tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11928339265002809842024-03-06T21:05:39.193+13:00Musings From Another StarLeftist pop culture analysisCaleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-84256039955547381142023-06-23T16:00:00.008+12:002023-06-23T16:00:00.138+12:00Thor: Love and Thunder - A Messy Fantasy Romcom about Learning to Be Vulnerable<p>So, here we are again. It's been several years since I last updated this blog, way back in December 2020. Hopefully, people will still want to read what I have to say. Fittingly enough considering the subject of this article, my last piece was about how a <a href="https://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.com/2020/09/thor-last-days-of-midgard.html">Thor comic helped me hold on to hope in a dying world</a>. But let us turn our attention to the present and today's focus - <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i>. </p><p>Ah, <i>Love and Thunder</i>. Rarely has a MCU film been so divisive or misunderstood. </p><p>As we approach the one year anniversary of its release back in July of 2022, I want to reflect on why this film has been worming around in my head, how I can't seem to let it go despite how its flaws or how messy it is. Why a lot of people genuinely do not seem to understand what Taika Waititi was doing with Thor, and why <i>Thor: Love and Thunde</i>r is a classic Thor adventure about loss, love, trauma, and false bravado.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAzOHhsxZW2GDLUmRKGmFsQkg7vkR80o79PUUpiGM29y3DQzvXpuMYz3t1zDXiosr5s4JHrn5cY1CwYopLsXNgzpROcbEdDsCV_fJfPm0BufwEW6OsRqQgD5BPDCiKgl3mQMO2W-teP0Ayj424d6De7JoGXhg2-XmxpPqiilkCmpKuzj7iqDrx62u/s1094/Thor%209.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="1094" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjAzOHhsxZW2GDLUmRKGmFsQkg7vkR80o79PUUpiGM29y3DQzvXpuMYz3t1zDXiosr5s4JHrn5cY1CwYopLsXNgzpROcbEdDsCV_fJfPm0BufwEW6OsRqQgD5BPDCiKgl3mQMO2W-teP0Ayj424d6De7JoGXhg2-XmxpPqiilkCmpKuzj7iqDrx62u/w640-h358/Thor%209.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"A classic Thor adventure? You must be joking."</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">How did we get here?</span></h2><div>If you've read my blog before, you will know that I wrote <a href="https://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.com/2019/07/my-complicated-relationship-with-thor-odinson.html">a very long and personal piece about my complicated relationship with Thor</a> and his chaotic character growth throughout the MCU back in 2019. Please read if you haven't, aside from giving a more detailed summary of how we got here than I will provide here, it's probably my favourite of the articles I've written for this blog and was strangely cathartic to get out. </div><div><br /></div><div>As detailed in that piece, Thor's arc in the MCU has been one of progression and regression across his six film appearances up to that point, a struggle between being the king he was born to be and the good man he is trying to be, between false bravado and humility, between love and loss. Thor's character is an examination of fragile masculinity and ego in the pursuit to be worthy.</div><div><br /></div><div>To quote my previous article as means to recap:</div><blockquote><div>In his first solo film and in <i>The Avengers</i>, Thor gains humility after being stripped of his powers and learning the value of self-sacrifice, not to mention how to work in a team of equals. In <i>The Dark World</i> and <i>Age of Ultron</i>, he learns to build instead of destroy, creating Vision and fearing the destruction he might cause. So naturally it is in <i>Ragnarok</i> that he achieves self-understanding and realises his best self.</div></blockquote><div>However, as we all know, this progression is not a straight line for Thor but an ongoing circular struggle to find a sense purpose on his journey towards worthiness. Which is why Thor goes from the fully realised and complete "version of himself who no longer relies on external symbols of power, such as his hammer or titles, but instead recognises his own inner strength and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone" in <i>Thor: Ragnarok</i>...</div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikveXa0skK1ZBTC7jFYdKvhXQ_UyMqXciEJUGzNjRuz2LTgXHniSfeDGRAtufMDbO254Urj0DOHJmGFBym-CJjuE6OW9AE5vu8-HrnOtnS8i-s9JXA0eu6IEVSqrEzHooY27WLv4jC2pGOoXK5_p6QkTCUY8jY2WQ97Ag03zMERtapIdMnZUnN0549/s1280/Thor%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikveXa0skK1ZBTC7jFYdKvhXQ_UyMqXciEJUGzNjRuz2LTgXHniSfeDGRAtufMDbO254Urj0DOHJmGFBym-CJjuE6OW9AE5vu8-HrnOtnS8i-s9JXA0eu6IEVSqrEzHooY27WLv4jC2pGOoXK5_p6QkTCUY8jY2WQ97Ag03zMERtapIdMnZUnN0549/w640-h360/Thor%201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This moment here, in case you forgot.</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div>To a god broken by all he has lost and desperate for revenge in <i>Infinity War</i> and then finally the depressed shattered shell we see in <i>Endgame</i>, a man wracked with guilt and PTSD who hides his feelings under a dad bod fueled by pizza and copious amounts of beer. Again to quote my previous article (last time, I swear): </div><blockquote><div>Thor is stripped of all the visual symbols of the wisdom he gained [in <i>Ragnarok</i>] and is reduced to a man driven by vengeance. A vengeance fueled by rage that masks his trauma and serves to obscure his grief and despair. How does Thor express this vengeance? By reverting fully into his old arrogant facade of desperate bravado, unable to admit his failings or emotions to himself, let alone to others.</div></blockquote><p>This is made clear in his emotionally wrenching conversation with Rocket where he is so obviously a man in pain and dealing with deep grief but cannot let the facade of "Mighty Thor" down.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHniF4Vp1qzVcpbixa7ob0ciz80hsJCI66kPsFMN4mZGf8wFLL-v4yjVdudwXFSzegZ6kytgygC6UIPDfODph7ay4nzk6k0GVlsOnwZb1GGGpDdQ7OPOxyT6Qjc8IrcZPfwOuJ4YopMN-KmZCzD-cwtPgndtS-Bpl2AAQmE4Jmr15qH2M7bKMO4QVL/s540/Thor%2025.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="540" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHniF4Vp1qzVcpbixa7ob0ciz80hsJCI66kPsFMN4mZGf8wFLL-v4yjVdudwXFSzegZ6kytgygC6UIPDfODph7ay4nzk6k0GVlsOnwZb1GGGpDdQ7OPOxyT6Qjc8IrcZPfwOuJ4YopMN-KmZCzD-cwtPgndtS-Bpl2AAQmE4Jmr15qH2M7bKMO4QVL/w640-h260/Thor%2025.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sure, bud. Whatever you say.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It is in <i>Endgame</i> where Thor's facade finally breaks, where he finally allowed himself to be vulnerable and expressed his fears openly and honestly. I naturally am referring to the scene where he speaks with his mother. The scene which gives us the line which sums up Thor's struggle in the MCU up to that point: "Everyone fails at who they're supposed to be, Thor. The measure of a person, of a hero, is how well they succeed at being who they are." </p><p>So, Thor ends <i>Endgame</i> adrift, no longer burdened by the weight of expectations from his birthright to the Asgardian crown or his desire to be worthy. As he says to Valkyrie when she asks what he will do, "I'm not sure. For the first time in a thousand years, I... I have no path. I do have a ride, though."</p><p>And this is where <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> picks things up.</p><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Alone in the Crowd - The Asgardians of the Galaxy</span></h2><div>While the film opens with Gorr, and we will get to Gorr, don't worry about that, I would like to start my examination of <i>Love and Thunder</i> by discussing that ride Thor got at the end of <i>Endgame</i> and the function of the Guardians of the Galaxy in the film.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I know some people were upset by the limited time the Guardians spent in the film. I initially was a bit confused why they are in the film for about 30 minutes before they jet out of there, happy to leave the Chud of Thunder behind. But that's the point. This is Thor's story, the Guardians are just there to help begin his journey towards vulnerability and love. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the beginning of the film, Thor is completely adrift. As Korg says in his voice-over narration, which frames the film as a legend told to children around a campfire, </div><blockquote><div>But beneath this God bod, there was still a sad bod just trying to get out. Because all of the bods that Thor had worn over the years couldn't hide the pain that he was feeling on the inside. So he gave up his search for love, accepting he was only good for one thing... Waiting in quiet contemplation for someone to say, 'Thor, we need your help to win this battle.'</div></blockquote><p>On a sidenote, it boggles my mind when I see people say they don't know what <i>Love and Thunder</i> was about. The film literally has Korg say out loud the themes of the story, either in narration or directly to other characters, multiple times. If anything, the film is too blunt about what it's about, but I digress.</p><p>Unable to find sense or purpose in his adventures with the Guardians and still wracked with grief and unable to process his loss, he is pompous and careless, not really aware of how his actions or behaviour impacts on others. All of which is perfectly established in the first fight scene on the planet Indigarr.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fT8V6dFxTTY" width="320" youtube-src-id="fT8V6dFxTTY"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>To be clear, I think this scene is great. The over-the-top ridiculous action, the late 80s heavy metal fantasy aesthetic with Jim Henson inspired puppetry, all set to Guns N' Roses is perfect. No notes. </div><div><br /></div><div>It also perfectly sets up Thor's arc for the film. We can see this in how Thor is late to the battle, too busy with quiet contemplation to join the fray but still chides Star Lord and Mantis for not hurrying up since "people are dying". When he arrives on the battlefield, King Yakan comments that he has finally join their fight and Thor responds, "You know what they say, better late than not at all." </div><div><br /></div><div>Thor seems incapable to take responsibilities as a god or a hero seriously because he sees no purpose in the constant fighting. This is Thor without purpose, a grandiose caricature of himself, leaning into a braggadocios version of his own legend. This is clear in how Thor focuses on heroic mythmaking rather than saving people, illustrated in how he instructs King Yakan to:</div><blockquote><div>"Tell them what happened here today, tell them of the time that Thor, and his ragtag motley crew of misfit desperados, turn the tide in the battle and etched their names in history. For the odds may be against us, but I'll tell you this for free - this ends here and now!" </div></blockquote><div>Where in prior films Thor's false bravado was a way for him to hide his insecurities and sense of unworthiness under a layer of arrogant machismo, here it serves to distance himself from others and to avoid being hurt by putting on a front.</div><div><br /></div><div>And it is a front that the Guardians are completely fed up with. While Star Lord might mouth along with Thor's declaration that "This ends here and now!", his comradery quickly erodes into frustrated annoyance at Thor's pompous grandiosity as the fight goes on. Notice Star Lord's massive eye-roll, Drax's unimpressed face, and Nebula's glare when Thor does the Van Damme splits between two Booskan Raiders before blowing them up - this is Thor showboating for no reason and they all know it. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfDm3zB9ac90adb0YPE2dIRbipCfdL5opIT44SQWL98qRYl21u0HwM_vUgQNXN0zyRVdMV-o_d0lY8hQanZodN5Qodno38AMZCW10F3ReGz7ZXBrGD-9YsG2zfniOigT_NRPnsABm06YOxxJoPiZzC_tNGP_2HRbRhJMzCBiYm_O4iY1WXLEFYoeN/s498/Thor%2018.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="498" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLfDm3zB9ac90adb0YPE2dIRbipCfdL5opIT44SQWL98qRYl21u0HwM_vUgQNXN0zyRVdMV-o_d0lY8hQanZodN5Qodno38AMZCW10F3ReGz7ZXBrGD-9YsG2zfniOigT_NRPnsABm06YOxxJoPiZzC_tNGP_2HRbRhJMzCBiYm_O4iY1WXLEFYoeN/w640-h394/Thor%2018.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Can you believe this guy?"</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>And Thor doesn't even accomplish the thing he is supposed to, which was to liberate their sacred shrine. He destroys it through his carelessness and desire to look suitably 'epic' while defeating the enemy. The front he has put on might create distance from others so he isn't hurt, but it doesn't stop Thor from unwittingly hurting others through his apathetic actions.</div><p>Furthermore, Thor's act isn't fooling anyone. Perhaps because he has also often put up a braggadocios persona to hide his feelings but Star Lord sees right through Thor and tries to connect with him. He notices the distress Thor is in when he sees his friend Sif is in danger and asks if he is okay. </p><p>In an example of the film again blatantly telling us what it is about, Thor says he admires the Guardians' commitment to each but it's something he can never have. Then Star Lord tells him straight up, "After thousands of years of living, you don't seem to know who the hell you are" and to "Remember what I told you, you ever feel lost just look into the eyes of the people you love, they'll tell you exactly who you are". Wow, it's almost like he's setting up Thor's character arc and the themes of the film.</p><p>Despite all their adventures together (shown in extended montage and set to Enya), Thor never allowed himself to open up and truly join the Guardians. He never became part of their family because he refused to allow himself to be vulnerable or grow attached - so he grew adrift and lost purpose instead.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOvDltzl_paSbf97mB6DcRAaF90o7QwRhrmOfBzpxrnrCukBxj1GadYDvTcc0SywbgqR-UTHwCB_KO55knfME0Qh3DoYMGrbyuiNOQbsJC-EO6u1XDFFAw4kNhgXRYfmdZ3wHdfJksnndKOyC_07eBRfqKjs-JeeysK5H0JxgAEVp_0KBFxlrZmsY/s1280/Thor%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOvDltzl_paSbf97mB6DcRAaF90o7QwRhrmOfBzpxrnrCukBxj1GadYDvTcc0SywbgqR-UTHwCB_KO55knfME0Qh3DoYMGrbyuiNOQbsJC-EO6u1XDFFAw4kNhgXRYfmdZ3wHdfJksnndKOyC_07eBRfqKjs-JeeysK5H0JxgAEVp_0KBFxlrZmsY/w640-h360/Thor%2011.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Okay, bye guys. Have fun on your next adventure, <br />I'm sure it won't be emotionally damaging or heart-wrenchingly traumatic."</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Then the Guardians get out of dodge, leaving Thor with Korg and the screaming goats to save Sif and join the plot proper. While it might have been an anticlimactic goodbye, the use of the Guardians effectively sets up the struggle Thor will grapple with throughout his story.</p><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Rainbow in the Dark - A Bombastic Heavy Metal Fantasy</span></h2><p>Okay, I have to talk about the film's aesthetic. I love this look. Like most things, aesthetic is a nebulous thing and subjective as all hell - either you vibe with it or you don't - but I think the late 1980s metal visuals are a perfect fit for Thor, particularly Waititi's Thor. </p><p>In <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300631809/taika-waititi-reveals-the-80s-influences-that-inspired-thor-love-and-thunder">an interview with Rolling Stone</a>, Waititi said he was heavily inspired by the ridiculous over-the-top nature of metal band logos and wanted the film to be an 80s style adventure, saying “You know, just the whole thing, like all the art and everything - it feels like an 80s album cover.”</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyld5pVRAJJJ0GaxawhoosPKuvUgHFSTmkuhow4G6HrM06vbMD8TNG7C41nO-KDQIZbJaIZaD-9DPiF0NdTCDSrUgahV5Rh1ZgT0CIVeleQHvZWw4KZGICXjOPcTOJMtt3gTsQuOGLzErPjclkSm2xfv02Wd5M-JLg3ftrdohQ2oeonTCxix3UNZ2/s1364/Thor%201.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="553" data-original-width="1364" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOyld5pVRAJJJ0GaxawhoosPKuvUgHFSTmkuhow4G6HrM06vbMD8TNG7C41nO-KDQIZbJaIZaD-9DPiF0NdTCDSrUgahV5Rh1ZgT0CIVeleQHvZWw4KZGICXjOPcTOJMtt3gTsQuOGLzErPjclkSm2xfv02Wd5M-JLg3ftrdohQ2oeonTCxix3UNZ2/w640-h260/Thor%201.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, that tracks.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>And the innate ridiculousness of this aesthetic serves not only the adventure feel of the film but also the comedy which serves to point out the inherent silliness of the superhero genre and the pomposity of our glorious himbo God of Thunder.</p><p>Again, this is reflected in the opening fight scene on Indigaar's <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/07/thor-love-and-thunder-is-a-must-see-marvel-homage-to-jim-henson/?comments=1&comments-page=1">loving homage to Jim Henson classics like Fraggle Rock or Dark Crystal</a> in the design of the Booskan Raiders and their vehicles, as I mentioned earlier. </p><p>Furthermore, the heavy metal aesthetic fittingly serves the story being told, one of irreverence but with a beating emotive heart under the surface, just like how metal bands would cover their sappy love ballads in distorted power chords and blistering guitar solos.</p><p>Talking about guitar solos, in addition to the inclusion of three Guns N' Roses songs and Dio's "Rainbow in the Dark", Michael Giacchino's score mirrors this feel perfectly. Giacchino utilises screeching guitar licks and thunderous drums with slick eletronic synths to supplement his traditional swirling superhero string arrangements to complement the metal vibe of the visuals.</p><p>Waititi also stated that “Thor with the singlet, that’s obviously a homage to <i><a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/nightjarprod/content/uploads/sites/34/2022/12/11142600/gI2Qs1yTTj3NcESJyttCkbmJ4k9.jpg" target="_blank">Big Trouble in Little China</a></i>, to (Russell’s character) Jack Burton.” Possibly the fact that <i>Big Trouble</i> is a favourite film of mine probably explains why I thought Thor's singlet and sleeveless jacket look is the coolest shit.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2O7KEYOCzqUBqIP7kzi_ZgD6BFpSp768MZrf-5y6RSgz8uZDWuyk3xDkyD3Z39LSQ_Se6qlCh6pLw2N15MwGAYbyJDE2RNM5LFJZ5umpw2rcXr4gDcfKb2WzzrR99xrOp8BKUbelP0_UidHU8C0bI_Xa3sUVml_UQCK4l4ONVObk2zyMBORbOyvT/s480/Thor%2016.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="480" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm2O7KEYOCzqUBqIP7kzi_ZgD6BFpSp768MZrf-5y6RSgz8uZDWuyk3xDkyD3Z39LSQ_Se6qlCh6pLw2N15MwGAYbyJDE2RNM5LFJZ5umpw2rcXr4gDcfKb2WzzrR99xrOp8BKUbelP0_UidHU8C0bI_Xa3sUVml_UQCK4l4ONVObk2zyMBORbOyvT/w640-h362/Thor%2016.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sorry, but this is just a baller look.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Speaking of things subjective...</p><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">"They turned Thor into a joke!" - Understanding the humour behind Taika's Thor</span></h2><p>Now, not everyone is going to like every joke and not every joke is designed to be for everyone, which is fair enough. <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> is a pure comedy for most of its runtime, when its not being an 80s adventure or a love story (we'll get to Jane soon). That means if you can't get its sense of humour, you're probably not going to have a good time.</p><p>Although, there are some people do not like an overly comedic tone in their superhero movies at all because they believe that superheroes must be treated MATURELY. These people seem to mistake a comedic tone for derision or lack of RESPECT for the source material. The fact comics are inherently silly (which is part of why they are great) and that Thor canonically turned into a frog in the comics doesn't seem to matter much to that sort of angry comic book nerd.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7vbRmeHcA082-CvpmQlSVwDhKlfS0FsJjlIr6mZefYxjn7hunLyMFdY0B16T3gj36TFKSsyAdCY7lNsdU3siEJfktZ9ZuhG9NsNCI-k0N97hYMyA7zSwBNc3uxVuP5QoKC5zQxZtc97VrosqDb7_xuOP6YKjJgbg_n-NTdszLafsXEY7AWfyXD3i/s1146/Throg.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="984" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI7vbRmeHcA082-CvpmQlSVwDhKlfS0FsJjlIr6mZefYxjn7hunLyMFdY0B16T3gj36TFKSsyAdCY7lNsdU3siEJfktZ9ZuhG9NsNCI-k0N97hYMyA7zSwBNc3uxVuP5QoKC5zQxZtc97VrosqDb7_xuOP6YKjJgbg_n-NTdszLafsXEY7AWfyXD3i/w550-h640/Throg.jpg" width="550" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hell yeah, Throg rules!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>There is a fair argument to be made that there are far too many weightless jokes in <i>Love and Thunder</i>, particularly the ones like Valkyrie and Jane bobbing their heads to the speaker which looks like a hand grenade. A lot of these jokes seem like pointless improv which should have been left on the cutting room floor and often fall flat or raise a bemused chuckle at best.</p><p>However, a big source of humour in the film is the juxtaposition between the caricature Thor presents himself as and how oblivious he seems to how he is actually perceived by others. See how King Yakan refers to Thor as "God of Destruction" after he destroyed their sacred shrine but which Thor doesn't even seem to acknowledge. I would argue that those jokes which revolve around how Thor's braggadocios persona is shown to be empty and undercut by the reaction of the people around him serve a vital purpose for Thor's character arc, just as they did in <i>Ragnarok</i>.</p><p>As mentioned earlier, Thor's ridiculous bravado and oblivious himbo persona is an act designed to keep people at arm's length so they cannot get too close. It is defense mechanism for Thor and one that fits him like well-worn leather since he's just adapted the old uber-masculine façade he used to hide his insecurities and sense of unworthiness into a shield to prevent anyone getting too close.</p><p>We see this clearly in Thor's early interactions with Jane in the film.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TFnu92Z_N3VgCHAHCogcKRPXbL-Fpyy5uDFM6DzaKCQJjl04NSuF_8F2Xw7wnSR4FPSr_037oMDGrIQ_b0SvJmsDnevHuUuvB-edwJH5hi9UmrsMXEwd6WJgXohkHOh102zn8OCq7WXMHZ0TRouqwm-iW76Jb-8C2kl_gl-hjqLiJzM6P2YwdzDx/s540/Thor%2026.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="540" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4TFnu92Z_N3VgCHAHCogcKRPXbL-Fpyy5uDFM6DzaKCQJjl04NSuF_8F2Xw7wnSR4FPSr_037oMDGrIQ_b0SvJmsDnevHuUuvB-edwJH5hi9UmrsMXEwd6WJgXohkHOh102zn8OCq7WXMHZ0TRouqwm-iW76Jb-8C2kl_gl-hjqLiJzM6P2YwdzDx/w640-h264/Thor%2026.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's very normal to pop out the wings on your helmet to assert your manhood.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Before he knows it's Jane wielding the restored Mjolnir, Thor confronts this 'stranger' by donning a grandiose golden costume with a ridiculously ornate (CGI) helmet. This wardrobe change signals how Thor feels a need to perform a caricature of himself and that we are meant to laugh at him, to see he is being ridiculous and that this is silly. </p><p>As this <a href="https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-analysis/thor-love-and-thunder-lampoons-superhero-lore-with-wit-and-levity/">article in Film Obsessive</a> argues, "Like a jester figure, Waititi takes jabs at every trope he’s inherited: cackling at the costumes, the props, and the heroic gravitas of his beloved cast of comic book characters." However, this isn't a lack of respect for the source material or the characters. Waititi's irreverence serves a purpose. In addition to reinforcing the notion that, at the end of the day, superhero archetypes are inherently silly (which is a good thing and we should be willing to embrace that silliness), it "humanizes Thor as a relatable manly man—a Himbo who can oscillate at the snap of a finger from a dad-bod to a god-bod [to a sad-bod]".</p><p>Indeed, Thor's bumbling stunned response once he realises it is Jane wielding his ex-hammer is incredibly relatable. He rips off his ridiculous helmet and tugs at his collar from a hot flush. He stammers over his words and tries to reassert his previous braggadocios persona but is even less convincing than he was before. </p><p>Jane is not fooled anymore than Star Lord was. She knows Thor and she can see that this is not the real him, which is reflected in Natalie Portman's performance. Jane constantly reacts to Thor's awkward bumbling and false bravado with a upturned mouth or slightly raised eyebrow, as if she is wondering why he is acting like such a fool but willing to indulge him.</p><p>We can also see this in how Thor struggles at first to reconcile the fact the previous symbol of his manhood, Mjolnir, is wielded by Jane and in ways he never could.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGFPryhouVy8ofXI7ZGmYxExzog0oIQd7zXGfAaGxEX3QSZ-G-ygmgH1K0hiGykMHBjIEnxtqv22Q38iHSHDG-a61ourc4OKdpQ4cVgncgw4M9UX61JMCmWS56EPXCOPzYFVOk32E87QBa_FrZoWzo3ldMWroAr0z5zXDjfHiR6rfsRVkGhX2AqMW/s540/Thor%2012.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="540" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcGFPryhouVy8ofXI7ZGmYxExzog0oIQd7zXGfAaGxEX3QSZ-G-ygmgH1K0hiGykMHBjIEnxtqv22Q38iHSHDG-a61ourc4OKdpQ4cVgncgw4M9UX61JMCmWS56EPXCOPzYFVOk32E87QBa_FrZoWzo3ldMWroAr0z5zXDjfHiR6rfsRVkGhX2AqMW/w640-h414/Thor%2012.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korg yet again saying the themes of the film out loud for the audience.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>We'll come back to Jane and Thor in a moment but first I'll like to talk about...</p><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">The Gorr of It All - Comic Book Adaptation vs Adapting a Comic Book Character</span></h2><p>I think most people appreciated Christian Bale's portrayal of Gorr and wished there was more of him in the film. I personally would have like Gorr to challenge Thor's ideology or perspective of the gods, the same way he did in Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic's fantastic story arc in the comics or even how Kilmonger gets T'Challa to change in <i>Black Panther</i>. </p><p>The whole scene on the Shadow Realm planet where Gorr taunts our heroes with the truth while they struggle is chilling and honestly one of the best in the film. There is no comedy here, just pure tension and suspense.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQB8EhLbFSIT_uYlYM0zvTvnOFqMor9ESeBkqbV4E3u9hmLcCra72uHjXH4TUuSNLwo90N-4V3BQ27YXaD1pgOiqQJBqkiTbTlFbQcJgj7iysYpis6elkCFpLqBQ7wnNFT0NsxrcQPRBc8q05thhUMYrz3go6UsH3gz9fUrXukLmRfImcU9jXEloCb/s540/Thor%2017.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="540" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQB8EhLbFSIT_uYlYM0zvTvnOFqMor9ESeBkqbV4E3u9hmLcCra72uHjXH4TUuSNLwo90N-4V3BQ27YXaD1pgOiqQJBqkiTbTlFbQcJgj7iysYpis6elkCFpLqBQ7wnNFT0NsxrcQPRBc8q05thhUMYrz3go6UsH3gz9fUrXukLmRfImcU9jXEloCb/w640-h380/Thor%2017.gif" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrJjhH-ucKC6Vs6lqn9Lx31yBkJHt3aCHwRcJjNPCU8Taxr6OkZnfloTiLWIUlqhUGzi6S76ECWsnemO0q-JV5hbivXxwreQ15P8yS0S5rSsglLFan8NYqFVdYBdpoYrXUwJ1uF0pNsqotsh8dDnPNRUrMrAQLR25x-xLmtkgfisTlZl91wRw748x/s540/Thor%2021.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="540" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijrJjhH-ucKC6Vs6lqn9Lx31yBkJHt3aCHwRcJjNPCU8Taxr6OkZnfloTiLWIUlqhUGzi6S76ECWsnemO0q-JV5hbivXxwreQ15P8yS0S5rSsglLFan8NYqFVdYBdpoYrXUwJ1uF0pNsqotsh8dDnPNRUrMrAQLR25x-xLmtkgfisTlZl91wRw748x/w640-h380/Thor%2021.gif" width="640" /></a></div><p>The fact that each of our heroes knows that Gorr is correct only adds to the sense he is ultimately under-used in the film. Their terrified and upset reactions highlight the truth of his words. The gods will use Jane but not help her or cure her cancer, The gods did not help save Valkyrie's fellow warriors and lover as they died in battle. In fact, the Valkyrie's were in battle for a god - on Odin's orders to stop Hela - and he did nothing to save them.</p><p>However, I'm not going to spend a heck of a time on this since everything I want to say about Gorr is probably summed up better by Pillar of Garbage's excellent "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO8aIwd1alA">The Gorr Dilemma: Critiquing Adaptation</a>" video.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sO8aIwd1alA" width="320" youtube-src-id="sO8aIwd1alA"></iframe></div><p>To poorly summarise Pillar's argument, while movie Gorr is similar to comic book Gorr, he is not the same since the original Gorr storyline would not fit the focus of <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> which is Thor's personal journey to learn to be vulnerable and love again. </p><p>This is reflected in how both Gorr's have a similar origin but there are slight, yet important, differences. Both versions of Gorr present a man driven to despair by the inactions of the gods he worships, who comes across two gods, one alive and one dead, and takes up the Necrosword to slay the alive god, before going on an intergalactic crusade to kill all gods. However, the key difference is in how and why each version of Gorr slays the first god.</p><p>In the comics, <a href="https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uSmgsFPu4hyMmX4SsVbJrM.jpg" target="_blank">the god is wounded and asks Gorr for help</a>. This causes Gorr's faith to be broken completely as he learns that the gods aren't omnipotent or benevolent, that his people weren't special or chosen, that godhood is a sham. In the film, unlike the space age design of the comic god, the god Gorr meets looks mostly human, if covered in gold. He does not appear alien but familiar. Movie Gorr does not kill him out of outraged morality but pure rage, fueled by the corrupting influence of the Necrosword, as an act of vengeance for the death of his daughter. It happens just after his god mocked him for believing in him and as his god is chocking him, almost an act of self-defense. It is not the existential grief of a man who has lost his faith like in the comic, it is far more personal.</p><p>Movie Gorr is driven by love and grief... the very same things which our lovable God of Thunder is struggling with. Therefore, although it is clear that Gorr is right in his assessment of the gods unworthiness of being worshipped, the film provides no clear counter-point. In the comic run, Thor knows that to prove Gorr wrong, he has to continually answer prayers and perform miraculous acts of labour and heroism to justify his existence as a god. Film Thor doesn't really have a retort to Gorr aside from the fact that Gorr might be as hypocritical as the gods, which sure, I guess.</p><p>However, the fact movie Gorr and Thor's motivations are both personal and essentially the same is the point. While I would have liked Thor to see how Gorr's crusade to kill all the gods for their petty selfishness and callous disregard for their worshipers is not dissimilar to Thor's own <a href="https://mashable.com/article/thor-ragnarok-themes-colonialism#0BJkdmjMFZql">anti-colonialist recognition that "Asgard is a people, not a place"</a> in <i>Ragnarok</i>, this is a personal story, not an overtly political one.</p><p>This Gorr is not an adaptation of the comic Gorr but has adapted Gorr to suit the needs of the film and serves Thor's arc. As Pillar points it, "the centre of this film is Thor's journey towards emotional maturity. This arc is the point around which every other aspect of <i>Love and Thunder</i> is oriented." In this way, movie Gorr is the same repressed individual driven by revenge that Thor was in <i>Endgame</i> and who Thor could be if he didn't work towards becoming authentic and emotionally honest version of himself.</p><p>Which is why the truth Gorr taunts Thor with is about love and pain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSkjHyuSUiYH6EXbnJJZiOThxmuDZ0fUPOWlmjeAR7XNaysVM3wmkv9g13ZeCgtgbZVI4Hyp8iSPBz99vBLBNhSTVEynUc6I4ZlYRPoLA6oHgnxZj7WIsBGElWrU-bbro8dIChrUrDU8p4JL35DQg0jp-528u5lbULGRmdSnw60E2sSIAjF8X8gfh/s540/Thor%2020.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="540" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSkjHyuSUiYH6EXbnJJZiOThxmuDZ0fUPOWlmjeAR7XNaysVM3wmkv9g13ZeCgtgbZVI4Hyp8iSPBz99vBLBNhSTVEynUc6I4ZlYRPoLA6oHgnxZj7WIsBGElWrU-bbro8dIChrUrDU8p4JL35DQg0jp-528u5lbULGRmdSnw60E2sSIAjF8X8gfh/w640-h380/Thor%2020.gif" width="640" /></a></div><p>Love is the central conflict Thor struggles with in the film, not Gorr. This is why Gorr tells Thor to "choose love" and call Stormbreaker to save Jane. Thor's main journey that leads him to change is not the goal of stopping Gorr but the realisation he wants to be love, and be loved by, Jane, to be confident enough to open himself up to someone else, even at the risk of getting hurt yet once again.</p><p>Which brings us to...</p><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">"You made me worthy" - The Legend of Thor and Dr. Jane Foster</span></h2><p>Okay, some nerds who are way too precious about things are going to be upset but <i>Thor: Love and Thunder</i> is not really a superhero film. It is a 80s adventure fantasy based on comic book characters. That difference might seem like splitting hairs but it is important. </p><p>In a lot of ways, when Thor isn't hanging out with the Avengers, he's not really a superhero. He's heroic, sure, but not really a superhero as we tend to think of them. He doesn't have a secret identity or a symbolic costume or even really fight crime. Instead, he has grand epic adventures across the galaxy, hunting monsters, battling gods, and confronting intergalactic beings beyond comprehension. His stories are more mythic and fantastical than a superhero on a crusade against crime.</p><p>I bring this up to lead to my next point about genre - in addition to being an 80s styled fantasy, <i>Love and Thunder</i> is a comedy (duh) but more than that, it is a ROMCOM. At the centre of this story is the relationship between Thor and Jane.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPunp_llySBOKQLU1Xq__lP-PTTODOCUhO9vr76biWcyCqrQpcIDNUxCO3NFu-qzV9sBWSfhVp5NctD7057BbXucMqwgMq4AMlS922uku-WLBLxUUEBdG16OkU40AEHTURHskZhGQ87Vdw7_25jnxfWU7rpprTag4fLG1DvGCf64nxIJ5V-k_fqTf/s927/Thor%207.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="591" data-original-width="927" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPunp_llySBOKQLU1Xq__lP-PTTODOCUhO9vr76biWcyCqrQpcIDNUxCO3NFu-qzV9sBWSfhVp5NctD7057BbXucMqwgMq4AMlS922uku-WLBLxUUEBdG16OkU40AEHTURHskZhGQ87Vdw7_25jnxfWU7rpprTag4fLG1DvGCf64nxIJ5V-k_fqTf/w640-h408/Thor%207.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aww, look at these two.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Before we get into their relationship, let's talk romcom for a bit. As this <a href="https://collider.com/thor-love-and-thunder-romantic-comedy-tropes/">helpful article from Collider</a> points out:</p><blockquote><p>The romantic comedy genre is one that's full of distinct tropes. The meet-cute, the burgeoning relationship montage, the third-act breakup, love being rekindled, the crazy ex, the scene that pulls on your heartstrings.</p></blockquote><p><i>Love and Thunder</i> plays with these tropes in interesting ways. Firstly, Thor and Jane have already had an entire relationship that dissolved in the past, so their meet-cute in this film is not meeting someone for the first time but someone bumping into their ex. As discussed above, this shows Thor in a different light, awkward and bumbling, unable to maintain his overly-confident façade.</p><p>This playing with romocom tropes also explains the weirdly obsessive way Thor reacts to Mjolnir's return and Stormbreaker's jealousy of Mjolnir by reworking the crazed romantic partner trope through Thor's signature two weapons of choice. The jokes about Thor trying to call Mjolnir and Stormbreaker not working properly out of jealousy are rooted in this trope inversion. Once you understand what that <i>Love and Thunder</i> is playing with these tropes in this way, a lot of the 'awkward' comedy in the film makes more sense.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqmlakLxVC9CllkPZ9wDIIZCgSy0fu6jnFN3IjW7N1TzC8uU-sunqvNuisgN0M7140cgzqXm0FFx1X2NLrbUTZNNfEEirzYz56ey9u9fBtAYb_0L5559EBb2tb5ygCyfSVLRf_m1Kd0526sVkecZGXfZKaHqABXTMB3PvTlkv6cVhDghDvSYDY-M0/s540/Thor%2010.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="540" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqmlakLxVC9CllkPZ9wDIIZCgSy0fu6jnFN3IjW7N1TzC8uU-sunqvNuisgN0M7140cgzqXm0FFx1X2NLrbUTZNNfEEirzYz56ey9u9fBtAYb_0L5559EBb2tb5ygCyfSVLRf_m1Kd0526sVkecZGXfZKaHqABXTMB3PvTlkv6cVhDghDvSYDY-M0/w640-h414/Thor%2010.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"No, baby, I wasn't thinking about her. I was actually just about to call you... beautiful."</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Similarly, instead of the typical burgeoning relationship montage, since Jane and Thor have already had a relationship, we have a romance and subsequent break-up montage, fitting set to ABBA's classic "Our Last Summer". Also, Korg's voice-over narration gives another layer of pathos under the corny humour of a shmaltzy romcom montage.</p><p></p><blockquote>Thor set his sights toward a future and all it might hold. But the more he pondered a life with Jane, the more he feared losing that life. And although Jane didn't want to admit it, she was scared of loss as well. And so, they built walls between them. Thor got busy saving humanity. And Jane got busy doing the same. Real busy. And eventually, the space between them grew and grew until it became too wide to bear. Something had to give.</blockquote><p></p><p>Hey, isn't that the thing I've been harping about, how Thor's false bravado is a wall to keep people distant? Stop telling the audience the themes of the film, Korg! Seriously though, this is a sad account of Thor and Jane's relationship. Instead of being vulnerable and open about their fears, they retreated into themselves and drifted apart. </p><p>As this <a href="https://collider.com/thor-love-and-thunder-thor-jane-romance-made-each-worthy/">article on Jane and Thor's romance</a> says, "Often heartbreak can lead someone to harden their hearts to love. In Thor’s case, he numbed his heart into believing that his only purpose is to fight when called upon." This is exactly where we find Thor at the start of the film, adrift and alone.</p><p>However, it is through being reunited with Jane and the rekindling of their relationship that Thor realises that it was Jane who made him worthy and that he wants to open up and love again. It's on the way to the Shadow Realm that Thor reveals to Jane that she made him worthy. His path to reclaim his self-worth began when he crash landed in New Mexico and Jane hit him with her car. In his own words, "I wanna feel shitty about you. I wanna feel shitty about something and I think that's you."</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpqjdf4b1znWDM9b9wvMXpc1cwseACRaUKGstudQiNnaK89bFli_nRzvc3xi7SZtI3VONFEWwXMoDmMUhgluwPcrPJKHgTu1qNlSt7pb8AS2261MIdLZdvB8zEcL4avRJ5ozpjXDsH4Z9VSNHhysD8Ju8DpBxIrfBDFfvOcmbti5YJUH09-PdbWAy/s540/Thor%2029.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="540" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEpqjdf4b1znWDM9b9wvMXpc1cwseACRaUKGstudQiNnaK89bFli_nRzvc3xi7SZtI3VONFEWwXMoDmMUhgluwPcrPJKHgTu1qNlSt7pb8AS2261MIdLZdvB8zEcL4avRJ5ozpjXDsH4Z9VSNHhysD8Ju8DpBxIrfBDFfvOcmbti5YJUH09-PdbWAy/w640-h414/Thor%2029.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In another example of romcom subversion - instead of a third act break-up, we get a third act make-up.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>I have to talk about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgRtRctPqzM">the hospital scene</a> for a moment. Thor, now aware Jane has cancer and that Mjolnir is draining all of her mortal strength and killing her, wants to leave her behind and go face Gorr alone. Not because he doesn't believe she could help or because he doesn't want her by his side in battle, but because he loves her.</p><p>This declaration by Thor that he loves her is the first time across eight movie appearances, four of which he was in a relationship with Jane, that we hear Thor say it out loud. Possibly it is the first time Jane has heard it too, judging by the stunned look on her face. It honestly is heart-wrenchingly earnest in a film which had been so irreverent before, pretty much up to the point where Thor begins to open up and admit his feelings out loud.</p><p>However, Thor does not force Jane to stay in the hospital. He recognises it is her choice and tells her so, but his love for her means he wants to try at a second chance if they can. As he says,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0OpTWtTuX4iZ60Ft0_XGVbDmYDoGF0sHox0LgCBkdcci_8zeDkF8crLY0s9O_qwwnrFQIxkZIFcSHQfHRKw8Wl92rUGET2Ngua0K_HlWgk593nOZZajT0FSXTNdpWgcOB_5pZBc-qWsIp-a3Eh42PLKzk6rHPaJ950nd-WQem1YlrjAuM5ziQke4/s540/Thor%2022.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="540" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0OpTWtTuX4iZ60Ft0_XGVbDmYDoGF0sHox0LgCBkdcci_8zeDkF8crLY0s9O_qwwnrFQIxkZIFcSHQfHRKw8Wl92rUGET2Ngua0K_HlWgk593nOZZajT0FSXTNdpWgcOB_5pZBc-qWsIp-a3Eh42PLKzk6rHPaJ950nd-WQem1YlrjAuM5ziQke4/s320/Thor%2022.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QQ0Drn0uIsBRKdnBdCumYus8hFm6Ncaes9KTW3K0ASCEgeaSuEtoYnaqk7sbnowMYEveiq0jMj81LDcZFDbh3NrrVe3JK-BxEhSgV5_Dx1vivH6dm3szgZ5N65ino2ePbdD-K0EEZryX858dz2e0iWrnUnDi_PvtqwqdaVEmPRVsQ0bnvIhzGa7l/s540/Thor%2023.