and Schopenhauer and the afore-mentioned Genet and the next thing he's an intellectual making theater that's straight out of Sartre and others. The inmates also happen to be great singers and musicians and write their own catchy songs. C'mon! The film is said to be based on reality, but there's no guarantee that this makes believable stories. And Weeds, while occasionally touching, just isn't believable.
How come was I able to see this even when it's not on DVD? I bought an old VHS cassette from a thrift store. I've also seen this on VHS, one of the early films by the director, John Hancock.
More Overlooked Films here.
Yes, but still easier to take on every level than the current US series GLEE or every iteration of the US film/tv series FAME...
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, absolutely. This is definitely better, since this is a sincere work of art, even though it's not very plausible dramatically. The transition from almost illiterate inmates to beautifully acting professionals is too easy, too quick, too undramatic.
ReplyDeleteDon't think I ever saw it. Surprising because I used to be Nolte fan.
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