Showing posts with label
Searching for the wrong-eyed Jesus.
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Showing posts with label
Searching for the wrong-eyed Jesus.
Show all posts
'Truth of the matter was, everything was stories and stories was everything. Everybody told stories. It was a way of saying who they were in the world. It was their understanding of themselves. It was letting themselves know how they believed the world worked. The right way and the way that was not so right'
Harry Crews (1935 - 2012)
These words introduce one of my all-time favourite films, 'Searching for the wrong-eyed Jesus'. Twice a week our sister church down the road opens its doors for a 'drop-in'. There's tea and cake, but more importantly an opportunity to share stories - some mundane, others deep, sad and challenging.
Stories of struggles in faith. Stories of sewing shopping-bags and riding bicycles. Stories of dementia, death and despair.
Today's world is so busy. Emails, tweets and social media messages zing this way and that. But listening to stories is worth so much more. True community is built on story - yours and mine.
Dear Sheddists,
The original concept for the film came from Jim White's debut album, which to give it its full name is, 'The Mysterious Tale of How I Shouted Wrong-Eyed Jesus!'. It features three songs by Jim together with terrific contributions from a variety of alt-country and Americana luminaries including The Handsome Family, David Eugene Edwards and Johnny Dowd.
The film is directed by Brit, Andrew Douglas and stars Jim White in a beat-up Chevy Impala exploring some of the weirder sides of the Deep South. It just drips Southern Gothic from every pore, the atmosphere set from the very start by a short scene featuring legendary author, Harry Crews, explaining how to cook a possum.
The themes of the accompanying music appear at first-sight to be equally bleak - murder, death, unrequited love - but like the scenery that provides the back-drop to the film the songs reveal hidden beauty as they unfold.
I just cannot recommend the film and its soundtrack enough - they're both absolutely terrific!
'Truth of the matter was stories was everything and everything was stories. Everybody told stories. It was a way of saying who they were in the world. It was their understanding of themselves. It was letting themselves know how they believed the world worked - the right way and the way that was not so right.'
Harry Crews (June 7, 1935 – March 28, 2012)