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="540" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8QQ0Drn0uIsBRKdnBdCumYus8hFm6Ncaes9KTW3K0ASCEgeaSuEtoYnaqk7sbnowMYEveiq0jMj81LDcZFDbh3NrrVe3JK-BxEhSgV5_Dx1vivH6dm3szgZ5N65ino2ePbdD-K0EEZryX858dz2e0iWrnUnDi_PvtqwqdaVEmPRVsQ0bnvIhzGa7l/s320/Thor%2023.gif" width="320" /></a></div><p>While Jane does initially decide to stay in the hospital, when she senses that Thor is losing his fight with Gorr, she picks up Mjolnir and suits up as the Mighty Thor one last time. The look of anguish on Thor's face when he sees her arrive is tearjerking as he knows that this will kill her but he does not argue with her or force her to leave since he respect her decision. </p><p>He is no longer the broken sad bod hiding under a god god and an offish braggadocios persona. He wears his heart proudly on his sleeve in a healthy non-toxic masculinity which doesn't seek to keep people at a distance but allows them in - more on that in the last section.</p><p>This is why during the last scene at the Altar of Eternity, Thor does not fight Gorr to stop him making his wish, he chooses to be with Jane and cradle her in his arms during his and her last moments, an image that parallels Gorr cradling his dying daughter. He tells Gorr to choose love (throwing the God Butcher's words back at him) when making his wish and promises to look after his daughter with Jane's approval. </p><p>Love is the purpose Thor finds in his long journey towards meaning. Which brings us to...</p><p><br /></p><h2><span style="font-size: large;">"From god bod to dad god" - The Ballad of Love and Thunder</span></h2><p>In yet another example of Korg spelling out the theme of the film to the audience so there's no confusion, he tells Valkyrie on the way to the Shadow Realm that he "thinks Thor would be a great dad". And so it came to be.</p><p>We see hints of this theme in more subtle ways throughout the story through the kidnapped Asgardian kids. Thor's interactions with them are fumbling at first, still trying to maintain his mythic "I am Thor" façade and instill false confidence. Over time, particularly after the confrontation with Zeus at Omnipotence City, he eventually speaks with them more openly and genuinely praises them for being braver than he was at their age. This leads Axl to declare, "I'm glad I met my hero." to Thor.</p><p>Then, in what I believe is one of the best MCU climatic battle scenes, Thor share his power with the kids, even the non-Asgardian ones, since they are all worthy and Space Vikings on this day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cBuzYbZAPgQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="cBuzYbZAPgQ"></iframe></div><br /><div>There's a lot to like in this scene:</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the pitch-perfect use of the outro solo from 'November Rain' to score the action </li><li>how the lyrics of the song reinforce the themes ("Don't ya think that you need somebody?/Don't ya think that you need someone?/Everybody needs somebody/You're not the only one")</li><li>how the visual of Thor sharing his power with the kids recreates Yggdrasil the World Tree</li><li>the fun action of the kids fighting the shadow monsters, probably the best action sequence in the film after the amazing Shadow Realm fight. </li></ul></div><div><br /></div><div>Also, as a keen-eyed YouTube commenter noted, there is something vital in the wording of the spell Thor casts to share his power. Thor says, "Whosoever holds these weapons, and believes in getting home, if they be true of heart is therefore worthy, and shall possess... for limited time only, the power... of Thor!" While it's similar to the enchantment Odin placed on Mjolnir, the key difference is Odin said "<b>if</b> he be worthy". Thor instead says, "<b>is</b> therefore worthy". The kids' worthiness is understood and acknowledged, by someone who's had a lot of doubts about his own.</div><div><br /></div><div>We can only hope we have someone in our lives like Thor who recognises that we are worthy and we do not need to prove our worthiness to them, or to ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>As this video by Implicitly Pretentious on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4wexwmh34I">Thor vs Genre Theory</a> points out, the wider thematic genre of integration, which <i>Love and Thunder</i> falls into, is themed around resolving personal antagonisms, building community, and cooperation. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is why Thor bestows the children of Asgard with his power. This is why Jane dies saving the children and Gorr does not follow through with his crusade for vengeance but ultimately resurrects his child by choosing love. This is why Thor looks after Gorr's daughter after his own love, Jane, died. As Implicitly Pretentious states: "it is the ultimate symbol of this [integration]… just as Odin adopted Loki, the baby of an enemy, Thor does the same".</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJXUYNoJJOwRY1j6q5a7lwL3D6TxlAWjSFvZQhb1lBjIwCOquMASGHIWxh19iXvpzUNzCLASkBVaMxb5nqpdt2VmR87mr81jGi-cy-KauB7027f0bhxqNuOCkSEk3tUc8QndDwRtY4kwYaI-IJp7DIuE64cZnLqPJLJ-GR3SMIEXxQFlnPXBzz1Qg/s709/Thor%2027.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="337" data-original-width="709" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJXUYNoJJOwRY1j6q5a7lwL3D6TxlAWjSFvZQhb1lBjIwCOquMASGHIWxh19iXvpzUNzCLASkBVaMxb5nqpdt2VmR87mr81jGi-cy-KauB7027f0bhxqNuOCkSEk3tUc8QndDwRtY4kwYaI-IJp7DIuE64cZnLqPJLJ-GR3SMIEXxQFlnPXBzz1Qg/w640-h304/Thor%2027.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quality family time.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Feeling Shitty - Final Thoughts on <i>Love and Thunder</i></span></h2></div><div>This is why I believe that for all its faults and messiness (for example, some of the blocking during dialogue scenes is absolutely atrocious), <i>Love and Thunder</i> has got into my head and my heart. Why I believe it is truly a classic Thor adventure about learning to love again. </div><div><br /></div><div>To be honest, I did not think this article was going to be this long. I genuinely thought this would be a brief defense of the film, a quick, short article. However, to quote J.R.R. Tolkien, "the tale grew in the telling", and it was in telling this tale, that my appreciation of the film only deepened.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, give <i>Love and Thunder</i> a rewatch with this perspective in mind or watch it for the first time if the initial hate train turned you off it. If you can vibe with what the film is trying to do and get on its wavelength, you'll find that under its irreverent comedy is a sincere and open emotional heart. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then you might just fall in love with it too, warts and all.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>References:</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor:_Love_and_Thunder">Thor: Love and Thunder - Wikipedia</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://filmobsessive.com/film/film-analysis/thor-love-and-thunder-lampoons-superhero-lore-with-wit-and-levity/">Thor: Love and Thunder Lampoons Superhero Lore with Wit and Levity</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300631809/taika-waititi-reveals-the-80s-influences-that-inspired-thor-love-and-thunder">Taika Waititi reveals the 80s influences that inspired Thor: Love and Thunder</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/07/thor-love-and-thunder-is-a-must-see-marvel-homage-to-jim-henson/?comments=1&comments-page=1">Thor: Love and Thunder is a must-see Marvel homage to Jim Henson</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO8aIwd1alA">The Gorr Dilemma: Critiquing Adaptation</a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><a href="https://mashable.com/article/thor-ragnarok-themes-colonialism#0BJkdmjMFZql">Asgard's bloody history refuses to stay buried in 'Thor: Ragnarok'</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://collider.com/thor-love-and-thunder-romantic-comedy-tropes/">How 'Thor: Love & Thunder' Perfectly Captures and Subverts Romantic Comedy Tropes</a></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;">'Thor: Love and Thunder': Thor and Jane's Romance Made Each Worthy</span></div><div><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.cinenuevatribuna.es/articulo/critica/thor-love-and-thunder/20220708165356017110.html">Thor: Love and Thunder: Deconstructing a superhero</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/thor-love-and-thunder-reviewed-marvel-as-a-faith-based-organization">“Thor: Love and Thunder,” Reviewed: Marvel as a Faith-Based Organization</a></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://youtu.be/-4wexwmh34I">Thor vs Genre Theory</a></div><div><br /></div><br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-61697479063443270572020-12-31T22:10:00.001+13:002023-06-17T18:36:24.627+12:00Thor: The Last Days of Midgard - How to Hold onto Hope in a Dying WorldHow do we save the environment from the seemingly insurmountable forces of capitalism, an ideology determined to destroy the planet as it extracts every last resource from it?<div><br><div><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Intro & Context</span></h2><div>Regardless of the blatant and apocalyptic detrimental impacts they have on the very planet we live on, unregulated and rampant business interests will be protected by the state. This should be obvious when the political elite are often in the pocket of oil companies, billionaire tech-bros, and industries who profit from the exploitation and pollution of the Earth. <div><br></div><div>While the general population suffers and the planet dies as a direct result of their actions, the business class will continue to strip the world of its resources for short-sighted gains at the expense of our long term future.<div><br></div><div>It is a problem so insurmountable that even a god cannot fight climate change without being confronted by the impenetrable web of corporate greed and a legal system designed to protect the interests of capital and business. That's the lesson that Jason Aaron's Thor learns in the fantastic <i>Thor: The Last Days of Midgard</i> arc from 2012 (Thor: God Of Thunder #19-25).<div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AIiCZ2RFrQGuyPb-bof4_l9if_bumxMTDskNH2IUNpX4Y-SqeghlSm_TmcJ7eP8K2JxWs262Sw2bJ_ukI9Zx6Wb0Lclw9iNBe0zEhb5Zzy3xr6SAJTJ2GjUkxsg_OdSyhXEVdnrgknY/s1600/Last+Days+of+Midgard+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1041" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AIiCZ2RFrQGuyPb-bof4_l9if_bumxMTDskNH2IUNpX4Y-SqeghlSm_TmcJ7eP8K2JxWs262Sw2bJ_ukI9Zx6Wb0Lclw9iNBe0zEhb5Zzy3xr6SAJTJ2GjUkxsg_OdSyhXEVdnrgknY/s640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+1.jpg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who needs Aquaman to save the ocean when Thor can swim?<br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br>
However, it is not the lesson I learnt from this comic but we'll get to that. First, some backstory.</div><div><br></div><div><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Backstory (to the Worst Year Ever)</span></h2></div><div>This year, 2020 if you're reading this in the future (presuming there is a future), I had started to fall into despair at the state of the world and my inability to affect change on it. I was wound tight with stress, feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders and starting to crumble under the pressure. </div><div><br></div><div>The resurgence of populist fascism, the enduring destruction of late stage capitalism, gross immoral inequality, a global pandemic, the fact that the world is literally on fire... and all I could do was watch it unfold on a computer screen. </div><div><div><br></div><div>It feels overwhelming because it is overwhelming. It is too much and it all seems doomed. It is relentless, a constant feed of bad to terrible news, a desolate wasteland where nothing is able to bloom. It is as though you're in the middle of the ocean and dying of thirst. Cut off and alone, unable to connect or contribute to make things better since you can't latch onto anything or see a way forward.</div><div><br></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd4aA9v62KL7C3fChpr0eEu7z2p6eq0ZbNWtRnRJq36EJ1jYVvgnJ4xv4VAqHtTXF7U1aqBAExPIZ0_dbH3-X5rdK0BUgMlinYCcshskRCqWQrNR5R71xVFjutBpTG9eBqITcH6f71Uw/s1044/Last+Days+of+Midgard+10.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1044" data-original-width="688" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitd4aA9v62KL7C3fChpr0eEu7z2p6eq0ZbNWtRnRJq36EJ1jYVvgnJ4xv4VAqHtTXF7U1aqBAExPIZ0_dbH3-X5rdK0BUgMlinYCcshskRCqWQrNR5R71xVFjutBpTG9eBqITcH6f71Uw/w422-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+10.jpg" width="422"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can you do when confronting destructive giants far greater and more powerful than yourself?<br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>In the face of this unceasing toxicity, I become cut off. I was unable to be present in the here and now, in my own life. I was too consumed by what was happening abroad in other countries or the latest online discourse, the latest injustices committed by this corrupt state, politician or corporation, and so on, that I was unable to be fully present at work, with my friends, or even my family. </div><div><br></div><div>I was tethered to the endless stream of terrible news that unfolded daily on my Twitter timeline...</div><div><br></div><div>And I believe I'm not alone in the loneliness caused by the hellscape that is social media. Too many of us feel cut off. Too many of us feel alienated and disillusioned by the constant suffering in the world and the failure of modern liberal democracies to meaningfully address the issues plaguing the world today. </div><div><br></div><div>Issues of rampant corporate greed, the unequal distribution of resources, the gross exploitation of late stage capitalism, the continuing systemic bigotry of our societies, the inept responses to a global pandemic, and the ticking bomb of climate change. I mean, due to the dominance of neoliberal ideology which places the failures of society on the individual, often these democratic systems which are supposed serve the people deliberately make these issues worse when they aren't too busy ignoring them.</div><div><br></div><div>So the central question becomes, "How do we hold on to hope in dying world?". </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FQhA0kGuCfqJ5KL8rfjqSXj6V4CWnsIqWIOxNOTmihx3wuDMFWNgdoKhkrO-msfTZ0w1JUSIbjJt6YkVtGL3ElP2LkGKzwt10LuEsPxp8tROOw2NUN8N12EvV9hyphenhyphenrUkp9U31MvMNY2A/s1968/Last+Days+of+Midgard+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1968" data-original-width="1280" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-FQhA0kGuCfqJ5KL8rfjqSXj6V4CWnsIqWIOxNOTmihx3wuDMFWNgdoKhkrO-msfTZ0w1JUSIbjJt6YkVtGL3ElP2LkGKzwt10LuEsPxp8tROOw2NUN8N12EvV9hyphenhyphenrUkp9U31MvMNY2A/w416-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+2.jpg" width="416"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What if there is no one to smite since capitalism has no face to punch?</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Let's Discuss the Comic</span></h2></div><div>In <i>Last Days of Midgard</i>, there are two story-lines that are told in parallel which mirror and comment on one another. </div><div><br></div><div>The first is Present Day Thor as he gets entangled with ROXXON Energy and its CEO Dario Agger, who, as Thor puts it, "seeks to poison Midgard for financial gain". Here Thor faces challenges not only in physical battle and of the magical variety but also of legal red tape and corrupt bureaucracy set up to protect the business elite. </div><div><br></div><div>The second story-line is set millennia in the future, as old King Thor battles Galactus to prevent him from devouring a barren Earth which long ago died and is now just a dusty, hollowed out husk.</div><div><br></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhn4PUi7mbhfjwZrKwuBVl7NPfiE1NkDLrKsR38crqgPAV-wPi8SNdid1WHLwx5yEJ_UJEKuMDrxi7xb32UMTS-b1DTNSB2fIKKQ6rzdo_HuU2ByQQD-jFjOPCe_E0GFHYr0gKTIZ7O-k/s1460/Last+Days+of+Midgard+13.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="962" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhn4PUi7mbhfjwZrKwuBVl7NPfiE1NkDLrKsR38crqgPAV-wPi8SNdid1WHLwx5yEJ_UJEKuMDrxi7xb32UMTS-b1DTNSB2fIKKQ6rzdo_HuU2ByQQD-jFjOPCe_E0GFHYr0gKTIZ7O-k/w422-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+13.jpg" width="422"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sure there's no pointed commentary about our real-life future being made here.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>The two story-lines are told simultaneously, mostly with the future plot adding layers of pathos and dramatic irony on the present day story. </div><div><br></div><div>In the Present story-line, antagonist Dario Agger is the perfect embodiment of the modern neoliberal tech-bro, full of empty PR spin to obfuscate exploitative business practices. He also makes Elon Musk-like grandiose proclamations of his company's (modest) accomplishments, and expresses an insatiable desire to privatise vital resources from the public good. </div><div><br></div><div>I mean, this is a man who wanted to establish an interplanetary ice pipeline to mine water from one of Jupiter's moons to "solve" the Earth's water crisis. </div></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJTXkMATdY7gINPMFkiqkIF013EeIyWAEgSYdatvLCbjCo5H-OAPPUzXZVVOy9i562z3plHDsbZ2L0AIF9LlaMJlMBG4VILM0_3wqCEi4iGNSRcjS8siMCH5FholWyqCmj0w4KFRV-V0/s507/Last+Days+of+Midgard+5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="397" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJTXkMATdY7gINPMFkiqkIF013EeIyWAEgSYdatvLCbjCo5H-OAPPUzXZVVOy9i562z3plHDsbZ2L0AIF9LlaMJlMBG4VILM0_3wqCEi4iGNSRcjS8siMCH5FholWyqCmj0w4KFRV-V0/w502-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+5.jpg" width="502"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I dunno man, you seem more preoccupied with the taking part...</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Thor knows that Agger is actively destroying the planet and polluting the air but as Agger points out that neither he or his company "have never been convicted of any wrongdoing by any court in the world". In the eyes of the law, Agger and ROXXON are innocent and it is Thor who is the aggressor by thwarting ROXXON's enterprise by trying to stop them from destroying the planet. </div><div><br></div><div>To be fair, Thor is deliberately destroying ROXXON facilities which hurts their profit margin and makes their shareholders sad. On the other hand, some of those facilities are so completely toxic that they have to be fully automated since no humans can work there, so yeah. Funnily enough, ROXXON cannot claim insurance since the insurance company is refusing coverage since the damage was caused by an act of god. Cute.</div><div><br></div><div>Fittingly, Thor is teamed up with Agent Rosalind 'Roz' Solomon of S.H.I.E.L.D's first ever environmental task force for this arc. Agent Solomon is a pragmatic idealist who wants to save the environment and believes it is possible but fully understands it is an uphill battle where you not only have one hand tied behind your back but also a chain around your ankles while your opponent has had a 20 year head start and more resources than you can imagine.</div><div><br></div><div>Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D are an espionage, special law enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency in Marvel comics. They are analogous to the CIA, by which I mean they're basically an arm to enforce American imperialism under the guise of counter-terrorism. So, that sucks and is a mark against Roz but she seems to have her heart in the right place.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the real take-away from this Present Day plot is how even the mighty Thor is in some ways powerless to stop the machinations of capitalism. </div><div><br></div><div>Agger relocates ROXXON's floating factories to Broxton, a small town next to where Asgardia (the remnants of Asgard on Earth, home of Thor and the gods) is in an attempt to hurt Thor by buying up most of the town, displacing his friends and neighbours. And when Thor tries to fight Agger directly, he is served with a sue notice for damages done to ROXXON Energy.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqMxhITenRj1PGuXcGr7oE7-rz4xRibb-dumnwSV9WcfGXhMk7HP_438BXstQtQR_rIKEyfd4b4BSMFQ1iCcxTlvjqAL39E-Ac_PxIK6d45f6A0nd_QoEZABgq0T-yDXnUYuZYKSijEQ/s1504/Last+Days+of+Midgard+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1504" data-original-width="992" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqMxhITenRj1PGuXcGr7oE7-rz4xRibb-dumnwSV9WcfGXhMk7HP_438BXstQtQR_rIKEyfd4b4BSMFQ1iCcxTlvjqAL39E-Ac_PxIK6d45f6A0nd_QoEZABgq0T-yDXnUYuZYKSijEQ/w422-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+15.jpg" width="422"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What good is a hammer against a court action lawsuit?</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div>It's quite interesting to watch Thor try to attack Agger head on, only to be hit with a lawsuit and restraining order, a fantastic example of how corporations will use the law to their own means in order to stifle criticism and activism. The law is on Agger's side because he has unlimited capital and the law is always on the side of those with capital, largely because it was written by people with capital. Funny that. </div><div><br></div><div>Naturally, since this is a superhero comic, Agger turns out to be a Minotaur and hires trolls to kill Thor, which means Thor can smack his face with his hammer. Unfortunately, the town of Broxton is destroyed in the ensuing battle, showing how it is always average everyday people who suffer under capitalism.</div><div><br></div><div>Moving to the Future story-line, old King Thor, having seen the millennia since the events of the present day plot, as well as the death of all his friends and allies from that time period, stands in the dust of a dead Earth. Lamenting the loss of his beloved Midgard, who should arrive but Galactus, the devourer of worlds.</div><div><br></div><div>Galactus is a perfect metaphor for the unceasing need for perpetual growth and expansion, not to mention the destruction left in its wake, fundamental to the functions of capitalism. Galactus is famously always hungry. No planet, no matter how large or rich in resources, can satiate his burning desire to consume more and more and more until the end of time. He must always have more, constantly travelling the galaxy forever consuming. Just like capital, Galactus must feed.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPumEXOeJOADIqgmB1k8TmjwneqgtuN_lM7a9VVNzSvTpCouDrrCLO-ybIKwLXCsl5_zLonXtUeCc_utKFkE9ETvgrcriImjxgNeG6WmIwttRBeURSK9YjHEEGqq6Kk9rFTKv6Y6VUTAw/s1988/Last+Days+of+Midgard+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1988" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPumEXOeJOADIqgmB1k8TmjwneqgtuN_lM7a9VVNzSvTpCouDrrCLO-ybIKwLXCsl5_zLonXtUeCc_utKFkE9ETvgrcriImjxgNeG6WmIwttRBeURSK9YjHEEGqq6Kk9rFTKv6Y6VUTAw/w640-h498/Last+Days+of+Midgard+12.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">But Thor says thee nay!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>Visually, they made the rather deliberate choice to have Galactus give off bellows of smoke and ash, polluting the air with his mere presence. Oh well, sure there's no wider meaning to be read here.</div><div><br></div><div>Before they begin their battle, Galactus and King Thor discuss the Earth and why they want to devour or save it, respectively. Thor points out that the Earth is already half dead, and asks why he would even want to eat a world such as this. However, Galactus turns the question back on Thor, questioning why would he want to defend it. Their answers are quite illuminating.</div><div><br></div><div>Thor responds that the Earth has saved him more times than he can count while he hasn't saved it nearly enough. Galactus similarly states that the Earth has defied him more times than he can count and no matter its current state, the taste of it will be sweet.</div><div><br></div><div>Thor's response points out our duty to the world we live on, to nurture it and take care of it as it provides for us, while Galactus' reply highlights the pettiness and desire for conquest inherent in capitalism's need for perpetual growth and consumption.</div><div><br></div><div>It is interesting, that Thor then thinks to himself that it would so easy to let it slip away just by doing nothing. Perhaps it would be a mercy to let the planet be consumed... however, Thor is not the god of Mercy and stands his ground against a being far larger and more powerful than he is.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8OxeFtZpHwXDvVv1zSQlriPYNwuZG5ca9dqpT2me6nHSfALxv8wUlwH8I70Tg8Yxfx1Vz8fRQJte5_EGMHGYmcuqf-w0UH2EZ7kCV0DszulMVijVLK6qpvEQaR-fLhqDPQLKSbBPkT0/s1002/Last+Days+of+Midgard+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="954" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8OxeFtZpHwXDvVv1zSQlriPYNwuZG5ca9dqpT2me6nHSfALxv8wUlwH8I70Tg8Yxfx1Vz8fRQJte5_EGMHGYmcuqf-w0UH2EZ7kCV0DszulMVijVLK6qpvEQaR-fLhqDPQLKSbBPkT0/w610-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+8.jpg" width="610"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When standing up to a giant, simply breaking his hand is a victory of immense proportions.</td></tr></tbody></table><br><div>I won't retell all the events of their battle here since it would take too long and distract from the point I'm trying to make but suffice to say, it is epic and a tale worthy of being told. </div><div><br></div><div>Fittingly, Thor's granddaughters, the Girls of Thunder join the battle when Thor is knocked out and attack Galactus, causing some significant damage, even if they ultimately are unable to defeat him without their grandfather's help. It's almost like in order to defeat a monster like Galactus or capitalism, we cannot do it on our own but only if we work together.</div><div><br></div><div>Again, this is a superhero comic and Thor retrieves an all-powerful weapon that helps him defeat Galactus, although it is one which corrupts his soul as he uses it. What is fascinating is that during this part of the battle, Thor reveals that it was he that caused the destruction of the Earth by standing by and allowing it to fall. It was his inaction that lead to the death of the planet.</div><div><br></div><div>However, at the end of the battle, Thor bleeds from his wounds onto the ground, causing it to grow anew. </div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUF5UFP8Av4bbKM8QOR_mfNPhv5eiwnia5Mteb8GmEZ6Px3nQXXItYBLVEzqunuMtKcHelxJzl8rt3qykzJ5T6rbJtBqEXnexGuuKE6JBdfbp8cdUcjGBDhfsxFdcpzCsJKqjll9mp-n0/s984/Last+Days+of+Midgard+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="984" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUF5UFP8Av4bbKM8QOR_mfNPhv5eiwnia5Mteb8GmEZ6Px3nQXXItYBLVEzqunuMtKcHelxJzl8rt3qykzJ5T6rbJtBqEXnexGuuKE6JBdfbp8cdUcjGBDhfsxFdcpzCsJKqjll9mp-n0/w640-h496/Last+Days+of+Midgard+7.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hope the message isn't too subtle...<br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div>But rewinding to the end of the Present Day plot, following the destruction of the town of Broxton, Thor and the Asgardians ask to help the people of Broxton on their terms to rebuild the town, acknowledging the townspeople's agency to determine the type of aid they require rather than it being assigned to them from on high. </div><div><br></div><div>However, they don't completely fix the town before they have to leave since, to avoid further retribution or collateral damage to their neighbours, Asgardia is relocated to space. Lacking homes to live in among the rubble, the people of Broxton ask where they are to live since this land is their home...</div><div><br></div><div>Only for Thor to give them a castle from Asgardia to live in, the greatest of all halls in Asgard - <b>his</b> castle.</div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHQlYw1d8NXjG7wu2yLe3BEddVsui7e96jqhWLZdehc3eni6vutSWNZYCw6SB4F97L39N_Bs_4hqS1SBUB6vs9Z8mKz5ftzFavI7w1vGIMip4Af_XjZOSbYx6euvsAoeuKHz4uZuHgbM/s1536/Last+Days+of+Midgard+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="994" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHQlYw1d8NXjG7wu2yLe3BEddVsui7e96jqhWLZdehc3eni6vutSWNZYCw6SB4F97L39N_Bs_4hqS1SBUB6vs9Z8mKz5ftzFavI7w1vGIMip4Af_XjZOSbYx6euvsAoeuKHz4uZuHgbM/w414-h640/Last+Days+of+Midgard+16.jpg" width="414"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They lost their home so he gave them his, while acknowledging it cannot replace what they lost...<br></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><div><h2><span style="font-size: large;">The Lesson I Learnt From Thor</span></h2></div></div><div>All of this leads me to the lesson I personally learnt from Thor's struggle to save the planet against capitalism's never-ending desire to consume and expand, regardless of the damage it causes. The lesson was not a major revelation or startling epiphany but it was reaffirming and meaningful. </div><div><br></div><div>It was simply to hope again. That, even though the struggle is seemingly insurmountable, it must still be fought. That, even if you will not win, you need to continue to do what is right. </div><div><div><br></div><div>Furthermore, I learnt from this comic about a Norse god with a hammer flying through space that, even though I as an individual cannot hope to create the change I want to see in the world, I must do all I can to help better my immediate environment and community. </div><div><br></div><div>That even though a god is sometimes helpless in the face of a system that will always prioritise corporations and profit over people, there can still be hope in the minor victories gained, no matter how small. </div></div><div><br></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Qxv8OqU6g7KofkH7OiBMEHJZ68mfbqAtWAsBSNAtcf58bcXFJ2BGdhcUt4HNSgGaITWdmxcY0p7t2s1NFzccn4I2odU5iBu0OC2fp2R5pJDSnz64y3sD49MltS_I-HA1HxtyYbgaVg/s892/Last+Days+of+Midgard+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="892" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Qxv8OqU6g7KofkH7OiBMEHJZ68mfbqAtWAsBSNAtcf58bcXFJ2BGdhcUt4HNSgGaITWdmxcY0p7t2s1NFzccn4I2odU5iBu0OC2fp2R5pJDSnz64y3sD49MltS_I-HA1HxtyYbgaVg/w640-h280/Last+Days+of+Midgard+14.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Even if this fight is one long defeat, it is a fight worth fighting.<br></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br></div><div><div>In conclusion, I realised that although you may not be able to change the world alone but you can collectivise with others to nudge it in the right direction. </div><div><br></div><div>Do what you can while always remembering the Marxist maxim, "to each according to their ability". </div><div><br></div><div>Try to focus on what can be done to improve your local community, connect with your friends, join a union if you haven't, petition your representative on issues you believe in, protest injustice, listen to others, support or join an activist group if you are able, log off social media sometimes, and look after yourself.</div><div><br></div><div>We are all we have and a better world is possible.</div></div><div><br></div><div>Happy New Year. Here's to the ongoing struggle in 2021.</div><div><b><br></b></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Thanks</b></div><div><br></div><div>Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic for creating <i>Thor: Last Days of Midgard</i>.</div><div><br></div><div>Matt Draper for his video on <i>Mad Max: Fury Road</i> which inspired the tone of this article - https://youtu.be/OzHDjMPFI-g.</div>Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-62847665063957389982020-05-01T12:00:00.000+12:002020-05-01T12:29:19.853+12:00Pink Floyd's 'Us and Them': Group Mentality and the Death of Politics in the Culture War'Us and Them' is a famous anti-war anthem from what is Pink Floyd's most popular album, <i>The Dark Side of the Moon</i>. The song is quite epic, one of Pink Floyd's best, with a subdued verses that have soothing sax and watery guitar licks, before an utter explosion in the bridges, complete with female vocal choir, clashing symbols, distorted guitar. It's a fantastically well-composed and musically effective song.<br />
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The lyrics of the song quite explicitly explore the futility of war and how soldiers on both sides of any conflict are mere pawns for generals and the powerful, their battles reduced to mere "lines on the map" that move from side to side. Since the message of the lyrics is so starkly clear to anyone who gives them a glance, it would be rather foolish to use them to comment on something else.<br />
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So naturally I'm not going to explore the obvious anti-war message of the song in any way but instead will pivot hard to discuss something Roger Waters definitely was not thinking about when he wrote the lyrics, the current Culture War between liberals and conservatives in the Western democracies.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTTOkMyWbYr10SU-Ew8Ccd4Nmyx5AVY0GKyUKVv6vWNLRcfYahirkF0XnL3os8UmRFerQSFZWDcqxjsItKlZ1ygExJtkHXjh1OvpuxQzFRECKfleSJPT3jmDldWFDWzqfgpjEwj8bRB8/s1600/Us+and+Them+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1600" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTTOkMyWbYr10SU-Ew8Ccd4Nmyx5AVY0GKyUKVv6vWNLRcfYahirkF0XnL3os8UmRFerQSFZWDcqxjsItKlZ1ygExJtkHXjh1OvpuxQzFRECKfleSJPT3jmDldWFDWzqfgpjEwj8bRB8/s640/Us+and+Them+10.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_Yayz5o-l0">What a great song.</a></td></tr>
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Wait, what? How can I just use the lyrics of a song from 1973 with an obvious anti-war message to comment on the current political climate of 2020? That seems like a stretch and rather disingenuous.<br />
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Like any piece of art, song lyrics can accumulate new meanings over time and as people interpret them within different contexts. And the sentiment expressed in 'Us and Them' seems to me to relate perfectly to the current political moment we find ourselves in and the artificial divide between the two sides of the Culture War.<br />
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Or at least enough so that I want to use the lyrics to frame my discussion of our current moment.<br />
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So let's get into it.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1eW4QJp3nfMQeFWxxCmInW8yLEYJpxBhic-HC2WKC4qwULwUBOp8g7MszwRCFIsMQTEMHNbYxJhToc-XmNQyKYWi2J8JnEt1Kl_uUGGL05dQk4ceD4MeI09DTR3jmDF9KjM0oh8_F2g/s1600/Us+and+Them+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1252" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1eW4QJp3nfMQeFWxxCmInW8yLEYJpxBhic-HC2WKC4qwULwUBOp8g7MszwRCFIsMQTEMHNbYxJhToc-XmNQyKYWi2J8JnEt1Kl_uUGGL05dQk4ceD4MeI09DTR3jmDF9KjM0oh8_F2g/s640/Us+and+Them+1.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are the aforementioned lyrics in full (that I will cherry-pick from to make my argument).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Us and Them</span></h2>
Okay, so what is this Culture War anyway? The Culture War is this ideological conflict where every issue is reduced of its material conditions into a 'battle' between liberals and conservatives. While conservatives tend to more explicitly weaponise these cultural battles, liberals are not immune to its effects.<br />
<br />
Within the Culture War, both sides succumb to the division caused by treating issues less as problems that require solutions but as a way to indicate your political team. The way this starts is through the creation and spread of "wedge issues".<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0b5ZlIZf045Bq4BaiIhcv6Nysrk9me3ItOmYzKH-jIH8sqgq_KNH7fi8LPzPophQJCcXiieCk01aPLYrhtM96lZCko2ymFpQEJy42BSD6DWPNKqf8homjIrY7kdiVURgS2ZUr7Toyd0/s1600/Us+and+Them+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="1566" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0b5ZlIZf045Bq4BaiIhcv6Nysrk9me3ItOmYzKH-jIH8sqgq_KNH7fi8LPzPophQJCcXiieCk01aPLYrhtM96lZCko2ymFpQEJy42BSD6DWPNKqf8homjIrY7kdiVURgS2ZUr7Toyd0/s640/Us+and+Them+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A helpful definition from this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVYrTfdkYU8">Renegade Cut video</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, these 'wedge issues' often have no bearing on reality or even impact people's lives in any meaningful way but still people feel incredibly passionate about them since they signal their political identity or affiliation.<br />
<br />
As stated in the definition of a 'wedge issue' above, manufacturing wedge issues has two effects. One effect is to manipulate people into a Culture War such that they turnout in order to defeat the other political party. The other is to distract and divide the working class.<br />
<br />
A great example of how a wedge issue can be used for both is the "War on Christmas".<br />
<br />
As this <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/war-christmas/war-christmas-story-how-fox-news-built-dumbest-part-americas-culture-war">informative article</a> by Media Matters details, the War on Christmas is a completely manufactured cultural battle. A wedge issue created by propagandists on Fox News, such as noted sexual harasser Bill O'Reilly, to fracture objective reality along political lines.<br />
<br />
As the article states,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Imaginary culture war issues like the War on Christmas make for good politics, as the people arguing that these are real issues can at any time simply dust off their hands, declare victory, and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.</blockquote>
According to the article, the creation of a fake issue like the War on Christmas provides "right-wing media a convenient way to manufacture divisions between the left and the right" in order to ignore real issues.<br />
<br />
To be honest, looking at how the right in American has weaponised the War on Christmas victim narrative every year for the past 15 years or so while ignoring the real problems facing America's poor and most vulnerable, it's hard to disagree.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Up and Down, And in the end it's only round 'n round</span></h2>
However, I would go further than the Media Matters article and say that the Culture War is no longer limited to fake battles such as the War on Christmas but has infected all aspect of politics.<br />
<br />
Every issue, real or imagined, is now a wedge issue, reduced to a political stance. All politics has become an aesthetic affect that signals which 'side' you are on - Liberal or Conservative, Democrat or Republican, Labour or Tory, NZ Labour or National, Red or Blue.<br />
<br />
No where is this clearer than in how people on different sides of the Culture War believe governments and countries should response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Instituting a shutdown or quarantine in the face of a pandemic shouldn't be a political issue but simply a health issue.<br />
<br />
When you have a pandemic, you need to institute a quarantine of some kind or people will die. And yet...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtgOFJH1bjF3c6JKPUGRD58cfWL439Pei3HZc7crc1_36Xw9iWt_yF6zQNuG478H9BjPTLQc85Rxhbu38CJVODkrayHRZVdOA1t0Frf8pTfEpwVG0b-1ycsq3vjKkLGeEwKyc_MIT6JM/s1600/Us+and+Them+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1168" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwtgOFJH1bjF3c6JKPUGRD58cfWL439Pei3HZc7crc1_36Xw9iWt_yF6zQNuG478H9BjPTLQc85Rxhbu38CJVODkrayHRZVdOA1t0Frf8pTfEpwVG0b-1ycsq3vjKkLGeEwKyc_MIT6JM/s640/Us+and+Them+3.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See this <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ownthelibs/comments/fjiymc/getting_coronavirus_to_own_the_libs/">Reddit thread</a> for more examples of people getting corona to "own the libs".</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The tweets above show what happens when you turn every issue into a culture war.<br />
<br />
It no longer becomes about health or what's the right response, or even the issue itself, but simply opposing the other team. This is how right-wing media trick people into thinking that ignoring doctors and health professionals to break quarantine and go out during a pandemic is simply "expressing their freedom" to own the libs.<br />
<br />
People have been convinced that blind opposition to the other side, regardless of whether the other side is right or wrong, is a win in the battle for the 'soul' of their country.<br />
<br />
This thinking affects liberally minded people too, as they often get a sense of superiority and can dismiss whole swaths of the populace as uneducated backwater hicks or rednecks, ignoring how that population has been misled and manipulated by politicians, media companies and rich assholes.<br />
<br />
Their smug superiority often blinds liberals to completely ignore how they themselves are also manipulated on 'liberal' wedge issues by politicians, media companies and rich assholes on the other side. This is why liberals will often fall for hollow moves towards 'progress' that don't actually progress anything but protect the interests of the elite.<br />
<br />
