Itʼs Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books

“Richard Linklater’s first feature film, shot on Super 8 for $3,000, follows the wanderings of a young man (played by Linklater himself) as he travels across the country by bus and train, encountering friends and strangers in everyday situations – the filmmaker’s interest in the passage of time and ordinary human interaction was already evident. Linklater (…) has described the film as ‘primarily a visual experience’, an ‘indirect narrative’ about alienation, communication, the banality of life and the experience of travelling.” (Criterion Collection)

‘With Learn to Plow, Richard created a film that was at once extremely realistic and painfully poetic. There isn’t a single false note in it, and I never felt as though I was watching acting or actors. These were real people and that was real life, and both were very close to my heart. I tell my students that films are about movement and emotion, and Rick’s film combines both to perfection. Time and history have confirmed my assessment at the time, and Rick has gone on to make wonderful films. The foundation for this was laid in It’s Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books.” (Monte Hellman, Criterion, Sep 2004)