Post by bigdave on Aug 28, 2008 14:54:10 GMT -6
Anchorman is a funny and entertaining movie, and a vehicle for one of the most inspired and inspiring characters to come to the fore in recent years....Brick Tamland.
Brick is an honest man, with none of the trappings of modern day materialistic greed. His appearance is well kept and as he says himself "People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late"...a maxim I wish we could all take to heart. Brick enjoys the simple things in life, like a good pair of slacks, ice-cream, carpet, and of course lamp.
Some may find his outlook simplistic but is it really? Or is it the insight of true genius that guides this characters life? Is this a kind of minimalistic philosophy for life, following the genius of Becketts minimalism in play, Constantin Brâncuşis additions to the world of fine art, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohes contributions to the world of architecture? Is Brick Tamland the messenger of a New Minimalist Philosophy for the 21st century?
A bold suggestion maybe but let's take a look at Bricks summations of the world around him. For example in a scene where Brick is in a loud and tense environment. Ron and the Team are upset by the fact that Veronica is becoming a co-anchor on the news show. They are shouting, venting their anger and disillusionment. Brick steps to the fore declaring "I don't know what we're yelling about!", showing how he deems the shouting unnecessary, before shouting (literally) "Loud noises!", dismissing the anger with a flippant disregard for the human emotion being expressed around him.
Bricks integral sense of emotional minimalism is abhorred by the flagrant outbursts of his colleagues. This type of emotional minimalism (similar in some regards to stoicism) is apparant at other points in the film, an example being his blunt unflorid description of the battle-scene "Yeah, there were horses, and a man on fire, and I killed a guy with a trident!". Whereas most people would be upset by this type of situation Brick deals with it and minimalises it, both in impact and description.
How about the alleged "mental retartation"? Well, the movie is a comedy, needing commercial viability. Bricks true message is too resounding and intense to burden people with when all they wanted was a nice funny movie, so the writers disguised his genius as madness (an apt disguise!). Minimalism is a message that truely echos throughout the film. Brick Tamland is an inspiration, a character both imaginative and truely inspiring.
Go Brick, go love lamp.
