Gangs of Perception

Gangs of New York is another in a long line of Martin Scorsese masterpieces. The film tells the story of 1840's New York, specifically a downtown Manhattan neighborhood known as Five Towns. I found the film majestic, epic and historically fascinating. Each character is given time to develop fully and go through an evolution in the nearly 3 hour flick. Scorsese continues his legacy of excellent musical choices and magnificent color usage.

The "native" Americans (not the Native Americans that we think of but rather those whose parents came to America) and Irish immigrants battle for control of the Five Towns. Interestingly, the Irish are colored in red, the Natives in blue and the ground, aptly named paradise square, in brilliant white snow. They were literally building America with their blood and determination. Honor plays a big part in the film, as one might expect. The antagonist keeps a portrait of 'the only man he ever killed that's worth remembering' (Leonardo DiCaprio's father) and even tells the story of how he cut out his own eye because of a disrespectful action he was embarrassed about.

Taking my usual tangential approach to film review I'd like to talk about the movie's ending and what it meant to me (stop reading if you haven't seen the film yet). In the beginning of the film, Bill the Butcher kills Leo's father during a gang war. By the end, Leo has successfully exacted revenge during an even bigger war - both a gang war and the NY Draft Riots. The two bitter enemies are finally buried beside each other on what appears to be a Brooklyn burial ground in modern-day DUMBO (near the Manhattan bridge). The film's ending shows a time lapse over many years, from Bill's burial beside Leo's father to 2002, by which time the graves have altogether disappeared.

That part of the film got to me more than any other because it highlights an important point that we often forget. A famous economist said, "in the long run we are all dead." Put another way, we need to get more used to considering things from larger and less selfish perspectives. It is so difficult to see beyond the immediate short term but a happy life seldom comes from shortsightedness. By considering the larger perspective, the role of history and our small parts in it we can often find peace and comfort.

That's the lesson I took from the film. These two great powers (one good, one evil) fought, killed, took revenge, etc. yet in the end they both get buried beside each other and are completely forgotten to history. Of course this way of thinking can lead to complacency ("So how does it matter what I do? What affect can I have?"). However, I'd rather think of this philosophy as one of reality. I can still have an impact. I can still do important things. Regardless of who remembers me or how they consider me, if at all, at least I know I did what I believed to be right. Yet it is hard to accomplish anything if all I consider is the immediate present. In this way what I'm trying to get at is a balance between caring about myself yet realizing that what happens in the next hour is not nearly as important as what track I'm on, what journey I have embarked upon and how I can best stay true to that and myself.

Got it?

The Phoenix Necessity?

I am watching now the live press conference where architects are presenting their ideas for rebuilding the World trade Center. I am instinctively saddened yet somehow encouraged and excited. This is what makes NY city great. It is a city of opposites. A hub for commerce, culture, everything. A city of rebirth and renaissance. This works in very nicely with the synchronicity I've been experiencing in my life.

See CNN.com's presentation of the ideas.

We often complain that the future doesn't come quick enough. Where are flying cars? Where is warp drive? Evolution is a slow and sometimes painful process. We like to rush through things yet are often stifled by the need to take modest steps. Watching all of these new plans for "ground zero" is like watching a shortcut to the future - the kind of shortcut we seldom see yet constantly desire. Every architect is talking about the amazing opportunity afforded by the "clean slate" of the 16 acres.

Whatever happens to the site we are certain that it will be a giant step into the future in terms of so many things: public safety, architectural creativity, inspiration, culture, etc. It is hard to deny that a certain level of destruction is necessary for real and long-lasting growth to occur - the exact question I've been asking myself recently.

For the Record

Films I saw in the past 4 days:

Big Trouble (2002)
The Sum of All Fears (2002)
Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Adaptation (2002)
Top Secret! (1984)
The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

...and the 2 hour Inside the Actor's Studio with Martin Scorsese.

Adaptation


doppelganger
double
clone
sharing
soul mate
journey
diversion
destination
growth
need to destroy the self to grow
need to destroy the double to overcome
living the aftermath which is itself still not the destination
striving to reach the self by eliminating everything, including sameness of self that is somehow other
peace
happiness
serenity
nothingness
growth through nothingness
success through giving up

Stupidity

The Manhattan Plaza Health Club paid a lot of money for a pull-page ad on the back cover of Sunday's New York Times' City section yet couldn't find a high schooler to create even the most basic website to promote the gym.

Are we back in 1995?

I was intrigued by the ad, which promoted their "beautiful new 75 foot atrium pool," yet was stunned to find a completely empty website. See what they do have online.

By the way, if you visit the site you'll realize they actually DO have a website. The problem is that it appears as a pop-up window. So those who use pop-up and ad blockers will get exactly what I got - nothing. Developers need to keep this in mind because MPHC's "base" site (what appears in the browser window beneath the pop-up) doesn't even say anything along the lines of "click here if you can't see our site" (there is no functionality on the base site).