This was a real pleasure to read, Ed! I don't know what it says about me, but I love the way Scorcese has charted "modern male isolation" over the years - perhaps it's because we're broody artistic types 😂 - definitely inspired to revisit some classic Scorcese now!
Maybe it's the Italian-American thing, but my Arthur Miller klaxon was going off - A View From the Bridge has a similar deluded protagonist Eddie Carbone, and its that delusion that ends up trapping everyone, such that when reality breaks through, it does so with a vengeance. Feels like a mega classical trope, no? The old Greek tragedy.
But, I loved this idea that you flesh out: that the single character's fictional reality isn't just about their self-delusion. It's that their delusion shapes the reality of those around them as well, a sort of societal poison that entraps everyone. That parallel you draw between Frank and Hoffa is just so perfect - their delusions are so symmetric! Reality forces Frank to make amends; reality forces Hoffa to pay the price. It's like the corruption of truth upsets the fabric of reality.
Wonderful writing and great subject matter, man. Loved the range. Loved the quotes. Loved the choice of those two bookended Bobby D pics!
Ah man thanks so much for engaging with this! I'd never heard from A View From the Bridge until looking it up just now but yeah this sounds really similar thematically. Also "Eddie Carbone" is such a Scorcese name (I wonder if he is an ancestor of "Frankie Carbone" from Goodfellas haha). But yeah, you're right that the idea of everyone building these imaginary walls around themselves and then eventually cold, hard reality bulldozing through them is everywhere.
And yeah that parallel is uncannily symmetrical - would love to know whether that was intentional on Scorcese's part or whether he just has that core idea/tension in him somewhere, which means it keeps on bursting from him when he makes these kinds of movies.
This was a real pleasure to read, Ed! I don't know what it says about me, but I love the way Scorcese has charted "modern male isolation" over the years - perhaps it's because we're broody artistic types 😂 - definitely inspired to revisit some classic Scorcese now!
Maybe it's the Italian-American thing, but my Arthur Miller klaxon was going off - A View From the Bridge has a similar deluded protagonist Eddie Carbone, and its that delusion that ends up trapping everyone, such that when reality breaks through, it does so with a vengeance. Feels like a mega classical trope, no? The old Greek tragedy.
But, I loved this idea that you flesh out: that the single character's fictional reality isn't just about their self-delusion. It's that their delusion shapes the reality of those around them as well, a sort of societal poison that entraps everyone. That parallel you draw between Frank and Hoffa is just so perfect - their delusions are so symmetric! Reality forces Frank to make amends; reality forces Hoffa to pay the price. It's like the corruption of truth upsets the fabric of reality.
Wonderful writing and great subject matter, man. Loved the range. Loved the quotes. Loved the choice of those two bookended Bobby D pics!
Ah man thanks so much for engaging with this! I'd never heard from A View From the Bridge until looking it up just now but yeah this sounds really similar thematically. Also "Eddie Carbone" is such a Scorcese name (I wonder if he is an ancestor of "Frankie Carbone" from Goodfellas haha). But yeah, you're right that the idea of everyone building these imaginary walls around themselves and then eventually cold, hard reality bulldozing through them is everywhere.
And yeah that parallel is uncannily symmetrical - would love to know whether that was intentional on Scorcese's part or whether he just has that core idea/tension in him somewhere, which means it keeps on bursting from him when he makes these kinds of movies.
Had to get a pic of Bobby D in there somewhere!
Thanks man 🫡
Thanks for mentioning that there were no spoilers for KTFM at the top -- I still haven't seen it! That running time is making it hard for me 😬