Rumble Fish

Rumble Fish is a great movie, but unfortunately, it was ahead of its time and not appreciated for the remarkable work of art that it is. Like Leonardo DaVinci's great masterpiece, The Mona Lisa, it's enigmatic, mystifying, and unforgettable...and to me, after many viewing, still thoroughly beguiling. I don't recommend Rumble Fish for everyone,...but only for those who enjoy a thought provoking and creative movie experience that posseses that certain quality that underscores a great movie from merely a good one. .

The point of view in this book is important. First person from main character's POV is important for the last chapter because the narrator is telling someone else's story while telling their own. It's important for the transformation that happens later in the story, and it's a storytelling technique I first encountered in this novel and have not seen since. The language is spare and honest, simple, which is good for a middle school audience. Reading it again in my fifties for nostalgia's sake, I'm still impressed by this fairy tale because it holds up over the half century since it was first published.

I know for many the advice is the other way round, but I really think you should see the film before you read the book. It gave the book a third dimension that would otherwise have been absent. However, it was amazing at how close the two were to each other, most likely because Hinton co-wrote the screenplay (check her out as the hooker early on in the film). Most of the action and dialogue were exactly the same, and that dialogue was really amazing in the book, so I was happy they jibed. The only thing I didn't like about the book was the whole Steve on the beach bookends, they felt like a literary contrivance and I am glad they didn't make it to film.

Just a note on the film score; another thing that made it one of my favorites movies of all time was the brilliant score by Stewart Copeland, the ex-The Police drummer who's probably most well known for his music for "The Equalizer" tv show in the 80's. I remember finding the LP at Rainbow Records in Oklahoma City and I still have it even after selling off most my vinyl in the late 80's to replace it with cd's.

Oh, all that and I was born in Tulsa too. . .

This is a book about a boy who bases his whole life off of a few desires, gets what he wants, and realizes that it isn't so good after all. The story itself has no real plot line, but I can guarantee that it will make an impact on the reader. Just a warning: Rusty-James, the main character, is not very smart. If you want to read about someone you can look up to, this book is not for you.