Swimming to Cambodia

by Spalding Gray

Book Overview

"It took courage to do what Spalding did--courage to make theatre so naked and unadorned, to expose himself in this way and fight the demons in public. In doing so, he entered our hearts--my... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 093045250X
• ISBN13: 9780930452506
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group
• Length: 127 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Dont Forget

The other reviewers said pretty much all I would want to say.. (Its Great) But, this film also has a sountrack (sort of) by none other than Laurie Anderson. Even if I wasnt a Gray fan I'd get it just for the weird noises and sometimes "nice" sounds.

One word: Captivating.

I was glued to the TV the entire time this was on--I couldn't even tear myself away to get a drink or go to the bathroom. Spalding is quite the story teller, and even the rather mundane underlying story (basically, "I had this small role in a movie"), really comes to life with all his voices and expressions and history lessons and tangents... I've never heard anyone before or since tell stories in such a way. After all, this is just a guy sitting in front of an audience talking. Who would think it would be so memorable?

Gripping and Intensive

Yes, it is a documentary and, yes, it is a monologue. Yes, he discusses the sex trade in Cambodia which is extemely explicit. But this is about Cambodia. This is about the Killing Fields. This is about our involvement in that history. There is nothing gratuitous. Gray is captivating as he sits on a darkened stage with his words and topics accented with strategic lighting, maps, sounds and video clips. You will leave this film with a new understanding of what happened from Cambodia to Kent State. He also has a unique insight into mankind. In this, his "Talking Cure", you will be compelled to try to answer the question that he wrestles with - 'Is morality a moving feast?'. This is an important film.

Fascinating story as told by a madman.

This movie is simply amazing. Spalding Gray sits behind a small wooden desk with a glass of water and talks. Sounds simple right? Well you just have to experience his twisted perception of reality to understand. After this, you'll want to seek out every monologue he's done, as I have.

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.