Itʼs Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books

Description

«Richard Linklater's first feature film, shot on Super-8 for $3000, follows the wanderings of a young man (played by Linklater himself) as he travels across the country by bus and train, encountering friends and strangers in everyday situations – the filmmaker's interest in temporality and ordinary human interaction is already evident. Linklater (…) described the film as ‹primarily a visual experience›, an ‹indirect narrative› about alienation, communication, the banality of life, and the experience of travel.» (Criterion Collection) «With Learn to Plow, Richard created a film that was both extremely realistic and painfully poetic. There is not a single false note, and I never felt I was watching acting or actors. These were real people and that was real life, and both were very dear to me. I tell my students that films are about movement and emotions, and Rick's film unites both in perfection. Time and history have confirmed my assessment at the time, and Rick has gone on to make wonderful films. The foundation for that was laid in It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books.» (Monte Hellman, Criterion, Sep 2004) Contributors and additional information: Director: Richard Linklater Screenplay: Richard Linklater Cinematography: Richard Linklater Editing: Richard Linklater Cast: Richard Linklater, James Goodwin, Dan Kratochvil, Linda Finney, Tracy Crabtree, Linda Levine