I was attracted to this film after seeing the last five minutes on a friend's television at random (it aired on PBS at one point). The combination of animation and family history seemed somehow personal but dark. At the time, I had been reading about the economic impact of GMO corn and forming a support for organics and non-GMO crops, so the topic seemed relevant in many ways.
However, other than any personal interpretation of the imagery that one may construct in his own mind, this film has very little to do with environmental, health, or political issues. What is great about this film especially is a depiction of a life experience in relation to nature that is almost "Steinbeckian." This is especially seen in the mannerisms of the subjects and their slow, frank way of talking.
I consistently hear people in various religious groups on television and in churches stating that morality in our culture is decaying. I really disagree. I think that the things people see as examples of this are simply out in the open where fifty years ago they were repressed under strict rules of society.
At the same time, perhaps one may find that there is a different sort of moral decay going on in our current society that has nothing to do with supposed sexual or drug related immorality as we contemplate how much the subject of this film struggled for what he believed in; how hard he worked for his entire life. At one point in the film, the man, nearly 100, and still working the land cites a saying stating that if you move to the city, you die within two years.
Despite communication problems illustrated by family members, one cannot help but have admiration for this man that lived a life with so much durability and drive. Perhaps it is a lack of this earnestness, self sacrifice, and independent responsibility we can see in our politicians and large corporations that is the true moral decay of our time.
Despite my feelings on GMO seed, after seeing this film, I do not believe that the subject's desire to push his hybrid corn was fueled by a desire for money. This is illustrated in his statement that he used to drive all over Nebraska and Iowa, giving people his seeds for free, begging them to try them. He really believed that he was helping people by producing a superior crop.
As the film moves on, we learn that Beeghly also possesses a very whimsical, witty, and musical side. Perhaps this talent moved to his grandson, the maker of the film, who wrote and performed the music for the soundtrack. As an aspiring classical musician, I believe that this music is on par with much of the current scene in art music and added to the overall texture of the film.
On a farm in the middle of Iowa, away from large cities, we still see the same amount of alienation and nervousness that many in urban areas possess, but there is also a certain amount of independence and vitality. One of the lessons of the film is its reminder of man's often tortured but also beautiful connection to nature.
However, other than any personal interpretation of the imagery that one may construct in his own mind, this film has very little to do with environmental, health, or political issues. What is great about this film especially is a depiction of a life experience in relation to nature that is almost "Steinbeckian." This is especially seen in the mannerisms of the subjects and their slow, frank way of talking.
I consistently hear people in various religious groups on television and in churches stating that morality in our culture is decaying. I really disagree. I think that the things people see as examples of this are simply out in the open where fifty years ago they were repressed under strict rules of society.
At the same time, perhaps one may find that there is a different sort of moral decay going on in our current society that has nothing to do with supposed sexual or drug related immorality as we contemplate how much the subject of this film struggled for what he believed in; how hard he worked for his entire life. At one point in the film, the man, nearly 100, and still working the land cites a saying stating that if you move to the city, you die within two years.
Despite communication problems illustrated by family members, one cannot help but have admiration for this man that lived a life with so much durability and drive. Perhaps it is a lack of this earnestness, self sacrifice, and independent responsibility we can see in our politicians and large corporations that is the true moral decay of our time.
Despite my feelings on GMO seed, after seeing this film, I do not believe that the subject's desire to push his hybrid corn was fueled by a desire for money. This is illustrated in his statement that he used to drive all over Nebraska and Iowa, giving people his seeds for free, begging them to try them. He really believed that he was helping people by producing a superior crop.
As the film moves on, we learn that Beeghly also possesses a very whimsical, witty, and musical side. Perhaps this talent moved to his grandson, the maker of the film, who wrote and performed the music for the soundtrack. As an aspiring classical musician, I believe that this music is on par with much of the current scene in art music and added to the overall texture of the film.
On a farm in the middle of Iowa, away from large cities, we still see the same amount of alienation and nervousness that many in urban areas possess, but there is also a certain amount of independence and vitality. One of the lessons of the film is its reminder of man's often tortured but also beautiful connection to nature.