An example of this is the "girl boss" phenomenon.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3ixAQdaJTK5131RKVjwOH5HqlvKLEwnqPd4UxQ776WcUUh1Z9jAK7sSw1DoLrHArCf8Du9DZqHlYntdO2LfU_ByQGzHvpieZWG3-Mdgro-y0dMVMOL2yZnXF7AzEPIjXEotw6Tw4YBg/s1600/Us+and+Them+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="388" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3ixAQdaJTK5131RKVjwOH5HqlvKLEwnqPd4UxQ776WcUUh1Z9jAK7sSw1DoLrHArCf8Du9DZqHlYntdO2LfU_ByQGzHvpieZWG3-Mdgro-y0dMVMOL2yZnXF7AzEPIjXEotw6Tw4YBg/s640/Us+and+Them+4.jpg" width="466" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aw, yeah. Lean in!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Before we go further, let me state for the record that representation is incredibly important and it is vital that we address the decades of systemic gender discrimination in the workplace and politics. However, where liberals get tricked into a Culture War is that they are told representation in and of itself is what is important. This is regardless of whether this representation actually helps the marginalised group in question or is just tokenism designed to placate criticisms of discrimination.<br />
<br />
That's how some liberals start thinking that simply putting women in positions of power will right the world because women are just intrinsically better than men because uh, feminism? Liberals such as former US President Barack Obama, who said last year that "if every nation on earth was run by women, you would see a significant improvement across the board on just about everything".<br />
<br />
However, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/21/barack-obama-women-better-than-men-myths-leaders">this article</a> by The Guardian points out, "Women, you’ll be amazed to know, are not a monolithic group". What is the point in electing a woman leader if she is will simply continue the systems of exploitation that currently exist?<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Having more female leaders is also completely meaningless if those women simply “lean in” to exploitative systems of power. It’s not old white men that are the problem, it’s patriarchal capitalism.</blockquote>
Liberals will sometimes even defend far-right figures like Margaret Thatcher because of her "girl power" and how she had to break through the glass ceiling of misogyny to become the United Kingdom's first female Prime Minister, but come on.<br />
<br />
You all know the Eric Andre bit, right?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjqYXPFH3pEkUOMMckD25S8hMQIYeEQsQ1vRZo59eFN9h2rAyy4drNNiWpv7bOO8PkDjvWrfhM0KKMWSDjYN5JBuNvBneHfyNO1aefv-tLfaUejnRse7fn9a_5xu_ORHj3zj0_71CW54/s1600/Us+and+Them+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="662" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZjqYXPFH3pEkUOMMckD25S8hMQIYeEQsQ1vRZo59eFN9h2rAyy4drNNiWpv7bOO8PkDjvWrfhM0KKMWSDjYN5JBuNvBneHfyNO1aefv-tLfaUejnRse7fn9a_5xu_ORHj3zj0_71CW54/s640/Us+and+Them+4.jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We stan an imperialist murder queen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The "girl boss" trope is a recuperation of feminism by capital, stripping it of its radical systemic critique of patriarchal structures, until it is a shallow husk of progressivism. An mere aesthetic signally change while providing nothing of substance. The idea that if one women is able to succeed, that is a win for all women, even if she only did so by playing by the rules of the patriarchal system.<br />
<br />
This is how identity politics is weaponised in the Culture War to manipulate liberals into supporting candidates based solely on their gender, race or sexuality. Think of Hilary Clinton's "I'm with Her" campaign slogan.<br />
<br />
Again, please don't mistake me, representation is incredibly important and having a government that actually reflects the diversity of the constituents they represent is only a good thing. But here's the thing, they should also support policies which serve the interests of that diverse constituency, not lobbyists or the status quo.<br />
<br />
Can we claim we have made any progress to celebrate the election of someone from a marginalised group if they pull the ladder up behind themselves? Is that a gain for equality? Is it a feminism to replace a male warmonger with a female warmonger? Is it a win for gay rights when a gay mayor ignores the issues facing the LGBTQ community?<br />
<br />
I dunno about you, but that doesn't look like progress to me.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Haven't you heard, it's a battle of words?</span></h2>
Let's talk about the "Death of Politics" mentioned in the title. What do I mean by the "Death of Politics" anyway? That seems rather ominous and melodramatic.<br />
<br />
Like in any war, at the end of the day it often is a battle of words. What is said about what happened is often far more important that what actually happened. Words are what bring meaning to things, they provide the framework for understanding. Indeed, the choice of words can often frame an incident one way or another, depending on how they are used.<br />
<br />
What am I going on about? Well, how do we talk about those on the other side of the Culture War? What words do we use to describe them? How are those words used? Do those words even mean what they are supposed to or are we using them devoid of meaning in order to get an emotional reaction?<br />
<br />
Let's take a concrete example, and a local one if you're from New Zealand like me, about a NZ Labour MP Deborah Russell who said some dumb things about personal responsibility for small business owners who were struggling during the Covid-19 shutdown. Russell said,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
We are seeing a number of small businesses really struggling after only a few weeks in a difficult situation, which must speak to the strength of those small businesses going into this lockdown. It worries me that perhaps people went into small business without really understanding how you might build up or capitalise it in the first place so you have the ongoing strength to survive a setback.</blockquote>
Now, to me that seems like typical "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" type nonsense which you typically see from right-wing libertarianism or conservatism. It's kinda sad to see from a Labour MP, who are supposedly centre-left, but what you gonna do?<br />
<br />
Well if you are David Seymour, you try score some cheap political points.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRTAFc143R7fei3ceCAhulsS-QTvNCGxdS9mvn8pk_W63inJKG2WZ_wfx9g-UfnXhKEI4bPwglERjVdHt6tjMehaksc8RhBbHQgqCSijDoUSR5_zNdaON4QAMpyqOLAsaOxda0hJaRBw/s1600/Us+and+Them+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1190" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgRTAFc143R7fei3ceCAhulsS-QTvNCGxdS9mvn8pk_W63inJKG2WZ_wfx9g-UfnXhKEI4bPwglERjVdHt6tjMehaksc8RhBbHQgqCSijDoUSR5_zNdaON4QAMpyqOLAsaOxda0hJaRBw/s640/Us+and+Them+7.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
If you're not from New Zealand and don't know who David Seymour is, you might not understand what I'm getting at. David Seymour is the leader of the libertarian ACT party. He is literally the personal responsibility "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" guy in New Zealand politics!<br />
<br />
Yet hee's taking a jab at Russell, and by extension the NZ Labour party, for espousing views which are completely in line with his own political ideology. Which is weird enough on the surface but then Judith Collins, a member of the right-wing National party, <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EWGM_-xU8AEcW8T?format=png&name=900x900">chipped in with a little Red Scare</a>, "Thank you for this little gem about socialist thinking against small business."<br />
<br />
Essentially, she proclaimed that libertarian philosophy applied to business owners was actually socialism. Which makes no sense right? Nothing Russell said could be considered socialist in any way, shape or form. It's kind of directly opposed to socialist principles like social welfare, solidarity and anti-capitalism.<br />
<br />
However, this is the "Death of Politics" in the Culture War. Actual awareness of political ideology or theory is discarded and replaced with empty name-calling for points scoring. There is no understanding of politics apart from "my side = good, other side = bad".<br />
<br />
Within this false understanding, ACT and National will purposely say Labour are socialists so when a Labour MP has a bad take, they can pull out the "see communism is cancer" card, even when the take they apparently disagree with is actually in line with their own right wing ideology.<br />
<br />
This is a common tactic the world over. How often has a left-leaning candidate or politician been labelled a 'communist' in order to dismiss them or make their ideas seems scary and invoked the scaremongering of the Cold War? Such claims were swung at Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders, and deliberately.<br />
<br />
Oh, by the way, remember those people protesting the shutdown in the States? Well...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfo0aG0EaZgCMlFoKjza19DBGRuEigzCvx5A5T0HFsRwmGVj8-jBuHzj5PG_1XWNk9km_jpRaRLeFzXcnWoXA9mK_36Q9m11wBBWi_fAK6en8CYU_A6nV0R__DTvFK7WHvkVMkQZqjWo/s1600/Us+and+Them+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="720" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjfo0aG0EaZgCMlFoKjza19DBGRuEigzCvx5A5T0HFsRwmGVj8-jBuHzj5PG_1XWNk9km_jpRaRLeFzXcnWoXA9mK_36Q9m11wBBWi_fAK6en8CYU_A6nV0R__DTvFK7WHvkVMkQZqjWo/s1600/Us+and+Them+8.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, okay. Sure.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It doesn't matter that saying social distancing equals communism makes little no sense to the point of absurdity. It doesn't matter that the claim is self-contradictory. The only thing that matters is the emotional plea. What the claim invokes for people on your side that hear or read it.<br />
<br />
If your side thinks that communism is cancer. then that is the plea you make. If your side thinks that conservatives are all uneducated rednecks, then that is the plea you make. The emotional plea of the claim is far more important than whether the claim is true.<br />
<br />
After all, it is all just a battle of words and words have power even when they are meaningless.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Black and Blue, And who knows which is which and who is who</span></h2>
So, if both sides can become ensnared by wedge issues that either distract from real issues or superficially seem like progress but are actually hollow, which side actually wins in the Culture War?<br />
<br />
Neither side. They are both being played.<br />
<br />
As stated in the lyrics of 'Us and Them', the soldiers are just victims in war, pawns to be sacrificed in the front-lines while the generals are safe from the violent consequences of their decisions. (I mean, unless there is another way to interpret, "Forward he cried from the rear/And the front rank died". If so, please let me know. I'm genuinely interested.)<br />
<br />
So if people are the "soldiers" in the Culture War, then who are the generals they are being sacrificed for? Whose interests are best served by perpetrating wedge issues that only serve to divide the working class from achieving solidarity due to their shared material conditions?<br />
<br />
Why, those in power of course.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjAUwiFvqUYuMizHNqkfFIbiwub8d4K-LOX5RnxqgepprfVKP-MLY74wsISRcI8ARjj8ZQsrFKlVemWc4o3lFSi6Rh1YV8bxL9gqXsnPO_hNjroUUorfI4EqJECVbLf6o_BJbMOvWekg/s1600/Us+and+Them+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="966" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjAUwiFvqUYuMizHNqkfFIbiwub8d4K-LOX5RnxqgepprfVKP-MLY74wsISRcI8ARjj8ZQsrFKlVemWc4o3lFSi6Rh1YV8bxL9gqXsnPO_hNjroUUorfI4EqJECVbLf6o_BJbMOvWekg/s640/Us+and+Them+6.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I'm not going to hammer this too much since it's obvious and I've pointed out how obvious it is, but keeping the populace distracted by non-issues or politicizing real issues into wedge issues, only benefits the capitalist elite and those in power.<br />
<br />
Working class conservatives getting angry at the "liberal shutdown" only helps capitalists who want to 're-open the economy' at the expense of those same working class conservatives health and lives.<br />
<br />
College educated liberals supporting a female candidate for office simply because she is a woman, without really evaluating her political ideology or policies, only helps that specific woman and maintains the status quo of exploitation under capitalism.<br />
<br />
Speaking of capitalism...<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?</span></h2>
Within the current system, politicians, the media and rich assholes uses wedge issues to blind people to the shared solidarity they should have with each other. This is done in order to keep the powerful in power and to protect capital.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6F3oPQqfDkpK3VjgzkMDTm9WvdlnAhDY_KRJAi6AjAJhXhBtiNtCc3oC9yLZBD09ki-UZR9qEGJfIyjt2qiB3-6XHycmCgwQYuWRjcXczqay-Ex4rHQEYNP16uNdk5G5pKr2btyBuhU/s1600/Us+and+Them+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1228" data-original-width="1124" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA6F3oPQqfDkpK3VjgzkMDTm9WvdlnAhDY_KRJAi6AjAJhXhBtiNtCc3oC9yLZBD09ki-UZR9qEGJfIyjt2qiB3-6XHycmCgwQYuWRjcXczqay-Ex4rHQEYNP16uNdk5G5pKr2btyBuhU/s640/Us+and+Them+9.png" width="584" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The two parties need wedge issues to motivate their voters and distract them from the fact that both parties wish to maintain the system that has the most to do with their oppression." - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVYrTfdkYU8">Leon Thomas</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Capitalism, baby! It's a problem. Maybe we should do something about it.<br />
<br />
Maybe we need to avoid unnecessary Culture Wars and focus on what is really important - building solidarity and improving the material conditions of people everywhere.<br />
<br />
Just like how the generals don't want the soldiers of either side talking to each other and recognising their share humanity, the politicians and media who manufacture these wedge issues don't want voters, particularly the working class, on either side to recognise that they have more in common with each other than these wedge issues would suggest.<br />
<br />
They do not want you to realise that dismantling capitalism, and other systems of division such as racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia, will result in a better society for everyone.<br />
<br />
Since "after all, we're just ordinary men," women and non-binary folks caught in an never-ending cycle of pointless political battles where nothing ever gets better or changes and "God only knows it's not what we would choose to do".<br />
<br />
I dunno, it's just a thought.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>References:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Us_and_Them_(song)">Us and Them (song) - Wikipedia</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVYrTfdkYU8">Misinformation for Fun and Profit | Renegade Cut</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/war-christmas/war-christmas-story-how-fox-news-built-dumbest-part-americas-culture-war">A War on Christmas Story: How Fox News built the dumbest part of America's culture war</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ownthelibs/comments/fjiymc/getting_coronavirus_to_own_the_libs/">r/ownthelibs - Getting Corona to Own the Libs</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/21/barack-obama-women-better-than-men-myths-leaders">You're not helping, Obama – just reinforcing myths about men v women</a><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-34311378702366776702020-04-12T19:28:00.001+12:002020-04-17T08:30:49.732+12:00Alien: Covid-19 and Quarantine under CapitalismWell, the times have certainly changed since my last article, which was basically a year ago.<br />
<br />
I won't try recap everything that has happened in the past 11 months since it would be impossible considering we live in the cursed timeline where each week feels like a month but four months ago feels like only yesterday, but it is worth putting things into context for what I want to discuss. Therefore, I'll give a brief summary of the moment we are in.<br />
<br />
Currently, we are facing a global pandemic due to Covid-19 with countries shutting down to stop the spread. This pandemic is putting the failures of neoliberalism in stark view for all to see, as free market capitalist governments ineffectively scramble to react within a system completely ill-prepare to respond to such crises.<br />
<br />
A looming economic collapse is just on the horizon as the billionaire class hide away and governments look to give stimulus packages for big business instead of providing welfare for the working class and most vulnerable in society. To some it seems like the end of the world and we are all watching it unfold while under quarantine.<br />
<br />
So naturally, this is the perfect time to talk about Ridley Scott's 1979 film, <i>Alien</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgjKklfrFXZLRM2ooZ6O0ewYFjJ1ZVRUdbXJpjrGNCwrW1exDasfYJh3coxD1U7os0bO77wmMZnM0oDMUWtnGSynciVG_nVglYVvBeNs9npaSrBNtbK6yTDWaEduTLhRpFO7jcEVLn14/s1600/Alien+1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="720" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgjKklfrFXZLRM2ooZ6O0ewYFjJ1ZVRUdbXJpjrGNCwrW1exDasfYJh3coxD1U7os0bO77wmMZnM0oDMUWtnGSynciVG_nVglYVvBeNs9npaSrBNtbK6yTDWaEduTLhRpFO7jcEVLn14/s640/Alien+1.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A face only the corporate interests of capital could love.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Wait, what does a 41 year old horror sci-fi featuring an murderous alien killing off the crew on a spaceship have to do with a global pandemic and impending economic crisis? Oh, you sweet summer child. Far too much for comfort.<br />
<br />
Horror has always been a genre that explicitly reflects and explores the anxieties of society. For instance, monsters are potent symbols for aspects of society, physical manifestations of our existential fears or societal concerns. We see this from vampires representing the liberal bourgeoisie elite to the social outcast. Similarly, zombies can symbols of relentless consumerism or the loss of agency, depending on how the film decides to use them or what message it wants to get across.<br />
<br />
However, it isn't just the monsters in horror which can reflect our societal anxieties or comment on our political moment but also the narratives within horror. This can be obvious, such as the allegorical exploration of liberal racism in <i>Get Out</i> (2017), directed by Jordan Peele, or oblique, such as the critique of middle class anxiety and fear of the other in <i>Us</i> (2019), directed by Jordan Peele.<br />
<br />
With <i>Alien</i>, the obvious connection is that the events of the film are literally about a quarantine break. The crew allows an infected person onto the ship which results in the death of all but one of the crew. To be specific, it's the Science Officer Ash who actually breaks quarantine but we'll get to him later, don't you worry.<br />
<br />
In our current moment, self-isolating and maintaining quarantine is paramount to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and avoid the illness or death of our loved ones and neighbours.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_vAZoPHPnTkT6PHkKx608kqDtHhgzau3vy6qv49JjdDnvbVFJPuNtk0dZ99gN3Ak4hbcorfnMaMguoxigJ9esrTYR4N95qNSxvCJjs8yBagtKsVOAAJg_VVP_CpucrwyyQBgWibm-3o/s1600/Alien+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="245" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY_vAZoPHPnTkT6PHkKx608kqDtHhgzau3vy6qv49JjdDnvbVFJPuNtk0dZ99gN3Ak4hbcorfnMaMguoxigJ9esrTYR4N95qNSxvCJjs8yBagtKsVOAAJg_VVP_CpucrwyyQBgWibm-3o/s640/Alien+2.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, she's not wrong.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
"Okay, sure." you might say. "So, there's a broken quarantine in the film <i>Alien </i>which results in people dying, an important lesson for us to learn as we have to live in quarantine in real life but that's like one scene in the film. It's not like you can really extrapolate much more from the film to our current situation than that."<br />
<br />
"And how does this relate to capitalism? You mentioned capitalism in your title. Did you forget? By the way, what does capitalism even have to do with the Covid-19 pandemic or quarantine, anyway?"<br />
<br />
Thanks hypothetical reader asking the specific questions I'm about to answer. You're correct, one scene about not breaking quarantine is not really enough to connect <i>Alien</i> to the pandemic, aside from teaching us not to break quarantine. Luckily, I did not in fact forget about capitalism and actually have more to say about both it and the film.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, so many of us do forget about capitalism, and this is intentional. Capitalism affects all aspects of our lives to the point it is just invisible background white noise - as just the way things are and can only be. People do not question it or even think that any alternatives are viable.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrx3zQSxvp7f0uHM1ZFZ4RG5AhbrBBI10QOsDANwZSRNiBrNQa3Fa7xzxZgoJG9kUOmGROH_wYzAK3JFXMgzIiEn3rUJUYvIVp2gjk9HXoN43sr0JfKgkCwER-JsqdVdBVs0KMgZ-P5_A/s1600/Alien+3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="175" data-original-width="485" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrx3zQSxvp7f0uHM1ZFZ4RG5AhbrBBI10QOsDANwZSRNiBrNQa3Fa7xzxZgoJG9kUOmGROH_wYzAK3JFXMgzIiEn3rUJUYvIVp2gjk9HXoN43sr0JfKgkCwER-JsqdVdBVs0KMgZ-P5_A/s640/Alien+3.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Can you hear that? For a second it sounded like the bourgeoisie exploiting the proletariat."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is literally what Mark Fisher termed '<a href="https://libcom.org/files/Capitalist%20Realism_%20Is%20There%20No%20Alternat%20-%20Mark%20Fisher.pdf">capitalist realism</a>', the "widespread sense that not only is
capitalism the only viable political and economic system, but also
that it is now impossible even to imagine a coherent alternative to
it". We have become so conditioned to seeing capitalism as the only way of doing things that we no longer question it or even see how it shapes our lives everyday.<br />
<br />
Just like the "invisible hand" of the market, capitalism shapes our lives in seemingly arbitrary ways unless we understand the fundamental goal of capitalism is to accrue more capital by any means. Capitalism does not care about people, only profit.<br />
<br />
This is particularly the case since neoliberalism has been the dominant ideology of the past 30-40 years, an ideology which sees privatization and free market capitalism as not only ideal but natural. Neoliberal capitalism is the extension of the "profit, not people" ethos to the extreme. It's literally the idea that society works best when it's run by the free market, despite literally all evidence to the contrary.<br />
<br />
As this article by <a href="https://organiseaotearoa.nz/2020/04/07/covid-19-and-the-new-era/">Organise Aotearoa</a> outlines, "Under neoliberalism, austerity is everything. The existence of everything, often including human life, has to be justified in terms of cost-effectiveness, self-reliance, and interoperability with the rest of the system."<br />
<br />
This is why wages have remain stagnant for the past 30 years despite the fact that productivity has increase exponentially, resulting in the <a href="https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/">Productivity-Pay Gap</a>. It's why social benefits have been relentlessly cut due to austerity policies. It's why the gap between the rich and the poor has grown so insurmountably massive in recent decades. It's why, although the <a href="https://www.globalresearch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2015billionaires.jpg">amount of billionaires has sky-rocketed</a>, the working class still bear the brunt of taxes. That's neoliberalism, baby.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8Omgq9rbmBqb1AuYXmiRL-JaPJOr9QgM1PxmoeKPODeTYP8ZKs9XZc_ROtUVm3H6DxU2BV5-xzGsFSzplvmzeQfm67q-JYbOPRPr5c8xtj7Q6lEaMGALrMTFL7eTXc8vuwpguvdhnq0/s1600/Alien+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="794" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju8Omgq9rbmBqb1AuYXmiRL-JaPJOr9QgM1PxmoeKPODeTYP8ZKs9XZc_ROtUVm3H6DxU2BV5-xzGsFSzplvmzeQfm67q-JYbOPRPr5c8xtj7Q6lEaMGALrMTFL7eTXc8vuwpguvdhnq0/s640/Alien+3.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1185979190"></span>Left: Employer has $$$$$$ from which to pay the Worker.<br />
Middle: Worker is paid $$ by Employer.<br />
Right: Privatised Housing & Healthcare is charges the Worker $$.<br />
Now, I'm no mathematician but I think this leaves the Worker with, uh, let's see... bugger all.<span id="goog_1185979191"></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The above image comes from a <a href="http://just%20like%20the%20%22invisible%20hand%22%20of%20the%20market%2C%20capitalism%20shapes%20our%20lives%20in%20completely%20arbitrary%20ways%20unless%20we%20understand%20the%20fundamental%20goal%20of%20capitalism%20is%20to%20accrue%20more%20capital%20by%20any%20means.%20%20%20%20%20capitalism%20does%20not%20care%20about%20people%2C%20only%20profit%2C%20and%20neoliberal%20capitalism%20is%20the%20extension%20of%20that%20ethos%20to%20the%20extreme.%20i%20mean%2C%20it%27s%20literally%20the%20idea%20that%20society%20works%20best%20when%20it%27s%20run%20by%20the%20free%20market%20and%20not%20government%2C%20despite%20literally%20all%20evidence%20to%20the%20contrary./">neat video by Carlos Maza</a>, which very simply and succinctly breaks down how neoliberal capitalism, specifically in the US, is uniquely unequipped to deal with crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic. I don't want to rehash his points here but suffice to say, it's hard to argue otherwise. I mean, have you looked at the world lately?<br />
<br />
But what does all this have to do with <i>Alien</i>? Quite a lot actually or I wouldn't have brought it all up. The message from neoliberal governments in the face of this pandemic after only a few weeks of shutdown is "get back to work", to get things back to normal as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
Even in Aotearoa New Zealand where I live, a country which has been praised for its response to the pandemic and has been under shutdown for nearly three weeks, there have been grumblings from some sectors that the shutdown has worked well enough and everyone should get back to work shortly in order to save the economy.<br />
<br />
Bear in mind, we are supposed to be in shutdown and self-isolation for at least four weeks and they can barely handle a fortnight before wanting to risk people's safety and lives for the market.<br />
<br />
Which brings us back to Science Officer Ash.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpoC2KqwE0DbDe9Mz2pxkANSWCIEusJaLikcgg78j0Gus43Y0q71Q0uzQdnzCaGxj8PzrERr65xLwJkYa7q0H6b7lDS9z9RmJHqkpvYOu4iNLd9SBL05jyHOrBE5fxcWQr4evXJ1EJK8/s1600/Alien+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="923" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpoC2KqwE0DbDe9Mz2pxkANSWCIEusJaLikcgg78j0Gus43Y0q71Q0uzQdnzCaGxj8PzrERr65xLwJkYa7q0H6b7lDS9z9RmJHqkpvYOu4iNLd9SBL05jyHOrBE5fxcWQr4evXJ1EJK8/s640/Alien+5.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I told you I would get round to him. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In <i>Alien</i>, Ash is revealed to be an android <b>[spoilers for a movie from 1979, I guess]</b> operating on secret orders from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation that his number one priority is to bring back the alien life-form and to consider the crew "expendable" in achieving this goal.<br />
<br />
Put a pin in that for a moment.<br />
<br />
Remember when I discussed how we tend to forget about capitalism since it's all around us? Well, that extends to class consciousness. We don't see each other as all belonging to a shared class but rather as isolated individuals operating within society. Which is ridiculous of course, class is a huge factor in the quality of our lives and our material conditions. But why am I talking about class?<br />
<br />
Since we are conditioned not to think about class, most people don't really acknowledge that the crew of the Nostromo are working class folk doing a working class job. In space!<br />
<br />
As the late great Roger Ebert said in his <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-alien-1979">retrospective review</a> of the film, "These are not adventurers but workers, hired by a company to return 20 million tons of ore to Earth." And he's right.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlzqpYGXEY2YgAfit8UwNrmrkXBzBnVbAI6YOQJysE0-V6aphzuG9hVIOq4c-d-w99LF7rOmVr72oMfVoKCVentLbyaieCVPWCgYFWuN2aMO5Wvm_HX9yLFEcMAEnmK9vlLOuQLeCnEo/s1600/Alien+6.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="226" data-original-width="500" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlzqpYGXEY2YgAfit8UwNrmrkXBzBnVbAI6YOQJysE0-V6aphzuG9hVIOq4c-d-w99LF7rOmVr72oMfVoKCVentLbyaieCVPWCgYFWuN2aMO5Wvm_HX9yLFEcMAEnmK9vlLOuQLeCnEo/s640/Alien+6.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripley putting in the appropriate level of effort for a wage slavery job.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
By the way, this is also why the Nostromo looks less high-tech than the ships in the prequel films <i>Prometheus</i> and <i>Alien: Convenant</i> - it's a bloody freighter, not a luxury cruiser. This tangent has no relevance to my argument but I thought I'd point it out. It just bugs me when people complain about the Nostromo being low tech in comparison as though this is a flaw in continuity, when they are comparing top of the line scientific vessels to what is basically an intergalactic truck.<br />
<br />
Getting back on track, the fact we ignore the crew's class is kind of fascinating since the movie repeatedly hits you over the head with its awareness of class, specifically through the engineers Parker and Brett. Parker is forever trying to haggle better wages on behalf of Brett and himself, who, as the blue collar workers of the crew, have been stiffed on their contracts compared to their crew members.<br />
<br />
However, although Parker "is vocal about his desires to be equal to the rest of the crew", as this <a href="https://filmschoolrejects.com/alien-movie-labor-exploitation/">article by Film School Rejects</a> points out, "he is constantly shot down or ignored" due to his status as both a blue collar work and a black man.<br />
<br />
The article goes on to state, "Within Scott’s examination of capitalistic power structures lies a critique on race as well and how those who are not white are even further exploited for their labor; Parker should work for less money and be happy about it."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSxTNkFYYRAwOdMHysJYXS0VXXaln4Jy8ZER7o3BElCOpaskpECUnSEax7eQlgbtnrStVxFxyZJ1m4UUOZe6eczxxtUxm2hBnpBkYuxP8PqAx1sBYlF97RfIFR5EZtWoV8hDGxhCIug0/s1600/Alien+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="604" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilSxTNkFYYRAwOdMHysJYXS0VXXaln4Jy8ZER7o3BElCOpaskpECUnSEax7eQlgbtnrStVxFxyZJ1m4UUOZe6eczxxtUxm2hBnpBkYuxP8PqAx1sBYlF97RfIFR5EZtWoV8hDGxhCIug0/s640/Alien+6.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"So, you're saying I should just accept racial oppression and capitalist exploitation? <br />
Sounds like a crap deal to me. Can I talk to my union rep?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, since we don't acknowledge the crew as working class people being exploited by the capitalist corporate elite, we tend to view them merely as individuals trying to survive a murderous alien. The problem with ignoring class is that it becomes easier to miss how they are all similarly exploited by the corporation which cares more about profit (procuring the Xenomorph) than people (the crew).<br />
<br />
Let's take that out that pin now. As we know, the crew are viewed as expendable by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. And who is the representative of this corporation? A soulless synthetic android. It couldn't be more on the nose if they tried.<br />
<br />
Ash has been ordered by the corporation to bring back the Xenomorph at the expense of the crew, essentially to sacrifice the crew on the alter of capitalism. Remember, these are orders he cannot disobey since he is an android. He is merely a cog in the machine, the ideal worker under capitalism, and as such, he treats the human workers as beneath him.<br />
<br />
The rest of the crew have value only when they are useful to achieving the mission. Once they are no longer useful, they are disposable. For instance, Kane's body is used up and broken in order to transport the alien fetus on board the ship. He is reduced to a vessel and once he has achieved his job, he is discarded.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nPQ7om598OM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nPQ7om598OM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Of course, I linked the chestburster scene. It's an article on <i>Alien</i>, I think it's contractually mandated that every discussion of <i>Alien</i> should include the chestbuster scene. Coincidentally, it's the capitalist bootlicker who prevents the working class hero from killing the alien. Funny that.<br />
<br />
Now, let's contrast Ash's dispassionate and inhuman treatment of the crew with Ripley's reaction when she finds out what Ash's secret orders are. She is not only shocked and upset but angry and disbelieving. Her reaction is emotional, visceral and, well, human. I hope I making the point clear.<br />
<br />
I would also say it is not insignificant that it is only when the surviving crew members, Parker, Lambert and Ripley, work together that they are able to decapitate Ash and learn the truth about how they have been exploited by the corporation. It's almost like they need to build solidarity or something...<br />
<br />
So, how does all this relate to Covid-19? Well, just like the Weyland-Yutani Corporation and Ash, the conglomerates and politicians who serve them are saying that people should not only sacrifice themselves to save the economy but be happy to do so, as outlined in this <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/24/viral-on-air-plea-captures-an-essential-truth-about-trump/">Washington Post article</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTckFNOd3hiuBGQhvfCz8j9M_1NmNgKAsW00E1S4rEztEzXgMyqximMmKJWwtEpu_2FnRr81i7p41WsnE6WHCvxTclAUi-ImNQucUsbLDXaH7WSvve8i_7mLc9YCNPaQT4YNcY79L98k/s1600/Alien+9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="500" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTckFNOd3hiuBGQhvfCz8j9M_1NmNgKAsW00E1S4rEztEzXgMyqximMmKJWwtEpu_2FnRr81i7p41WsnE6WHCvxTclAUi-ImNQucUsbLDXaH7WSvve8i_7mLc9YCNPaQT4YNcY79L98k/s640/Alien+9.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Let's get back to work, let's get back to living... and those of us who are 70 plus will take care of ourselves but don't sacrifice the country." - An actual Lieutenant Governor, and not a cartoon villain, apparently. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Trump administration has repeated downplayed the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic even as the US has the most cases of any country, with just over 500,000 confirmed cases at time of writing.<br />
<br />
Not to mention, we have Republican senators like <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/20/republican-senators-sold-stocks-before-markets-plunged-on-coronavirus-fears-reports">Richard Burr</a>, who, after having being briefed about the impending pandemic in January, decide to sell off millions of dollars in stocks before the market dropped due to fears about the pandemic. He of course did this while simultaneously keeping his constituents in the dark about the scale of the threat.<br />
<br />
Naturally, he is not the only <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/412299/us-senators-accused-of-insider-trading">one</a>, as at least three other senators were caught in the act, including a Democrat Dianne Feinstein because liberals are also capitalist stooges and not immune to crass opportunism in the midst of a pandemic. A pandemic which will inevitably disproportionately impact the working class and poor they are supposed to represent. Of course, neither Barr or the other senators will face any genuine consequences, legal or otherwise, from the current system.<br />
<br />
Just like Ash and the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, under neoliberal capitalism, politicians and multi-billion conglomerates will sacrifice us at a moments notice to maintain their capital. They will happily let us all be brutally murdered one by one by a perfect organism whose structural perfection is matched only by its hostility than sacrifice a penny of their profits.<br />
<br />
This is the lesson that <i>Alien</i> teaches us in this time of quarantine under capitalism.<br />
<br />
I hope it is one we heed and learn well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>P.S.</b> After I finished writing this, I watched Thought Slime's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByESrVvuWkc">Top 5 Anti-Capitalist Horror Movies</a>" video and they described the capitalist horror of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation in <i>Alien</i> far better and more succinctly that I do here. Typical. Give the video a watch by the way, it's great.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>References:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)">Alien (1979) - Wikipedia</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://avp.fandom.com/wiki/Alien_(film)">Alien (film) - Xenopedia</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://organiseaotearoa.nz/2020/04/07/covid-19-and-the-new-era/">Covid-19 and the new era</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.epi.org/productivity-pay-gap/">The Productivity–Pay Gap</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.globalresearch.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2015billionaires.jpg">Growth in World's Billionaires</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG37wwhbS88&feature=youtu.be">Coronavirus and the American death cult</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://libcom.org/files/Capitalist%20Realism_%20Is%20There%20No%20Alternat%20-%20Mark%20Fisher.pdf">Capitalist Realism: Is there no alternative?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-alien-1979">Great Movies: Alien (1979)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://filmschoolrejects.com/alien-movie-labor-exploitation/">In ‘Alien,’ Horror Comes In The Form of Labor Exploitation</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/24/viral-on-air-plea-captures-an-essential-truth-about-trump/">A viral plea to let grandparents sacrifice themselves captures a truth about Trump</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/mar/20/republican-senators-sold-stocks-before-markets-plunged-on-coronavirus-fears-reports">Republican senator urged to quit after report he sold stocks before Covid-19 market plunge</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/412299/us-senators-accused-of-insider-trading">US senators accused of insider trading</a>Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-64642785204648704572019-07-27T11:55:00.001+12:002023-06-03T11:40:16.379+12:00Being Worthy: My Complicated Relationship with Thor Odinson"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."<br />
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8omyacImxcS4_Sp6k2gzGnwa12S8F6NEY1GaiGk51VXjIHE1DwecS_9lmuVibiMoIxt8zSsU1fLE4qO7DvASCIEj2A3eCelRglUsGeSaQpl2Fkqzp6s5xNgshPfngcea10zBv5hEuf8/s1600/Thor+1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="540" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY8omyacImxcS4_Sp6k2gzGnwa12S8F6NEY1GaiGk51VXjIHE1DwecS_9lmuVibiMoIxt8zSsU1fLE4qO7DvASCIEj2A3eCelRglUsGeSaQpl2Fkqzp6s5xNgshPfngcea10zBv5hEuf8/s640/Thor+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Consider this your only warning: <b>SPOILERS</b> for the whole MCU below.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I love Thor.</div>
<div>
<br />
To be fair, I didn't always love him, although I always liked him. And this was before the revamp of his character. For instance, I've always defended <i>Thor: The Dark World</i>, which I actually find superior to the first <i>Thor</i> film despite its faults.<br />
<br />
I also feel that Thor is quite funny in <i>Avengers: Age of Ultron</i>. No, seriously, rewatch that film and see how Whedon's second take on the character is far looser allowing Hemsworth to flex some of his comedic muscles and sets him up nicely for his third solo outing - <i>Thor: Ragnarok</i>.<br />
<br />
Oh, <i>Ragnarok</i>. What a film. The soft reboot of Thor's characterisation. The film where<i> </i>I fell in love in with MCU Thor and Chris Hemsworth's revamped, wonderful portrayal of the seductive <strike>Lord</strike> God of Thunder. It is my favourite Marvel film. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I absolutely <b>love</b> it. I have lots to say about <i>Ragnarok</i> and the fantastic work it does with both its themes of colonialism and Thor's character arc but we'll get to that.</div>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdxbZt0-wOVTIAToHSyEJe6gwRjf0XiUHe0jFsjux_Y3SEKuPBa65GQtwYo6gXYdYZQtFkikHMsvLF321z-HzDqGmVb3A95bB2hGcDPeqPUZ1GLZjvtrKBu832NH-b63nmnFQn6NTzLc/s1600/Thor+2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="669" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdxbZt0-wOVTIAToHSyEJe6gwRjf0XiUHe0jFsjux_Y3SEKuPBa65GQtwYo6gXYdYZQtFkikHMsvLF321z-HzDqGmVb3A95bB2hGcDPeqPUZ1GLZjvtrKBu832NH-b63nmnFQn6NTzLc/s640/Thor+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, just look at this shot. How could you not love this film?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, it's been difficult to put in words my feelings and thoughts following the release of <i>Avengers: Infinity War</i> and now <i>Avengers: Endgame</i>. Particularly after <i>Endgame</i>.<br />
