Tag: Alexander Pope

How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot!
The world forgetting, by the world forgot.
Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!
Each pray’r accepted, and each wish resign’d;
Labour and rest, that equal periods keep;
“Obedient slumbers that can wake and weep;”
Desires compos’d, affections ever ev’n,
Tears that delight, and sighs that waft to Heav’n.
Grace shines around her with serenest beams,
And whisp’ring angels prompt her golden dreams.
For her th’ unfading rose of Eden blooms,
And wings of seraphs shed divine perfumes,
For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring,
For her white virgins hymeneals sing,
To sounds of heav’nly harps she dies away,
And melts in visions of eternal day.

From Eloisa to Abelard by Alexander Pope

It didn’t take Charlie Kaufman that long to get me tied deeply to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and it wasn’t just because I’m a big fan of Jim Carrey (yes, even in non-comedic roles) or the fact I think Kate Winset is sexy. No, it was something else that scared me into paying attention to this movie.

I’ve been planning to head up north sometime soon to visit family in New York – on Long Island… And the city I stayed in when my Aunt and Uncle were married 10 years ago is the place where most of the events of Eternal are supposed to take place – Rockville Center. And half the reason I was planning a trip to New York was so I could go out to Montauk and see the Atlantic, the light house, etc…

Does Charlie Kaufman have a camera in mind?

The movie is great in the romantic sense and poses the question – would you erase someone you loved, but have broken up with, from your mind? There are negatives about everyone and everything you ever come across in your life and the truth to the matter is that these things are part of you — part of your mind, part of your heart, part of your soul. It could be an experience of pure humiliation, it could be a period of unquenched sadness, or perhaps when the kids down the street beat the shit out of you…. Whatever it is – it’s part of you. To simply erase thqt would take that part of you away… To shed part of your very existence.

Yet Kaufman offers hope in this movie to the broken hearted… Maybe it’s just a dream seeing it’s a story and a work of fiction – that two people who should be together will meet again down the path or be drawn back to one another.

I loved Adaptation. I left a review that is often requested on the web for the movie. I could understand the character and his fears and such and that’s what drew me into it. In this instance, it’s the desire to shed feelings, to feel betrayed by someone who’s moved on, to be driven crazy by someone but in the end – ultimately realize you are better off with them.

You’re better off with it. With the pain, with the sadness, with the joy, with the elation, with the misery, with the angst, with the apathy, with the torment, with the grief, with the fear, with the laughter, with the tears… They are who you are as much as your significant other. Running from your dirty laundry is just going to make it more painful when you have to live with it.,

If your mind stays “spotless”, your world and your life is blank…. It’d be nice to forget sometimes or somethings, but to forget is to regret living.