I had a very heartfelt discussion with my good friend Brad, the other week that has been reading my posts. Despite not having seen nor heard of the movie D.A.R.Y.L., I found that his observations regarding my analysis of the film were spot on and have inspired me to give the film even greater thought. I asked Brad to send me a written transcription of his thoughts on my description of the film. I was richly rewarded with this anecdote:

Leonard Bernstein walks out in front of the NY Philharmonic about to announce he will perform a Piano Concerto with Glenn Gould. But rather than the normal introductions preceding such a virtuous performer, Bernstein begins with a disagreement. A notion that he is in conflict with the stylistic and musical suggestions that Glenn has chosen to perform the work with. In spite of Gould’s own broad tempi and departure from the dynamic norms, Bernstein pronounces in synopsis that ‘Gould is so valid and serious an artist, that I must take seriously anything he conceives in good faith.’

This brings us to the discussion at hand. Validity. We, as feeling humans, strive to be accepted. We strive for recognition and acceptance. We strive to be touched and to touch in a way that can alter, for the better, someone else. When talking with Joe about the various characters and movies he holds dearly, a common theme arose from such discourse, that a strive [sic] for Validity is constant in the primary characters of those movies. Whether it be by disability, difference, or place the main character is striving to be accepted and made valid, to be heard and recognized. Maybe to the disagreement of the “Bernsteins”, but even with negative or offset criticism, it makes valid the efforts and attempts one might make within this world.

Brad concluded with this personally flattering note:

Joe is an incredibly bright and driven young man, with passions and desires that know no harness. His various obstacles mentally and physically may have hindered others in seeing the true person, the real voice within. This, of course is a shame, seeing as Joe, like Gould, is equally and as much valid of an artist as any. His association with the characters he loves is the triumph that character receives at his or her time of being made Valid. He associates closely the interactions of other with these characters, their struggles, and their triumphs as his own.

It is with this missive bearing in my mind that I intend to carry on with my analysis of D.A.R.Y.L.…