<br />
And I'm sure if you've seen the film or read the plethora of think-pieces that followed its release, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't seen the film, I'm not sure why you're reading this but you do you do. But yes, you've probably guessed, I've spent a lot of time thinking, discussing, reevaluating my reaction to, not to mention reading a lot of varied opinions about, Fat Thor.<br />
<br />
Ah, yes. Fat Thor. We're going to get into Fat Thor, don't you worry. However, there is something I want to focus on more than Thor being depressed and getting fat and how successful/problematic that decision may be. And that is Thor's arc over the course of all his MCU movies.<br />
<br />
Because it's clear from watching <i>Infinity War</i> and <i>Endgame</i> multiple times that the writers and directors obviously did not like Thor's character development in <i>Ragnarok</i> since they regress his character to where he was at the end of <i>The Dark World</i>, ignoring all his growth in Taika Waitit's glorious film.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbIudu7zcCyytJ2F5SgpA4WwKXeX6qbcyMyH54XvbDJ6hyUf3WFDAiTCspt_HqTKNqjovi-zbAvyls2AGuI3VxrG_wKVtu3RzY7HE-hX1dAQMbRiIPIrEiumYglatluzhWMIZ4XZtos8/s1600/Thor+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="885" height="491" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTbIudu7zcCyytJ2F5SgpA4WwKXeX6qbcyMyH54XvbDJ6hyUf3WFDAiTCspt_HqTKNqjovi-zbAvyls2AGuI3VxrG_wKVtu3RzY7HE-hX1dAQMbRiIPIrEiumYglatluzhWMIZ4XZtos8/s640/Thor+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unrelated, the writers of <i>Infinity War</i> and <i>Endgame</i>, Markus and McFeely, also did rewrites on <i>The Dark World</i> but I'm sure that has nothing to do with how they wrote Thor in <i>Infinity War</i> or <i>Endgame</i> and it is just a coincidence.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So, let's do this right by going through each Thor movie and examine how his character grows (or does not) and where his arc was taking him over the course of seven films spread across eight years.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Thor (2011)</span></h2>
Wow, this film. So many Dutch angles. Just all the Dutch angles. For no reason. It's like Kenneth Branagh just discovered tilting the camera for the first time and decide to run with it, inserting it into every other scene. Yet, despite all the lopsided angles going on, this is really solid origin story which had a lot of heavy lifting to do. And lift it did.<br />
<br />
People often talk about the risk Marvel took with <i>Iron Man</i> (2008) and to be fair, that was a risk. The wider public didn't really know the character since he never became part of the cultural consciousness the same way Batman, Superman or even Spider-Man had. But at least, <i>Iron Man</i> was a relatively simple concept to grasp.<br />
<br />
Genius inventor builds a suit of armor that can fly and shoot missiles after getting blasted by one of his own weapons and taken hostage. Relatively realistic, as far as superhero origins go. It also grounded the MCU in a sort of pseudo-realism with science (however questionable) as the basis for the super heroics.<br />
<br />
But then comes <i>Thor</i>. Now, that is a risk. Honestly, just think about it for a second. A literal god from Norse mythology who wields a hammer that shoots lighting and lives in a golden palace on a flat world in space that is accessible by a rainbow bridge.<br />
<br />
They had to sell all of that and still somehow get you invested in the Shakespearean melodrama that is familial story at the heart of the film? That is a tough ask, and yet, somehow they did it. Mostly.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-5M5eyhaCA2jzcAlQEV30akOAf3heT_VKl4c9p8bh6v9CK056JkBZsr5MhGez4rTCTLICw3I-3JUwD84xa15YePMpe9viPkObfWRWPt1s_rAK1eUKG54I9QZWygfp9lAcm_-tO3hAlA/s1600/Thor+4.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="286" data-original-width="500" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-5M5eyhaCA2jzcAlQEV30akOAf3heT_VKl4c9p8bh6v9CK056JkBZsr5MhGez4rTCTLICw3I-3JUwD84xa15YePMpe9viPkObfWRWPt1s_rAK1eUKG54I9QZWygfp9lAcm_-tO3hAlA/s640/Thor+4.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oh, I'll get you to care about my familial drama, don't you worry."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But what about Thor himself? What is our introduction to Odin's firstborn? What is his arc?<br />
<br />
First things first, it is a trip to rewatch this film eight years after it came out. Thor starts off the movie as such a whiny entitled frat boy, its almost like he's a completely different character. He's abrasive and arrogant, having never lost a battle or really experienced the horrors of war despite craving it.<br />
<br />
Thor at this point is a boy play-acting at what he thinks manhood is like, not a man who is truly aware of the responsibilities that come with the privilege and power he has been granted.<br />
<br />
Even after losing his Mjolnir and being stripped of his power on Earth, he is exceptionally confident that he will sort everything out, get his hammer and swing it to pull him off... the ground.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP278rkKwqI1swe3hDH1bVXshVP90g8kH2ziIoMbbHrK0s2phSA_rFBO6EfHfzMwII1mg0HiX0ubJxe34cAwB21XwRyJi6EPRdqQg6m06BbxQW4pfoCblf9MnBLuUdwlx91yLW7-xXzsw/s1600/Thor+5.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="540" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP278rkKwqI1swe3hDH1bVXshVP90g8kH2ziIoMbbHrK0s2phSA_rFBO6EfHfzMwII1mg0HiX0ubJxe34cAwB21XwRyJi6EPRdqQg6m06BbxQW4pfoCblf9MnBLuUdwlx91yLW7-xXzsw/s640/Thor+5.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at this cocky bastard. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But the utter despair he feels when he realises that he is no longer worthy and cannot lift Mjolnir is palatable. After breaking into the facility with such cocksure bravado, he passively allows himself to be captured by SHIELD without any resistance, or really even with much awareness of what is happening.<br />
<br />
His conversation with Loki in the interrogation room later is the first indication of what a fantastic actor Chris Hemsworth is and how he would eventually grow into the role. His reaction to the (fake) news that Odin has died because of him is far too real, as is his sincere apology to Loki, undeserved though it is.<br />
<br />
And from here on in the film, we see a new Thor, one who has been humbled and lacks direction, not knowing what he should do or who he should be. I especially love how the film shows this visually through cups and plates.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg3eR9CC8_aQfaRfrS54I3fK6L6mdqFtxxSAOilRytjmYJ3CHEm2lpwrCFY48TJqTmEynu5_csL_8lJ4wYwSbALjpclG_TlpVBp6wIeVXnlM8YKbC1pZpG-fJzPoWTJ5CfFhdOuiy3lo/s1600/Thor+6.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="245" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg3eR9CC8_aQfaRfrS54I3fK6L6mdqFtxxSAOilRytjmYJ3CHEm2lpwrCFY48TJqTmEynu5_csL_8lJ4wYwSbALjpclG_TlpVBp6wIeVXnlM8YKbC1pZpG-fJzPoWTJ5CfFhdOuiy3lo/s640/Thor+6.gif" width="526" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He goes from this meme...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-GklDYhbycqiLuGLsASJNTqhkfKmt4e0n5ZwvNuJirVSmTGyoDXkb4CsZEYG1Z0vpjQgC9UuhEfDWZ30IfzKOpoXJscHxNOdrMmOOio8BkBh78DNuiUqPE_SYgaE3eH5YqoTajgAePc/s1600/Thor+7.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="700" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-GklDYhbycqiLuGLsASJNTqhkfKmt4e0n5ZwvNuJirVSmTGyoDXkb4CsZEYG1Z0vpjQgC9UuhEfDWZ30IfzKOpoXJscHxNOdrMmOOio8BkBh78DNuiUqPE_SYgaE3eH5YqoTajgAePc/s640/Thor+7.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To delicately serving breakfast.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
That's some solid visual storytelling and leads nicely into what I like about Thor's development in this film. He is legitimately humbled by the experience and it leads him to question his path for the first time - if he is not worthy of wielding Mjolnir and is banished from the kingdom he was raised to rule, who is he?<br />
<br />
I remember being initially underwhelmed that Thor undergoes his personal revelation over what is essentially a long weekend but on the rewatch it definitely feels more earned. Thor suffers a massive blow to his ego and sense of self, not to mention the first tinges of guilt which will fuel his character going forward, but he genuinely learns what it means to be worthy.<br />
<br />
And to be honest, I don't think this film gets enough credit for setting up Thor's character in a way that will continued to be explored throughout the MCU.<br />
<br />
We watch Thor come to grips with the fact that it is not flyboy heroics or glory that make someone worthy but their willingness to sacrifice themselves in order to save others. Hmm, this seems similar to a lesson that another hothead flyboy in a different Disney franchise has to learn. Can't put my finger on who though...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLreP09fU6I88bSFpwt_6Kk0A7MFAqfKmVFpSPCltvcWaOUEsx7nGhyphenhyphenuJbpEayq2nGIGHKjPAzq4HY-E1bCZVOuZcdzcdszHPmB_lzx8eZB7K5geadLP1SaebcS7A8MwNGP4LXNJAylI/s1600/Thor+8.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="980" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLreP09fU6I88bSFpwt_6Kk0A7MFAqfKmVFpSPCltvcWaOUEsx7nGhyphenhyphenuJbpEayq2nGIGHKjPAzq4HY-E1bCZVOuZcdzcdszHPmB_lzx8eZB7K5geadLP1SaebcS7A8MwNGP4LXNJAylI/s640/Thor+8.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I wonder who he could be thinking of."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All this leads to the final confrontation with Loki on the Bifrost Bridge which remains one of the more emotional and satsfying climaxes in a Marvel film. The resentment Loki feels as Thor's younger overlooked brother, Thor's sense of betrayal at Loki's actions and Odin's shitty parenting give some real melodramatic emotional weight to a story about Norse gods on a rainbow bridge. And I am here for it. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This brings us to...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<h2 style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The Avengers (2012)</span></h2>
<div>
The first Avengers film had to do so many things right in order to work it's actually quite remarkable how it set the tone for all the crazy crossover superhero event films in the seven years since.<br />
<br />
It had to juggle a billionaire playboy philanthropist in a flying armoured suit, a super-soldier from the 1940s with a shield that doesn't obey the laws of physics, and literal Norse gods all sharing the same scene. Not to mention it had to introduce a completely new version of the Hulk in addition to flesh out Black Widow and Hawkeye (who had the most inconsequential of cameos in <i>Thor</i>).<br />
<br />
The fact it does this all with aplomb is a testament to Joss Whedon's direction and sense of character. The man is not perfect, either as a writer or personally, however he knows what makes familial dynamics and conflicts work on screen. Each character has an arc and is given at least one moment to shine. Although it is seeing them bounce off of each other that is the real treat. And this is something Whedon would only get better at but I'll discuss that when we get to <i>Age of Ultron</i>.<br />
<br />
But what is Thor's journey in <i>The Avengers</i>? What does Whedon do with Thor's arc that he inherited from Kenneth Branagh in his first solo outing? An outing drenched in fantastical action, broad comedy, big emotion and high Shakespearean melodrama. He does exactly what Branagh did. He focused on the brotherly relationship between Loki and Thor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyNMuOVL6yGxW56AvVgL3M75sjxhGEzwqi0gdxSI-6HFjhwIuXTUnif4-L2X08M_-Pm4gG1E39oeaHjYoNp5WE2kEFJj_no5uVRgHzVpQPg1px4Dzq-78BCQRhMGjdkzXZGnIwfLIj9s/s1600/Thor+9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1109" data-original-width="1600" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAyNMuOVL6yGxW56AvVgL3M75sjxhGEzwqi0gdxSI-6HFjhwIuXTUnif4-L2X08M_-Pm4gG1E39oeaHjYoNp5WE2kEFJj_no5uVRgHzVpQPg1px4Dzq-78BCQRhMGjdkzXZGnIwfLIj9s/s640/Thor+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Why, hello there."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Thor we see in <i>The Avengers</i> is a Thor burdened with his failure to redeem his brother and that failure fuels his motivation in the Avengers. All he wants is to take his brother home to Asgard and mend the damage done to their family in his solo outing.<br />
<br />
And this is clear from the moment he swoops in to the film riding a thunderstorm and snapping Loki from Iron Man and Captain America. He immediately takes Loki to a mountain top and tries to convince him to give up his foolish dream of ruling Earth and to come home.<br />
<br />
This interaction serves as the model for how Thor approaches Loki throughout the film. Thor never attacks Loki first, instead he always tries to deescalate the situation by talking to him, to mend the damage to their relationship, to try convince him to give up his evil plot and come home where they can be brothers once more. A far cry from the battle hungry Thor we were first introduced to.<br />
<br />
However, this doesn't mean that Thor has become a truly calm or measured person fully in control of his anger or sense of masculinity. He is still is brash and quick to anger. See his Shakespeare in the Park with Iron Man. While he gives him a warning, he also is the first to come to blows, easily annoyed by Tony Stark's intervention. Who is this petty human to interfere in the affairs of gods?<br />
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For a further example of how Thor has not fully learnt how to control his anger and the need to perform his masculinity in unnecessarily aggressive ways to seem powerful and 'serious', there is of course, the famous "You want me to put the hammer down?".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj8w_pKWRCmuCPPhCkLXELHQ_BAbM7EvLeEaEt9Yuc1dkf9MZ8faJu3pDZg4J8WLdi_H76NMBy1EySql9W4aFmphOgoOFZzJpeYNEeEtkixYc8GXUTk1ElNJ9FBcAVoM7C29ou_cH4g8/s1600/Thor+10.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj8w_pKWRCmuCPPhCkLXELHQ_BAbM7EvLeEaEt9Yuc1dkf9MZ8faJu3pDZg4J8WLdi_H76NMBy1EySql9W4aFmphOgoOFZzJpeYNEeEtkixYc8GXUTk1ElNJ9FBcAVoM7C29ou_cH4g8/s640/Thor+10.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clearly the actions of a calm and measured god who isn't quick to anger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Obviously, although Thor has come a long way, he is not the fully developed God of Thunder that he will eventually become yet. Yes, he approaches certain situations more maturely than before and more fully understands the responsibility of what it means to be worthy but he is still brash and quick to anger.<br />
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He also has not shaken his Asgardian colonial biases at this point. I didn't really discuss it in <i>Thor </i>since it becomes far more relevant in <i>Thor: Ragnarok</i> but there are hints throughout the first two solo Thor films of Asgard's colonialist heritage - such as the Frost Giant Laufey's reference to Odin's lust for war and conquest or Odin's stating that Jane Foster "doesn't belong in Asgard any more than a goat does at a banquet table".<br />
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These colonialist views clearly shaped Thor's perspective, leading him to look down on humans. While he thinks they are deserving of protection and enjoys their company, his relationship with humanity is one of benevolent condescension, of seeing humans as creatures unable to look after themselves that he needs to watch over.<br />
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This is why he calls the Avengers petty and tiny when everyone is arguing on the helicarrier. He sees humanity as children lacking a parent. Naturally, he fails to see the hypocrisy of that statement when his family squabbles are just as childish and petty.<br />
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He would of course say that it's different since those are the affairs of gods and not mortal men.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJVQiEl4-xQOCI-aWb139LSbKrxNaX_2VjE1UaJx713shiOvqa-j_qrWmGCDrjdZaTcRZw2Rnu2JegyWtgeJ5yN2-UH5lWDo3R2cgI9fIu76s0qQls7AWnPdShjXMgysuk5x3jEPzT18/s1600/Thor+11.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="268" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJVQiEl4-xQOCI-aWb139LSbKrxNaX_2VjE1UaJx713shiOvqa-j_qrWmGCDrjdZaTcRZw2Rnu2JegyWtgeJ5yN2-UH5lWDo3R2cgI9fIu76s0qQls7AWnPdShjXMgysuk5x3jEPzT18/s640/Thor+11.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nope, no condescension detected.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
After the Avengers are split up following the attack on the helicarrier and Thor escapes the glass cage built for the Hulk that Loki tricked him to run into, Thor crashes into the ground and drops Mjolnir.<br />
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And then there is a lovely little moment when Thor reaches to pick up Mjolnir but hesitates, as though he is not sure if he truly is worthy to wield it or is aware of the consequences that will follow - the battle that will commence.<br />
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Although it is small, this slight hesitation signals quite a bit of character growth for our young Thor Odinson. While still quick to anger, he is no longer is quick to war, knowing the damage it can cause. It is almost like he is resolving himself to the violence that will ensue, that he brings to Midgard.<br />
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But then it is suit up time!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-1Uw0I7OmVgEPKU3C-gd43dP2ZFmJ84JOHWBKe4kBR66ZQo8aS1fA4lpD8txc8reFdh5wbUTDAHW4B1dTzuTyjy_p-EsQ4__eKg41XtOCeFpTNgnwLQNR2Tcq_fsq0IoWVUbTqfaeQc/s1600/Thor+12.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX-1Uw0I7OmVgEPKU3C-gd43dP2ZFmJ84JOHWBKe4kBR66ZQo8aS1fA4lpD8txc8reFdh5wbUTDAHW4B1dTzuTyjy_p-EsQ4__eKg41XtOCeFpTNgnwLQNR2Tcq_fsq0IoWVUbTqfaeQc/s640/Thor+12.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a glow up.</td></tr>
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<br /></div>
<div>
In the Battle of New York, it is clear once again how Thor's main objective is to convince Loki to "give up this madness" but it obviously doesn't work as he stabs him. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, we are treated to many a moment of Thor just being his best badass self, throwing hammers and shields with Captain America, casting the biggest lightning bolt in New York and taking down a couple Chitauri Leviathons with the Hulk, all that good stuff.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Talking about the Hulk, this is the film that introduces the dynamic between Thor and the "Strongest Avenger" which will later flourish in Ragnarok and Endgame. </div>
<div>
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<div>
Naturally, the world is saved. Thor leaves Earth with Loki in chains, bringing us to...<br />
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<div>
<h2 style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thor: The Dark World (2013)</span></h2>
</div>
<div>
Like mentioned above, I liked <i>The Dark World</i> when I first saw it in cinemas and actually prefer it to the first <i>Thor</i> film. Don't me wrong, I do miss Brannagh's Shakespearean brand of melodrama and indulgent use of Dutch angles but <i>The Dark World</i> resonated with me far more, feeling closer to a fantasy epic draped in superhero clothing than the other way around.<br />
<br />
I mean, it starts with Odin's "Galadriel-style" narration over a historic battle with Dark Elves. Dark Elves who speak actually elfish with subtitles! You can't get much more high fantasy than that. It's clear that this film is trying so hard to be <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> of the MCU.<br />
<br />
One thing that is apparent from the beginning is that this film is gorgeous. Truly, the cinematography, lighting, costumes and special effects are superb and I am fully here for it. Just in case you haven't seen the film in a while, here's the opening prologue to highlight what I mean.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pmxD2Oj3A6o/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pmxD2Oj3A6o?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
The design of the Dark Elves for instance. Just *chef's kiss*.<br />
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The high fantasy angle is also clear in how the film spends far more time on Asgard and far less time trying to explain magic away as advanced science like it did in the first film. However, it would take until <i>Ragnarok</i> for that element to truly be forgotten and for the magical elements to just be magic.<br />
<br />
But we are here to talk about Thor and the arc of his character development across the MCU. So, how is he introduced in the film? How have the events of <i>The Avengers</i> impacted him or altered his behaviour? Well, Thor's first scene in the film is during a medieval battle on Vanaheim in which he makes a grand entrance befitting the God of Thunder...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrm84Y8Y9RzJOpWEfKhWSFMN_DGPv3ZvzAKwsJvAsZ2glWQIUsGffo_Vu6L9AAJF6a5kr5H38gEIq4wD8ERO-DUJwpYn5WViYdZyPd0tqrtLZf680Q3gPfjA26gNUKazk4wn-MgJM6fo/s1600/Thor+13.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="625" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrm84Y8Y9RzJOpWEfKhWSFMN_DGPv3ZvzAKwsJvAsZ2glWQIUsGffo_Vu6L9AAJF6a5kr5H38gEIq4wD8ERO-DUJwpYn5WViYdZyPd0tqrtLZf680Q3gPfjA26gNUKazk4wn-MgJM6fo/s640/Thor+13.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And one which leaves quite the impression.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It is actually in this scene where we see the glimpses of the Thor that Hemsworth would eventually blossom into in <i>Ragnarok</i>, the confident brash facade that hides his sense of unworthiness behind a blind (and humorous) belief that despite the fact he "make[s] grave mistakes all the time, everything seems to work out".<br />
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And we are introduced to this more confident Thor, one who has been humbled by his experiences in the previous films but still is brash in battle. This dichotomy of a humble yet brash Thor is highlight in the difference between his behaviour in the battle and his moodiness on Asgard.<br />
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As soon as he arrives on Vanahiem, the tone of the battle shifts. Thor is now the focus, his hammer flying out of the Bifrost, his 'put the hammer' down moment above, all eyes are on him. In this brash side of Thor, we also see Hemsworth's comedic chops beginning to be utilised, if ever so slightly.<br />
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The first thing he says in the film is a joke. Sif says she "has things under control" and Thor retorts with a grin, "Is that why everything is on fire?". This comes through even more in his delivery of the "I accept your surrender" line when Korg's cousin confronts him. We laugh, the army of invaders laugh, everyone has a good time. Until Korg's cousin gets demolished, that is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjHbfDWq5fPhmzoYKWwcdNA_yqG2X5skKPhmUTU9qmarwaV4WxNAZ0v1l3_m_3XhAJUIlrD5H1ekbQ1kpGIRo_QLiLhNFT0OLA55yWyJnj3qDKS-6cZRzHjeBoAW6arQXrw5jSIncz88/s1600/Thor+14.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="540" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjHbfDWq5fPhmzoYKWwcdNA_yqG2X5skKPhmUTU9qmarwaV4WxNAZ0v1l3_m_3XhAJUIlrD5H1ekbQ1kpGIRo_QLiLhNFT0OLA55yWyJnj3qDKS-6cZRzHjeBoAW6arQXrw5jSIncz88/s640/Thor+14.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Anyone else?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And then we come to Thor at Asgard. Removed from the exhilaration of battle, we see the humbler side of Thor emerge, his "confused and distracted heart" as Odin puts it. He is broodier than we have ever seen him before this moment. Unable to enjoy himself or relax despite his victories.<br />
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Thor is no longer the entitled frat boy at the beginning of the first film and seems to mellowed out following the events of <i>The Avengers</i>. This Thor feels disconnected from the revelry his fellow Asgardians, celebrations he previously would have engaged in with gusto.<br />
<br />
He sees his friend Volstagg down his drink, throw it to the floor and shout out "Another!" just as he in his first film and looks discontented. He even says that "merriment can sometimes be a heavier burden than battle" to Heimdall at one point. This is a Thor burdened with contemplation and responsibility.<br />
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Which is maybe part of the reason why this film developed the reputation it now has as being dour or lacklustre. The muted colour palette couldn't have helped either (despite the exquisite cinematography, the film looks dark at some points).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcca7KqlUWP2yMmrzEyB1JZF19N4gzkvc34aQo9NBNDqMti-KOpqQfUp_FpzXRlyv2bhGx6Jp07_DgvRYjZ35gXjA-Oa1vjl8ZxFmPaFoNW7LGkRXx-1ast5vIWpP7rNoWa9euejYhMKc/s1600/Thor+15.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="841" data-original-width="1434" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcca7KqlUWP2yMmrzEyB1JZF19N4gzkvc34aQo9NBNDqMti-KOpqQfUp_FpzXRlyv2bhGx6Jp07_DgvRYjZ35gXjA-Oa1vjl8ZxFmPaFoNW7LGkRXx-1ast5vIWpP7rNoWa9euejYhMKc/s640/Thor+15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, the costumes look fantastic and what a shot, but no wonder they called it the Dark World.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It is on Thor's return to Asgard and his conversation with his father that we also get introduced to one of the central conflicts for Thor in this film, one which the writers Markus & McFeely would return to in <i>Endgame</i> (ignoring his development in <i>Ragnarok</i> completely), Thor's struggle with being who he is supposed to be, king of Asgard, or succeed at who he is, a hero.<br />
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It's essentially his "with great power, comes great responsibility". What makes Thor worthy to wield Mjolnir? Is it his ability to fulfill his royal duty or is it his willingness to be a hero? Who should he be to be worthy? What does it mean to be worthy anyway?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEykCoZ_7r21My-gCG4ahM9SUOwEaF5zZxSGH4j-znuknJqrz4gtBj8zV3NYBbPoxVowLF77OrGrFz5HTg20_4cM7QSCJc3aJ-XhMbPMlrnmMhTb1T6BCkpqBK0PKcJ84Uqty1YaofNwo/s1600/Thor+26.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEykCoZ_7r21My-gCG4ahM9SUOwEaF5zZxSGH4j-znuknJqrz4gtBj8zV3NYBbPoxVowLF77OrGrFz5HTg20_4cM7QSCJc3aJ-XhMbPMlrnmMhTb1T6BCkpqBK0PKcJ84Uqty1YaofNwo/s640/Thor+26.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Could I brood any more handsomely?"</td></tr>
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These are the questions that Thor's is grappling with internally and they are a big part of the appeal of the character to me. As someone who has a times struggled with my own sense of self-worth, who at times have felt like although I have tried my best and do the right thing that I am still lacking in some way or another, I find these questions fascinating and they resonate.<br />
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It's probably because he grappling with such questions that he is such a mope when not in action mode. Devoid of a battle to distract him, his mind spins such questions in his head, and hey. I've been there. You keep yourself busy so you don't have to think about the things that you don't want to think about or can't properly process because when you do think about them, you mope.<br />
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On the flip side, there are so many hints that Thor is a franchise that is meant to be a comedy. The humour in the film is great, however the tone and colour palate is so dour they don't really stand out that much. I won't go into detail but just post a couple of gifs which I think illustrate my point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMBbFDCv5DicxG-LtcOzjyyVnhPZKe6iIIYReJRMguRgkRPCf7oTThvVapXts6-dPioGNWK-UovWdmZ6Q8VKqSWFNYmQTalxwYraEeoJquZDJzPztMgOIDcs4cSUVWsgIJZ8IhKntLFM/s1600/Thor+16.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="458" data-original-width="346" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtMBbFDCv5DicxG-LtcOzjyyVnhPZKe6iIIYReJRMguRgkRPCf7oTThvVapXts6-dPioGNWK-UovWdmZ6Q8VKqSWFNYmQTalxwYraEeoJquZDJzPztMgOIDcs4cSUVWsgIJZ8IhKntLFM/s640/Thor+16.gif" width="482" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTptjQ4w6fCpyojiFowFvl2yfwMUPJHLpAzi-TVjR08ggSz_3ULmhKXaaQhJLt0jiT06YXYpFPKS8gcwfwSHH4EceW3GyjXyWAh8IRUnhmXYJ1xWmRKLAjvLAXa1UUNId-BlCnNsMZwUU/s1600/Thor+18.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="245" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTptjQ4w6fCpyojiFowFvl2yfwMUPJHLpAzi-TVjR08ggSz_3ULmhKXaaQhJLt0jiT06YXYpFPKS8gcwfwSHH4EceW3GyjXyWAh8IRUnhmXYJ1xWmRKLAjvLAXa1UUNId-BlCnNsMZwUU/s400/Thor+18.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uyJXA6C-HSr4xW8OMaVBPBNcJDySmBtUjXRXO9dIEmjGhfJ6xNTMSjch5YQknXdZEYsPuJX0VEnPobPvYGV5YhD6YRvK_jDTs9d3dCnJ83Oke4ylmSTTlKXWzVEosesGbk27KgtH9i0/s1600/Thor+18.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="500" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uyJXA6C-HSr4xW8OMaVBPBNcJDySmBtUjXRXO9dIEmjGhfJ6xNTMSjch5YQknXdZEYsPuJX0VEnPobPvYGV5YhD6YRvK_jDTs9d3dCnJ83Oke4ylmSTTlKXWzVEosesGbk27KgtH9i0/s640/Thor+18.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnWFvNay_8wm-SgwJpB5cvlkEhACU77VOq0XkDIrwoeBvSZbF14dTvcHcUkI3y-m_vsLk_TXFEOOa0aos4I46A07fbLXK4LY1qsnx08jS6cV8UfrDI3Og8vlqHXbS6Xv8fA2avVGaIaI/s1600/Thor+19.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="500" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnWFvNay_8wm-SgwJpB5cvlkEhACU77VOq0XkDIrwoeBvSZbF14dTvcHcUkI3y-m_vsLk_TXFEOOa0aos4I46A07fbLXK4LY1qsnx08jS6cV8UfrDI3Og8vlqHXbS6Xv8fA2avVGaIaI/s640/Thor+19.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
I can't believe I've written this much about <i>Thor: The Dark World</i> of all movies. And I've barely gotten into the plot or even mentioned the big bad elf himself, Malekith.<br />
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Mainly because that's not my focus with this piece but also because I realised that I had far more to say about how Thor's arc is set up in this film than I had anticipated.<br />
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But let's turn our attention to Malekith for a second.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblW1063-bkMT11vwoQwOgvcs1aBXiQ087h-yMAntKtL47rV3aEWsJmIR5JZGzZ4NTw33_i-UG2lDHkGYTBlOOCTCmDraaEt5owvHFTXy469kB1URPTn9LHkrjFSDlhEbdNQSBGiczaAQ/s1600/Thor+20.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="700" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjblW1063-bkMT11vwoQwOgvcs1aBXiQ087h-yMAntKtL47rV3aEWsJmIR5JZGzZ4NTw33_i-UG2lDHkGYTBlOOCTCmDraaEt5owvHFTXy469kB1URPTn9LHkrjFSDlhEbdNQSBGiczaAQ/s640/Thor+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Now, my boy Malekith is often maligned as the weakest villain in the entire MCU and it's not an unfair criticism. The normally expressive Christopher Eccleston is hidden under white make-up and, although I do appreciate that they committed to the Dark Elves speaking in elvish, it does mean that it is hard to relate to his motivations when he's speaking in a made-up language constantly.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, Malekith is quite bland as villains go with a generic "destroy the universe because reasons" vibe. No, justified anger and empathetic portrayal like Killmonger or mysterious backstory and sense of chaos like the Joker. Rather, Malekith is simply an antagonistic force.<br />
<br />
However, all that said, I am not one who is opposed to purely antagonistic villains who are evil just because they're evil and the protagonist needs someone to fight. This can often give the protagonist a more internal struggle to deal with that the antagonist is merely a physical obstacle for them to work out that internal struggle through.<br />
<br />
And this is what we see with Malekith. I'm never going to argue that he is a great or even good villain but he is somewhat adequate for the needs of the film. Since Malekith is a villain in the same way Sauron is, simply a means to counter the 'goodness' of our protagonist.<br />
<br />
However, Malekith serves another function. He shows Thor the dark side of his father and the weight of certain decisions he would have to make as king. Thor even calls out Odin on his warmongering, asking how is he different from Malekith if he is also willing to sacrifice Asgardian lives to wipe out his enemy. Odin does not provide an adequate answer because he has none.<br />
<br />
So yes, Malekith is a bland villain but he fulfils an important purpose in Thor's arc, he is another small chip in Thor's idealisation of Odin and the throne. He serves to highlight, albeit not overtly, the conquering imperialism of Asgard that Taika Waititi would eviscerate in <i>Raganarok</i>.<br />
<br />
But this is the key focus of McFeely and Markus' Thor - to be king or to be a hero. A focus which is made abundantly clear in the last line Thor speaks in the film.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNxnYIAFhaiamPseGRGpPSw-nM5wHQE8HLHS4m2vgv4dJ8vwM3iP7H292dnmmlHOM4dxjufnAN6aDMIdlqfDcjw2J3LaC_zq75SKNwLgmgL0a79SPF4-1dB-pBN9k6C2s6wKH8TjNd7A/s1600/Thor+19.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="274" data-original-width="639" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNxnYIAFhaiamPseGRGpPSw-nM5wHQE8HLHS4m2vgv4dJ8vwM3iP7H292dnmmlHOM4dxjufnAN6aDMIdlqfDcjw2J3LaC_zq75SKNwLgmgL0a79SPF4-1dB-pBN9k6C2s6wKH8TjNd7A/s640/Thor+19.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'd rather be a good man than a great king."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
In fact, this final scene says a lot about how McFeely and Markus perceive Thor as a character. Their Thor sees the throne as a prison, something that would mean giving up his ability to actively help others and change him due to the power and burden of kingship. That is who he supposed to be as Odin's heir but is it not who he is. Their Thor is the roaming self-sacrificing hero who cannot be tied to the throne or accept its responsibilities. No wonder they didn't like the end of <i>Ragnarok</i>...<br />
<br />
Now, it's been a surprise to me as much as it may be to you that I could actually say more about <i>Thor: The Dark World</i>. I seriously had no idea that I had this many thoughts about the film, and one which is (wrongly) considered among the lesser of the MCU, but here we are.<br />
<br />
I haven't really touched on the wonderful action set-pieces (from the attack on Asgard to the escape from Asgard, or even the final multi-realm climatic battle which I actually think is fantastic despite the lack of personal connection between Thor and Malekith), Brian Tyler's effecting fantasy inspired score, Tom Hiddleston's nuance portrayal of Loki, or Rene Russo's touching turn as Queen Frigga and her relationship with her sons (her subsequent fridging).<br />
<br />
But we should really move on. Which brings us to...<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
<h2 style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)</span></h2>
</div>
Okay, I know that I have already expressed some hot takes in this piece already but that just means you're primed for another - I firmly believe that <i>Age of Ultron</i> is better than <i>The Avengers</i>. There are various reasons for this, most of which are handily covered in this video by Filmento so I don't have to.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Additionally, my goal here is not to rank these films or review them but rather to hone in and examine Thor's character development across them. So, how is Thor in <i>Age of Ultron</i>? Having saved the day several times now and learned some valuable lessons about himself along the way, what does he get up to in the second Avengers' film?<br />
<br />
Well, the general consensus is... not much. And they're not wrong exactly but we'll get into that.<br />
<br />
What I found particularly interesting on a rewatch of the film is just how funny Thor is. People act as though Thor only got funny in <i>Ragnarok</i> and had been boorish and stiff-lipped until then but it's just not true. Granted, <i>Ragnarok</i> is a comedy and lets Hemsworth's natural charisma and improvisational comic timing truly shine but he had a number of choice moments in previous films and especially in <i>Age of Ultron</i>.<br />
<br />
Thor has grown so much from the first Avengers' film. I mentioned how in <i>The Avengers</i>, he was still blinded by his Asgardian colonialist bias, seeing humans as lesser beings. However, his love for Jane Foster and his experiences saving Earth, not to mention his father's outright bigotry, have changed his perspective.<br />
<br />
Thor is still burden with contemplation and prone to brooding out of battle but when fighting alongside the Avengers he is far looser and, you know, funny. And the way Thor is funny is when you get him to say something unexpected or ridiculous completely straight and sincerely.<br />
<br />
For instance, it is clear that Thor now sees the Avengers as comrades in arms. This is conveyed through humorous moments such as when Black Widow asks him to report on the Hulk during their first battle to help Banner calm down.<br />
<br />
First, being an Asgardian, he says what he believes a fellow warrior would want to hear and find encouraging. However, when he picks up that what he said is upsetting to Banner, he tries to comfort him, failing hilariously. This shows his growth from the god who thought humans were petty and tiny not too long ago.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEqAJRG8ZwL-qhmIQxMhN9lfSCCbjxSvDQSGYbosPi9VWFetHvfeJ4Eozk8pzs_O0FtuVow53w_XEv4CH5_oLEdr_HC68ck0i1RV5WSrrN9TXhs_Sa1yQ8iC0fNSt1pMFFKtMigjXFlU/s1600/Thor+23.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwEqAJRG8ZwL-qhmIQxMhN9lfSCCbjxSvDQSGYbosPi9VWFetHvfeJ4Eozk8pzs_O0FtuVow53w_XEv4CH5_oLEdr_HC68ck0i1RV5WSrrN9TXhs_Sa1yQ8iC0fNSt1pMFFKtMigjXFlU/s640/Thor+23.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
The way he now regards his fellow Avengers is further showcased in the party scene, the one unanimously celebrated scene from the film. Thor is reveling in celebrations, a far cry from the moping Thor in <i>The Dark World</i> who found merriment on Asgard more burdensome than battle.<br />
<br />
As Chris Hemsworth expressed in an <a href="https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/chris-hemsworth-reveals-why-thor-loses-hope-avengers-age-ultron">interview</a> prior to the release of <i>Age of Ultron</i>, Thor is "off Asgard so he doesn’t have to be as regal and kingly as he is in that world". Thor in <i>Age of Ultron</i> begins the film relishing in the fact that he can be looser and less restricted by the expectation placed upon him as a prince of Asgard. It's almost like there's a recurring conflict between who he is supposed to be and who he is or something.<br />
<br />
That said, his braggadocios mockery of their attempts to lift Mjolnir does highlight how he doesn't believe they could be worthy. We see that Thor still keeps up a facade around his friends, always confident and in control, not letting them see him vulnerable or unsure.<br />
<br />
Until America's good, sweet boy, Steve Rogers give it the old college try, that is.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKykeQm8ci2yzf3nZcsJJ4ZJO84htIyfO4xtSMGE56YkiEOFVMYrS6MraXBRWuqrVDSFQL0TBAZ6EsIdFeUoN20erIMPk1j-JZ-25VwaEqSgao7P-nog-652ykO5HOB8ttgb_AXeO7tI/s1600/Thor+24.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWKykeQm8ci2yzf3nZcsJJ4ZJO84htIyfO4xtSMGE56YkiEOFVMYrS6MraXBRWuqrVDSFQL0TBAZ6EsIdFeUoN20erIMPk1j-JZ-25VwaEqSgao7P-nog-652ykO5HOB8ttgb_AXeO7tI/s640/Thor+24.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thor's reaction though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Of course, Cap, being the cinnamon roll of perfection he is, naturally realises lifting the hammer will embarrass Thor. Therefore, he pretends like he can't actually lift it, though we all knew he could and then he did in <i>Endgame</i> and it was amazing.<br />
<br />
So, Thor immediately returns to his confident mockery after this since he still feels the need to maintain the appearance of confidence even if he is filled with doubt inside.<br />
<br />
And I know I'm skipping ahead and moving around a lot, but I just want to highlight how Thor stalls Ultron in the final battle because to me it is one of the clearest examples that Thor is far funnier in <i>Age of Ultron</i> than people give him credit for.<br />
