Worker

I discovered that the extra Wolf Eyes cd I got isn't actually a straight audio cd, but a cd-rom with lots of mp3s loaded on it, so not quite the same thing but still pretty cool. In the afternoon Mary Beth and I went to the Dixon for the newer installation on folk art. We were also introduced to their newer employee, a cat named Oliver! They have a sign up about him at the entrance and then while we were in the garden Mary Beth saw him in a window. Then shortly afterwards he came out and was stalking butterflies in the garden. It was a very fascinating development in our Dixon-going experience! Later at night we watched West Side Story which I had never seen before. There were actually things I liked about it a lot, which is pretty impressive given my usual feelings towards musicals. The cinematography, set design, and use of color were all very top-notch. None of the singing was my speed, but some of the instrumental music wasn't bad. I know I won't be the first person to bring up the problematic issues with race, but it was interesting how parts of the message were pretty spot-on with regard to that. Yet at the same time I'm not sure how much of that message is belied by the movie's own built-in racism (I mean, yes, it is a valid point that Puerto Ricans and non-white immigrants in general have opportunities shut off to them and are not allowed any good jobs...especially as a leading actor/actress in a Hollywood movie even if the role is a Puerto Rican! Sure, this is low-hanging fruit as far as criticism, but it does create an especial dissonance with what the movie is even saying. I mean, maybe the movie could have never been made if it didn't fall in line with the general Hollywood and societal racist norms, I'm not really sure, and there are complicated things surrounding it looking at it in hindsight, but the contradictions can still be jarring coming at it so far ahead in the future...and yeah, I'm not coming at it from a position of superiority, as you even look into the differences between now and then and think how much is actually better or only superficially better...I mean, I'd say it's both, some things are better and others are only window dressing with the appearance of being better when we've never bothered with anything below the surface...and yeah, I'm blathering and getting off-topic and being not very coherent, so I'll get off my ill-conceived soapbox that I don't have much of a place to belong on anyway). I did appreciate how the cop was given the role of being the most racist, especially in regards to the role in upholding and maintaining systemic racism (greasing the wheels of the hidden machinery and all that). That was especially apt! Anyway, long story short I had a mix of feelings watching it (and hey, anyway it's a step up for me in regards to most musicals).