What works of art do you turn to when you are depressed, anxious, or to neutralize unwanted moods?

[Mike 03]

About four years ago I kept a Live-Journal and one of my friends made a fascinating posts: Movies she loved to watch when she was depressed. I thought these might be comedies or lighter diversions, but they were all violent, extremely depressing films.

The only one I can recall now is:

APOCALYPSE NOW

And then I though: That is what I usually watch too when I get depressed.

Some of the films I gravitate towards when I'm in a really low mood are:

THE GODFATHER PART II
THE HOURS
CASINO
THE DEPARTED
BARRY LYNDON
SE7EN
KILL BILL
FULL METAL JACKET

Some books:

Boswell's "Life of Johnson"
Mario Vargas Llosa: "Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter," "Who Killed Palomino Molero?", "Death in the Andes," "Feast of the Goat."
John Irving: "Hotel New Hampshire", "World According to Garp."


Musicians:

Smashing Pumpkins
Nirvana
Hole
Nine Inch Nails
Pink Floyd

With the exception of some of Llosa's and Irving's novels, these are for the most part grim works. But this is my short list. Feel free to list as many of everything as you want.

There are no limits on this question:

What works of art of any kind provide you with comfort when you are emotionally uneasy?

[Midlodemocrat]

1. Can't answer because I'm rarely down, but I'm sorry you are, my friend.

and I hope things look up for you. And soon.

[abq e streeter]

2. proud, defiant stuff like The Clash

Tom Petty's Won't Back Down, The Wailers' Get Up Stand Up---also funny movies; the loonier the better; Animal House, any Stooges movie with Curly...

[Pharlo]

3. Works of art don't really do much for me when I'm 'emotionally uneasy'

I just spend time with my dogs. Greatest pick me up there is - at least for me.

[fizzgig]

4. go ahead and laugh, but...

i listen to the cure when i'm depressed. i listen to them when i'm in a good mood, yes, but more often when i'm down.

and yes, in case you were wondering, i did hang out with goth kids in high school.

[datasuspect]

5. buck owens is always good whenever

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

6. Usually music or books

I love re-reading R.F. Delderfield's best stuff: The "Swann Saga" (God is an Englishman/Theirs Was the Kingdom/Give Us This Day) is 2500 pages of superlative storytelling and "To Serve Them All My Days" is simply one of the loveliest things ever written. "The Dreaming Suburb" and its sequel "The Avenue Goes to War" are prime stuff as well. I also tend to like horror novels when I am down - King, Simmons, McCammon.

Musically, Beethoven's 5th and 8th always pick me up, as do Brahms' Academic Festival Overture and his supremely mellow Clarinet Quintet. Duke Ellington and Carla Bley are great at chasing away the blues.

The absolute number one foul-mood banisher for me is a Korean girl group (now defunct) called Sugar. Imagine, if you will, Yellow Magic Orchestra playing fizzy, highly sophisticated techno/dance pop and fronted by four ridiculously adorable young women, all of whom can actually sing quite well. Their CD single "Heart and Soul" (recorded in Japan and sung in Japanese) puts a smile on my face 100 times out of 100 listenings.

[begin_within]

7. "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" clears all the negative thoughts out of your head.

[MrSlayer]

8. Celtic Frost's "Morbid Tales" album.

Exellent mood music.

Procreation of the Wicked in particular does it for me.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5sSOni66C8

[greendog]

9. Blind Blake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-lx07U6Rz0

[Xipe Totec]

10. Death to Smoochie n/t

[blue neen]

11. I love to look at paintings by Van Gogh when I'm down.

He was such a genius and lived under such difficult circumstances. There is so much to see in those paintings.

Movies? Some of the "Pink Panther" series...Peter Sellers was another genius. :rofl:

I love to play the piano when I'm feeling a little low. It's relaxing and takes your mind off your troubles.

Dave Barry's humor books are great to read and always manage to cheer me up. He is hilarious. :)

An incredible piece of music to listen to that just takes you away: Carnival of the Animals, the Aquarium by Saint-Saens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdTynzJZv5w

[eauclaireliberal]

12. This makes me laugh EVERY time I see this

Lightens my mood.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMpj31ZmkBA

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

13. Here's a work of art I like

Of Course, it's mine so I might be biased :)