Under The Volcano by Malcolm Lowry

[kelby_lake]

Basically it's about the last day of an alcoholic Consul's life, symbolically on the Mexican festival called Day of The Dead.

Spanning as it does 24 hours, it makes for an intense, if somewhat confusing, read. To say it is a pleasurable read would be inaccurate- after all, it's about an alcoholic's descent into hell- but it is an intriguing read and his relationship with his wife Yvonne and half-brother Hugh is interesting.

[dfloyd]

sweaty Albert Finney. It was hard to believe this was the same actor who played Tom Jones around 1960. That aside, the movie is very good. I would like to read the book if I can get our library to import it. The fat Finney looks somewhat rediculous wearing his old school tie around his protruding waist.

[kelby_lake]

I really want to see the movie- have to wait for dvd rental grr

[neilgee]

I remember the ending really shocked me, so simple and brutal after trying to follow the consul's complex interior monologue for so long.

I've read a Lowry biography and what it made me realise is that Lowry actually lead the kind of life he describes. He was a rampant alcoholic who needed a drink to stop shaking in the morning just like the consul, he was sent to drying out clinics a couple of times but relapsed immediately on both occasions, so it's fair to say that Volcano was a novel about alcoholism [not exclusively, but it plays a major part] written in the throes of alcoholism, which makes the novel an incredible feat.

[dfloyd]

As a recovered alcoholic, with ten years without a drink, I saw myself as portrayed by Finney. But the alcoholism aside, the movie is enjoyable. Finney's overweight and the tying of his tie around his abdomen are not a criticism, just pointing out they give credence to his role.