getting Coy out of political bondage. Everything else just sort of happens, or doesn't happen.
All in the most wonderfully enjoyable way, mind you. But for all Sportello's detective work, he does nothing.
Right?
Pretty much yeah. Two of three cases solve themselves (Wolfmann and Shasta), Doc just kinda sleepwalks through them and finally wakes the fck up with Coy's side of the issue
Howard Hughes was Italian?
He is also essential in getting the Golden Fang brought in and killing Prussia, getting Bigfoot's revenge for him.
He also (somehow) survives, which is an accomplishment of sorts.
Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride
Yeah but I absolutely loved this about the movie - he saves one mans life and brings one little kids father home.
I'm actually not quite sure if he brought down the golden fang or just helped find that boat. It wouldn't seem to be a smart move from him. Especially since he doesn't give a hoot about drugs.
The two goons he kills are rather inconsequential of course. There are always more of those.
I was talking about the boat - but as Doc is told 'she's more than a boat'.
And Prussia was a hitman for the LAPD, and a high up in the golden fang's 'fully f!ckin wierd outfit'.
Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride
But how did they "rescue" the boat that is more than a boat? Probably would have to read the novel.
Yeah Prussia is one connection I haven't figured out really. But in the end he's still just a goon and as long as the syndicate operates they call the shots on who lives or dies.
And why BigFoot sets Doc up - did he keep one package and just wanted to distract the golden fang?
Prussia was connected to the drug cartel the golden fang, which is also the name of the boat (which was seized by the DOJ). Prussia killed Bigfoot's old partner, so his death is retribution for that as well as Puck Beaverton who killed Glen Charlock. There's a lot of disconnectedness in the crime world mixed in with government, local law enforcement, cults, drug dealers, real estate developers, gangs,...etc etc.
He also found Japonica and reported her whereabouts to her family. He saves Shasta from her involvement in the cult, drug importation, extortion and mind control (presumably). Crime goes on and takes on new faces though. All in all, a good job by doc.
If you mean in the past, yes he did return Japonica home. Not this time though. He merely encounters her unexpectedly.
I'm not sure how you figure he saved Shasta from cult involvement. She enlists his help, disappears, then comes back free of all that on her own.
Or maybe this movie is even more open to interpretation than I thought. Can you cite evidence from the screen as to Doc getting Japonica back to the Fenways during the story of Inherent Vice? or where Doc is instrumental in extracting Shasta from her troubles?
He encounters Japonica accidentally yes and they drive somewhere and he later meets with her Father to exchange the drugs for Coy's life (out of the cult) where he asks about how she is doing, so presumably he notified or had a small hand at least in returning or encouraging her home again.
Read this thread I wrote. Shasta is under mind control MK Ultra and involved in the Cult as are others like Coy. Pay very close attention to how she speaks and acts when she is naked. Contrast to her normal behavior. We see her very briefly at the cult when Coy is picked up, but you have to pause to see her walking by the camera as it pans. At the end Shasta is back with him in the car and appears back to normal and the fear is gone (seemingly). Prussia is dead/Puck is dead.
More mind control/propaganda at Chryskylodon (building similar to Scientology institute in LA). Listen to the movie dialogue of the Burt Stoger marathon.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1791528/board/thread/255997872
There is definitely lots to interpret from the film, but it's not apparent or believable if you haven't really looked into some of these things before. There are 4 distinct references to Manson, as well as Mormonism/scientology. Puck references brainwashing when he gives Doc a Joint laced with PCP and he passes out and gets cuffed to the pipe. Presumably a gateway to getting people mind controlled. Then there are references to Howard Hughes...he may/may not have been put under similar treatments to rob him of his fortune (like Wolfman), unless you just believe he became crazy, drug addicted and locked up in the entire upper floor of a hotel randomly. He certainly wasn't of sound mind and body from what I know if it and in light of other things I've learned over the years, it puts many things into question. Great movie regardless.
I did start to read the book, but I'm a slow reader. Also, little or no dialogue/camera work is wasted/superfluous in the movie. So ask why is PTA saying/showing us this? Very Kubrick like in that regard.
Doc's first case was a missing person situation -- the runaway Japonica. That's how he knows Parker(?) Fenway and the girl. So when he asks Fenway about Japonica, he is referring to their long-past history.
I did notice that Shasta lookalike at the compound when Coy leaves. It's not her, I am certain, just a subtle mindtrick by PTA.
