Swimming To Cambodia

Fantastic
Swimming to Cambodia was my introduction to the late, great Spalding Gray and it was a great one. I had previously had the misguided idea that monolouges were dull and not the proper subject matter for film. Happily, Mr.Gray proved me wrong with this one performance that is both thoughtful and hilarious. His vivid storytelling and animated delivery create lasting images in the mind of the viewer, so don't let the fact that this movie takes place entirely behind a desk hinder your enjoyment of the story. It's a classic.

An all-time favorite--and yes, I have friends, too!
Ok, so I couldn't just let this go by without doing something. One opinion does not a ratings system make, so allow a tempered voice of reason to enter the field and bring that "1 star" rating up a notch or two for a very deserving film. Having first seen "The Killing Fields" many times, I was fascinated to come across this little gem. While yes, it is true that Gray sits behind a desk most of the time and talks, that is what makes this film so special. Yes, it's a one-person show, but what's wrong with that if what the person has to say is engaging, stimulating and thought-provoking? I welcome the opportunity to spend time once in awhile listening to someone spin a yarn about their adventures, misadventures and epiphanies. I recommend you first watch "The Killing Fields", an excellent movie based on a true story, and then wait a day or two before sinking into the sofa with a big tub o'microwave popcorn and this dvd.

UNFORGETTABLE!!!
This film blew me away. This guy sits behind a small desk on-stage in a small auditorium with a couple of maps of Southeast Asia behind him and talks for two hours. Spalding Gray's descriptions of Phuket, Thailand beat any travelogue hands-down. His oral history of Cambodia is as fascinating as it is succinct. His word-pictures and imagery of his experiences in Southeast Asia, on the train from Philadelphia to Chicago, and in his girlfriend's downtown New York neighborhood display his mastery of the art of storytelling. You don't just hear it, you experience it! This film is worth playing again and again and again.

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