Friday, September 3, 2010

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" Bonnie Tyler



Bonnie Tyler is a Catholic school teacher. She has just terminated an affair with a student, due to the immense guilt it caused her. She stands in her room, staring at the full moon through heavily lined eyes as she remembers. This was about the time he would come to her when they were seeing each other, his eyes glowing as he opened the door. (No. Literally.)

In a fit of EMOTION she flees the bright comfort of her well appointed home for the school she teaches at, hoping to find closure. She expects it to be dark and empty, but no! Her tortured psyche fills every room with manifestations of her lust. She is mocked by images of the lovely young boys she must work with every day but remain distant from. Boys in swimsuits, football gear, at desks, fencing. Her other sexual fantasies begin to seep in: leather jacketed gangs, angry secret societies at fancy dinners, ninjas. She tries to run from her inappropriate feelings but at the end of the hallway, she finds them staring her in the face. An entire choir of boys, their eyes alight with the Almighty's holy judgement. She tries to run again, but she is cut off, surrounded by her lustful imaginings, dancing, twisting, bending, teasing her. She gives up and collapses.

The next day she meets her new class for the year, which includes-collective gasp!- her old paramour. They share a heated, uncomfortable moment. Nothing good will come of this.

The doves we see throughout symbolize the purity she is struggling to retain, that keeps on flying away from her. The little boy sitting in the winged chair is a young, precocious student, and also an angel, attempting to help her become more virtuous and failing.

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