In my world, it's almost never a bad time to watch a bleak, neo-realistic 70s Hollywood drama. These were often simple human stories, told in a sometimes opaque and slowly evolving fashion, populated by complex, layered characters. Remember when movies didn't need to spell everything out for the dimwitted, AND carry a 30-minute epilogue? Well I do. Keep your Spielberg blockbusters, Sundance channel indie charmers, your Harry Potter movies and your Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Give me Electra Glide in Blue, The Panic In Needle Park or Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.
The other night I sat down to re-watch an old favorite, The King of Marvin Gardens, from 1972. King... is especially relevant here, as the principal character, David Staebler (played by Jack Nicholson), is a free-form DJ of sorts, a morose autobiographical storyteller, representative of a style prevalent on the FM band during the late 60s and early 70s, though barely present today. Staebler's stories are told in a slow, patient style that would never stand amongst modern computer-ordained commercial FM formats. The character's closest modern equivalent might be public radio storytelling giant Joe Frank.
David, a doleful loner, is called away from his nighttime air slot and grim 2-story Philadelphia flat to Atlantic City, by his troublesome wheeler-dealer brother Jason, played by Bruce Dern. In recent years, Dern had performed memorable turns as a psychotic guardian of Earth's last botanical garden in the moody Sci-Fi thriller Silent Running (1972), and as the last guy you'd want as an LSD-tour companion in Roger Corman's The Trip (1967), the latter written by Nicholson. Dern and Nicholson had already worked together on several films, including Drive, He Said, Jack's directorial debut from the previous year. The wonderful Ellen Burstyn (see Alice... above) also stars as the sweet nut-job Jason's been shacking up with.
The King of Marvin Gardens was directed and co-written (with Jacob Brackman) by Bob Rafelson, who broke big in the industry producing and directing episodes of the Monkees' TV show (he won an Emmy), subsequently directing the Nicholson-penned pop-collage Monkees film Head. Two years after Head, Rafelson created the gut-wrenching, soul-crushing, sexualis road drama Five Easy Pieces, a landmark 1970s film, and one of my favorites of all time. Pieces and The King of Marvin Gardens are similar stories, in that they both deal with old wounds, strained sibling relations and journeys way outside the comfort zone.
My main reason for discussing The King of Marvin Gardens
here (other than encouraging film and FM radio buffs to see it if you
haven't already), is to present verbatim the following speech, read by
Staebler (Nicholson) into a handheld cassette recorder, while sitting
on the john in the hotel bathroom. This speech well sums up the plight
of many a free-form DJ, as well as speaking volumes to me personally:
"No one reads anymore. I have been deprived my literary right, and I crave an audience. The form of the tragic autobiography is dead, or will be soon, along with most of its authors. Goodbye written word. So I have chosen this form, radio, to author my life, not because my life is particularly worthy, but because it is hopefully, comically unworthy. Besides, tragedy isn't top 40, which is just as well."
I haven't seen it, but now I will. Thanks for the pointer.
Posted by: Dave from Knoxville | December 08, 2005 at 11:24 AM
Another great post, William. I finally came across "King" about a year ago and immediately incorporated a bunch of soundbytes from it into Aerial View, including the speech above. One of my favorite things is how the film captures the old Atlantic City: crumbling, seedy, nearly deserted and down on its luck. In other words, my kind of place! Dern and Nicholson are superb, with Jack especially turning in a pitch-perfect performance right up there with "The Last Detail" and "Chinatown". Bit of trivia: it's also the first film in which Scatman Crothers and Jack Nicholson appear together. Everyone knows the second film, right?
Posted by: Chris T. | December 08, 2005 at 11:58 AM
Chris T, of course, that's The Shining.
Never saw King Of Marvin Gardens but your description brings to mind Play Misty For Me or the works of Alan Rudolph.
Posted by: Krys O. | December 08, 2005 at 12:34 PM
I've always felt that bottle rocket (wes anderson's first movie) stole more than a little of KOMG, sans any sort of poetry rafelson actually achieved. Why more kids ignore this one is waaaaaay beyond me. Or maybe it's just too much?
Posted by: charlierutherford | December 08, 2005 at 01:43 PM
King of Marvin gardens is pure 70's cinema along with Five Easy Pieces, the long Goodbye, and California Split. they just don't make movies like this anymore
Posted by: bruce | December 08, 2005 at 03:14 PM
You're right, Bruce, even the film stock has changed. I hate modern high resolution.
Posted by: Krys O. | December 09, 2005 at 09:37 AM
Nicholson's FM talkjock in KOMG was big influence on me. I still close programs with one of his lines: "Close your eyes & pretend to be asleep." (prefaced by "Until that time," from Jackie Gleason in "Soldier in the Rain." )
Posted by: Rix | January 05, 2006 at 12:46 PM
magnificent
Posted by: stephen | December 06, 2008 at 07:46 PM