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Now, Whedon gets a lot of shit for this film but the man knew how to write Thor and use Hemsworth's comedic talents to great effect. Similarly, he also knew how to maximise Thor's brooding nature with purpose.<br />
<br />
As Filmento points out in his video linked above, "Thor is afraid that he brings only destruction and that he's not good enough to protect the people his duty it is to protect". This is shown visually by stepping on the Lego house in Hawkeye's farm and the vision he sees of Asgard's doom when mind-blasted by Scarlet Witch.<br />
<br />
This is the insecurity that fuels his need to maintain an overly confident facade, the fear that he is not enough. He cannot allow his friends to see his weakness or doubt, only his strength because if he allows them to see under the facade, it means that he will also need to grapple with his insecurities.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmljLIuM2wEO1u0UUhT7N_-GlY7k9fNy6nob0sqkkG_2pt-sCpCvYa9cfg410AKzhD56lsrJhoJ7iqJOWE9p_2z3AMxQJFuwrDDtAlagwMReMZcsDjwzSmXxYuf9xLr0E82WcPXfoy5Y/s1600/Thor+27.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="796" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkmljLIuM2wEO1u0UUhT7N_-GlY7k9fNy6nob0sqkkG_2pt-sCpCvYa9cfg410AKzhD56lsrJhoJ7iqJOWE9p_2z3AMxQJFuwrDDtAlagwMReMZcsDjwzSmXxYuf9xLr0E82WcPXfoy5Y/s640/Thor+27.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although, it is interesting to me that the way Thor's fear of failure manifests in his vision is exactly <br />
how his true power expresses itself in <i>Ragnarok</i> once he realises his own self-worth..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
People complain that Thor's arc in <i>Age of Ultron</i> is reduced to merely setting up later MCU films and often are confused about the pool scene. I'm not going to argue that they aren't setting up later films however, I disagree that Thor is reduced to a plot device in the film.<br />
<br />
I'm confused why people make such a big deal of the impact Scarlet Witch's illusion/vision has on Tony Stark in regards to fueling his motivations and his desire to "build a suit of armour around the world" but don't extend that courtesy to Thor's actions in the film.<br />
<br />
While Thor doesn't have as big a role in the film as Stark, his motivations are just as clearly articulated and impacted by the vision he sees. He sees the destruction of his home and that he is the source of its destruction since it is "where his power leads" as vision Heimdall tells him.<br />
<br />
This is what prompts him to find out more, to seek out answers that hopefully will prevent his vision from coming true. And yeah, this sets up <i>Ragnarok</i> and <i>Infinity War</i> but it also provides the rationale for why Thor brings Vision to life. Thor recognises the threat Ultron poses and believes he needs to create Vision in order to counter the destruction that Ultron will bring, using an infinity stone for good to right Stark's mistake.<br />
<br />
But yes, his actions in <i>Age of Ultron</i> also sets up later films in the MCU. Films like...<br />
<br />
<h2 style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thor: Ragnarok (2017)</span></h2>
This is my favourite MCU film. For me, it is everything I could have wanted from a Thor story and features the best version of Thor with perfect supporting characters, from Valkyrie and Hulk/Bruce Banner to Grandmaster and Skurge. Hela is a fantastic villain in the scene-chewing mold. It is also utterly hilarious with such a strong sense of identity and purpose in its storytelling.<br />
<br />
There is so much I could say about <i>Ragnarok</i>, that I almost don't know where to begin. So, let's start where we left off at the end of <i>Age of Ultron</i> before we get lost in the weeds, and there are a lot of weeds to get lost in with this film. At the end of <i>Ultron</i>, Thor leaves Earth to seek answers for his vision, searching for infinity stones and a way to stop the destruction of Asgard, the destruction he feels will be his doing.<br />
<br />
And this is where we find Thor at the beginning of <i>Ragnarok</i>, having failed to locate any infinity stones, he turned his attention to stopping the destruction of Asgard, putting an end to Ragnarok. Which how he ends up captured by Surtur.<br />
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What's great about this scene (the video cuts out before the conversation with Surtur but you make do with what you have) is that it immediately establishes the tone of the film and that this is a different Thor to who we've seen before.<br />
<br />
This Thor is far looser than even how he was in <i>Age of Ultron</i>. He no longer has the sense of self-importance or rigid Asgardian regality that under-pinned a lot of his behaviour in the previous films. This is a Thor who has become more comfortable with who he is, not who he is supposed to be.<br />
<br />
Although he still deals with doubt and can brashly rush into things, over the course of the film he learns from his past mistakes and experiences, realising that his performance of masculinity is what is holding him back from achieving true self-understanding but put a pin in that for now since we'll get back to it in a moment.<br />
<br />
Far from the Thor of past films who was unable to face his insecurities or was uncertain of what path to take, Thor in <i>Ragnarok</i> runs towards his problems with conviction and has learnt, as he tells Loki, that "life is about growth, it's about change".<br />
<br />
For instance, Thor repeatedly claims in the film that he does certain noble actions...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZat7j5BlX_57dFvRLQGtdiloZmBVi2TA9NFD7iCXI-vZ_GZX7FnqpKBtBmgy0IHazcapcUlYVlMbyMfbnyrMFN0Visrl846-iprBI5ELnKRTPR7ySK9Fnpl6KrWQNhiV3HU0dUishJGk/s1600/Thor+27.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="498" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZat7j5BlX_57dFvRLQGtdiloZmBVi2TA9NFD7iCXI-vZ_GZX7FnqpKBtBmgy0IHazcapcUlYVlMbyMfbnyrMFN0Visrl846-iprBI5ELnKRTPR7ySK9Fnpl6KrWQNhiV3HU0dUishJGk/s640/Thor+27.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is interesting that despite all his talk about heroism in the film, as noted by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw4ykIen5Wo">The Take</a>, <i>Ragnarok</i> is where Thor becomes a worthy king. On the surface, this seems to contradict the recurring theme of who he is supposed to be vs succeeding at who he is.<br />
<br />
However, this is only if we accept the premise that there is only one way to be king, the way he is supposed to, but in <i>Ragnarok</i>, Thor learns to be a wise king by accepting who he is. This is because he finally masters all three traits of a good king, namely:<br />
<ol>
<li>Humility</li>
<li>To Build instead of Destroy</li>
<li>Self-Understanding. </li>
</ol>
<br />
I've linked the full video below since it is definitely worth a watch, but I'll recap here. In his first solo film and in <i>The Avengers</i>, Thor gains humility after being stripped of his powers and learning the value of self-sacrifice, not to mention how to work in a team of equals. In <i>The Dark World</i> and <i>Age of Ultron</i>, he learns to build instead of destroy, creating Vision and fearing the destruction he might cause. So naturally it is in <i>Ragnarok</i> that he achieves self-understanding and realises his best self.<br />
<br />
The film does this in two ways. Firstly by deconstructing Thor's false facade of bravado and secondly by stripping Thor of everything he holds dear so he can find new purpose and what it means to be a wise king.<br />
<br />
At the start of the film, Thor still has his facade of confidence and macho bravado but has actually internalised it into how he sees himself. He cannot allow anyone to see his doubt, including himself., so he has covered it up with blind arrogance. So, the film spends the rest of its run-time constantly undermining this facade, giving lie to this performance of masculinity.<br />
<br />
For instance, Thor is repeatedly brought down a peg due to the disconnect between the self-importance with which he holds himself and how others in the film regard him. Valkyrie mocking calls him, "your Highness" when he says he is a prince of Asgard. Thor introduces himself as the God of Thunder on Sakaar but the Grandmaster immediately deflates him, calling him "Sparkles" and mishearing his title as the "<b>Lord </b>of Thunder".<br />
<br />
These moments are not mere comedic beats, they are deliberately serving to puncture the illusion of false bravado Thor is using as a shield from his insecurities. He needs the world to see him as strong, as mighty, as a hero who will always triumph. They cannot see his fear or doubts because that would mean he would need to confront them too.<br />
<br />
Consider how he tries to unlock the Quinjet by stating all the ways he wants to be seen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR2DOeYXTUOy483AFr9w16YgyH8M6gTTS5mAWTwn2gtuOTErPuEWhIXjnLyWYXOtHXgtpExeAwbpQ66ITkBf2YKkL1MW7pqHiYXRPYujScc3g4TCzVuARZE6R5xsJPp_0RFm2B0VQqls/s1600/Thor+29.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="540" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCR2DOeYXTUOy483AFr9w16YgyH8M6gTTS5mAWTwn2gtuOTErPuEWhIXjnLyWYXOtHXgtpExeAwbpQ66ITkBf2YKkL1MW7pqHiYXRPYujScc3g4TCzVuARZE6R5xsJPp_0RFm2B0VQqls/s640/Thor+29.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xhxvsGot2zJ_EeMH5tDh1JirXN94nG7pY5IijYy_j6tS3tsFf-KTdV5vboTKRa1tnVWYU2fm0kQ6IGeDIAJl_5GeY4sUdgl24lGqL36Ge6-TPVfsDKH7rfN9Jl5cLC5_SV-5UFOiErc/s1600/Thor+30.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="540" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4xhxvsGot2zJ_EeMH5tDh1JirXN94nG7pY5IijYy_j6tS3tsFf-KTdV5vboTKRa1tnVWYU2fm0kQ6IGeDIAJl_5GeY4sUdgl24lGqL36Ge6-TPVfsDKH7rfN9Jl5cLC5_SV-5UFOiErc/s640/Thor+30.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_HK07ruvV9efmfjeZZneA9IdNENpzpy8yvfGEdxlgYFRlqm26sdlBMV6hhUQWLNPX9URPm2GbNdPowdu9F5_9pL9RR-0JpMPNxlIMAiO-bCfMk7FAkYAggGT1K0K1p4BKitYrmcgpEk/s1600/Thor+31.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="540" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_HK07ruvV9efmfjeZZneA9IdNENpzpy8yvfGEdxlgYFRlqm26sdlBMV6hhUQWLNPX9URPm2GbNdPowdu9F5_9pL9RR-0JpMPNxlIMAiO-bCfMk7FAkYAggGT1K0K1p4BKitYrmcgpEk/s640/Thor+31.gif" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
He is denied access each time he tries to assert his macho facade or rely on his titles. He repeats "Strongest Avenger" a couple of times even, as though he trying to force this image of himself on reality. He is only allowed access once he humbles himself by recognising how Stark sees him and understanding the friendly joke at his expense.<br />
<br />
This builds on the way Thor learned humility in previous films, that although he has learnt how to empathise with others and no longer see himself as the centre of the universe, he still needs to learn to let go of his false perception of himself and succeed at who he truly is. We'll get to that in a minute.<br />
<br />
The second way Thor gains self-understanding is by being stripped of all he holds dear so he can find new purpose. This is not dissimilar to how he is stripped of his power in the first film but is done on a far more emotional level than simply 'I lost my power because I was an angry warmongering twat".<br />
<br />
So, what does Thor lose in <i>Ragnarok</i>?<i> </i>First, his father dies. His hammer Mjolnir, the external representation of his worthiness and strength, is destroyed. He is furthermore cast out from Asgard, stranded on Sakaar. At the end, he loses Asgard itself.<br />
<br />
He even loses an eye (just FYI, in Norse mythology, Odin sacrificed his eye to gain wisdom).<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizawIMlHoYRYSvD7Gcyye3FbqWjsnSMUXhyphenhyphendg8cyraxHvMn5t4OaBjXqGD0on-BYErJt4cXu2opteC-QhQTTs4XmGcz05d2cC73XIiwNmtmI8pFPZuXf6cIurNrJzoayr8jVj35IIT_Wg/s1600/Thor+26.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizawIMlHoYRYSvD7Gcyye3FbqWjsnSMUXhyphenhyphendg8cyraxHvMn5t4OaBjXqGD0on-BYErJt4cXu2opteC-QhQTTs4XmGcz05d2cC73XIiwNmtmI8pFPZuXf6cIurNrJzoayr8jVj35IIT_Wg/s640/Thor+26.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Dammit! I really hope wisdom is worth this." - Thor, probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And what is the wisdom that Thor learns? That his father was not the benevolent ruler he thought he was and that Asgard's prosperity is rooted in the conquest and colonial exploitation of the other realms. As <span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Hela tells Thor, she and
Odin “drowned entire civilizations in blood and tears” to gain the wealth of
Asgard, point-blank asks him, “Where do you think all this gold came from?”</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">This challenges Thor's conceptions of his father and of his home, of what Asgard really is. This is symbolised in how Hela, as an embodiment of nationalistic colonial conquest literally draws her strength from the land, from Asgard the place. </span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">However, over the course of the film, Thor realises that he shouldn't try to save Asgard the place for it is tainted with the bloodshed of its colonial past. Rather, he learns that Asgard is not a place, it is a <b>people</b>. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This revelation utterly shifts his priorities and also allows him to realise two things: </span><br />
<ol>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">That his vision from <i>Age of Ultron </i>was not about him destroying his people but rather bringing about the fall of Asgard's colonial lineage. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">It allows him to realise his true strength, to gain self-understanding. </span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;">Thor says to Odin's space ghost that he cannot defeat Hela since she is too strong and without his hammer, he can't. To which that sassy All-Father replies,</span><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-no-proof: yes;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Odin rightly guides Thor to his own self-understanding. He never needed the hammer and in the end, it had become a crutch for him, an external validation that limited him from achieving his true power.<br />
<br />
Also, when Thor says he's not as strong as him, Odin touchingly says, "No. You're stronger.". These affirming words from his father are what Thor needs to access his inner strength and become the best version of himself.<br />
<br />
The version of himself who no longer has to maintain a facade of arrogance but rather is confident in who he is and acknowledges that he is not perfect but that doesn't make him any less worthy.<br />
<br />
The version of himself who can admit that he is not the strongest and cannot win every battle but is still more powerful than any foe because he can learn from his failings to become better.<br />
<br />
The version of himself who no longer relies on external symbols of power, such as his hammer or titles, but instead recognises his own inner strength and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSSwTkmcKQG0lLszKexmmOzHSbOqKwxpaffjcIG-IrJMx0Q5BgDNqHlWlABq053Mug-frxbY2c07n1bsP30zlihzzGgJoznwhvu_Y7Q031yGLB7ob9gh2uPqjQG6EsNlcJwkR2-CjGbo/s1600/Thor+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSSwTkmcKQG0lLszKexmmOzHSbOqKwxpaffjcIG-IrJMx0Q5BgDNqHlWlABq053Mug-frxbY2c07n1bsP30zlihzzGgJoznwhvu_Y7Q031yGLB7ob9gh2uPqjQG6EsNlcJwkR2-CjGbo/s640/Thor+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRjH_gJbUqQ">No hammer of the gods required.</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is why Thor doesn't beat Hela in a fight. He realises that he can't overpower her but has to remove the source of her power, to end the cycle of colonialism, the source of his royal title.<br />
<br />
In order to be a true king for his people, he needs to destroy the tainted foundation of their kingdom to rebuild a new one focused on people, not land. He no longer runs from his fear of destruction but accepts what he needs to do to save his people and to rebuild.<br />
<br />
There is so much more I could go into, like how Hulk hides his fear of how he feels hated on Earth behind his role as a champion on Sakaar, the development of Thor and Loki's relationship, everything Taika Watitit's Korg says, or how Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie is just the best.<br />
<br />
However, we are focusing solely on Thor's arc across the MCU, so I'll leave it there.<br />
<br />
Seeing as <i>Ragnarok</i> is my favourite MCU film and made me truly fall in love with Hemsworth's portrayal of Thor, I was excited to see how he would grow into his role as King of Asgard and how his newfound self-understanding would shape the character going into...<br />
<br />
<h2 style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Avengers: Infinity War (2018)</span></h2>
Yeah, so this film starts by shitting all over the uplifting end of <i>Ragnarok</i>. Maybe that's not fair but it truly feels that way. And I understand why they did it. I do. It does truly set the stakes for this cosmic franchise-spanning event to have big hitters Thor and Hulk get taken out by Genocidal Grimace with relative ease and half the Asgardians wiped out but it's just upsetting.<br />
<br />
I'm being honest here. I find the opening to this film truly upsetting. It feels like such a gut-punch after the sure joy of <i>Ragnarok</i> and also it is just mean-spirited. As in the story-telling approach is mean-spirited, designed to sap the goodwill and love people have towards these characters.<br />
<br />
This is not a film that is trying to build these characters up. It is all about destroying them. And I know that this was the point. I know why they did it. However, I don't believe it was necessary but merely a choice that the writers made. Maybe it was the best one for the type of story they wanted to tell but this mean-spirited nature is why I have such conflicted feelings about <i>Infinity War</i> despite all the great things it does and that they made such an interweaving narrative work.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsuScDpJ6J16A2YLUD0-HYIpEQ5t3fxStYJIUGK7BzUs4MfRh_BCO729Ujm7x0Kf2Zox8DOScdaI7-K8pv5hgsfsvlHjZ77Rl0WN9jAuJzqVZtBpZxCopdIt8GF9l1LxfizqolfZ37EU/s1600/Thor+33.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1600" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYsuScDpJ6J16A2YLUD0-HYIpEQ5t3fxStYJIUGK7BzUs4MfRh_BCO729Ujm7x0Kf2Zox8DOScdaI7-K8pv5hgsfsvlHjZ77Rl0WN9jAuJzqVZtBpZxCopdIt8GF9l1LxfizqolfZ37EU/s640/Thor+33.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"That they managed to juggle over two dozen characters and keep the story easy to follow makes no sense." - Mantis, probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But back to my first point, this film really wanted set the tone early on by shitting all over the end of <i>Ragnarok</i>. Let me clarify what I mean.<br />
<br />
One of the key lessons Thor learns in <i>Ragnarok</i> is that Asgard is not a place, it is a people. It's repeated like three times in the final act. It is through realising that it is by saving the people, not the land that Thor becomes a wise king.<br />
<br />
So, what do they do in the opening of <i>Infinity War</i>? Unceremoniously kill half the people... off-screen. The first thing we hear in the film is a radio transmission letting us know, "This is the Asgardian refugee vessel Statesman", "We have families and very few soldiers", "This is not a war-craft. I repeat, this is not a war-craft", all while people are whimpering and screaming in the background. They are refugees under assault. As if, we needed even more of an emotional gut punch.<br />
<br />
While we do not see the assault itself, we see the aftermath and we see Heimdall stabbed, Thor tortured and Loki strangled, all quite brutally I might add. The reason why they do this isn't that subtle. They needed a reason for Thor to be adrift from the Asgardians, to not be tied to the throne or his responsibilities as king.<br />
<br />
So they killed half of the Asgardians and leave Thor to die so he will be separated and later found by the Guardians of the Galaxy. Not before inflicted Thor which the failure and trauma he will have to deal with for the remainder of the film, as well as <i>Endgame</i>.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pyLQvT1gq3QT1BIQvD67Mn63PHUQ7WwreMbk_cJrfGqJTLRnIAZJpSpN4BJbm0J3K1m0TK4cMJPNcjAqPl5xYhnDaWjWceG8ww6JYEPvpVJ3hupzicjeLnQo_1PlT6_sdayaGLnKVGk/s1600/Thor+34.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1pyLQvT1gq3QT1BIQvD67Mn63PHUQ7WwreMbk_cJrfGqJTLRnIAZJpSpN4BJbm0J3K1m0TK4cMJPNcjAqPl5xYhnDaWjWceG8ww6JYEPvpVJ3hupzicjeLnQo_1PlT6_sdayaGLnKVGk/s640/Thor+34.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm 1500 years old. Which is 1450 years too old for this drama."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Since this is <i>Infinity War</i>'s jam - destroying everything that Thor learned or gained in <i>Ragnarok</i>. The goal is to stripped him of everything (yet again), only to rebuild him the way Markus and McFeely want him to be. To regress his character growth in order to explore the avenues they wanted to explore instead of the ones made available by his self-actualisation in <i>Ragnarok -</i> progression through regression.<br />
<br />
In <i>Ragnarok</i>, Thor learns that Asgard is a people and that saving his people is the most important thing. So, his people are slaughtered and he is separated from them.<br />
<br />
In <i>Ragnarok</i>, Thor loses his eye, a symbol of the wisdom he has gained. So, Rocket gives him an eye to replace the one he lost (I know this is supposed to show the bond developing between Thor and Rocket but my larger point remains).<br />
<br />
In <i>Ragnarok</i>, Mjolnir is destroyed and Thor realises his own inner power, no longer reliant on external symbols of worthiness or strength. So, his main goal in <i>Infinity War</i> is to craft a new hammer, the Thanos-killing kind instead of one which can be used to build.<br />
<br />
Thor is stripped of all the visual symbols of the wisdom he gained and is reduced to a man driven by vengeance. A vengeance fueled by rage that masks his trauma and serves to obscure his grief and despair. How does Thor express this vengeance? By reverting fully into his old arrogant facade of desperate bravado, unable to admit his failings or emotions to himself, let alone to others.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
In the emotionally wrenching scene above, Thor details all the loved ones he has lost. Hemsworth's performance is fantastic here. You feel the pain these losses have had on Thor, the utter heartbreak conveyed through the slight catch in his voice, his eye tearing up but refusing to cry.<br />
<br />
This is the only moment in the film where Thor allows himself to be emotionally vulnerable, even partially, but look what happens when Rocket asks him if he is up to the mission. Thor immediately throws up his facade of arrogance, stating that vengeance and loss are great motivators, brazenly asserting he will kill Thanos. This is despite the fact that Thanos is demonstrably stronger than him and has already wiped the floor with him, as Rocker points out:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Rocket Raccoon:</b> This is Thanos we're talking about. He's the toughest there is<br />
<b>Thor:</b> Well, he's never fought me.<br />
<b>Rocket Raccoon:</b> Yeah, he has.<br />
<b>Thor:</b> He's never fought me twice.</blockquote>
Thor's assertion he will kill Thanos is not mere arrogance, it is his inadequate emotional response to trauma, the only thing he feels he has left. As he tells Rocket, "What more could I lose?". He cannot allow himself to be vulnerable or process his grief because he needs to believe he can save the day.<br />
<br />
He needs to believe that he will enact righteous vengeance on Thanos, that he is strong and invincible. That he is the mighty Thor - God of Thunder. He cannot let down the facade because that would mean actually dealing with his trauma, something he clearly is emotionally unwilling to do.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvFjAaSi8qPdE3nMon778GEcU3E6OEQwDCjwd7_nBZhv6us8hG7979cbORNkrq7DenIcqzOmtHkimhvIKSp8NCoxvMPqzlaibgiKO34w2OF7w0YaYQ_-H2e4y0mCk_VaM0j0tz0W-il8/s1600/Thor+35.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVvFjAaSi8qPdE3nMon778GEcU3E6OEQwDCjwd7_nBZhv6us8hG7979cbORNkrq7DenIcqzOmtHkimhvIKSp8NCoxvMPqzlaibgiKO34w2OF7w0YaYQ_-H2e4y0mCk_VaM0j0tz0W-il8/s640/Thor+35.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm smiling like this because I'm getting a new hammer. No, it's not to cover my unbearable grief.<br />
That's ridiculous. I'm smiling, see? So I can't be sad. I'm good. No, really, I'm fine."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
An interesting thing about MCU Thor I haven't really discussed is that he is a big believer in fate. In <i>The Dark World</i>, he says that it was fate which brought Jane Foster and him together. In <i>Ragnarok</i>, he states how everything seems to work out, as I mentioned previously.<br />
<br />
However, this is made most stark in <i>Infinity War</i> during the scene above, where he tells Rocket that Thanos will feel his vengeance because fate wills it so. It's actually quite revealing to see the quote in its entirety:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"You know, I'm 1500 years old. I've killed twice as many enemies as that. And every one of them would have rather killed me than not succeeded. I'm only alive because fate wants me alive. Thanos is just the latest of a long line of bastards, and he'll be the latest to feel my vengeance - fate wills it so."</blockquote>
This blind belief in fate ties neatly into Thor's facade of arrogance and bravado. Of course, he will defeat the bad guy, he is Thor, the God of Thunder, and Thor, the God of Thunder, is favoured by fate and never loses.<br />
<br />
Within this framework, his self-confidence is not arrogance to cover up his insecurities but a simple recognition that he is predetermined to succeed because fate wills it so. His deep belief in fate is yet another way for Thor to ignore his pain since it support his false facade.<br />
<br />
So, instead of a Thor who is able to prioritise what is important and do what is necessary to save his people, we have a Thor who is blinded by vengeance and arrogance.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtBez1Us_DaujI-8Wvlyl-hH1f3vNJduFf__a3KCF8FJIt6CvGJY9NUoIX6GO28zv9158bN_Sd1OOATG87oNBQyYfRQ1JDy_dHiEeRVX25F3F6oMLA_km3_gUn7bBLB9Vkl5_DgeLy3c/s1600/Thor+37.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="800" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmtBez1Us_DaujI-8Wvlyl-hH1f3vNJduFf__a3KCF8FJIt6CvGJY9NUoIX6GO28zv9158bN_Sd1OOATG87oNBQyYfRQ1JDy_dHiEeRVX25F3F6oMLA_km3_gUn7bBLB9Vkl5_DgeLy3c/s640/Thor+37.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That said, you will never hear me argue that this doesn't look completely awesome.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, what does his arrogance bring him? Only sight-sightedness and failure, resulting in further grief and unbearable guilt. Blinded by his desire for vengeance and his regression into arrogance, Thor is obsessed not only by killing Thanos but taunting him before landing the killing blow.<br />
<br />
His facade of bravado can't allow him to not get in a callback to earlier in the film when he told Thanos he was "going to die for that [killing Loki]". Instead of doing what is necessary, he had to arrogantly taunt Thanos in order to satisfy his own ego. Which leads to his greatest failure as Thanos snaps half of the universe's population out of existence. All because of Thor's arrogance.<br />
<br />
Thor in <i>Infinity War</i> is a broken man whose unwillingness to be vulnerable or process his emotions results in machismo arrogance that causes untold harm to those around him. It's almost like a comment on the damage caused by toxic masculinity or something. Nah, it's probably nothing and I'm sure everything will be right as rain in...<br />
<br />
<h2 style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Avengers: Endgame (2019)</span></h2>
Whew, we have finally made it. To the film that inspired this unwieldy overlong piece in the first place. The film that somehow provided a rather satisfying end to the Infinity Saga of the MCU and gave both Robert Downey's Iron Man and Chris Evan's Captain America appropriately emotional exits from the franchise.<br />
<br />
I'm just saying the fact that I ugly cried ugly when Iron Man died despite only ever liking, but not really loving, the character, says a lot about the emotional heft of the film.<br />
<br />
But what about Thor? Well, Thor starts this film the same as he ended <i>Infinity War</i>, broken and burden by overwhelming guilt at his failure to kill Thanos when he had the chance.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGdK2-yDNy_pYls36HK4yWTBLERjuoNqwWJ7Rg_EaUAjRLPpSvDvSnOLEj7G_OJuzBXxj3HoIs3Hi44arfzyq6jwPQPBg2ItNd7YpJtQUbYxaHk08DjvA-GzN4aeOLpkCyhimWcic-IA/s1600/Thor+37.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGdK2-yDNy_pYls36HK4yWTBLERjuoNqwWJ7Rg_EaUAjRLPpSvDvSnOLEj7G_OJuzBXxj3HoIs3Hi44arfzyq6jwPQPBg2ItNd7YpJtQUbYxaHk08DjvA-GzN4aeOLpkCyhimWcic-IA/s640/Thor+37.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not a happy god.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Thor is clearly suffering from PTSD and is in shock. This is made blatant when the Avengers find Thanos and Thor chops off his head with a swing of Stormbreaker. Asked why he did it, Thor replies distantly in a voice wracked with emotion, "I went for the head", a reference to his failure due to ego and Thanos' taunt. He then exits the hut and that version of Thor is gone.<br />
<br />
<b>Five Years Later...</b><br />
<br />
We come to the controversial choice that split people on <i>Endgame</i>, or at least Thor's arc in it. Following the five year jump, we are re-introduced to Thor but he is not how we remember him. Like all of the Avengers, he has been affected by his experiences. Which is fitting since one of the themes in <i>Endgame</i> is response to trauma. Each of the Avengers responds differently to the trauma they suffered following their failure to stop Thanos.<br />
<br />
Iron Man finds new purpose in his young family. Captain America supports others to create new lives and work through their traum but is unable to move on himself. Black Widow similarly cannot allow herself to move on but takes on the role of leader for the team, acting strong to hide her sense of purposelessness. Hawkeye descends into destructive behaviour and cruel violence in pursuit of senseless vengeance due to the loss of his family.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, Bruce Banner is the only one who is able to truly move from his trauma. Instead of falling into destructive behaviour or depression, he reconciles the two aspects of his identity, Banner and the Hulk, to live his best life despite the guilt he feels for failing to stop Thanos.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi594xpErRs-io_oUzxaSUxkXEEnPWPGvE-UY8Jf3pPDA_1X7dQuXKfs2kRZ3hNkEgXMmMvJ9nvnU7Bazi94yt0TKa-ijcelCZvORva6yiZNV1Zv7iSY2H1aRsbRyTdX3mhWvx6ZVE3AKA/s1600/Thor+20.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi594xpErRs-io_oUzxaSUxkXEEnPWPGvE-UY8Jf3pPDA_1X7dQuXKfs2kRZ3hNkEgXMmMvJ9nvnU7Bazi94yt0TKa-ijcelCZvORva6yiZNV1Zv7iSY2H1aRsbRyTdX3mhWvx6ZVE3AKA/s640/Thor+20.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And Thor? He is suffering from serious depression and is fundamentally traumatised by the events of <i>Infinity War</i>. He cannot even hear Thanos' name without it triggering an anxiety panic attack. He lives as a recluse, neglecting his responsibilities as King of New Asgard, drowning himself in alcohol. He is unwilling or unable to clean up or take care of himself and surrounds himself with enablers like Korg, who are happy to indulge in his unhealthy lifestyle for a bit of Fortnite and pizza.<br />
<br />
However, all of Thor's pain is unfortunately obscured by one glaring, physical, affect of his trauma - his weight gain. The reveal that Thor had developed a beer gut is framed as humorous in the film. And I will freely admit that I laughed the first time I saw Fat Thor.<br />
<br />
It was so unexpected and surprising, especially since Hemsworth's Thor was known for his perfect physic (probably tied with Chris Evan's Captain America for most chiseled body in the MCU). At the same time, I recognised the fantastic depth to Hemsworth's performance in the scene, the tragedy of Thor's trauma was real in his eyes and the catch in his voice was almost too much to bear.<br />
<br />
But still I laughed the first time I saw him in a fat suit.<br />
<br />
As Stonie Williams at <a href="http://nerdbastards.com/2019/05/02/endgame-and-mental-illness-thunderously-appropriate-or-fallen-flat/">Nerd Bastards</a> notes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"From the first moment on, Thor was a joke. Yelling at teenagers on Fortnite, only answering the call of his fellow Avengers when beer is mentioned. 'What kind?' Iron Man pops off Big Lebowski jokes because of Thor’s Dad Bod, beard and unkempt hair. And we laugh. When Thor has had a shirtless scene in nearly every movie he’s been in, his abs should have their own credit next to Chris Hemsworth himself, seeing him with a beer gut is humorous. 'Finally, I can cosplay as Thor!' a lot of snickered self-deprecatingly."</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="520" src="https://i1.wp.com/nerdbastards.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/THORBOD.jpg?w=600" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhibit A.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is where things get a bit messy. Because there seems to be a disconnect between how Thor was written and Hemsworth's performance, and how he was framed by the camera. Where the writers and Hemsworth's performance suggest a tragedy, the camera frames his weight gain as a comedy. This was not helped by audience reaction, which was to find his beer gut funny. Especially on initially reveal.<br />
<br />
This is not to blame anyone who found the revelation that Thor had a beer gut funny or to say they're a bad person or fatphobic. Remember, I laughed too. But rather I am trying to highlight how the way Thor's body was framed as humorous and the audience continued laughter at his body undermined the real trauma the writers and Hemsworth were conveying through Thor's arc in <i>Endgame</i>.<br />
<br />
There are several moments in the film where Thor is obviously suffering from depression and PTSD but his friends seem unable to see this or even recognise that he is in dire emotional pain. Rather they resort to jokes, because this is a Marvel movie and Marvel movies need the funny.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBhbf6VSybDN_gxtretlAO3pN-zJgmKb6tIsU7wIG33RtaYxKeGyz7KAwRyap8_50aX7jrxWzS_Cgb6YUb9iEMdDVdfqCbdGXvu2pPD8i8b7m7QxuMY0xrfToRxu9tEV5GOGK23dzR4c/s1600/Thor+39.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="540" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKBhbf6VSybDN_gxtretlAO3pN-zJgmKb6tIsU7wIG33RtaYxKeGyz7KAwRyap8_50aX7jrxWzS_Cgb6YUb9iEMdDVdfqCbdGXvu2pPD8i8b7m7QxuMY0xrfToRxu9tEV5GOGK23dzR4c/s640/Thor+39.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"He slapped him, that's hilarious."<br />
<i>Fun fact: Some people (though not all) who suffer panic attacks do require a short physical shock to snap them out of it.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Naturally, there have been numerous responses to the way Thor's fatness is framed as humorous, from being seen as fat-shaming to detracting from the depiction of his PTSD. Personally, I found some of the jokes about his body gratuitous , most notably War Machine's line about Cheese-Wiz running through Thor's veins since it completely undercut the drama of the scene and was utterly unwarranted.<br />
<br />
That said, I found this <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/marvelstudios/comments/bj07as/thank_you_chris_hemsworth/">Reddit post by u/im_not_juicing</a> on the nature of the jokes made by Thor's fellow Avengers about his body quite revealing. As u/im not juicing says,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“I have seen comments of people disgusted by all the ‘fat Thor jokes’, I wish they realized that those were not ‘jokes’ those were hurtful comments that can destroy real people dealing with real depression. That those ‘jokes’ came from those who were supposed to be Thor’s friends, and they mocked him in a moment of need. And that this happens in real life too.”</blockquote>
This response and others like it complicated my feelings after reading reactions to Endgame condemning the film for fat-shaming Thor and reducing him to a joke or not treating his PTSD seriously. The thing about mental illness is that it is not the same for everyone. One person's experience of depression can manifest in different ways to another's.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQ7MazkmhVYVRYLEBB4dfQpIbCnSZFGnWU-qogN4nMMI_EhWmit1I1SqeSvuTKdwS12DWhlUFreBWrXgK8Y0-NyH3BAqZVov6up6wkpfYnR5PNKGPekhQi5w8K1Lpzm_LqB0r911Kk9A/s1600/Thor+42.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="498" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQ7MazkmhVYVRYLEBB4dfQpIbCnSZFGnWU-qogN4nMMI_EhWmit1I1SqeSvuTKdwS12DWhlUFreBWrXgK8Y0-NyH3BAqZVov6up6wkpfYnR5PNKGPekhQi5w8K1Lpzm_LqB0r911Kk9A/s640/Thor+42.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, look how happy he is to see the Hulk.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
Unlike the stereotypical image of depression where a sad person is sad all the time, when we first see Thor he is smiling and playing video games. Apparently, he is now a man who doesn't care about anything and denies there is a problem. A man who hides his crippling pain behind a facade... oh, wait this is just what he has been doing the whole time, isn't it?<br />
<br />
Yet again, Thor has built a facade to hide his true feelings from himself and others. However, due the trauma he's experienced, that facade is incredibly fragile and tenuous, ready to break at a moment's notice or trigger a panic attack. Thor's psyche is no longer strong enough to keep up such a facade.<br />
<br />
Which is why in this film, Thor's facade and ego finally collapses. This happens when Thor breaks down and cries in front of his mom. This scene was heart-wrenching, as Thor finally allowed himself to be vulnerable with the only person in nine realms he felt he could be vulnerable with, his mother. It is the first time across eight films that we truly see Thor let his guard down and be vulnerable.<br />
<br />
This is also the scene where his mother Frigga delivers the line which defines Thor for McFeely and Markus - "Everyone fails at who they're supposed to be, Thor. The measure of a person, of a hero, is how well they succeed at being who they are." Essentially, Thor needs to stop trying to be the person people expect him to be and recognise his inner strength, much like he did at the end of <i>Ragnarok</i>.<br />
<br />
The moment Thor calls Mjolnir and realises he is still worthy was a truly touching moment, perhaps one of the best across the whole of the MCU. Actually, I will take it further. I think that this is a truly powerful moment, one that makes the problematic elements of Fat Thor worth it (although I will never discount the hurt this depiction caused some people), one that teachers a valuable lesson we need more of, and one that made me realise just how much I related to the mighty God of Thunder.<br />
<br />
And this is why - the fact Thor doesn't need to be perfect or the strongest Avenger to be worthy, he just needs to be himself.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQJSwzqsnUXbzGBc_dIhdhcXLhKD4DETt5JEgLkjL5dmdk9Pph0qe2Xg1fIOgji11_78r2fpuhWnHHrkf6ngrDLUOklKgsdiaaEap4sy4FEfbwBSfGmRKkWgN-V-_gdzxKV28xlGi4qg/s1600/Thor+39.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="540" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQJSwzqsnUXbzGBc_dIhdhcXLhKD4DETt5JEgLkjL5dmdk9Pph0qe2Xg1fIOgji11_78r2fpuhWnHHrkf6ngrDLUOklKgsdiaaEap4sy4FEfbwBSfGmRKkWgN-V-_gdzxKV28xlGi4qg/s640/Thor+39.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This reaction had me in tears.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Just a couple more things about <i>Endgame</i> and then we'll wrap this monster up.<br />
<br />
The scene when they are discussing who should use the infinity stones to bring everyone back and Thor pleads with his fellow Avengers to let him do it might have broken me. I was moved by the sense of duty and desperation he felt to do something, anything, to no longer feel unworthy.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Thor:</b> Look, sitting there staring at that going is not going to bring everybody back. I’m the strongest avenger, okay, so this responsibility falls upon me. It’s my duty.<br />
<b>Tony Stark:</b> No, no, listen …<br />
<b>Thor:</b> Let me! Let me do it. Let me do something good, something right.</blockquote>
The fact this is completely undercut by the Cheese-Wiz line I mentioned earlier is unforgivably to me. Although I will give Iron Man credit, he seems to be the only one in the scene who recognised Thor's pain and that he is not in the right head-space to take on such a task was a nice touch.<br />
<br />
