Romain Gary--and Thomas Pynchon

[davemarc]

> From: rodney welch <rwelch at scjob.sces.org>
> 
> Anyone wishing to know what became of the offended and offending author, 
> Mr. Romain Gary, may wish to consult a fascinating, daringly 
> deconstructionist documentary called From the Journals of Jean Seberg.
> 
> Gary was married to the late actress, and appears to have been a real 
> shit. Although the FBI was the principal culprit in her suicide, Gary 
> was an abusive asshole who likely contributed substantially to her 
> conclusion, in September of 1979, that life was not worth living.
> 
> A despondent Gary took his own life months later.
> 
> RIP, I guess.
> 
Gary also wrote a troubling and troubled essay regarding racism that
appeared in Life magazine (a Pynchon fave) around 1969-70.  The film rights
bounced around Hollywood like the proverbial hot potato for years until Sam
Fuller adapted the essay as the movie White Dog, starring Kristy MacNichol,
Burl Ives, and Paul Winfield.  It played for about a week or less before
being withdrawn to avoid controversy.  I think it was the NAACP that had a
problem with the title character, which was trained to attack dark-skinned
people.  About ten years later White Dog was revived; I think it's on video
now, and it's definitely worth a look.  The themes related to behavioral
conditioning are tres Pynchonesque.

davemarc