Something has been on my mind about yesterday's movie... I know Doug referred to the man in the liquor store as being dead, but I seem to remember the DJ saying he was at the Med in critical condition. It was playing in the background of the scene, so I may be misremembering it, but if he's dead, how do they know it was two white men and a black man?
Does anyone else remember the radio announcement?
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That IS a good point, Jeni, and one I hadn't considered. I don't remember precisely what the radio announcer was saying. But you're right that there didn't seem to be any other witnesses to the crime. And so the man musts NOT be dead.
Now here's how your observation opens up the movie just a crack more for me. You'll remember I asked you (as a class) to think about the concept of "postmodernism" in relationship to this film. One of the tenents of postmodernism is that language itself comes under suspicion: there's the idea that it's impossible to really convey meaning through language, and that because of language's limitations, we're all, in our ways, in a state of alienation. And you can think of lots of instances (matches, Natchez) in the film where language fails to communicate.
Consider the irony, then, if the guy in the liquor store ISN'T dead, but Charlie, Elvis, and Will are "on the lam" as if they HAD killed the guy. Even though Elvis keeps saying that he DIDN'T kill the guy, the trio is obviously (it seems to me) behaving as if they DID kill him. (And don't they even say that at one point? I'm not remembering for certain.)
Yes, this observation provides another window into thinking about the film. . .
Yes, they all seem to be acting as though Elvis killed the fellow from the liquor store, but the dialogue suggests that they're trying to convince themselves and each other that he isn't dead. Their actions also struck me as if they are trying to act nonchalant as if he isn't dead, while underneath they "know" he is.
I remember them saying he was in critical condition. They are running from the police unaware that he's still alive, but knowing either way they're in trouble. I think they're assuming the worse fate because it would be easier if he were dead. If he had lived that have to deal with the fact that laying low for a night at a hotel isn't going to help them because he could identify them.
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