The other thing is that I think Thor's glow-up in the final fight with Thanos is great. I love the braids. I love his cape. I love the fact he is wielding two hammers. And I love that he doesn't magically lose the weight. I just think its awesome.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOlUZT8TBLOq4Vlpp09e1Ta7fG6w1yD1baVldMCNC4jbSTBpjkeXuUb4JdEXx2zQRTXxZCjAJijjW2yrkG07a8TSlPwBt5vqBZUqDfOOI7WbUbPsUe52JGfNUSQUCpbAyrFtugQVwe0Q/s1600/Thor+40.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOlUZT8TBLOq4Vlpp09e1Ta7fG6w1yD1baVldMCNC4jbSTBpjkeXuUb4JdEXx2zQRTXxZCjAJijjW2yrkG07a8TSlPwBt5vqBZUqDfOOI7WbUbPsUe52JGfNUSQUCpbAyrFtugQVwe0Q/s640/Thor+40.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm sorry but no one could ever convince me that this is not an unbelievably cool look.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And that's that on <i>Endgame</i> from me.</div><div><br /></div><div><h2><span style="font-size: large;">Lessons from the Thunder God</span></h2>
So, what have I learned after this deep-dive into Thor's arc across the MCU? Well, I was surprised to realise just how much the central struggle of Thor's character resonated with me. This internal conflict of who he is supposed to be versus who he is and the facade of bravado he puts up to hide his vulnerability and insecurity felt more personal and human than I anticipated.<br />
<br />
While I complained about his character regression after <i>Ragnarok</i> because it seemed like McFeely and Markus didn't know what to do with Thor as King of Asgard, I'm conflicted because I feel like they did some really interesting things exploring trauma with his arc in <i>Infinity War</i> and <i>Endgame</i>. They also did some problematic things, or at least the framing did.<br />
<br />
So, I am conflicted about Thor. Which is maybe the only way to feel about a character who has had so many different ups and downs across seven films. I understand that this conclusion might not be entirely satisfying to you, the imagined reader who managed to reach the end of this piece. However, I hope this overlong dissertation at least provided some insight about Thor's character progression.<br />
<br />
If I could leave you with one thing Thor has taught me from these films, it is that we should all strive to be worthy, to not pretend to be who we are supposed to be but rather succeed at being who we are.<br />
<br />
Because that's what heroes do.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxV2awSCc6yxwvgxwi4xLVDXJtxJeMARS_UVJBMNerk-6wcBcUTou9DZVWhuSnaOp8bYi3XXtvyaL8xhjjojz5Q8m6sjf3-0wux8ae2XaZhGF_a09DUqzLO3NV0RZ0V27Xg3zphPY7D8/s1600/Thor+45.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="864" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpxV2awSCc6yxwvgxwi4xLVDXJtxJeMARS_UVJBMNerk-6wcBcUTou9DZVWhuSnaOp8bYi3XXtvyaL8xhjjojz5Q8m6sjf3-0wux8ae2XaZhGF_a09DUqzLO3NV0RZ0V27Xg3zphPY7D8/s640/Thor+45.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>References:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw4ykIen5Wo">Thor: Becoming Worthy</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/chris-hemsworth-reveals-why-thor-loses-hope-avengers-age-ultron">Chris Hemsworth Reveals Why Thor Loses Hope in Avengers: Age of Ultron</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://mashable.com/2017/11/08/thor-ragnarok-themes-colonialism/#0BJkdmjMFZql">Asgard's bloody history refuses to stay buried in 'Thor: Ragnarok'</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://multiframe.wordpress.com/2017/10/27/thor-ragnarok/">Thor: Ragnarok | Multiframe</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.endlessyarning.com/2017/11/12/thor-ragnarok-indigenous-film/">Thor Ragnarok: A Very Indigenous Film</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.tor.com/2019/03/13/thor-ragnarok-takes-on-masculine-stereotypes-and-shows-us-a-better-way/">Thor: Ragnarok Takes on Masculine Stereotypes and Shows Us a Better Way</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.themarysue.com/thors-arc-avengers-infinity-war/">Thor’s Arc Is Still the Best and Worst Thing About Infinity War</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.themarysue.com/marvel-avengers-endgame-corrected-thor-dark-world-mistake/">Endgame Corrected One of <i>Thor: The Dark World</i>’s Biggest Mistakes</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-avengers-endgame-writers-markus-mcfeely-20190504-story.html">‘Avengers: Endgame’ writers on Thor-Lebowski, Black Widow and reviving ‘Agent Carter’</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2019/05/avengers-endgame-fat-thor-captain-america-mjolnir-1202131412/">‘Avengers: Endgame’ Writers on ‘Fat Thor’ and What That Mjolnir Scene Means for Captain America</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdbastards.com/2019/05/02/endgame-and-mental-illness-thunderously-appropriate-or-fallen-flat/">Endgame And Mental Illness – Thunderously Appropriate Or Fallen Flat?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.newnownext.com/in-praise-of-prof-hulk-and-fat-thor-the-endgame-daddies-we-deserve/04/2019/">In Praise of Prof. Hulk and Fat Thor, the “Endgame” Daddies We Deserve</a><br />
<br /></div>
Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-48567604223232943082019-01-12T14:00:00.000+13:002019-08-21T11:36:28.191+12:00Lessons from the Spider-Verse: All Spideys are ValidWe all have in our heads what we want from Spider-Man.<br />
<br />
We all know his backstory, the death of Uncle Ben, how his life is a perpetual cycle of struggle and loss. We all know the words, "With great power comes great responsibility". We all know the costume and the importance of a well-timed quip.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5gJ6uT-U20SW6pZDnvvCFgi3jI-pogZe0numZlAMSeBVuhCpY-hT0xQBnt34YFFNOM9csZW7vA2QxAaMruCbtxcBxFCPoyHTG-nrHRxMf5TGiGfhLjghhTDKMUIXszTz5N7qiuJmXxM/s1600/Spider-Man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="427" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5gJ6uT-U20SW6pZDnvvCFgi3jI-pogZe0numZlAMSeBVuhCpY-hT0xQBnt34YFFNOM9csZW7vA2QxAaMruCbtxcBxFCPoyHTG-nrHRxMf5TGiGfhLjghhTDKMUIXszTz5N7qiuJmXxM/s640/Spider-Man.jpg" width="610" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never forget the hyphen.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Let's zoom in on the quips for a second since this is something I think that people misinterpret: why Spider-Man quips. Spidey wisecracks to mask his fears and insecurities, not to show off how great he is. He is not really trying to be funny or drop a witty one-liner, although he does at times. Rather, this is his response to high-pressure situations, his coping mechanism.<br />
<br />
On this note, I can see why Garfield's Spidey didn't resonate with some people. His wisecracks are just a tad too snarky and sarcastic. They feel mean-spirited and he seems arrogant. Of course, this has a lot to do with tone and delivery but still that feeling remains.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong, I do like Garfield's version of Spider-Man and the major theme of this piece will be getting into the joy of appreciating all Spider-Men. However, it's clear why the stark sincerity of Maguire and wide-eyed wonder of Holland resonates far more with people.<br />
<br />
Actually, let's get into it. The reason I wanted to write this. The power of embracing all versions of Spider-Man, even if they are not perfect or fit exactly the idea of Spider-Man in your head.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXH0ECPsh8kW9AH8l1RqjkJ926btWmwEco7g5TXjKjQ1KKPaTNtfBsLcupfHOHTjl8qiIDfqeiBZLtvyHE0u9k0evUfVH4f2KbGe9xaSWp1_Elh8T9_mBPlefPTIrYAZ77WeDRKnGD-I/s1600/Spider-Man+3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXH0ECPsh8kW9AH8l1RqjkJ926btWmwEco7g5TXjKjQ1KKPaTNtfBsLcupfHOHTjl8qiIDfqeiBZLtvyHE0u9k0evUfVH4f2KbGe9xaSWp1_Elh8T9_mBPlefPTIrYAZ77WeDRKnGD-I/s640/Spider-Man+3.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait, what? I can enjoy different versions of Spider-Man?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
*Before we go any further there will be <b>SPOILERS</b> for pretty much every Spider-Man movie made in the last 20 years so either go watch them or proceed having been warned. <b>Spoilers ahead</b>.*</div>
<br />
One of the great joys of <i>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</i> is recognising that each version of Spider-Man (or Spider-Persona to be inclusive) has their own strengths and brings something unique to the concept of "person bit by radioactive spider and burden with responsibility following the death of a loved one (usually an uncle)".<br />
<br />
And it got me thinking about how we determine certain versions Spider-Man as superior or more in line with the general idea of who Spider-Man is as a hero and what he stands for.<br />
<br />
So who is Spider-Man? What defines him as a character or anyone who takes on a Spider-Persona? Because unlike Iron Man, who is Tony Stark, Spider-Man is not Peter Parker. Peter Parker is the original Spider-Man of course but the great conceit with Spider-Man is that once the costume is on, it could be anyone under it.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvVlGJTL2FB3XLjhn-0IwH39lB0iei7WFhM4G62iyRxjdlP_oopKrs0eD9_LTGdjUga6fpOJlRfvlz2qM2QBoBS0hNOOMetC7URtO7kshTubojH_9lbo2uaXWnuPTvSy4SKhUujFRyQo/s1600/Spider-Man+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="742" data-original-width="1129" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvVlGJTL2FB3XLjhn-0IwH39lB0iei7WFhM4G62iyRxjdlP_oopKrs0eD9_LTGdjUga6fpOJlRfvlz2qM2QBoBS0hNOOMetC7URtO7kshTubojH_9lbo2uaXWnuPTvSy4SKhUujFRyQo/s640/Spider-Man+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I could be anyone under this mask. Anyone..."<br />
"Interesting. Tell me more."</td></tr>
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Superman's face is fully visible, we can all see Batman's Caucasian jaw-line but Spider-Man's costume covers his whole body and face. He could be any race, age, or nationality. And if his name wasn't literally Spider-<b>Man</b>, any gender. Anyone could be Spider-Man.<br />
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But wait, doesn't Iron Man's armour covers his whole body and face. Yes, yes, it does. However, Iron Man's entire thing revolves around Tony Stark. Iron Man isn't a symbol for people to emulate. Iron Man's heroism is about Tony Stark saving the day, not about him inspiring others.<br />
<br />
I mean, the whole arc of <i>Iron Man 3</i> (the best Iron Man movie by the way) is Tony realising that he is Iron Man, with or without the armour. The armour does not make the Iron Man. Tony does.<br />
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This is why the first Iron Man film ends with this declaration:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkJhe3oIfJvlp1AgaghssVVcy8Hhuxz8gib3AgUSOK5ATPVmCYqtrpbB5q8_H8kUMxv6mM75W0CkMfH0mcak0pkreqnq5EEsYkUph-XeZjEMjUo4ToWe-8BbKb9miR4oy-GMs7_CFVKY/s1600/Spider-Man+4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="500" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkJhe3oIfJvlp1AgaghssVVcy8Hhuxz8gib3AgUSOK5ATPVmCYqtrpbB5q8_H8kUMxv6mM75W0CkMfH0mcak0pkreqnq5EEsYkUph-XeZjEMjUo4ToWe-8BbKb9miR4oy-GMs7_CFVKY/s640/Spider-Man+4.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the lack of armour.</td></tr>
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Now you might be yelling in the back, "The first Raimi Spider-Man movie ends with him declaring he is Spider-Man so you just don't know what you're talking about". Yes, Peter Parker does end that movie by saying he is Spider-Man. In his head. In an inner monologue. To the audience.<br />
<br />
This isn't Peter declaring to the world that he is a hero to satisfy his ego. This is Peter internally acknowledging his responsibility and choosing to be a hero. Peter chooses to become Spider-Man in that moment. To sacrifice his own personal happiness in order to do the right thing.<br />
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On while we're on the subject, I want to discuss the Raimi trilogy for a bit. Since this leads back nicely to a discussion about what sort of hero Spider-Man is.<br />
<br />
Now you can make fun of the campy elements of the Raimi trilogy but those movies were achingly sincere about what made Spider-Man a hero - someone who was willing to give up his dreams to do what's right.<br />
<br />
Maguire's Spidey might not have been as quipy as other movie versions but he was one of the purest distillations of Spider-Man's heroism. His Spider-Man always tried to do what was right, even when it made his life more difficult, even when it cost him the things he wanted most.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKxyipc6tLUL85UZDkcBqchUU-d8nq8fdqLiY5h9VMcnYlipGPNmbNBOoct1NBj93aA7NBhFE991O3TiZh-CWwkRrc5F_Yjf9JhnAWz0907z1WKAjDs3aDOHMJyu8ymPjNzXfARKFrPo/s1600/Spider-Man+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKxyipc6tLUL85UZDkcBqchUU-d8nq8fdqLiY5h9VMcnYlipGPNmbNBOoct1NBj93aA7NBhFE991O3TiZh-CWwkRrc5F_Yjf9JhnAWz0907z1WKAjDs3aDOHMJyu8ymPjNzXfARKFrPo/s640/Spider-Man+6.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"It's almost like the Raimi films had a central thesis. Something about there being a
hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and
finally allows us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be
steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams... Nah, that's silly."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Because the thing that makes Spider-Man a hero is his humanity, not his super-heroism.<br />
<br />
To quote <a href="https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/07/14/film-crit-hulk-smash-spider-man-the-marvel-fatal-flaw">Film Crit Hulk</a> on <i>Spider-Man 2 </i>(both his and my favourite superhero film), "It's about the way adults come together to support each other in the nobler pursuits. It's about establishing all the reasons that the world is worth fighting for. And in its pursuit of this theme, Sam Raimi did not make me feel empowered, he made me feel human."<br />
<br />
This is what makes Spider-Man 'Spider-Man' regardless of who is under the mask. His responsibility as a hero negatively impacts his personal life constantly in a way it often doesn't for other super heroes.<br />
<br />
And I will say, this is something that <i>Spider-Man: Homecoming</i> understood expertly. Holland's Peter regularly has to decide between doing normal teenage stuff with his friends or being Spider-Man.<br />
<br />
He goes to a party at Liz's house where he intends to later swing in as Spider-Man to impress her but instead decides to investigate a giant blue explosion. He plans to track the Vulture's crew to their base but Liz asks him to join their academic decathlon team as they sneak to the pool and we literally see Peter looking through the skylight at the fulfilling teenage experience he is deciding to miss out on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unrelated but I sincerely loved this moment in the film. Just putting it out there.</td></tr>
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There is some criticism that Holland's Spider-Man is just Tony Stark's surrogate son or Iron Man Jr. but actually I think this allows for some interesting storytelling aspects in regards to both their characters. Tony recognises something of himself in Peter but also wants him to be better. And the reason that Peter can be better is because he has the same selflessness in him that MCU Captain America has.<br />
<br />
As this wonderful video by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCovRhj2aVM">Reality Punch Studios</a> puts it, "Peter is an almost perfect mix between Steve and Tony. He's got Tony's guilt due to the death of his uncle but he's also got this unbreakable moral code that motivates him to do everything he can to help people as long as he has the power to." And because Tony sees something in Peter, he gives him consequences for making the same mistakes that Tony himself would, consequences like putting him in training wheels, making Happy his handler, and taking away the suit.<br />
<br />
In this way, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_0sVITj9K8">Earthling Cinema</a> notes, Homecoming inverts the traditional interpretation of "With great power, comes great responsibility" - that if you have power you have a responsibility to us it for the utmost good - by "questioning whether the young Peter is responsible enough to wield great power".<br />
<br />
Peter starts the film out as impulsive and never thinks through the consequences of his actions. It's because of him that his favourite sandwich shop is blown up. It's because of him that his team nearly dies because of the Chitauri power core he gives to Ned blows up the Washington Monument. It's because of him that the Straten Island Ferry splits in half.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Maybe I'm not really ready to wield this great power responsibly yet."</td></tr>
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That's why at the end of the film Tony tries to give Peter what he (Tony) would have wanted - fame, recognition, a cool new suit. However, Peter rejects it because he sees being Spider-Man as a duty and a responsibility, something that he painstaking learns through the course of his mistakes in the film.<br />
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Cycling back to my earlier point, Spider-Man, in whatever iteration or reboot will always have to learn how to navigate his personal and superhero lives. This is not unique to Spider-Man since other heroes have similar struggles but it is an essential aspect of the character.<br />
<br />
I mean, Superman's battles with Lex Luthor don't result in him missing a date with Louis Lane. Batman literally uses Bruce Wayne as a false face to the world, playing up the billionaire playboy. Steve Rogers is a man out of time and doesn't really have a life outside of being Captain America.<br />
<br />
But Spider-Man's personal life is just as important to him as his superhero life. It is a sacrifice for him to be Spider-Man. Both Peter and Miles at the start of their superhero careers needed to juggle both their responsibilities at school with their responsibilities as Spider-Man.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8P-1gVkIFFDXovVsX6l37Q5bf-gINgQ17Enp3m2DcWtTIftWKkLfOZBspvOHvjRVhRB-qVygUOfBKHM7NW0fUK-9gSExdPjCJD9DCE4o2KDgu0xVjaPRapyJkdn_HMzz1FWKfVoN6bo/s1600/Spider-Man+7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="480" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8P-1gVkIFFDXovVsX6l37Q5bf-gINgQ17Enp3m2DcWtTIftWKkLfOZBspvOHvjRVhRB-qVygUOfBKHM7NW0fUK-9gSExdPjCJD9DCE4o2KDgu0xVjaPRapyJkdn_HMzz1FWKfVoN6bo/s640/Spider-Man+7.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the get-go, becoming Spider-Man comes into conflict with Miles' ability to live a normal life.</td></tr>
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This is what defines a Spider-Persona as much as cool spider powers. The struggle to manage their private and superhero lives, not to mention losing a loved one who teaches them the importance of using their powers responsibly to do the right thing, even if it means giving up what they want.<br />
<br />
Which brings me back to <i>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</i>.<br />
<br />
Firstly, everyone needs to see <i>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</i>. Honestly one of the most thrilling and engaging cinematic experiences I've ever had. It looks like nothing else. It's like reading the very best comic book but a film. Just unbelievably inventive and colourful visuals with a truly human story to match.<br />
<br />
And while there are a lot of Spider-People in the film, it truly is Miles Morales' story. Right from his introduction singing badly along to Post Malone's "Sunflower", we understand what type of person Miles is and the internal struggle he is going through. He is artistic and bright, as well as empathetic but feels he doesn't belong. He wants to please his parents but at the same time wants to break free.<br />
<br />
He's a sweet kid with a good heart, who is rudderless and trying to find his place. Pulled in two different directions by the two male role models in his life, his uptight cop father with whom he has a strained relationship and his loose, easy-going (and unbeknownst to Miles, criminal) uncle, Aaron who he looks up to. He is desperate for a mentor, someone to guide him, which is why he latches onto Peter B. Parker when he gets sucked into Miles' dimension.<br />
<br />
However, the whole thrust of Miles' arc is letting go of his own self-imposed limitations and being better than either of his male role models or his mentor, Peter B. He becomes his own person who learns from his mistakes and overcomes his self-doubt by fulfilling the promise he made to a dying Peter Parker and learning to use his powers responsibly.<br />
<br />
All of which leads to the most thrilling scene in the film as Miles fulfills his character arc by taking a leap of faith and becoming Spider-Man - his version of Spider-Man, one who strives to be better.<br />
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But more relevant to my overall point, as I said earlier each Spider-Persona in <i>Spider-Verse</i> brings something new or interesting to the concept of Spider-Man. However, here's the thing: each Spider-Persona is valid.<br />
<br />
Peter B. Parker presents us with a tragic older Spider-Man burnt out from too many years of constantly saving the city again and again, stunted and unable or unwilling to grow, afraid of moving into the next phase of his life. Gwen Stacey shows us another side of the emotional toil of being a Spider-Person, following the death of her Peter, she refused to allow herself to make personal connections, saying she doesn't do friends.<br />
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Peni Parker loses SP//dr (her psychically-powered mech suit) in the climax and it is treated like a legitimately sad moment with pathos. Noir Spider-Man is a heavy drinker who wrestles with the moral ambiguity of his violent actions.<br />
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Hell, even Spider-Ham is treated seriously in the film despite the fact he is a literal cartoon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"<a href="http://origin-flash.sonypictures.com/ist/awards_screenplays/SV_screenplay.pdf">Miles, the hardest thing about this job is you can’t always save everybody.</a>"<br />
This is something Peter Porker the Spectacular Spider-Ham says in the film.</td></tr>
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<br />
From this, I started thinking about how we categorise the 'best' version of Spider-Man. Things like:<br />
<ul>
<li>Maguire was the best Peter Parker but his Spider-Man didn't quip or feel like the comic book.</li>
<li>Andrew Garfield was a great Spider-Man because he quipped a lot but his Peter Parker felt arrogant and too cool. </li>
<li>Tom Holland felt like a teenage Peter Parker/Spider-Man but his story didn't have the same dramatic weight as Maguire or even Garfield. </li>
<li>Or whatever your critique might be.</li>
</ul>
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There are arguments and counter-arguments for each of those statements of course, and I don't even believe each one, but my point is to highlight how even if there are criticism for each portrayal, they all have something to offer to the concept of Spider-Man.<br />
<br />
Although I know <i>The Amazing Spider-Man 2</i> has been relegated to the trash heap of superhero movies, let's cycle back to it since the triumphant score and cinematography of the web-slinging scenes are actually fantastic?<br />
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Now, it does takes seven and half minutes in the film for Spider-Man to show up but when he does, wow, what an entrance does he make. Even the movie seems happy he's here, using body-cam footage to show us what it's like to be Spider-Man and the score is just so joyous, you guys.<br />
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Like, some of these shots are truly gorgeous and seamlessly fluid in motion, just, ah - *chef's kiss*.<br />
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Also, I really like how Garfield's Spidey is a Spider-Man who tries to talk down his opponents before the inevitable fight. When he first meets Electro in Times Square, he spends a while trying to deescalate the situation, relating to Electro about how he is feeling and attempts to get him away from the crowds. It doesn't work due to a trigger-happy police sniper but the effort is still appreciated.<br />
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This in what is generally considered to be the worst Spider-Man film, and with good reason since there is a lot wrong going on structurally and thematically. Plot threads and character motivations are introduced but seem to have no real impact on Peter's arc, such as his promise to ghost Captain Stacey. However, even with its flaws there is quite a bit of Spidey stuff to love.<br />
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I mean, that film had the utterly sizzling chemistry between Peter and Gwen.<br />
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<br />
So I ask, is there any worth in debating who is the best version of Spider-Man? Or arguing about the best anything, really? We position 'best' as though it is somehow an objective descriptor when it is actually the most subjective thing.<br />
<br />
Because we often conflate our favourite with best. If something is our favourite, surely it must be the best or why else would it be our favourite. But that's not how it works. Your favourite whatever can be your favourite for a multitude of factors, half of which you may not even be fully conscious of.<br />
<br />
I think we need to take a step back and reason that favourite does not mean best, it just means favourite. i.e. the one which resonates with you the best. 'Best' doesn't even mean best in the way people tend to use it.<br />
<br />
Best for what puprose? Best in what way? Since very few things are the best in every way but some might be perfect in some ways or in ways which resonate the most with certain people. I think 'best' is at best subjective, at worst unhelpful.<br />
<br />
Rather than trying to quantify which is the 'best' and relegating the rest to the 'worst' pile, which is already a false dichotomy, we should recognise that sometimes things have worth even if they are not perfect. To understand that different versions might not be good in each aspect and still have aspects which work.<br />
<br />
There are a number of coherent, concise themes in <i>Spider-Verse </i>but one that stands out is that “Anyone can wear the mask”. There’s room for so many Spider-Personas. The universe isn’t one thing. It’s many.<br />
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When we look at different versions of Spider-Man to see what each brings to the concept, we should break down what works and what doesn't, not to determine some objective 'best' but rather to gain a better understanding of what makes Spider-Man the hero he is, the humanity underneath the costume.<br />
<br />
Since it just might helps us better understand the humanity within us all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQdHqdBUtkT2UrGQzBVcyCNrgsjObr3g2JiICTBF1NLzFwLxPKnsx9bd9LRxbxGe6iS_ZeTvSKmwbCMiCeJVSW4b-6tnXwuqZaJpRQFp83wV5nkSNTnXHgnNacwBvjjTd6jZOApkdHp8/s1600/Spider-Man+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="434" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKQdHqdBUtkT2UrGQzBVcyCNrgsjObr3g2JiICTBF1NLzFwLxPKnsx9bd9LRxbxGe6iS_ZeTvSKmwbCMiCeJVSW4b-6tnXwuqZaJpRQFp83wV5nkSNTnXHgnNacwBvjjTd6jZOApkdHp8/s640/Spider-Man+2.png" width="442" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I repeat - Never forget the hyphen.</td></tr>
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<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://birthmoviesdeath.com/2017/07/14/film-crit-hulk-smash-spider-man-the-marvel-fatal-flaw">Film Crit Hulk SMASH: Spider-Man & The Marvel Fatal Flaw</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCovRhj2aVM">Steve & Tony - Marvel's Big Picture Storytelling</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_0sVITj9K8">Alien's Guide to Spider-Man: Homecoming</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://origin-flash.sonypictures.com/ist/awards_screenplays/SV_screenplay.pdf"><i>Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse</i> screenplay PDF</a><br />
<br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-78321352466877917462018-08-26T17:32:00.002+12:002018-08-26T17:36:46.293+12:00The Last Jedi Backlash - The Lost Art of Understanding ThemesIt's been a while and a lot has happened and there are many things to discuss. So many things. But one thing I want to focus on is how a large number of people seem to fail to understand how to watch a film thematically.<br />
<br />
And I really wish that people knew how to watch films and understood what a theme is. It honestly makes watching films more enjoyable and allows you to empathise with different points-of-view or experiences to your own. But I guess enjoying things is too hard or something?<br />
<br />
I don't know where this failing occurred. Maybe it has something to do with the rise of nitpicky pseudo-film criticism such as YouTube channels like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELEAsGoP-5I">CinemaSins</a> in the past half decade or maybe people only know how to watch films literally and not thematically.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduNw4TJmvH3XA7uHSTiaddkw8RXi-7PS06gVLytAVDTaF9FdsN9zKTwjUct3zYOZvBtVN0U3z4nAb9Pbkjq-gN-9S1K-fcVbYVpvnTxlH5yRe-LIBbpjEMvix4MAfRqu2nAiXdtbHsI4/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1053" data-original-width="1154" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjduNw4TJmvH3XA7uHSTiaddkw8RXi-7PS06gVLytAVDTaF9FdsN9zKTwjUct3zYOZvBtVN0U3z4nAb9Pbkjq-gN-9S1K-fcVbYVpvnTxlH5yRe-LIBbpjEMvix4MAfRqu2nAiXdtbHsI4/s640/Capture.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is literally something <a href="http://grantland.com/features/the-return-hbo-game-thrones/">David Benioff said about <i>Game of Thrones</i></a>. Weird that someone adapting one of the most thematic rich fantasy series of all time would think that themes aren't important. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
First, let's define our terms. <span style="font-size: 12pt;">A theme is the main idea or underlying meaning of a text. It is the central topic a text examines. For e</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">xample: If the topic of a text is loneliness, then the theme would be what the text says about loneliness. Furthermore, t</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">hemes can be divided into two categories:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thematic concept - what readers think the text is about</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; line-height: normal; margin-left: 27pt; text-indent: -18pt; vertical-align: middle;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10pt;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thematic statement - what the text says about the topic</span></div>
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If you don't know what a film's theme is, you don't know what the film is about. Maybe it's time people learnt that films exist to tell us stories and communicate ideas through theme. Since the ideas that a film is trying to convey are far more important than whether or not things literally make sense in the world of the film<br />
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This is not to say that films get free reign to put whatever bullshit they want on screen and for us to just accept it because of the idea they are trying to convey. The world of a film still needs to exist and work within its own internal logic, as long as that internal logic is clearly established.<br />
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For example, Superman can fly because he's an alien. No more explanation is required or necessary. We don't need to know that his body converts the light of the sun into kinetic or propulsive energy. The audience learning the hows and whys of his ability to fly doesn't add anything of value to the character. He flies because he's Superman and Superman can fly.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Image result for superman flying" height="360" src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qC7601wD_Us/maxresdefault.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's an alien and a superhero. That's how.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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However, I think another problem linked to this literal watching of film is that people often think not liking a movie means it is therefore bad and poorly made. Since if a film doesn't fit this narrow view of what you think films should be, then its a failure and "just bad writing", right?<br />
<br />
The fact that few people seem to be able to articulate what they mean by "bad writing" says more about how we fail to watch films then about writing of the film itself.<br />
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For example, let's talk <i>The Last Jedi</i>. I know so much has been said about <i>The Last Jedi</i> that at this point I'm just adding to the ceaseless cacophony of the void but here we are.<br />
<br />
Firstly, <i>The Last Jedi</i> is a competently made film. It simply is. The visuals look great, the editing is fluid, it's a well-directed and the story addresses a number of interesting themes that challenges our expectations of what a Star Wars movie can or should be.<br />
<br />
Not to mention that each character in the trio of Rey, Poe, and Finn has an arc and is positioned between two other characters' worldviews (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE7SkcoyVAI">Rey: Luke and Kylo, Poe: Leia and Holdo, Finn: Rose and DJ</a>), and that is just great storytelling and narrative structure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZBPZRTkA5t1APl37AAccE_WB6b0tka0bgQgIpBbkLNvy7XUSSb7y_JVTQiVX8iNhRNL4X4epNl08fGy1vVwxyhsv2P4ISdg0ITZVtyruKvt0B4aJfBZXTmx8IGQ0NQIFtGxI-mPDHpY/s1600/Last+Jedi.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ZBPZRTkA5t1APl37AAccE_WB6b0tka0bgQgIpBbkLNvy7XUSSb7y_JVTQiVX8iNhRNL4X4epNl08fGy1vVwxyhsv2P4ISdg0ITZVtyruKvt0B4aJfBZXTmx8IGQ0NQIFtGxI-mPDHpY/s640/Last+Jedi.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow, it's almost like the guy who wrote this knew how to structure narrative and set up character arcs or something.</td></tr>
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Now, you can argue on how <b>successful</b> it was in its execution of these themes and whether or not the narrative or character arcs landed for you but it is a well-made film.<br />
<br />
Because here's the thing, you can dislike something and still recognise it was good. Just as you can love something while acknowledging it has flaws. Things are rarely perfect and nothing is going to please everyone, regardless of how well-made it is or what ideas it is trying to convey.<br />
<br />
And that's okay. <i>Citizen Kane</i> is a fantastic film that deserves its reputation as a masterpiece due to its innovation in storytelling and technique and place in cinema history. It also fails to move me or make me care. This does not diminish its status as well-crafted and design film. It just means I don't like it.<br />
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Unfortunately, some people, especially fanboys, can't seem to think critically about movies. They can only criticise, which is not the same thing. Which is odd reaction towards something you claim to love but I digress.<br />
<br />
As per the ever eloquent <a href="http://observer.com/2018/07/film-crit-hulk-the-beautiful-ugly-and-possessive-hearts-of-star-wars/">Film Crit Hulk</a>, "It is downright impossible for them to think the storytelling of the film is on-point as hell, all because it does not reflect their emotional experience of watching it". It doesn't matter that the film is well-made on a technical or narrative level, their emotional response to it renders it moot. They didn't like how they felt watching it, therefore, it was badly made.<br />
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I think part of it is because of that side of fandom which claims ownership over the content they love. Since they tie the content so closely to their own sense of identity that Star Wars becomes a 'part of who they are', not a franchise owned by Disney or a movie directed by Rian Johnson. It's THEIRS.<br />
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So if they don't like a Star Wars film, the filmmakers have failed them because they are not catering to their sense of self. Because if you can't relate to the content you defined your identity by, then who are you? If the character you identify with is shown to be wrong or mistaken, what does that say about you? Case in point: "Why didn't Holdo tell Poe [me] her plan? This is bullshit!". This is why they get so angry, any subversion of expectation or familiarity feels like a betrayal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosaVQ4UXydPd5rIXqq8ANyzfiDbZSgVL5Nifc_ww19qDUOwiiOEHHRnxELX9b6wG3D-B0O9OE01gYQ-xXaV6InkJL97h6USp8A3ahmmL_UzvZs1KM21NhAymXGjtfIg4zSwH1-00oSyI/s1600/Last+Jedi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgosaVQ4UXydPd5rIXqq8ANyzfiDbZSgVL5Nifc_ww19qDUOwiiOEHHRnxELX9b6wG3D-B0O9OE01gYQ-xXaV6InkJL97h6USp8A3ahmmL_UzvZs1KM21NhAymXGjtfIg4zSwH1-00oSyI/s640/Last+Jedi.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What?! They made Luke grumpy and drink green milk instead of blue! How could they ruin the franchise like this?!." </td></tr>
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On a side note, this why I have a problem with people who defined their identity by the pop culture they consume. Art should supplement and enrich your sense of self, not BE your sense of self.<br />
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Now please don't misunderstand me, I am not saying you shouldn't be proud of what you like or celebrate your nerdiness or geeky interests. We are all in part shaped and identified by the content we consume and love.<br />
<br />
And I love Star Wars. My childhood favourite movie was <i>Return of the Jedi.</i> My favourite movie for most of my twenties was <i>A New Hope</i>. However, I always recognised that <i>Empire Strikes Back</i> was a far better film, in terms of story-telling, the development of character, and deepening the mythology of The Force. It simply is a better film.<br />
<br />
I only had a stronger <b>emotional reaction</b> to <i>A New Hope </i>but this did not make <i>A New Hope</i> a better film in my eyes. It was just the one that made me happy watching since it suited my sensibilities more than <i>Empire</i> (that said I love <i>Empire</i> so very much).<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sPG_G65dKBc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sPG_G65dKBc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I will never stop laughing myself silly at this bickering couple. <br />This scene simply makes me feel things.</span></div>
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Let's circle back to themes and <i>The Last Jedi</i>. So what are its themes? What is it trying to say. Well, lucky for us the film wears its themes on its chest and often states them loud and proud.<br />
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Luke Skywalker tells Rey that "This isn't going to go the way you think" (not fall victim to our expectations), Yoda wisely impacts to Luke that "Failure, the greatest teacher is" (the importance of failure and what we learn from it), and Rose informs Finn that "That's how we're gonna win. Not fighting what we hate. Saving what we love" (love is how you win the war, not hate). Even the Kylo Ren's one from the trailer about "Letting the past die" (letting go of those things in your past which are preventing you from moving forward").<br />
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So it's odd that so many people often critic aspects of the story even though they are entirely in line with the themes that the film is trying to explore. "Canto was a waste of time, it didn't even work" is a criticism I've seen repeatedly. And it makes no sense to me since of course it was a waste of time, that was the point. It's what they learnt from their failure that was important.<br />
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It's Poe learning that he can't keep going through this war as a hothead when he has people under his command who depend on him. That it is better to fail and lose the battle in order to save your people and continue the war than it is to sacrifice their lives just to win.<br />
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And I know some of you weren't on board with Rose's and thought it was stupid. Well, not only was it not stupid, it's been a significant theme for all of Star Wars as <a href="https://twitter.com/jere7my/status/1031925403202535429">this thread succinctly articulates</a>.<br />
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I'm not going to rehash what she says in the thread but will just pose this question: how is Rose's line not directly in line thematically with Luke's refusal to kill Vader in anger at the end of <i>Return of the Jedi</i>? Luke's refusal to give in to anger and hate leads to Vader's redemption, it's kinda the thematic climax of the original trilogy.<br />
