Blog 3 Pollock

Post # 3
After your further reflections on "Pollock" and thoughts on how it relates to "Basquiat," choose a scene from "Pollock" and try analyzing it according to exercise # 2 in your textbook on p. 86 (briefly discussed in class Sept. 8).

In Pollock the use of both diegetic sound and the post dubbed background music adds emotional intensity to many of the pivotal scenes in the film. One scene in particular in which digaetic sound parallels the events in the scene is when we see the Jackson and Lee in their home at night. Lee is in the tub and Jackson switches on the phonograph as he goes to bring Lee more hot water for her bath the songs that play is “He's Funny That Way” by Billie Holliday. The song really stuck in my mind not only because I enjoy Billie Holliday's music but because of the tonal qualities and lyrics of the song : (I had to look them up my memory isn’t that good but once I investigated I couldn’t believe how well it fit for describing lee and Pollock's relationship)
“While I worry
Plan and scheme
Over what to do
Can't help feeling
It's a dream
He's just too good to be true..

I'm not much to look at
I'm nothing to see
I'm glad I'm living on a dime
And lucky to be
But I've got a man crazy for me
He's funny that way”

We have already scene Jackson’s irrational and “crazy” behavior which in the film is paralleled by sound. For example in the scene when his brother informs him that he is moving out of the apartment they share. Jackson turns up the radio, blasting the frenzied jazz throughout the apartment and proceeds to spin out of control and winds up institutionalized, not what society would consider a reasonable reaction for a grown man in that situation.

In the bath tub scene the sound is more settling and romantic; for a moment there you think that everything may be alright. However the happy moment is shattered when Lee emerges from the tub and Jackson informs her he wants to have a baby, eventually the music is overpowered by the aggressive argument that follows and completely stops when in frustration he slams his drink into the radio shattering the glass everywhere.
This scene unlike the others (which were mostly instrumental) uses the mood the sound evokes as well as the lyrics to reinforce the circumstances of Lee and Pollock’s relationship and touches on the overall narrative structure in the movie.

Pollock expresses his desires to have a “traditional” family. his behavior is anything but traditional and Lee is reluctant to give into his demands, he flies off the handle and breaks things while he screams in anger basically proving lees point that he can’t control himself and isn’t responsible for his actions how could he take care of child. I wondered if Pollock wanted children because he wanted fulfillment and he thought that it would be an easier fix then getting clean and becoming emotionally stable. Lee is the rock in Pollock’s life and he even admits later in the film, “I love her id be dead without her.” As the events in the film and the lyrics to the aforementioned song, She’s the one who does the worrying for him, she plans out his life and comes up with the various schemes that helped make him a famous artist.