Spartan,asalways

InMametsmind,theremustbefondassociationwiththewordquot;Spartanquot;,forhistasteindialoguesandactingdoeshaveaDraconianqualitytoit.Watchingthismovieasecondtime,Ifindmyselfinamoreleisuredpace,whichishardtodoforaMametfilmthefirsttimearound:theconversationtendstobelessthandirect,loadedwithslangs,inner-ringreferences,andsurprisinganalogiesorsimilesthatyouarenotsureifyougetthemright(quot;What?Antspissingoncotton---isthatright?quot;).Thereisnocourtesyfromthedirectortotakeyourhandsandshowyouaroundtheplotdevelopment;Mametisreservedwithinfotosharewiththeaudience,andyouareexpectedtobesurprisedsidebysidewiththecharacters---thisisonedirectorwhoseplotisprettyhardtosecondguess.ButyouAREthrownbitsandpiecesofthejigsawthatyouaresupposedtopiecetogether.Youareinvitedtoapuzzle.NowthatIammoreleisured,IhavetimetosummarizewhatIlikeaboutMametsmovies.Hereareafewthoughts:-ThereisalwaysanelegiacqualitytoMametsmovie,underscoredbysoundtrack.Buttheresnoclearreferencetoanybygonetimeandplace,asinWesterns.Hereisnostalgiawithoutahome.Thefilmissuffusedwithacontrolledpessimism,emotionalisolation,outofcynicismanddistrust,and,mostremarkably,acuriousdesolationofspirit.Somemaycallitparanoid,butitismorecomplexandlayeredthanonemansparanoid.ItisuniquelyMamet-ian.-Mametsdialogueshaveadistinct,deliberatecadence,withwhichallactorsandactressesneedtocomply,includinggreatslikeHackman.Veryreassuring,andpromisinginanold-friendsortofway,tellingyouthatinspiteofthestrangelandscape,youareinfamiliarcountry.However,theydotendtosoundlessbrilliantwhenyouwatchthemovieasecondtime.-Relatedarethechewy,quizzicallinesthatIalwaysrelish,sentenceslike:quot;Youwantedtogothroughthelookingglass.quot;OR:quot;IsawtheSign.quot;---quot;Thenyouaretrulyblessed.quot;Theyalwaysmakesensewhentheplotmoveson.Thetrickistheleadtime,orquot;时间差quot;:ifdeliveredafewminuteslater,youwouldhaveexpectedit,thenitlostthecharm.Timingiseverything.Iloveitwhenplaywrightsforthetheaterturntodirectorwriteformovies.HaroldPinteristoomonochromatic;SamShepherdisnoteccentricenough,formytaste;MametistheMan.quot;Thenyouaretrulyblessed.quot;