Joe vs. the Volcano

John Patrick Shanley's name has been in the news again, largely due to his success with his new Broadway play, "Dirty Story."

Shanley is a brilliant writer, who has won a number of awards for his plays and movies (including "Moonstruck."); however, whenever you hear Shanley's name mentioned, you also hear about his supposedly-failed comedy: "Joe Versus the Volcano."

I was introduced to this movie in a class in high school, and was astounded by the symbolism throughout it. The story revolves around a hypochondriac named Joe (Tom Hanks) who works in a dead-end job at a factory. After learning that he has been diagnosed with a terminal disease, he quits his job and is convinced by a billionaire to jump into a volcano for a week or two of luxury(and a manly exit to the world). While fulfilling his end of the bargain, Joe comes into contact with true love and a peace about his existence.

If you saw the movie and this plot was all you got out of it (like most people), then you probably didn't like it. It's humor is fairly dark and ironic...not a good popcorn movie. That said, if you see the movie as a Voltaire-esque collection of symbolism, then you can really start to enjoy the movie.

Much like Candide, Joe is an everyman who wanders into life-changing moments, filled with bizarre characters, and reacts to them honestly. The scene with Joe adrift on a raft, giving thanks to God for an experience with the moon, is one of the most powerful scenes I have ever seen. I am not going to give away too much about the movie...go see it yourself; but, here are several things to look out for:

• The road to Joe's factory, the symbol for the factory, the lightning bolt that hits Joe's Boat, and the crooked path up the volcano are all the same shape and would seem to point to the crooked path life takes us in.
• The lamp that Joe brings into his office displays the future events in the movie, including the yacht, a volcano (with the same twisting road), a large full moon, and plays the film's theme song, "Marooned Without You".
• Joseph Banks was the name of Captain Cook's chief botanist on his expeditions to the South Pacific in the 18th century.
• The books that Joe shows to Mr. Waturi describe the plot of the film: "Romeo and Juliet", "Robinson Crusoe", and "The Odyssey".
• When Joe and DeDe leave the restaurant, there is a billboard on the left with a picture of an erupting volcano and the words "Fire in Paradise".
• The four steamer trunks seem to represent the four Gospels/faith..a subtle hint towards Christian undertones
• The mask worn by the Waponi who is representing the evil spirit resembles the factory where Joe used to work.
• There are at least four references to losing one's soul:

• in the song "Sixteen Tons" played at the start of the movie, the lyric "I sold my soul to the company store"
• Joe responds to DeDe's question in the factory while inspecting his damaged shoe
• Patricia's reference to being soul sick the first night on the yacht
• several lines involving the Waponi's Tobi Chief such as when Joe states that he hopes the chief will not lose his Tobi (soul).