When I first heard about this movie dealing with lucid dreaming I was so psyched that I raced off and bought a copy. The addiction was instantaneous. After one viewing, it became the ambient dvd I'd turn on before sleep every night trying to subconsciously induce conscious dreaming. What a treasure this was to me, and getting up reflecting what I had dreamt about the night before became an enlightening exercise. The results were varied, but aside from them I knew I had found an exceptional film.
Throughout the dialog, and the erratic, dream-like flow of conversation and actors, Waking Life becomes a source of reflection and conversation as would a true documentary. Mixing original film with archived film, and processing it into a wispy animation, the movie can place dead philosophers in supposed conversation with the characters of the film. It's purposed as if it were to fulfill the question "If you could have lunch with anyone, alive or dead... Who would it be?"
The movie is demanding but obscure, and it can force a person into metaphysical coma. Afterward you may have difficulty finding anyone to speak with about this movie outside of a film study group -the cinematography of the movie is so astounding discussing it is a completely different embodiment of ideas. Indeed, the philosophy of this movie is quite substantial but perfectly delivered through the artistry in which it was shot. From the very beginning it takes you through a world of imagination and peace, and with jazz and poetry it pulls you through some of the deepest questions of love, existence, and eternity.
I'm going to cut myself short there; I could go on for much longer about this. Instead I'll leave you with the few links below. If you know this movie already, and have a passion for it as I do, I'd love to hear. I'm also crazy to hear about your dream addictions.
Thanks,
-J.
p.s. I previously posted this on www.ChuckPalahniuk.net
from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waking_Life):
Waking Life is about a young man in a persistent lucid dream-like state. The film follows its protagonist as he initially observes and later participates in philosophical discussions that weave together issues like reality, free will, our relationships with others, and the meaning of life. Along the way the film touches on other topics including existentialism, situationist politics, posthumanity, and the film theory of André Bazin.
buy a copy:
http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Life-Ethan-Hawke/dp/B00005YU1O
