Bookkake

The Day of the Locust
Nathanael West

Towards the end of the book there was a passage which summed up how I felt with this short story/novella...

"Their boredom becomes more and more terrible. They realize that they've been tricked and burn with resentment."

I felt this story to be rather weak compared to the near masterpiece that is Miss Lonelyhearts. It centers around a cadre of men who are in it to win it with a lolitaesque with far fetched dreams of being a film star. It takes place in Los Angeles, duh, and while it has interesting bits (I love a good cockfight) everyone is drawn one dimensionally and I had no feelings towards anyone. I just couldn't relate to anyone's motivation other than my own which was to finish before I tossed it aside. An award winning movie of the same name was made and here's my ancient review of that delight....

- The Day of the Locust (1975) *1/2
Dir: John Schlesinger

Two plus hours of down and out Hollywood folk. Boring...like watching paint dry, except you don't get high from the fumes. You just stay bored...