1/14/13

The Master: A Love Song




The Master is a film rich with subext that some people have found difficult to understand. The premise of the film and media attention has sturred some to expect a commentary about new age religions but I don’t think that could be further from the truth. I’m sure there are many interpretations of the film, but this is the one that worked for me. 
The Master, I believe, is ultimately about dominant/subordinate relationships. Freddie Quell, unable to return to the love of his life, finds a rebound companion in Lancaster Dodd, and when he leaves it breaks Lancaster’s heart. It’s not a sexual relationship – though sex is a major component to the story. It’s much more interesting and complex than that. Which is why, perhaps, it is best told in a puzzle-like fashion. The clues into the subtext and meaning, however, aren’t hidden at all. In fact, you could say they’re right under our ears...