Out of the groove (in a good way)

Last week, I watched the 1979 film “Apocalypse Now” for the first time. The movie stuck with me in a way only great works of art can. I began to wonder, what makes this movie so good, and why can’t I get it off my mind?

I am not a movie critic, so I won’t try to analyze the score or cinematography. However, I would like to share what I believe allows certain movies to affect me so powerfully.

We are creatures of habit, or so the saying goes. This seems reasonable to me, as the world is a very big place with far too much going on to grasp it all at once.

It is most comfortable to carve out a “groove” in our daily lives that allows us to feel like we understand our surroundings. This groove encompasses the places we go, the people we talk to, the shows we watch and the thoughts we normally think.

By creating familiarity within our environment, we are able to gain a sense of control in an uncontrollable world.

What happens then, when we encounter something that is outside our groove? Most likely, we pass over it altogether without much appreciation for its significance. Perhaps this is part of the reason why some people can be so passionate about something others really don’t care about.

For a clear example, notice the amount of recyclables placed in regular trash cans, and watch as a few individuals are willing to reach in and move them to the conveniently adjacent recycling bin.

However, this idea of a static “groove” might seem too restrictive because people do change. But, they tend to change at a very slow pace, at which they barely recognize the difference from one day to the next. Only occasionally are we presented with a situation in which we cannot avoid engaging a new point of view.

When this happens, we are taken out of our groove and put into a completely different one. It is uncomfortable, and even a little confusing. We work to define the experience we are having in familiar terms, but we can’t quite do it. Once the experience is done, and we are allowed back into our comfort zone, the damage has already been done. Our mind is rattled, and we can’t stop thinking about this peculiar experience.

This is the situation in which I found myself after watching “Apocalypse Now.” I was helplessly replaying various scenes and quotes in my head. It is not that I was necessarily trying to figure things out, but just that the emotions of the film had truly stuck with me.

Then it occurred to me: The unbalanced feeling I was left with was my brain trying to rapidly adapt to these distinctly new perspectives. It was as if I could actually feel my mind growing. It felt good. I can’t help but think the sensation is similar to a watered down version of either a religious awakening or a near-death experience.

Maybe this effect is what director Francis Coppola was aiming for. Such mental stimulation, however, I could never tolerate every day. So I find myself thankful that such powerful films are only a minority.


E-mail: tylatkin@indiana.edu