Day 30 of 365 - A Star Rises, A Star Falls
Yesterday we went to a movie, in an actual movie theater. This is now a rare event, with the advent of so many films being available online. We usually just watch movies on our TV. However, this was one I wanted to see on the big screen. We saw A Star Is Born with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. I had seen the 1976 version with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, but, it's been so long I had forgotten some of the plot line.
This new version moved me deeply. I admire and respect the talent of Lady Gaga, and expected her singing to be really good. I knew Bradley Cooper as a very good actor but was not aware of his musical talent. For me, he really stole the show. His singing and guitar playing were very good but his acting of the lead male character role was impeccable. Their performances made me really feel the story as something authentic.
We got to see Jackson at the peak of his concert performances, floundering personally and drowning his troubles with alcohol and drugs. Then, his chance meeting with Ally singing in a bar leads to a relationship and her debut onstage with him. With them working together he is able to clean up his act. Then she gets her big break and her star rises as his falls. As much as they both want to support one another's music careers, the industry calls the shots with a devastating result for him.
One of the reasons I felt such deep sadness about this story relates to the experiences of one of my sons, who tried living the life of a singer/songwriter/guitarist for several years. He left home with some of his band to move to the big city to try to make a go of it. After a couple of years in Toronto, he moved out to Vancouver where he lived for eight more years. He gained quite a bit of experience playing with other musicians, doing open mic sessions at different locations and even some touring as a guitarist and vocalist with a couple of performers who had developed a following. But, he could never make a living at it and saw first hand what a challenging lifestyle it can be. He reached a point where he decided to give up his original ambition and now music is a hobby for him.
It's easy for us to idolize popular singers or actors and usually, not to think much about what it took for them to get there. Later, when the next new one comes along, it's just as easy to forget about them. But, the life of a performance artist, singer or musician is not an easy one. As was accurately portrayed in the movie, they become a commodity and often have to give up their vision of themselves.
In the movie, Jackson has terrible tinnitus and hearing loss, a common problem with those who perform in loud onstage settings. It's one of the issues he tries to dampen with alcohol and drugs. One of the strategies recommended to him is to wear the special ear plugs which allow him to only hear the band. But, he is resistant to that on the basis that it will break his connection with his audience, isolating him from them. That was really poignant to me. He felt he belonged when he experienced that connection with his audience.
When we receive really good acting, singing or musicianship we experience a sense of connection with something bigger than ourselves. As human beings, as a social species, this is one of our needs. Feeling this sense of connection increases our vitality. And that is cause to be grateful for the gifts offered us from these performers.
This new version moved me deeply. I admire and respect the talent of Lady Gaga, and expected her singing to be really good. I knew Bradley Cooper as a very good actor but was not aware of his musical talent. For me, he really stole the show. His singing and guitar playing were very good but his acting of the lead male character role was impeccable. Their performances made me really feel the story as something authentic.
We got to see Jackson at the peak of his concert performances, floundering personally and drowning his troubles with alcohol and drugs. Then, his chance meeting with Ally singing in a bar leads to a relationship and her debut onstage with him. With them working together he is able to clean up his act. Then she gets her big break and her star rises as his falls. As much as they both want to support one another's music careers, the industry calls the shots with a devastating result for him.
One of the reasons I felt such deep sadness about this story relates to the experiences of one of my sons, who tried living the life of a singer/songwriter/guitarist for several years. He left home with some of his band to move to the big city to try to make a go of it. After a couple of years in Toronto, he moved out to Vancouver where he lived for eight more years. He gained quite a bit of experience playing with other musicians, doing open mic sessions at different locations and even some touring as a guitarist and vocalist with a couple of performers who had developed a following. But, he could never make a living at it and saw first hand what a challenging lifestyle it can be. He reached a point where he decided to give up his original ambition and now music is a hobby for him.
It's easy for us to idolize popular singers or actors and usually, not to think much about what it took for them to get there. Later, when the next new one comes along, it's just as easy to forget about them. But, the life of a performance artist, singer or musician is not an easy one. As was accurately portrayed in the movie, they become a commodity and often have to give up their vision of themselves.
In the movie, Jackson has terrible tinnitus and hearing loss, a common problem with those who perform in loud onstage settings. It's one of the issues he tries to dampen with alcohol and drugs. One of the strategies recommended to him is to wear the special ear plugs which allow him to only hear the band. But, he is resistant to that on the basis that it will break his connection with his audience, isolating him from them. That was really poignant to me. He felt he belonged when he experienced that connection with his audience.
When we receive really good acting, singing or musicianship we experience a sense of connection with something bigger than ourselves. As human beings, as a social species, this is one of our needs. Feeling this sense of connection increases our vitality. And that is cause to be grateful for the gifts offered us from these performers.
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