Zorba the Greek

**Reverend Joe** · 10-18-2005, 17:56

I have finally gotten around to seeing this movie. I have intended to see it for a long time, but I never got around to it, partially because I wanted to read the book first (which I have not; all my reading is focused on Henry Miller now). Now that I have seen it, however, I feel as though I have gone through a sort of awakening. I feel alive; I feel as though I need to really live life, to grab it by the neck and choke it.

(In fact, what the hell am I doing here? Oh, well...)

Have any of you seen this movie? What did you think of it? Or if you saw another movie or read another book that did this to you, what was it?

**Adrian II** · 10-18-2005, 20:55

Originally Posted by meatwad

Have any of you seen this movie? What did you think of it? Or if you saw another movie or read another book that did this to you, what was it?

I never read the book, though I read some of Kazantzakis' essays. The movie had the same effect on me at the impressionable age of 17. I particularly liked the part where Zorba/Quinn starts smashing dishes and dancing on tables...

**Soulforged** · 10-19-2005, 08:34

Originally Posted by meatwad

I have finally gotten around to seeing this movie. I have intended to see it for a long time, but I never got around to it, partially because I wanted to read the book first (which I have not; all my reading is focused on Henry Miller now). Now that I have seen it, however, I feel as though I have gone through a sort of awakening. I feel alive; I feel as though I need to really live life, to grab it by the neck and choke it.

Are you sure that you're not awakening from a Nirvana dream?

Have any of you seen this movie? What did you think of it? Or if you saw another movie or read another book that did this to you, what was it?

I only saw the end of it, so I'm not the man to talk about it. But if you want other movies that marked me...I'll say "Magnolia", tremendous profound deep-seeking movie, I could watch it a thousand times and still feel like something is missing, not just on the movie on me too. It shows with master ability the features of the human being, and particulary the weakness. Of course the movie is about something more, it's about fortune and the unspected, that moment that you always look for in your life and the same one that you try to avoid.

**PanzerJaeger** · 10-19-2005, 09:12

Well, when I really little I thought it was "Cool" to say you were a communist. And I never really looked into just how crappy the system was. I read Animal Farm when I was 9 or 10, and have been a staunch capitalist since.

Orwell did not have good things to say about the capitolist system in Animal Farm aswell, although in the book capitolism is clearly the best alternative. Im sure you already knew that.

**Idaho** · 10-19-2005, 11:25

In animal farm the message is that the socialism is a noble but fragile thing that is vulnerable from Stalinists.

**Fragony** · 10-19-2005, 11:50

Originally Posted by Idaho

In animal farm the message is that the socialism is a noble but fragile thing that is vulnerable from Stalinists.

More like how such a transformation is inevitable to me, but it has been a while since I read it. I remember enjoying it, maybe I should read it again.

**Idaho** · 10-19-2005, 12:21

It was written after his experiences in the Spanish Civil war and his complete disenchantment with Stalin and the socialist experiment. I imagine he would have occilated between my version and your interpretation.

**GoreBag** · 10-19-2005, 18:33

I haven't seen the movie, but I'm happy for you that it has stirred the beast.

**LeftEyeNine** · 10-19-2005, 22:07

Off topic, Zorba means "cruel, despot" in Turkish. Any connection with the theme or the character ? Or it's totally coincidence ?

**GoreBag** · 10-20-2005, 00:26

I had no idea this was the case. I wonder what its Greek meaning is.

**Reverend Joe** · 10-20-2005, 03:33

Definitely not that... Zorba is the anti-despot.

**L'Impresario** · 10-21-2005, 11:46

Well lots of greek surnames are derived from turkish words. If I'm not wrong "Zorba" also means something along the lines of "bully","ruffian" or whatever, as well as "oppressive". So leading a life that creates an antithesis to your surname's meaning, a surname being something that usually defines your standing with the outside world and the authorities, could as well highlight even more the struggle to escape all that bind you since the day of your birth.