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Zeroville
329 pages, 2007
In 1969, a movie-obsessed ex-seminarian with tattooed images of Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift on his head is dropped off at Hollywood Boulevard by a Greyhound bus. Vikar Jerome steps into the vortex of a cultural transformation: rock ’n’ roll, sex, drugs, and — far more important to him — the decline of the movie studios and the rise of the independent director.
He will become an editor of astonishing vision. Then through encounters with former starlets, burglars, political guerrillas, punk musicians, and veteran filmmakers he discovers a secret that lies in every movie ever made.
In Zeroville, Steve Erickson explores the theme of obsession through the main character, Vikar. He's so obsessed with film that it becomes his entire life. This book makes you think about your own passions and how they shape your life. Are you like Vikar, completely consumed by your obsession? Or do you have a healthy balance? It's worth taking a look at.
Erickson's book is a love letter to the magic of movies. It shows how films can transport us to different worlds, influence our emotions, and even shape our perceptions of reality. If you're a movie buff, you'll find yourself nodding along with many of the points he makes. And if you're not, you might just be inspired to check out a few classics.
Zeroville plays with the concept of time in a fascinating way. Erickson doesn't present events in a linear fashion, instead, he jumps back and forth, creating a dreamlike narrative. This approach encourages us to think about how we perceive time and memory. It's a bit of a mind-bender, but definitely worth exploring.
The book is set in Hollywood during a time of great change - the transition from classic cinema to the New Hollywood era. Erickson uses this backdrop to explore how change impacts individuals and industries. It's a reminder that change is inevitable and we must learn to adapt. So, take a look at your own life. How do you handle change?
Throughout Zeroville, Vikar is on a quest to find meaning - in films, in his life, in the world around him. This search is something we can all relate to. Erickson's book encourages us to dig deeper and find our own meaning in life. It's a journey that's both challenging and rewarding.
