Grace told me I should watch La Grande Belleza, so I started watching it last week and little by little finished watching it tonight. It took me a few different attempts because I don't understand Italian and when it comes to subtitles, I get distracted and lose track fairly easily. It was definitely a nice movie to watch, because it holds great qualities and specifically great noir qualities which are hard to come by when combined with a coherent storyline. But what I really enjoyed was Rome, where the movie takes place. My one visit to Rome was pretty recently, in January of 2016, and what a powerful and impactful place. Its exquisiteness stretches to infinity and you cannot be, but jealous of its everlasting beauty. Rome, like Jerusalem, New-York, Paris, Athens and more, was once the center of the world. I like to think, and I hope, that Los Angeles will be remembered as the center of the world of the 21st century. To become the center of the world, a city has to have the circumstances that dictate world affairs - if in arts, politics, media or faith. But then maybe also money. LA's power lies in Money, because it dictates that people with money find what they're looking for, and people without money find people with money. LA is where the American dream is not taboo, but visible. Just like beauty is so visible in Rome. LA is to the 21st century what New-York was to the twentieth century - at least I hope, because it will need more than Money. It will need become a great beauty.
Monday, July 31, 2017