Kodachrome the Movie 4

The odyssey to Parsons, Kansas, and Dwayne’s photo lab begins. It is a
picturesque trip through the Midwest of America. We now begin to learn more
about Ben as movie touches the skin of his soul. He does not seem to be OK.
Matt himself has not seen him for 10 years. He now has to spend every day with
him and his nurse in a 1987 Saab Cabriolet. Ben is an irascible, unpleasant,
selfish, philandering human being. He is hard-pressed to say something good
about anyone. He starts off, demanding that they take the back roads instead of
the interstate. He then takes the GPS device and throw it out the car onto the
highway. As you can imagine, this pisses off Matt, and calls out his father
about being an asshole. Ben replies as he sits in the back seat toking a joint
with one of the best monologues in the entire movie. “Happiness is bullshit. Do
you think Picasso was happy, do you think Hemingway was? No art worth a damn
was ever created out of happiness. I can tell you that much. That’s why we’re
all such miserable assholes.” “So, you know you’re a miserable asshole?” Matt
replies. “What do you think? I’m an idiot. Of course, I know.” Ben responds.
This settles the relationship for the road trip.  This also delves into the idea that much art
is derived from pain and passion.  Ben is
revealing himself to us here.  His soul
is burning and angry and his art , like many artist express themselves through
their art.  It suggests there is another
side to him.

As a photographer and every day, a movie fan, you are glad that they did not
take the interstate. Ben sits in the backseat of the car with his classic Leica
M4-P , a rangefinder camera ( built from 1980 to 1986 ) and snaps photos along
the way through the wonderful countryside. The farms and fields are beautifully
detailed as if there were uncovered by Kodachrome. There is a wonderful scene
of a young girl on a bus as they pass with flowing hair that he photographs.
This is why I have to tip my hat to the writer, director and cinematographer.
They pay a great homage to all photographers with many of the scenes in the
movie. Especially by the use of a classic camera like a Leica. It is a small
camera with great glass and components. It is great for the grab shots and is
on every photographer’s wish list. I myself own a Fujifilm X 100 S digital
camera that mimics the Leica design right down to the silver housing. These
cameras are so popular they are now only available used on eBay. That is where
I got mine. Now I have an excellent street camera. I feel really cool because
it mimics Leica’s design. The silver housing design is why this handheld camera
is so popularity among photographers.

The movie goes on and they stop by Ben’s brother- and sister-in-law’s house
on the way. The movie gets you into Matt’s childhood and the fact that his
uncle and aunt raised him. As expected for a movie, they kindle the beginning
of love interest between Matt and Zooey. Ben ruins the reunion, at dinner, when
he relays a story of a sexual encounter he had with his sister-in-law. She
reveals that it was before his brother married her. Embarrassing for all and
landing in character in how we have become to know Ben.

The story returns to the road trip and Matt’s scheduled meeting with his new
prospective client, Band. At dinner, Matt and Ben begin to confide in one
another as father and son. Matt discusses his job dilemma and the pending
meeting with the new band. Ben suggests that he should not tell the band how
great they are. But rather, tell them you are going to make them improve and
get to the top of the charts. The next day the three Matt Ben and Zooey, the
nurse, attend a show of the band before Matt’s meeting. The business meeting
begins as Ben and Zooey are at a nearby table, absorbing what is going on. The
whole meeting was going well and Matt was working the band, as his father had
suggested. , (Jason Sudeikis makes his character so believable as an A and R
rep that I was about to sign up”). He convinced them that he can build their
future while at the table on the side, Ben had an episode. He lost control and
urinated himself, and it’s visible on his pants. The band members look at that
old, ailing man, and laugh. Matt loses it and calls them worthless fuckups,
with no compassion, and leave them there.

More tomorrow