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It also is the thing that distinguishes the good guys from the bad guys in Star Wars. The Empire or First Order are fascists, using their power to destroy those they hate. Literally, the thing that turns Anakin Skywalker into Darth Vader in the first place is losing himself in anger and then hate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_oUgCBJ65JhWypz_gTIHBdyqrB14Xhm4FjIAb2cyPAq3x5KR6bX0Bt3mgPiLKLTIHpNI79iSL-NSJUF-sUYF7XyJmJLLgDV14IEAiqex-4yvvXQA-71re12O2WJGVlEUX9S0Sjmc8uo/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="1600" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_oUgCBJ65JhWypz_gTIHBdyqrB14Xhm4FjIAb2cyPAq3x5KR6bX0Bt3mgPiLKLTIHpNI79iSL-NSJUF-sUYF7XyJmJLLgDV14IEAiqex-4yvvXQA-71re12O2WJGVlEUX9S0Sjmc8uo/s640/Untitled.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's like you win by saving the ones you love, not by fighting those you hate or something.</td></tr>
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And this is the thing when people don't watch films thematically, they criticise without considering context, being uncharitable to the material and the story. If you only watch films literally and in terms of plot, being only concerned with what events happen, you are missing what the movie is about.<br />
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Which is fine, I guess, if you don't want to allow movies to move you or get you to think about things differently to how you did before. There are many films which have strong plots but are boring as hell since their characters are just devices to move the plot along and they don't say anything.<br />
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And I don't know. Maybe that's a good thing. Probably not, since it fosters an environment where plot is more important than character, where a film's ideas are less important than whether or not it satisfied a fan theory or expectation. And that seems like a bad time.<br />
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I'd rather enjoy films, allowing them to take me on a journey and explore their themes with them. But that's just me.<br />
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<i><b>Note:</b> There is so much more I could say, especially about The Last Jedi. I only watched it twice in theatres but it has resonated so much with me that I could talk about it forever. If I didn't get round to your specific nitpick, sorry about that. Maybe next time. </i><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-74917949730050044692016-08-26T20:00:00.000+12:002016-08-26T20:54:52.443+12:00007 Lazenby & Dalton: Licence to Bond<div class="tr_bq">
When one thinks of James Bond, they think of Sean Connery or Roger Moore, the men who played him the longest. If they are of a certain age, they might think of Pierce Brosnan. Of course, Daniel Craig may also come to mind as the most recent Bond.</div>
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Very few think of George Lazenby or Timothy Dalton.<br />
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Both took over Bond from actors who had extensive runs on the character and had defined him for a generation. Both were criticised in comparison to the actor who came before, their films were forgotten or considered missteps without the 'proper' James Bond, namely Connery or Moore.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMtptjgujQcVShowkduWxid4pEnHSdSEkhyeXZfFH19yU2n_MWaYPyIAfYZJq4Ap7syhvrK_c7NncUwMrOT6686CbPAWLCN0dHHvKlnwLAVX096raSzAgXpfg5Nbq-zrztaEvYQRuK7E/s1600/James+Bond+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyMtptjgujQcVShowkduWxid4pEnHSdSEkhyeXZfFH19yU2n_MWaYPyIAfYZJq4Ap7syhvrK_c7NncUwMrOT6686CbPAWLCN0dHHvKlnwLAVX096raSzAgXpfg5Nbq-zrztaEvYQRuK7E/s640/James+Bond+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a little telling that this is the third image when I did a Google search for "james bond actors".</td></tr>
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My point is that Lazenby and Dalton are often forgotten where James Bond is concerned. To be fair, there are only three films between them, perhaps not enough to leave an impression. I know I had never seen any of Datlon's films before, although I had seen snippets of Lazenby as Bond on television. So, are their films deserving of their maligned status?<br />
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Let's begin with George Lazenby. Charged with the near insurmountable task of following Sean Connery, Lazenby is... fine. There's nothing exactly <i>wrong</i> with him but he's not particularly good. I heard that he was predominantly a model at the time, which makes sense since the man looks like Bond. Too bad his acting doesn't match his looks but maybe we should discuss his sole outing as 007.<br />
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<i>On Her Majesty's Secret Service</i> is an amazing Bond film. Or rather there is an amazing Bond film within <i>On Her Majesty's Secret Service</i> because it is a film that is begging for a re-edit. The pacing is a bit mixed and needs some trimming in places. There are some great scenes but they don't quite come together as well as they could have with more time in the editing room.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQwrM-9-3vXMRWsvz7tG8isBI_WSrLzH-NT1MeuMYFLk09OrAbp-uuYhX-X4t3uLZtlsPDfdI13aMD9sa5CofTUrdl4viQl9qTNkqZlDqBn_T0wu7ph-qVXGpcm-jlX3wk_EMj0BHLXE/s1600/James+Bond+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQwrM-9-3vXMRWsvz7tG8isBI_WSrLzH-NT1MeuMYFLk09OrAbp-uuYhX-X4t3uLZtlsPDfdI13aMD9sa5CofTUrdl4viQl9qTNkqZlDqBn_T0wu7ph-qVXGpcm-jlX3wk_EMj0BHLXE/s640/James+Bond+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For example, the masturbation scene was great but it really did slow down the plot.</td></tr>
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<br />
The movie is long. At an hour and 22 minutes, it's one of the longest Bond films. While it doesn't drag exactly, there are at least 20 minutes that could have been cut to tighten it up. <i>On Her Majesy's Secret Service</i> has some highly watchable scenes which are quite engrossing but the transition between those scenes is a bit off and not as smooth as it should be.<br />
<br />
Similarly, on a narrative level, the focus is split unevenly between the romantic plot and the villain plot, causing both to suffer and feel a little half-baked. We start with the romantic plot which then just stops for a good forty minutes or so while Bond is investigating the big bad, Blofeld in Switzerland before it's picked up again.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92Q07uTDPcVcvKnM99bhSq-1JgN54IcEWrMLxPy3S2K6LqQ3YiF9BeSOgspVLKhv16bhU51LmyCVGm2O1INDukvH__3G4RzHA2Vs6S2FZ7i_Psn69tbGcJh80zkTdBZDAtsqLdzEhnGI/s1600/James+Bond+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92Q07uTDPcVcvKnM99bhSq-1JgN54IcEWrMLxPy3S2K6LqQ3YiF9BeSOgspVLKhv16bhU51LmyCVGm2O1INDukvH__3G4RzHA2Vs6S2FZ7i_Psn69tbGcJh80zkTdBZDAtsqLdzEhnGI/s640/James+Bond+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because why would we want more of this?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Which is a shame since Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo, a.k.a Tracy, is wonderfully brought to life by Dianna Rigg. She does suffer from Rich White Problems, namely boredom and a desire to act out against the patriarchal paternal control of her father, but she's a capable woman and shown to be Bond's equal as a romantic partner. However, just read how Wikipedia sums up the plot,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
In the film Bond faces Blofeld, who is planning to sterilise the world's food supply through a group of brainwashed "angels of death", unless his demands are met for an international amnesty for his previous crimes, recognition of his title as the Count De Bleuchamp (the French form of Blofeld), and to be allowed to retire into private life. Along the way Bond meets, falls in love with, and eventually marries Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo.</blockquote>
He falls in love and eventually marries her "Along the way"? Like an afterthought? Believe me, Tracy Bond is no afterthought. This is the woman who ensnares James Bond's heart. James Bond, the man who sleeps with every woman he meets, is captivated by Tracy. And watching her poise and assertive confidence, it's not hard to see why.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSJo5kBuytgYmDKcfmHzsjCiNu_RCX_QqKVrEOMpiZ9fyS26Jdd64dACXDOX-t-TBm5rnKHoMXenMPYWK-ZEY0tfV-D4_L5vxg2a1g9M8AW9TZ727GeyuQ7WkBo7eUFO86LHlfhV1IRQ/s1600/James+Bond+3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSJo5kBuytgYmDKcfmHzsjCiNu_RCX_QqKVrEOMpiZ9fyS26Jdd64dACXDOX-t-TBm5rnKHoMXenMPYWK-ZEY0tfV-D4_L5vxg2a1g9M8AW9TZ727GeyuQ7WkBo7eUFO86LHlfhV1IRQ/s640/James+Bond+3.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm so captivated by your her poise and assertive confidence." - Bond, probably</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's clear that with <i>On Her Majesty's Secret Service</i> that they were trying to go for something a little different than the established Bond formula with Connery, although at times it feels as though they decided to rein it in instead of fully embracing the changes.<br />
<br />
For example, the theme song is an instrumental. An amazing instrumental using Moog synthesiser bassline and a flourish of staccato strings, it is everything a great Bond theme should be. But opening with an instrumental was a break from the previous three films' opening songs and it was a different take on what a Bond theme could be.<br />
<br />
But this originality or desire to break with Bond tradition is undercut by the opening credits sequence itself which shows clips of previous James Bond films in the background. It's almost like they were saying, "here is something new but don't be afraid, it's just the same as always". Despite that hesitation to complete embrace change, the credit sequence is one of the best.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Which could be said for the film as a whole. There are some truly great moments in <i>On Her Majesty's Secret Service</i> that rank with the best that Bond has to offer. While there is nothing truly bad in a cinematic sense, there are plot issues in terms of pacing and Bond's trademark sexism and racism is on display, although only really during the scenes in Blofeld's allergy-research institute.<br />
<br />
Blofeld has gathered a number of allergy-riddled women to be his "angels of death", brainwashed sleeper agents who will unleash his deadly virus or whatever on the world's food supply. So, naturally Bond has to sleep with them for information, although his cover is supposed to be gay.<br />
<br />
He first sleeps with one girl, after saying he isn't usually attracted to girls but she's different, gets the info he needs and then leaves to find another girl waiting in his room. Of course, he proceeds to sleep with her, <b>after saying he isn't usually attracted to girls but she's different!</b><br />
<br />
Goddammit, James! Have some class, don't repeat what you said to one girl to another. That's not only gross in a dishonest way but just lazy. You should be better than that. You're the best spy in the world, surely you could think of something else flirtatious and seductive to say.<br />
<br />
Moving on, there is, of course, the racism.<br />
<br />
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<br />
In case you didn't watch the video, that is a dinner scene where the women suffering from food allergies are eating the food that they were allergic to. I started the video at the point where the Asian lady is eating rice, which isn't so bad on it's own since that isn't a completely terrible assumption, if a somewhat lazy stereotype. But then it is followed by the African woman eating a banana.<br />
<br />
A banana. And that's her entire meal, a banana. I'm sorry but even including all the blaxploitation that run rampant in <i>Live and Let Die</i>, this might be the most blatant example of racism in a Bond film.<br />
<br />
The sad history of people of African descent being described as ape or monkey-like in a derogatory way is too well-known for this not to be anything more than institutionalised racism. At least the moment was blink and you miss it but still, come on.<br />
<br />
But what did I think about George Lazenby as James Bond? Like I said he was fine. An average Bond in a great Bond film. There are scenes in here that are begging for an actor with serious chops like Daniel Craig to breathe them into life. Lazenby does his best but somebody does it better.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EbFUh8nrVd-6F-gCLKoUtiUowFowYOcPqZrbXuTnCl-BKD3jYy26K5AInsY7n1bj74cW3-oauf-OBkWxJSYa5mDz5_wO9MSNFdVc_v9Krx4o8LDH9ltPKHDiJmdhfNWcCtTGpkz-BLM/s1600/James+Bond+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EbFUh8nrVd-6F-gCLKoUtiUowFowYOcPqZrbXuTnCl-BKD3jYy26K5AInsY7n1bj74cW3-oauf-OBkWxJSYa5mDz5_wO9MSNFdVc_v9Krx4o8LDH9ltPKHDiJmdhfNWcCtTGpkz-BLM/s640/James+Bond+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But he did inspire Austin Power's wardrobe which was a gift few greater than we could have ever known.<br />
Never forget.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And so we come to Timothy Dalton.<br />
<br />
Unlike Lazenby, I had never seen anything of Dalton's James Bond, not even passing glimpses on the TV so I didn't really know what to expect. I did hear that his Bond was supposed to be quite dark but I hadn't seen him in action.<br />
<br />
Well, I loved <i>The Living Daylights</i>. Seriously. I thought it was great. And coming off the heals of the glorious mess of a film that was <i>A View to a Kill</i>, it must have felt like a breath of fresh air. This was a Bond who was serious. Just was as dangerous as he was dashingly good looking.<br />
<br />
I had heard criticisms that Dalton's Bond is considered a bit too dry and boring but I don't see it. Maybe it was a hangover from Moore's light-hearted take on the character at the time, which became just what everyone had come to expect from James Bond? I dunno.<br />
<br />
However, I really liked Dalton's more downplayed, and yes dryer, take on Bond. To be fair, he still drops some great lines, but with a deadpan sigh instead of a raised eyebrow. For example, I love the deadpan reply to Kara's declaration they're free after he knocks out the guards,<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgR_QUFjqoNRfMhDBurboCiUsiME0VAAtX_xDLsIU5jGU0e0fFkKDqN0v7pKRKbOu91BWjiOEFXkdvppgMbKJCkLzkAtq8GxJO-LrSIvWc2gsunnvDV2pqWMupZTSMMTFCBb2xCX9rII/s1600/James+Bond+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfgR_QUFjqoNRfMhDBurboCiUsiME0VAAtX_xDLsIU5jGU0e0fFkKDqN0v7pKRKbOu91BWjiOEFXkdvppgMbKJCkLzkAtq8GxJO-LrSIvWc2gsunnvDV2pqWMupZTSMMTFCBb2xCX9rII/s640/James+Bond+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kara: "You were fantastic – we're free!" <br />
Bond: "Kara, we're inside a Russian air base in the middle of Afghanistan."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
One highly pleasing change was that Dalton's Bond was respectful to women, or at least not anywhere as sexist as his predecessors. Perhaps it was because his two late 1980s films were set in a post-AIDS crisis world but this was a monogamous James Bond.<br />
<br />
Over the course of both <i>The Living Daylights</i> and <i>Licence to Kill</i>, he sleeps with just four women. In contrast, in his first two films, Moore's Bond slept with six women. Also, the context is different. In <i>The Living Daylights</i>, he sleeps with a woman pre-credits but spends the rest of the film courting and wooing Kara.<br />
<br />
Let's discuss Kara, played by the delightful Maryam d'Abo. I have a real soft spot for her, not least because <a href="http://zeppulian.com/storysofar/2016/3/25/chapter-1-part-2">she shares her name with the lead female protagonist in my online science fiction comedy serial novel</a>. A Russian cellist who is unwittingly caught in political espionage, she's used as a pawn by both sides.<br />
<br />
First, she is asked to pretend to be a sniper to sell the fake defection of the KGB officer General Georgi Koskov, then later by Bond himself, who pretends to be Koskov's friend to gain her trust, as a lead to find Koskov.<br />
<br />
However over the course of the film, Bond starts to feel for her, perhaps drawn to her wholesome sweetness and buoyant optimism. She is really sweet, like a true cinnamon roll. While it's a bit condescending how she is treated as a dupe for a large chunk of the film by the final act, she's more than shown her worth.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUQlAWhKgtOcfmRs4wFMHQfo8FF0QcHzqm3q6Pulcx7TtXO9M5j9Kdi3YM894O4FPITWz9RkiM81fyBeAIaZ2rbpUBqT6BOpRRaWNwWWHxdWEImg1R40pg7L8oqJj-U4sUinhBUZSQGc/s1600/James+Bond+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjUQlAWhKgtOcfmRs4wFMHQfo8FF0QcHzqm3q6Pulcx7TtXO9M5j9Kdi3YM894O4FPITWz9RkiM81fyBeAIaZ2rbpUBqT6BOpRRaWNwWWHxdWEImg1R40pg7L8oqJj-U4sUinhBUZSQGc/s640/James+Bond+7.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just look how sweet she is!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Unlike more badass Bond girls, she is not James Bond's equal. She's not a fellow spy or double agent, she's an innocent cellist wrapped up things she can't truly comprehend. She's not as smart as him and unable to spar wits like Vesper Lynd or even Tracy did. She's also too naive and trusting, not really what most people think of when they think of a 'strong' woman.<br />
<br />
However, this is what endures her to me. Despite not being that 'strong' in the sense of being a dangerous physical fighter or tactical/intellectual genius, she is far braver than she has any right to be as a simple cellist and helps Bond as best she can. Furthermore, although she was betrayed by Koskov, she never loses that spark of sweetness which is her real strength.<br />
<br />
When Bond is trapped on the truck with the cocaine and the bomb that is going to use to blow up the shipment, it is Kara who leads the charge on the Soviet camp, not the leader of the Afghan rebels. Grabbing a gun (which she has probably never held before) and galloping on her horse after him causing the Afghan rebel fighters to follow because "Women," amiright?<br />
<br />
I really believe her relationship with Bond too despite the short amount of time. Even she herself comments that it's only been two days and she is starting to develop feelings for him, yet is feels believable. And he in turn seems to develop a real fondness for her that extends beyond just wanting to sleep with her and be on his merry way.<br />
<br />
All of which was a nice change from Connery and Moore womanizing and was something hinted at previously with Lazenby, and then later picked up with with Craig's Bond and Vesper.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJN4SLgim53geRN2p-34ctbthNSaNsEKDYBJ1b-PvimBL2jLJpDulgxeHbX7AEqCRdTrO-D0VAJoPdea9f2moD34O17YTZ5viDpBL1v0wnudQSpnADw65Fod4K2EbC2tUcNBNHABbMlk/s1600/James+Bond+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMJN4SLgim53geRN2p-34ctbthNSaNsEKDYBJ1b-PvimBL2jLJpDulgxeHbX7AEqCRdTrO-D0VAJoPdea9f2moD34O17YTZ5viDpBL1v0wnudQSpnADw65Fod4K2EbC2tUcNBNHABbMlk/s640/James+Bond+8.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can I say? This Bond was a music lover.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And what about the villains? Well, Koskov is played to comic perfection by Jeroen Krabbé who just toes the line that prevents him from going over-the-top. At first I didn't know what to make of his performance but once you realised what he was trying to do, it makes sense. Especially when you find out his character is himself putting on a performance during his fake defection.<br />
<br />
The less said about Brad Whitaker though, the better. An arms dealer with delusions of military grandeur, he's a bit of an annoying blowhard. He's also on the periphery for much of the film and the climax suffers from the confrontation scene between Bond and Whitaker since it feels superfluous.<br />
<br />
Also, Necros is a great henchman in the grand tradition of blonde blue-eyed Aryan musclemen who pose a menacing threat, both physically and as a spy, a trend which started with <i>From Russia With Love</i>'s Red Grant.<br />
<br />
The plot starts off promisingly and straight-forward but gets unnecessarily convoluted, particularly in the final act where who is doing what for whom and why becomes increasingly difficult to parse out. And while Dalton's Bond was supposed to be more realistic than Moore's, this is a film where Bond's car has a laser which cuts another car in half so there's that.<br />
<br />
However, despite those quibbles <i>The Living Daylights</i> is an highly enjoyable Bond film and Dalton is great in the role. But then we come to <i>Licence to Kill</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYin7ZBdv-NGL4g0pMz2yq7XBKDnUWCNQ_roRyPVgufWPsI9eyHYkfx44TmJ80AAysvehrWSy5BlM_9VnWzmx87p8A1JnczKuMdJ1qAfK2ZzpE5TzSaAXxv2maoxvd3ifPmGykPTcqjs/s1600/James+Bond+9.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdYin7ZBdv-NGL4g0pMz2yq7XBKDnUWCNQ_roRyPVgufWPsI9eyHYkfx44TmJ80AAysvehrWSy5BlM_9VnWzmx87p8A1JnczKuMdJ1qAfK2ZzpE5TzSaAXxv2maoxvd3ifPmGykPTcqjs/s640/James+Bond+9.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Did I do something wrong?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<i>Licence to Kill</i> is not a good film, especially following <i>The Living Daylights</i>. Most of it feels like action B-movie and the plot is a complete mess. It's also really dark and almost gratuitously so for a Bond film. Before the opening credits the villain gets his henchmen to rip out the heart of man who cheats with his girlfriend and he beats her with this heavy whip rope thing. It's kinda uncomfortable.<br />
<br />
There is also some terrible acting. I don't often comment on the acting in Bond films aside from the villains, female leads and whoever is playing Bond himself but the extras in Licence to Kill are something else. They are all sound like they're in different movies and I have no idea what they are trying to emote.<br />
<br />
For example, Della is Felix Leiter's bride. Felix has always been James Bond's CIA counterpart and a good friend. But Della looks at Bond like she's in love with him and their interaction seems more than a dude and his friend's wife or even just friends. And I'm not sure if that was intentional or not.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiIhSU88RoKXMUO42jGBFva7wCyOF2xo1nklAI1IEhLYFTmzbou3hyphenhyphenfyUDAmU8l2s0fx9xSwocLCHnEYcv0-lHvhps59ySBF4rDaISc2yK0fzpxMmPnhBDo9RXvMbOS4hi3LvnCAxkwY/s1600/James+Bond+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikiIhSU88RoKXMUO42jGBFva7wCyOF2xo1nklAI1IEhLYFTmzbou3hyphenhyphenfyUDAmU8l2s0fx9xSwocLCHnEYcv0-lHvhps59ySBF4rDaISc2yK0fzpxMmPnhBDo9RXvMbOS4hi3LvnCAxkwY/s640/James+Bond+10.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Felix may have his arm around her but she only has eyes for Bond.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, despite that the film has a lot of things going for it. This is the Bond film with the pre-credits scene which inspired the awesome plan stealing another plan in mid-air scene in <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i> after all.<br />
<br />
For one thing it has Franz Sanchez, the most powerful drug lord in Latin America and one of the great Bond villains, played to menacing perfection by Robert Davi. Specialising in playing bad guys for most of his career, Davi gives Sanchez a real presence and weight. He feels ruthless. As Max Williams notes,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Yet no villain matches Sanchez for menace. If he uncovered Bond, he would kill Bond. Simple as that. Not quite ‘why don’t you just shoot him’ because Sanchez wouldn’t just shoot him. He’d exact a far nastier retribution. But exact it he would. No locking Bond in a windowed room, no escorting Bond round the pad and feeding him dinner, no leaving Bond in a perilous situation and then departing for tea. If Sanchez wanted Bond dead, Bond would be killed. Thoroughly. Such ruthlessness is refreshing and admirable on the writers’ behalf.</blockquote>
On an unrelated note, Davi is a classically trained opera singer with a gorgeous baritone voice and now spends his time performing versions of Frank Sinatra songs like "Summer Wind".<br />
<br />
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<br />
And while the plot is all over the place, I like that the scope is smaller, focusing on a simple revenge plot and drug trafficking rather than world domination. Oh, yeah I forgot to mention that Bond goes rogue to take Sanchez down since he fed Felix to a shark. Felix was okay though, just lost a leg and an arm. Sanchez also killed Della which might had something to do with it.<br />
<br />
It's just too bad that the film comes across more like a B-movie than a first rate action flick since all the right elements are there and the best parts of this film can rival the best parts of any James Bond film. Oh well. I would say better luck next time but this was Dalton's last outing as Bond.<br />
<br />
So what do I have to say about Dalton's Bond having seen his two films? I really liked him. Far more than I expected to since I heard how dour and dark his Bond was supposed to be. I suppose his Bond's reputation preceeded him but I honestly think he is a far greater Bond than he gets credit for.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">And that's that. Mission over. Thanks for joining me for the second installment of James Bond month. I had a lot of fun watching these movies for the first time and seeing what Moore, Lazenby, and Dalton each brought to the character.</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Time now for an hiatus to recharge but Musings From Another Star will return.</span></h3>
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Her_Majesty%27s_Secret_Service_(film)">On Her Majesty's Secret Service (film) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-012-on-her-majestys-secret-service-with-paul-scheer/">James Bonding #0012: On Her Majesty's Secret Service with Paul Scheer</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Living_Daylights">The Living Daylights Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-023-the-living-daylights-with-cole-stratton/">James Bonding #0023: The Living Daylights with Cole Stratton</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/oct/05/living-daylights-favourite-bond-film">My favourite Bond film: The Living Daylights - The Guardian</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licence_to_Kill">Licence to Kill Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-019-license-to-kill-with-amanda-lund-and-maria-blasucci/">James Bonding #0019: Licence to Kill with Amanda Lund and Maria Blasucci</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/licence-to-kill/36044/james-bond-007-revisiting-licence-to-kill">James Bond 007: Revisiting Licence to Kill - Den of Geek</a><br />
<br />
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<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-18543961263215494742016-08-19T20:00:00.000+12:002016-08-19T20:26:14.755+12:00007 Roger Moore Part Three: A View to a BondWell, we made it. The last of Roger Moore's James Bond. It took some time but we're here. It surely was a ride with a number of ups and downs, thrilling adventure and hilarious camp, with some blatant misogyny and unfortunate racism thrown in the mix too.<br />
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I'll do a wrap up at the end but just up top, I'd like to say that I've enjoyed watching Moore's Bond but I'm glad this is done and we can move on. That said, heading seven films in a franchise is an impressive feat and kudos to him for sticking in for as long as he did.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Why, thank you."</td></tr>
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Alright, let's get on with it and see what Moore had to offer with his final two Bond missions. Right off the bat, 1983's <i>Octopussy</i> has to be one of the most awkward title Bond films (although <i>A View to a Kill</i> is quite ungainly grammatically but we'll get there). It's a title that can't help but make you laugh a little at. I understand that it apparently was a legit title of one of Ian Fleming's short stories but that doesn't make it any better.<br />
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The only I knew or recalled about this film was once catching it on TV during the scene where the bad guy Kamal Khan is trying to placate Octopussy and <a href="https://youtu.be/N6oZoDTzeyw?t=1m25s">keeps repeating her name in a reassuring manner</a>. The actor is trying his best but her name is so silly, it was completely hilarious to me.<br />
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It's no wonder Rita Coolidge's theme song is called "All Time High" and doesn't mention the word 'Octopussy' at all. Also, not many words make a perfect rhyme with Octopussy so maybe that was a consideration. While we're talking about the theme song, it's okay I guess. A pleasant slow ballad, it's just a bit forgettable and sleepy sounding.<br />
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Aside from its unfortunate title, what else can be said about <i>Octopussy</i>? Well, the plot makes absolutely no sense, even considering this is a Bond film. I usually stop paying attention to the plot of these movies around the half hour to 45 minute mark but I didn't even try with this one.<br />
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In short, MI6 discover a fake Fabergé egg but the bad guys need to get the real egg which they were going to sell back to the Soviet gallery they took it from so no realises it's missing, or possibly they want the fake one? It's not clear but this is all part of some jewel smuggling enterprise to finance a rogue Soviet Union general's mad plan to start an invasion into Europe by tank division. <br />
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However, he will only lead the invasion only after first causing an explosion on an American army base in Germany which will look like one of the American nuclear bombs went off accidentally, naturally leading to the disarmament of nuclear weapons across Europe because reasons.<br />
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Oh, there's also a travelling circus in there somewhere and a couple of trips to India.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You serious with this shit?"</td></tr>
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I never really know why Bond is ever doing anything or what his mission actually is, sometimes he's just in places randomly that happen to be where the bad guys are, but I kinda just tuned out with this one and simply enjoyed the flashing lights and terrible puns.<br />
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Because this is a fun movie. And probably the movie which is most "Roger Moore" of the Moore era of Bond films. This isn't to say this is the best Roger Moore Bond movie, personally I would go with <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>, but rather it is the film which best highlights what Moore's run on Bond was like.<br />
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The story is told straight like it should be but peppered with the occasional campy slapstick and wonderfully bad puns. There's Bond in a tuxedo, Moore doing his trademark raised eyebrow, using cool gadgets which are only useful for one contrived purpose. The main bad guy is decidedly low-key, a gentleman's villain, happy to invite Bond to dinner the night before he is going to torture him.<br />
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Speaking on the main villain, let's talk about Kamal Khan for a bit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm listening..."</td></tr>
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Firstly, I think he's great. A real debonair Bond villain but willing to slink into the background to play different parties against each other so at one point you think he might not be the big bad but rather it is the Soviet general or Octopussy herself.<br />
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Secondly, this is such an unnecessary bit of whitewashing (in the racial sense) in the casting of a character. Louis Jourdan is fantastic in the role and I can't fault his performance at all. But Mr Jourdan is a noted French actor. Kamal Khan is supposed to be an exiled Afghan prince.<br />
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Now this isn't the worst bit of racism in a film that offers a more incorrect and stereotypical depiction of India than <i><a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/indiana-jones-and-authentic-indian.html">Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom</a></i> but it sticks out to me simple because it seems so unnecessary. They were more than happy hire Indian actors for Khan's henchmen and Bond's contact in India but not an Afghan actor in a lead role?<br />
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Or an Indian actor for that matter, since apparently Octopussy was originally going to be Indian but they changed her backstory so a Swede could play her instead.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nailed it!</td></tr>
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Again, nothing against Maud Adam's performance itself. She is amazing in the titular role and actually made me care about a character whose name is Octopussy. That is a feat very few actors can accomplish.<br />
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What's interesting is that Maud Adams was already a Bond girl before - Andrea Anders, Scaramanga's lover in <i>The Man with the Golden Guy</i>. You know, the one James Bond smacks around and twists her arm for information in that really uncomfortable domestic violence?<br />
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It's a little odd seeing her in a separate role here but her performance just kills it. An international jewel-smuggler who resides on a private island populated entirely by women, at first, they set it up so you might think she is the main villain of the film. In the scene when we are first introduced to her, she's shot from behind, ordering Khan around, and you never see her face like a true Bond villain.<br />
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Then Bond meets her, we hear her sad backstory about her father, and she becomes this sympathetic character with some nuanced shades of grey. The leader of a cult but one that gives its group of runaway women a sense of purpose (international crime) and teaches valuable skills (like gymnastics and thievery). She might be a criminal but she's not evil. Octopussy is one of the best Bond girls.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And she knows it.</td></tr>
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Just a couple of things to round up <i>Octopussy</i>. One, I really like Bond's contact in India, Vijay. Bond tends to have a buddy in a lot of his films, someone who provides info and helps him out in the exotic location he's in. And Vijay is great buddy, affable, informative, constantly smiling. He's just charming and matches Bond pun for pun. He even delivers one of the best lines in the film.<br />
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Bond: We've got company.<br />
Vijay: No problem, this is a company car.<br />
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Second, the rogue Soviet general I mention a couple of times? Well, he's played by Steven Berkoff and is just great. If you want an over-the-top campy performance from your megalomaniac Bond villain, Berkoff's General Orlov is your man. Just read <a href="http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/louis-jourdan-octopussy-james-bond-007-kamal-khan-roger-moore">GQ's description of his performance</a>,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Berkoff doesn't so much chew the scenery as gobble it up, screaming at everyone between mouthfuls in a dodgy Rusky accent. There is something highly enjoyable at watching supposedly 'serious' actors completely lose their s*** in a Bond film. (Jonathan Pryce, Javier Bardem - the list is long.)</blockquote>
Lastly, I would amiss if I didn't mention that this is the Bond film in which James Bond dresses like a clown to infiltrate a circus in order to defuse a nuclear bomb.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I really hope this works better in context." - Roger Moore, probably.<br />
(Surprisingly, it does.)</td></tr>
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And so we come to Moore's last outing as James Bond, <i>A View to a Kill</i>. There's no getting around it anymore, he was too old to play Bond. Now, I first started to really notice his age in <i>For Your Eyes Only</i> which came out four years earlier but I don't know what happened on those four years since he does not look good here.<br />
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He was 57 years old at this point and I think he must have had some work done since his cheeks seem a bit, um, flat? I dunno how to describe it precisely, but there is an uncanny valley thing going on. Also, I think he has contacts in or something since his eyes look different and they have obviously put some thickening stuff in his hair, which looks bleached, and it just isn't that flattering.<br />
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I really don't like saying all this since he was such a dashing fellow in prior films and his performance is as solid as always but his odd appearance is kinda distracting.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This man is supposed to be an international spy despite looking 70 years old.</td></tr>
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Do you know what isn't distracting unless you mean in the best way possible? The theme song by Duran Duran. Easily one of the greatest, if not <i>the </i>greatest, Bond themes, Duran Duran's "A View to a Kill" is still the only Bond theme to hit number 1 on the US charts.<br />
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A piece of new wave/synth pop perfection, it has all the elements of a great Bond theme without actually sounding like a Bond song. The lyrics hint at danger, murder, sex, and nighttime affairs of espionage. The music is captivating with a sense of the dramatic (just listen to those opening swirling chords), with a sultry vocal from Simon Le Bon and an absolutely killer chorus.<br />
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No, seriously, the chorus to "A View to a Kill" is fantastic. It's no wonder that the song was a pop hit and one of the most popular songs of its day. Declaring to "dance into the fire" belted out in an insanely catch melody, it's just a great pop song.<br />
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In fact, it was listening to "A View to a Kill" that prompted this second edition of James Bond month. I liked the song so much I wanted to watch the movie, which then got me thinking if I was going to watch Moore's last Bond film, I might as well watch all of them.<br />
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So how does the film stack up to its fabulous theme song? Terribly. That sounds dismissive but honestly <i>A View to a Kill</i> is not a good movie. It's just not. So much of this film makes so little sense and has no relevance to the actual plot that you spend more time questioning its logic than paying attention to what is going on.<br />
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In the <a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-026-a-view-to-a-kill-live-with-how-did-this-get-made/">James Bonding crossover episode with How Did This Get Made?</a>, they spend a good 20-30 minutes of the podcast discussing the butterfly show which happens in the third or fourth scene of the film. Not in relation to what effect this scene has on the rest of the story or anything like that.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I hope my death by fake butterfly will have dramatically significant!"</td></tr>
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No, of course not. Rather they discuss the aesthetic merit of the butterfly show itself and why anyone would go see it. This is a show in the Eiffel Tower during which a woman on stage whistles and waves her arms around while fake butterflies on wires are swung around by very visible stage-people. The illogical nature of the show completely derails the scene since it makes no sense.<br />
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Talking about making no sense, most Bond villains has nonsensical plans for world domination. They mostly can be boiled down to, steal a destructive weapon, hold world at ransom by threatening to use weapon or plan to use weapon to destroy world while remaining safe in some colony (underwater or in space) to start a new world order. Not that practical but they have a warped logic to them.<br />
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But then you get Christopher Walken's Max Zorin. I'll let the late great film critic Roger Ebert lay into the gigantic flaw in Zorin's evil plan to flood Silicon Valley in order to corner the market on microchips.<br />
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In case, you didn't watch the video, Ebert points out that Silicon Valley is where microchips are used, not where they are manufactured. So Zorin is taking out his customers, not his rivals. However, I'm sure that as a genetically enhanced Aryan with supposedly super intelligence that Zorin already thought of that and decided it wasn't a problem.<br />
