Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0014853, Fri, 9 Feb 2007 00:31:11 -0200

Subject
Re: cinematic surealism
From
Date
Body
CHW: Truffaut’s film of Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, 1966, makes a pointed and sustained reference to Lolita as one the books being burnt by the political “firemen”. The film is also remarkable for featuring Julie Christie in dual roles... it occurred to me that there might be a chain of influence back from Ada, via Pierre, to Goethe’s book. Is there not some nexus here?

JM: Since I couldn't remember Fahrenheit 451 I watched it again tonight.
Yes, indeed, there is a sustained reference to Lolita ( cover of the book and one of its pages while still smouldering slowly away).
Lots of Faulkner, Dostoievsky, Sartre! The list didn't follow the order of the "10 Best Books"we recently received. I imagine "Lolita" must represent the entire works of "Nabokov" ( instead of ADA, Pale Fire...).
Truffaut's movie is, by itself, a typical "Fahrenheit 451" situation. Images and speech, just that. And numbers.
Reading must be similar to learning to ride a bike: one cannot unlearn it, although we may forget the books we've read. I must re-read Ray Bradbury quickly lest I forget. The movie seemed to be rather silly after all these years, but it did make an impression on me in the late sixties.
I thought it was a movie about "books", but it is mainly about the written word. There lies the danger and freedom.
Does anyone remember who said: "images are eminently fascist"?
On the subject of Buñuel and VN, I confess that I cannot see Nabokov as a "surrealist", neither any of his written works seems to fit.

Search the archive: http://listserv.ucsb.edu/archives/nabokv-l.html
Contact the Editors: mailto:nabokv-l@utk.edu,nabokv-l@holycross.edu
Visit Zembla: http://www.libraries.psu.edu/nabokov/zembla.htm
View Nabokv-L policies: http://web.utk.edu/~sblackwe/EDNote.htm





Attachment