The cows are visited by longtime San Francisco resident and old friend Robert Pierce to discuss Francis Ford Coppola’s 70s paranoia thriller. Situated in the tumultuous transition period of the mid-1970s, the movie captures the cynicism of a generation slowly being engulfed by the temptations of urban renewal and fears of privacy violations. We consider how Coppola and Hackman craft a compelling character study out of a protagonist riddled with contradictions by injecting elements of their own life into the story. We also explore the pragmatics of focal stress and marvel at humans’ ability to understand complex nuances of language and film conventions without conscious thought.
Our guest this week, Robert Pierce, worked for years as a photographer and videographer for the Central Subway Project in San Francisco. During that time, he got to know the city intimately, and brings his unique perspective on the locations and context of The Conversation. Below are some of Robert’s photos of San Francisco.
He’d kill us if he got the chance.
Mark
