The Elements of Style
September 25, 2006 by Austin
A genre is sometimes defined by its conventions. The Epic Poem, for example, starts in medias res, has the obligatory trip to the underworld, and features the almost divine hero figure. Think Homer’s Odyssey. Or Virgil’s Aeneid.
The bike messenger movie on the other hand, has other, different conventions. While some of these conventions may overlap, the bike messenger movie usually features excessive drinking, the punk or metal soundtrack, physical injury, and the mad bike skills. Here is one fine example.
[gv data="http://www.youtube.com/?v=qaxAEXBBKfY"][/gv]
Well, this is a far cry for the big-screen (and Big Mistake) “Quicksilver”. But, given my brief messenger stint here in NYC in the summer of ’95, this clip doesn’t resonate with me much, probably on account of my age (I was 40 at the time…whew!), and that the NYC messenger culture at the time was a tad mellower – negotiating Manhattan traffic at speed was “extreme” enough, thankyouverymuch, and by itself worthy of respect – but the cameraderie was huge, and I won’t forget that, above all…the true Refuge Of the Road.
- Barrett