I don't think Shasta's naked speech is anything other than her trying to seduce Doc and be very contrite about running off on him. She has been changed some by the experience, that's why he is somewhat taken aback.
This is my take anyway, and I wouldn't accuse anyone of being wrong in theirs, as long as the movie doesn't explicitly deny it. I like your interpretation (other than the Japonica bit) and will let it sit with me.
Yes, but he also stumbles into Japonica at Blatnoyds office and they go off in a car to go home. Her Father also goes on about how Blatnoyd corrupted her/used her at the meeting.
You need to listen to her speak again. You didn't read the thread I linked, so I'm not going to repeat myself here. It's long.
It is Shasta at the Cult. I'm almost positive, though I don't know it's imperative, because I'm also certain of the brainwashing/mind control, which may or may not have happened on the "three hour tour". IF you can show me where PTA says' it's not her, I'll buy it.
He stumbles upon her in Blatnoyd's office and uses her to get home, since his partner wrecked the car. Fenway talks about Blatnoyd corrupting her as justification for killing him by trampoline.
Those are just more convoluted ties and coincidences in the massive tangled web of narrative in the story. Coincidence Doc sees Japonica there, coincidence her father happens to be involved with the Golden Fang, just like almost everything that happens to Doc is wild happenstance and meaningless accident. He is a leaf on the stream of life, pretty much out of control, buffeted and bounced around in his stoned haze, occasionally stepping into something he can recognize and affect, but more often uncomprehending, a pinball.
You're darn right that thread is long. I doubt I'll ever consume it, to be honest. Bet it's got lots of interesting parts, tho.
You say coincidence, I say tangled web if intrigue. Of course we're only seeing part of the story, not the unrelated day to day life of things at hand. He often plays dumb or gets lucky, but he catches on quickly.
shareBut for all Sportello's detective work, he does nothing.
He actually achieves more that is positive than the detectives played by Jack Nicholson in Chinatown (1974) and Gene Hackman in Night Moves (1975). They are both out of their depth but do not know it, for all their smartass wisecracks. Neither catch the bad guys, but Nicholson causes a tragedy and Hackman possibly gets himself killed (the ending is ambiguous). Both are deconstructions of the classic "relentless" detective hero (and "Night Moves" is consciously a "meta" movie).
At least Phoenix never kids himself he has a clue what is going on but just stumbles around cheerfully in a drug-induced haze.
I liked everything except his escape when chained to the pipe. I have seen that cliched scene so many times in crappy action films, particularly martial arts ones.
That escape rubbed me a bit wrong too, but more because it pulled a Live And Let Die, giving Doc the tool to escape that we never knew existed. That's kind of a cheat.
shareWhat do you mean? The sliver of credit card he used? Can't say I was crazy about that whole scene, but it was like a point in the movie where it took a turn and *beep* just got real and serious. His innocence lost. There is a bit of a spiritual/psychic element to the movie, so it's not totally out of the "ordinary" I guess. It was a piece of Shasta's credit card, which makes you wonder. Then again, he probably didn't have one. Credit cards weren't very common back then and not a hippy thing for sure. Interesting. It might tie into Coy, who also had his credit card taken by the cult (and given back at the parking lot exchange...along with the verbal unlock cue to return him back to "the main herd").
shareYes, the shard of credit card tucked in his shoe. The only possible explanation is he's been keeping it there as a weapon/tool.
Though as I type, another explanation comes to mind : a talisman. We've seen him write a message of support to Shasta on a skin (rolling paper), which he then burns up to send those vibes to the universe. Perhaps he carries her name in plastic for similar reasons. Though, why in his shoe?
I never associated it with Coy's card. I think that might be reaching. I agree that Doc's visit to Prussia and ensuing battle to the death is the real *beep* turn of the story, and Doc won't be quite the same forever after.
Talisman possibly yes, but a shoe. Why not? Where else is it going to be safe and undetected if you are in trouble? I got no issue with that. Maybe he's had to escape before? or at least wants to be prepared in case. It's a clever device and mirrors what I've seen on youtube for escape tips(random viewing knowledge). There's often a strange relationship with PI's. They are kinda in the middle of the cops and the bad guys working in the shadows and sometimes might be working for the bad guys (unknowingly)...see also Chinatown, The Big Sleep, Lebowski, etc.
shareIt was the way it was meant to be
Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Criedshare