DATo
Active Member
Most people who are familiar with Being There know it as the 1979 movie by the same title which starred Peter Sellers as Chauncey Gardiner. Few may be aware that the movie was based upon a very short novella by Jerzy Kosinski.
Peter Sellers fell in love with this book and lobbied long and hard to bring it to the movie screen with the stated intention of characterizing the role of Chance himself. As we know he ultimately succeeded, turning in a stellar performance shortly before his death in 1980.
The title of the story is taken from Martin Heidegger's book Being and Time and is taken from the German word Dasein which loosely translates to existing in time. The story is a comic foray into the philosophical concept of existentialism.
Both the book and movie closely follow the same story line but abruptly change course at the end. The effect of the movie ending is meant to convey the same idea but does so in a radically different manner.
This is a short and satisfying read which allows the 3rd person narrative to go where the movie could not, thus adding at times a slightly unique slant to the comic interpretation.
If you can find it I would certainly recommend it as a nice, literary palate cleanser between the reading of more serious novels.
Peter Sellers fell in love with this book and lobbied long and hard to bring it to the movie screen with the stated intention of characterizing the role of Chance himself. As we know he ultimately succeeded, turning in a stellar performance shortly before his death in 1980.
The title of the story is taken from Martin Heidegger's book Being and Time and is taken from the German word Dasein which loosely translates to existing in time. The story is a comic foray into the philosophical concept of existentialism.
Both the book and movie closely follow the same story line but abruptly change course at the end. The effect of the movie ending is meant to convey the same idea but does so in a radically different manner.
This is a short and satisfying read which allows the 3rd person narrative to go where the movie could not, thus adding at times a slightly unique slant to the comic interpretation.
If you can find it I would certainly recommend it as a nice, literary palate cleanser between the reading of more serious novels.