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But that is this film's problem. It is complete camp with no weight to balance out the fluff. I love me some campy Roger Moore fun but this film has nothing to support that camp. Everything is illogical and played with a wink. <i>Octopussy</i> might have had Bond dressed as clown when he disarms a bomb but the scene was still filled with tension.<br />
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I have no idea what tone they're trying to strike with this film but whatever it was, they missed. Towards the end, Zorin is gleefully mows down his own employees with a machine gun, who are already about to drown in a collapsed mine. Even for a series that flirts with violence, the scene is unnaturally gratuitous for a Bond film.<br />
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But earlier in the film, Bond is chasing May Day, Grace Jone's wonderfully weird henchwoman to Zorin, and the roof of his car gets hit off. Okay, a little unbelievable that it would slide off so neatly but whatever. Then the back of his car gets nudged by another car and the entire back half breaks off.<br />
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AND HE CONTINUES TO DRIVE IT.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At this point I don't care that the stuntman barely looks like Roger Moore.</td></tr>
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I don't know what to say about this movie since everything I can want to say is basically pointing out something that makes no sense (of which there are many, many examples), saying that it makes no sense, asking why they would do that, and despairing at the lack of logic.<br />
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<i>A View to a Kill</i> is the worst of what his Bond had to offer. Camp without the knowing wink, adventure without the thrills, illogical storytelling without the suspension of disbelief. Which is a shame since on the whole I really enjoyed Moore's run as Bond and he deserved a better send off than this film. If he had called it quits after <i>Octopussy</i> that would have been fine.<br />
<br />
However, we have to accept the world for what it is not what we want it to be. And what we got from Roger Moore was a Bond who was fun and enjoyable to watch. As deft with a sly wink and raised eyebrow as he was with puny one-liners, he brought a lightness and warmth to the character which I appreciated.<br />
<br />
But he really deserved better than <i>A View to a Kill</i>.<br />
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<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Stay tuned next week as I look into the black sheep of James Bond, George Lazenby and Timothy Dalton. Do their portrayals of the character hold up against Connery, Moore, Brosnan, and Craig? We'll find out together. </span></h3>
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<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octopussy">Octopussy Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-029-octopussy/">James Bonding #0029: Octopussy with Mark McConville and James Bladon</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/louis-jourdan-octopussy-james-bond-007-kamal-khan-roger-moore">Why Octopussy is the Best (and Possible Worst) James Bond Film - GQ Magazine</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/octopussy/35418/james-bond-007-revisiting-octopussy">James Bond 007: revisting Octopussy - Den of Geek</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_View_to_a_Kill">A View to a Kill Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-026-a-view-to-a-kill-live-with-how-did-this-get-made/">James Bonding #0026: A View to a Kill with How Did This Get Made?</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3otFxGj_TY">At the Movies: A View to a Kill (2 of 3)</a><br />
<br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-81810949580231605892016-08-12T20:00:00.000+12:002016-08-12T20:00:21.162+12:00007 Roger Moore Part Two: The Bond Who Loved MeWelcome to the second article in the second edition of James Bond month. This is also the second article to focus on Roger Moore's run as Bond, examining the three films he made in the late 1970s and as he took Bond into the 1980s, <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>, <i>Moonraker</i>, and <i>For Your Eyes Only</i>.<br />
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Since I wasn't familiar with Moore's Bond films aside from catching the occasional scene here or there when they were playing on television, I came to the films with an innocent eye and they held a number of surprises for me.<br />
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I already discussed how, although his Bond is a lot of fun, I was shocked by the misogyny in Moore's first two outings as Bond due to his reputation as a more 'lightweight' 007 to his predecessor Sean Connery, which somehow translated into my head that he would be less of a dick to women.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Equally shocking was how good Roger Moore looks in a turtle-neck.</td></tr>
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So what shocked me about his next three films? Well firstly, <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> is fantastic. I don't mean that in a "it's-a-bad-movie-but-fun" way, it's simply a great film. Or at least, parts of it are (we'll get the parts that aren't). But it has everything I ever wanted from a Bond film. A great theme song, exotic locations, outrageous gadgets, quirky henchmen, and a good time.<br />
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Let's talk about the theme for a moment since I seem to enjoy discussing James Bond theme songs on this blog for some reason. Like Paul McCartney's "Live and Let Die" it's not what you expect a Bond theme to sound like. Not that it sounds anything like "Live and Let Die".<br />
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Rather, "Nobody Does It Better" is like a ragtime torch song. Delicate piano, a deliberate snail paced tempo, a beautifully simple melody, and gorgeous, restrained vocal by Carly Simon. It doesn't have swirling strings or bombastic brass, no slinking jazz feel or a diva belting out the vocal. Yet, it is one of the all-time great Bond themes.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di3s-ZaD_pk">Radiohead has covered "Nobody Does It Better" live</a> several times and Thom Yorke called it the "sexiest song that was ever written". I might have to agree with him on that.<br />
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Somewhat surprisingly considering the trend with Moore's Bond so far, The Spy Who Love Me is significantly less overtly misogynistic than <i>Live and Let Die</i> or assholery that was <i>The Man with the Golden Gun. </i><br />
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I mean, it's a James Bond film so there's gonna be some misogyny but I was surprised how long it took for Bond to do/say something sexist. It was about 20 or 30 minutes before I noticed anything particularly noteworthy in terms of sexism.<br />
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Now, I did kinda gloss over this exchange right at the start,<br />
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M: Moneypenny, where's 007?<br />
Moneypenny: He's on a mission sir. In Austria.<br />
M: Well, tell him to pull out. Immediately.<br />
[Cut to]<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oh, I get it."</td></tr>
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But to be fair, that's just good-timey pun fun and the instances of sexism aren't really as obvious or as noteworthy as in his previous two films. Well, that is aside from the scene where Bond's contact in Egypt offers him a bed for the night, an offer which Bond only accepts when he realises that it comes with a woman in it. Yikes, just yikes.<br />
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However, the only other instance which raised a flag to me was more cringe-worthy in its 'dude-bro' attitude than anything. Bond has arranged to meet a dude for some reasons plot related but he isn't at home and has left a lady behind to 'entertain' Bond while an assassin tries to kill him.<br />
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She tells Bond if he would like some refreshments or anything else, indicating her body. To which Bond gives his now standard Roger Moore raised eyebrow and says, "Well, I've had lunch but I've seemed to miss desert." *groan*<br />
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While that line is terrible, it's not blatantly offensive (although it is problematic how Bond's views women as a desert/prizes he deserves). In fact, compared to the sheer misogynistic assholery in the previous movie,<i> The Spy Who Loved Me</i> is only passively sexist (women are still treated as objects largely) with nothing overtly terrible. So progress?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"A woman driving? That's novel."</td></tr>
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What hasn't progressed is the plot since it's basically 1967's <i>You Only Live Twice</i> but with stolen British and Soviet nuclear submarines instead of stolen American and Soviet spacecraft. The similarities are so apparent, it's even noted on <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(film)"><i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>'s Wikipedia page</a>:<br />
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In the film, Stromberg's scheme to destroy civilisation by capturing Soviet and British nuclear submarines and have them fire intercontinental ballistic missiles at two major cities is actually a recycled plot from Gilbert's previous Bond film, <i>You Only Live Twice</i>, which involved stealing space capsules to start a war between the Soviets and the Americans. The similarity was apparent in the climax; both films involved an assault on a heavily fortified enemy that had taken refuge behind steel shutters.</blockquote>
At this point in the franchise, it's clear that they had run out of story ideas. I mean they even recycled this plot again for 1979's <i>Moonraker</i>, something which was so abundantly obvious that it's mentioned in the very next paragraph in the same Wikipedia article:<br />
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The scheme in which the villain wishes to destroy mankind to create a new race or new civilisation was also used in <i>Moonraker</i>, the next film after <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>. In <i>Moonraker</i>, the villain Hugo Drax had an obsession with starting human civilisation over again on Earth, using specially chosen "superior human specimens" based in space.</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I was hoping you'd be so distracted by how dashing I am to notice that we recycled the plot... three times."</td></tr>
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But recycled plot aside, I really enjoyed <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>, particularly the first two thirds (it loses steam in the final act). Firstly, the film is shot really well, there were scenes with camera angles and framing which were almost arty in their composition and lighting. For example, the scene involving the pyramid night show display or when Bond and Agent Triple X are tracking Jaws in the Egyptian ruins are just beautifully shot.<br />
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And the set are simply stunning, for instance the villain's lair. Following smaller scale villains like Kananga and Scaramangahis, this was the first Bond film to feel like it was returning to the 'essence' of Bond after a detour and so we get a megalomaniac named Karl Stromberg. And befitting a Bond villain with dreams of world domination, he has an underwater lair that emerges out of the ocean like a giant spider.<br />
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In fact, the scene where we are first introduced to this lair again made me think the film was being quite arty and Bond was no longer trying to ape the B-movie feel that permeated <i>Live and Let Die</i> and <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i> but trying to aim for something higher. Whether it reached it is debatable but the attempt is there.<br />
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I mean, just watch this (sorry it's not in English but this is the only clip I could find on YouTube):<br />
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The villain plays a classical piece of music, the <i>Adante</i> movement from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, as his impressive underwater lair named Atlantis risings from the depths of the ocean to emerge above the surface. The pretension is strong with this one.<br />
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But the funny thing is that it works. Especially in the first half of the film. The exotic locales, wide-angle shots, expansive sets, occasional use of classical music, and lighting work really well. I was actually impressed by how the shots were framed and at points was surprised that these shots were in a Roger Moore Bond movie. Perhaps this is just because his previous two films were shot adequately but not particularly well.<br />
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In contrast, in this film there's one point where James Bond stands in a hallway silhouetted by the blue sky and a spire. It is simply a great shot and one which made me question if I was really watching a Bond film.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how you frame a shot.</td></tr>
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Of course, those moments of cinematic artiness are counterbalanced by the elements of slapstick and camp which creep in the film, especially as it goes on. While the first third is played straight and relatively serious, the second act has a couple of goofy moments which change the tone, like the musical cue as their van breaks down in the desert.<br />
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In fact, the film is often let down by the score, which is equal parts brilliant and terrible. The elements of the score which work are the more classical sounding parts, the lovely string arrangements and integration of the theme song. The bits which don't work are the odd disco-tinged parts, like <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGwG21NaRSI">Bond 77</a></i> a disco version of Bond's classic theme. They stick out like a sore thumb and unnecessarily date the film.<br />
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But since I'm supposed to be reviewing three films in this post, I should really wrap <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> up. The henchman Jaws is supposed to be one of the most popular Bond villains but I just thought he was just okay. He has a nice gimmick but the whole indestructible thing gets a bit old and his metal teeth seem real impractical if you think about it for more than a second.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imagine everything you eat tasting like steel.</td></tr>
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I liked that they made Bond's Russian opposite Agent Triple X a woman and their dynamic is quite fun to watch even if the actress playing her is terrible. I'm sorry, I don't usually criticise an actor's performance like this but she is so bland and deadpan that it undercuts the interplay between her character and James Bond.<br />
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Although, I did like the psycho-analytic take-down of Bond she does which calls to mind similar take-downs of Bond from strong women later in the series by Judi Dench's M in <i>Goldeneye</i> or Eva Green's Vesper Lynd in <i>Casino Royale</i>.<br />
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At the bar in the hotel, Bond tries to rattle Agent Triple X by psycho-analysing her but she counters back and rattles him instead,<br />
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Major Anya Amasova: Commander James Bond, recruited to the British Secret Service from the Royal Navy. License to kill and has done so on numerous occasions. Many lady friends but married only once. Wife killed...<br />
James Bond: [interrupts her] You've made your point.<br />
Major Anya Amasova: You're sensitive, Mr. Bond?<br />
James Bond: About some things.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Let's move on."</td></tr>
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Now, I know I said before there was some debate about which Bond film is the worst in the series, I still believe it is <i>Die Another Day</i>, but <i>Moonraker</i> is often in contention for that dubious honour. Coming off the success of <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>, which was well-received by critics and fans, <i>Moonraker</i> was another case of the Bond franchise trying to cash in on what was popular in the moment instead of making a straightforward James Bond movie.<br />
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And what was popular in the moment? <i>Star Wars</i>. The first Star Wars movie was released in the same year as <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> and was such an immediate cultural phenomenon that the next Bond move had to be set in space just because space was what all the kids were into. Cue a rushed script and production leading to one of the most bizarre films in the Bond canon.<br />
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For this is the film with possibly the worst moment in the Bond franchise: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0uCz7XdcN8">the pigeon double take</a>. But before we get to that moment of unadulterated misguided slapstick, I want to just address something that bothered me about the basic premise of the film. For a movie which is supposedly all about 'Bond... IN SPACE', James Bond only spends about the last 15-20 minutes actually in space.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"WHAT?!"</td></tr>
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For all the talk about how <i>Moonraker</i> was cashing in on the popularity of <i>Star Wars</i>, which it totally was (evident in the marketing if nothing else), the film is surprisingly Earthbound for the majority of its running time. Bond follows the trail of the missing Moonraker space-shuttle from California to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, and then Amazon rainforest before he ever leaves the atmosphere.<br />
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Once Bond is in space, it's largely the middle part of <i>2001: Space Odyssey</i> with worse zero gravity effects until the laser space battle with more puu-puu sounds than you could shake a blaster from <i>Star Wars</i> at. Good thing they seeded that MI6 was working on a laser earlier on in the film or they would totally have stretched believably for that scene.<br />
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But this film is so weird in its choices that there are moments which actually reminded me of the cinematic masterpiece <i>The Room</i> by Tommy Wiseu, aka "<a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2008/12/12/crazy-cult-room">the Citizen Kane of bad movies</a>", since I'm just trying to puzzle out why they would write or present a scene like that.<br />
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The best example of this is when Bond finds out that Dr. Holly Goodhead (one of the laziest double entendre's in the franchise's history) is actually a CIA agent. First Bond is just waiting in the dark for the sole purpose of given her a scare when she turns on the light.<br />
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Next he picks up her diary which shoots out a dart. So she's a spy like him, right? No, Bond isn't convinced yet. So he picks up her perfume and sprays it but it's a flamethrower!<br />
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James Bond naturally quips, "A trifle overpowering, your scent."<br />
Her response:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmPm2aiKj6Or6tM8fMj9o6eN9wdq5aAWkf2_6mzL7W3We2YAR2wIPGcisy6CySL7c-86Jnbeie9QONGc8w15trgyEukEXA0YIrBn6UtretmsdqyDioWqvHufWK6FFspnF4OXWaEZscUg/s1600/James+Bond+9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmPm2aiKj6Or6tM8fMj9o6eN9wdq5aAWkf2_6mzL7W3We2YAR2wIPGcisy6CySL7c-86Jnbeie9QONGc8w15trgyEukEXA0YIrBn6UtretmsdqyDioWqvHufWK6FFspnF4OXWaEZscUg/s640/James+Bond+9.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Well, you know."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Of course, it should be obvious that she's a spy and since Bond knew which perfume would also double as a flame thrower by the name, he probably knows it's standard CIA equipment. But no. They extend this 'reveal' to when he picks up her handbag and an aerial pops out of it. Because he really needed to go through all her gadgets to be sure.<br />
<br />
The whole scene is just weird. I can't tell if they're playing it straight or tongue-in-cheek. The blocking of the shot is terribly stilted and their delivery is so bland as to be nondescript that it gives it this strange unreal quality that is found all over <i>The Room</i>.<br />
<br />
Normal people don't talk or behave like this. Her shrug is such a strange reaction to the discovery that her perfume is a freaking flame thrower! And it just continues since we really needed to know that her handbag was also a radio or something.<br />
<br />
And that's why the pigeon double take is (only slightly, okay, not really) acceptable in contrast since at least the whole scene it is in is obviously supposed to be slapstick which they took too far. In that scene, not only does the pigeon do a double take at Bond's hover-gondola but so does everyone else, including a dog. It's silly but the tone is clear. Apparently, they've never seen a float before in Venice.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvi8xUMsXEdBlN9FJi4WzmGXTRrL1ssRmYw_FztzpQ1Foj8RibJwak2t5Q934ah1ndt2-Q7K7C7OgTzry6rjGM0ZI1ME_uDrFcZ9QTrAIvOTVclLW6FE0uU3flYHqg7XijKuAmV7vBYIo/s1600/James+Bond+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvi8xUMsXEdBlN9FJi4WzmGXTRrL1ssRmYw_FztzpQ1Foj8RibJwak2t5Q934ah1ndt2-Q7K7C7OgTzry6rjGM0ZI1ME_uDrFcZ9QTrAIvOTVclLW6FE0uU3flYHqg7XijKuAmV7vBYIo/s640/James+Bond+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, it just looks like a parade float.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Also, the misogyny which seemed to lie low in the previous film rears its ugly head again. First, there's the fact that Bond is surprised to find out that Dr. Goodhead is female and has to comment that she's "a woman". Yes, James. Women can be doctors too. I know this was 1979 but come on.<br />
<br />
There's also the scene where Bond meets Manuella, his contact in Rio, she's at the bar in his hotel room. The first thing Bond says to this woman, who he doesn't know is his contact yet? "Do you come with the room?" Ugh, I mean, really? Have some class James.<br />
<br />
Also, the bad guy Drax (who is really dry, you guys) kills a woman who helped Bond by siccing his hunting dogs on her. Which is just unnecessarily violent. I mean, the last bad guy feed a woman to a shark but because the dog attack could conceivably happen, it feels uneasily real. And just to add to the film's sharp shifts in tone, it's shot like a horror movie set in a forest.<br />
<br />
However, I did like the interplay between Goodhead and Bond. Again, the actress playing the leading female role delivers her lines in a remarkably bland fashion but her facial expressions are great. She really doesn't seem to like Bond at all, at least not until the end of the movie when she has to because it's the end and Bond has to "attempt re-entry" with someone.<br />
<br />
Anyway, so that was <i>Moonraker</i>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmPm2aiKj6Or6tM8fMj9o6eN9wdq5aAWkf2_6mzL7W3We2YAR2wIPGcisy6CySL7c-86Jnbeie9QONGc8w15trgyEukEXA0YIrBn6UtretmsdqyDioWqvHufWK6FFspnF4OXWaEZscUg/s1600/James+Bond+9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmPm2aiKj6Or6tM8fMj9o6eN9wdq5aAWkf2_6mzL7W3We2YAR2wIPGcisy6CySL7c-86Jnbeie9QONGc8w15trgyEukEXA0YIrBn6UtretmsdqyDioWqvHufWK6FFspnF4OXWaEZscUg/s640/James+Bond+9.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">It was a thing that happened.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After the extravagance of <i>Moonraker</i> (and critical panning that ensued), <i>For Your Eyes Only</i> was a back to basics Bond film. No outlandish trips to space or lazer battles, just a fun globetrotting James Bond adventure trying to get back some secret do-thingy which has been lost.<br />
<br />
And you know, it's fine. It's not bad nor is it great. It's just fine. If you want an enjoyable Bond film to put on in the background to catch every so often while you look up from what you're actually doing, this one will do it for you.<br /><br />There are elements I like. The plots is typically over-convoluted as usual but has a couple of nice twists here and there. Roger Moore is so comfortable as Bond it's like he's always been playing the character (which by this stage, he has). I like the Greek smuggler that Bond befriends, he's just a likeable character.<br />
<br />
Also, this film stars Grand Maester Pycelle and Lord Tywin so it can't be half bad.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XU7orzc-opPV3G6UrknPlNrVp_AyiBcbn8w7IVezyIePuMdsn2gtyeXakAGKWh3TKUhlElwUYkFkWkNckBslk8oQIASMPuHjxyYLwGHikD8GKpU5msrCF4tfqDUq2yAqo2nycZpmc18/s1600/James+Bond+11.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XU7orzc-opPV3G6UrknPlNrVp_AyiBcbn8w7IVezyIePuMdsn2gtyeXakAGKWh3TKUhlElwUYkFkWkNckBslk8oQIASMPuHjxyYLwGHikD8GKpU5msrCF4tfqDUq2yAqo2nycZpmc18/s640/James+Bond+11.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Grand Maester Pycelle: I was quite the stud muffin.</span><br style="font-size: 12.8px;" /><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Lord Tywin: I've just realised how old we're going to look in </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Game of Thrones</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All in all I enjoyed <i>For Your Eyes Only</i> but it didn't really leave much of an impression. It has all the elements of what makes a good Bond film, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN1WBgS9u_E">a great theme song</a>, exciting set pieces, gadgets, international locations, and a middle aged British dude playing at being a spy. It just doesn't have a real wow factor and feels a little long. Some trimming in the editing room was needed to tighten it up.<br />
<br />
What was a nice touch though was having James Bond turn down a woman for a change (I say woman loosely since she was really a girl). Although, why they had to make the ice skater girl a nymphomaniac wasn't quite clear. Or for that matter why there was an ice skating subplot at all but I digress.<br />
<br />
The other thing which was pretty novel for a Bond film was having a female protagonist that actually has agency and effect on the plot. Melina Havelock not only has her own narrative which is concurrent to the main story (her revenge plot leads to the climax of the story) but she's pretty badass killing bad guys left and right with a crossbow.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9iTypngZLKKkBb-8cyKHXfr6INolFeMGrvMar68JecmL05UiOmW_3GLRkH53-389olEWX4eowPdlBWgyZ9pS719uUAKNIUp1bjUd0_Te-shkOF8H-lQU39t6SQWCEpgrjrjgpf8u_qM/s1600/James+Bond+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH9iTypngZLKKkBb-8cyKHXfr6INolFeMGrvMar68JecmL05UiOmW_3GLRkH53-389olEWX4eowPdlBWgyZ9pS719uUAKNIUp1bjUd0_Te-shkOF8H-lQU39t6SQWCEpgrjrjgpf8u_qM/s640/James+Bond+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hello. My name is Melina Havelock. You killed my mother and father. Prepare to die."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, Roger Moore is really starting to show his age in this film. It was there a bit in <i>Moonraker</i> but there moments watching <i>For Your Eyes Only</i> that I really thought he was too old to be a spy globetrotting exotic locations to save the world.<br />
<br />
And he's still got two more films left? Jeez. Oh well, we'll get there when we get there I guess.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Next week we jump headfirst into James Bond in the 1980s with Moore's final two films, <i>Octopussy</i> and <i>A View to a Kill</i>.</span></h3>
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spy_Who_Loved_Me_(film)">The Spy Who Loved Me (film) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-024-the-spy-who-loved-me-with-dana-gould/">James Bonding #0024: The Spy Who Loved Me with Dana Gould</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lifebetweenframes.blogspot.co.nz/2012/05/spy-who-loved-me.html">50 Years of 007 - The Spy Who Loved Me - Life Between Frames</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nobody_Does_It_Better">Nobody Does It Better Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonraker_(film)">Moonraker (film) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-027-moonraker-with-doug-benson/">James Bonding #0027: Moonraker with Doug Benson</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/james-bond-007/feature/a676026/in-defence-of-moonraker-roger-moores-critically-panned-outer-space-bond/">In Defence Of... Moonraker, Roger Moore's critically-panned outer space Bond - Digital Spy</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_Your_Eyes_Only_(film)">For Your Eyes Only (film) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-031-for-your-eyes-only/">James Bonding #0031: For Your Eyes Only with Tom Lennon</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-5626694424455215912016-08-05T17:30:00.000+12:002016-08-05T17:30:00.491+12:00007 Roger Moore Part One: Live and Let BondRoger Moore was never my James Bond. His impressive run on Bond ended a half decade before I was born. Since he wasn't the <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2015/09/james-bond-sean-connery-part-one.html">original Bond</a> so his legacy wasn't ingrained on me from pop culture and neither was he the <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2015/09/james-bond-pierce-brosnan.html">Bond I grew up with</a>. I never really watched any of his Bond films aside from catching a bit here or there on television occasionally.<br />
<br />
But for a lot of people, Moore was their Bond. He was the Bond of the seventies and for a good portion of the eighties. For seven movies covering more than a decade, Roger Moore <b>was</b> James Bond, armed with outrageous gadgets, a dashing smile and well-prepared puntastic quips.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbSLivGbfb2rBOMCjXjLu1qnf3oipyKgUILa06dnoyW4R5NOOVEgcvXftb2xejIEy9eWaxIq3JShfxwnsmx4hyXP43Rp5SzGH1n93nbYXV-2kN1HsOSP8ufgzrKUePtuhDuhK67Tk8es/s1600/James+Bond+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHbSLivGbfb2rBOMCjXjLu1qnf3oipyKgUILa06dnoyW4R5NOOVEgcvXftb2xejIEy9eWaxIq3JShfxwnsmx4hyXP43Rp5SzGH1n93nbYXV-2kN1HsOSP8ufgzrKUePtuhDuhK67Tk8es/s640/James+Bond+1.jpg" width="632" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a rascally tuxedoed scamp. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I discussed in <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2015/09/james-bond-sean-connery-part-one.html">my first Bond post</a> that James Bond is such an icon that he is more of an archetype than a real character. To elaborate further, Bond is an archetype of masculine heroism constructed by highly identifiable signs which connote a certain type of masculinity, a masculinity which is defined by physical or intellectual dominance, debonair charm with a dash of misogyny, and topped off with a calmness under pressure due to a smug sense of superiority.<br />
<br />
Sean Connery codified these signs during his disarmingly suave and horrendously sexist original take on the character, with a voice so utterly seductive it came with its own morning after pill. As the first and possible most famous portrayal of the role, his Bond set the template for other actors to follow.<br />
<br />
Which is what Roger Moore had to do. Following the person who originated a role is always tough, especially when the character is so iconic. Now to be fair, George Lazenby also had to follow Connery but then Connery came back for the wonderfully bad <i>Diamonds Are Forever</i> before calling it quits again (don't, worry, we'll get to Lazenby eventually).<br />
<br />
The franchise was in uncertain waters at this point, if Moore's first film wasn't a success, James Bond might have ended then and there. Cue <i>Live and Let Die</i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTs0QTTTmkfZy2yLM-bchAt5aaJ2Ax_wfvSNB2aGRi2PE0TUESIzdS2gPN2lCmBinLq1kczXMasYa45H_B7I_LMPGXgtzKISLUkbQcADOaxDmwyL8eG_vWeGXJQxKuUrV8HHIUfIbIyM/s1600/James+Bond+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBTs0QTTTmkfZy2yLM-bchAt5aaJ2Ax_wfvSNB2aGRi2PE0TUESIzdS2gPN2lCmBinLq1kczXMasYa45H_B7I_LMPGXgtzKISLUkbQcADOaxDmwyL8eG_vWeGXJQxKuUrV8HHIUfIbIyM/s640/James+Bond+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was an eye-opener for us all.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I had never seen <i>Live and Let Die</i> before, although I was familiar with the title due to the amazing theme song by Paul McCartney and Wings which is a song I have heard more times than I could possibly count. Before I get into the film itself, I want to discuss this song because it is simply perfect and it was interesting to get to hear the song within the context of the film.<br />
<br />
Of course, it plays over the opening credits, which are great if a little racist (we'll get into the racial overtones of the movie in a bit). But what always was weird to me is that "Live and Let Die" never really sounded like a typical Bond song to me.<br />
<br />
There's no soulful diva belting out a jazzy tune with a brass accompaniment and delicately swirling strings. Even Tom Jones' "Thunderball" fitted into this mold. Most Bond songs have a certain feel, a certain seductive quality, for lack of a better term.<br />
<br />
"Live and Let Die" is many things but seductive, it is not. It starts with simple piano chords and a lovely pop ballad vocal from McCartney, building tension with the repeated two chords under the "live and let die' chorus. Not quite Bond but it works.<br />
<br />
Boom it rushes ahead with a super catchy guitar riff, coming to descending strings over staccato piano doodling, before we're hit with a reggae bridge that ends with McCartney's scream, back to catchy guitar riff. Then it slows down with the original simple piano but with a plaintive violin to support McCartney's vocal. Back to catchy riff to end the song.<br />
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<br />
Despite the fact it sounds nothing like what I imagine a Bond song to sound like, it's just fantastic. It's like if McCartney sat down and threw together as many different elements he could into a two and a half minutes of pure musical bliss.<br />
<br />
The melodic pop balladry, the clashing repeated two chord pattern, the rocking guitar riff, the uninhibited orchestral arrangement, it sounds like four or five different songs thrown into a blender to create something special. And something different for a new Bond, which is a nice touch.<br />
<br />
What I really liked is how much the song is incorporated into the score of the film itself. The repeated two chords are used several times to indicate something dramatic or action packed is about to happen in a scene and it really ties it together instead of having the song feel detached from the rest of the film.<br />
<br />
Talking about the film, I should probably discuss it, shouldn't I?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VMnuXwYE-thbwkezO5g8fp6VuKpl3imCnPtjy_Ljx5x8Mgo2Zoy7PflI6hgnhbqeRftVfa_P6tuLie7oBjuE9tnayd47Olm8ZW_DlLX0_BaFRUkDuzSz68oCUEE320NcrtUp4kIXu8M/s1600/James+Bond+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6VMnuXwYE-thbwkezO5g8fp6VuKpl3imCnPtjy_Ljx5x8Mgo2Zoy7PflI6hgnhbqeRftVfa_P6tuLie7oBjuE9tnayd47Olm8ZW_DlLX0_BaFRUkDuzSz68oCUEE320NcrtUp4kIXu8M/s640/James+Bond+3.jpg" width="626" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'm surprised you haven't gotten round to it yet to be honest, old chap."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Well, first things first, I liked it. It's an enjoyable movie and Moore does a fine job filling the Connery shaped hole which had been left in the franchise at that point. But holy unnecessary Afro wig, it is a product of its time. Coming out in 1973, it capitalized on the popular blaxploitation trend at the time, incorporating elements more commonly found in films like <i>Shaft</i> or <i>Superfly</i> than a standard Bond adventure.<br />
<br />
Blaxploitation was a subgenre of film which rise to prominence in the early 1970s and superficially catered to a black audience by featuring predominantly African-American casts. They told more 'urban' stories than had been seen on Hollywood cinema previously, heightened tales of drug dealers, pimps, and life in the inner city.<br />
<br />
This was the first time Hollywood had movies with African-American actors as the protagonists in decidedly non-white stories. However, I say these films superficially catered to a black audience since they were rife with negative stereotypes of black masculinity and the violence of urban living which often reinforced white prejudice instead of confronting it.<br />
<br />
So James Bond, a blue-eyed white British spy, is a natural fit for a blaxploitation film, right? Surprisingly, he is in some ways. Moore plays the fish out of water role quite well, when Bond goes into Harlem, his whiteness sticks out so much he could be on another planet which adds an interesting layer to the scene.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, this is a James Bond film. We were never going to get a nuance exploration of racial dynamics but there are some unintentional implications from a couple of scenes which are a bit off-putting in a modern context.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0ArV9p77ePmBIBO8lK0BZz227eDHGVJvF4-BJiaG9lAUxCEBbZePIJ4RDiKI09QQ4fwC4IwCejHe1HNAicpSmgYIETBDMlfhw6aFVK3kUgOE9L7MvOyS1Gb8SOPxbJFlIL9F1qkhwW0/s1600/James+Bond+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc0ArV9p77ePmBIBO8lK0BZz227eDHGVJvF4-BJiaG9lAUxCEBbZePIJ4RDiKI09QQ4fwC4IwCejHe1HNAicpSmgYIETBDMlfhw6aFVK3kUgOE9L7MvOyS1Gb8SOPxbJFlIL9F1qkhwW0/s640/James+Bond+4.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I don't think you've thought through all the implications of having a virginal white girl like myself, in a white dress no less, tied up to be sacrificed in a voodoo ceremony performed by black people..." - Solitaire probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is a movie which opens with three white British MI6 agents are getting killed by black people, so you know we're off to a great start. The agents are murdered by various means, including ear dynamite? (I don't know they plug something into the audio port for his headphones and he just dies), a knife to the spleen and festive New Orleans funeral march, and a kiss from the <a href="https://moviesontrial.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/live-and-let-die-2151.png?w=1000">most plastic snake that ever snaked</a> during what I'm sure was a 100% authentic voodoo ceremony.<br />
<br />
Although the complete lack of subtlety and sensitivity in regards to the racial dynamics in the film is problematic, to be fair, not all the black characters are simple stereotypes. For example, the main villain Kananga is a really interesting bad guy. He's imposing without being reduced to just physical dominance (or 'threatening' black masculinity), displays a calculating mind, and presents himself with cool debonair demeanor which makes his occasional outbursts more intimidating.<br />
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He's also well-dressed with a tasteful fashion sense (got to love that black suit and white ascot). Remember this was the early seventies, we could have easily got a ridiculously over the top pimp style get up which would have undercut his credibility as a threat to Bond.<br />
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Additionally, his plan isn't world domination but drug trafficking, flooding the market with free drugs to create a generation of addicts for his product, a plan which actually makes some sense. All in all he's a great Bond villain.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When a villain offers you a glass of champagne after you've foiled his plans, you know he's a class act.</td></tr>
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And he runs a smooth operation. In what is possibly my favourite scene in the film, James Bond catches a cab to follow Kananga and his two awesome henchmen Whisper and Tee Hee as they drive from the embassy (Kananga is a diplomat from San Monique) to Harlem.<br />
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During this scene, it seems that every black person in Manhattan works from Kananga and radios in about Bond's movements. As <a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/live-and-let-die-a-recap/">Kylie from Fandom Following</a> describes,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Literally, random people will stop what they’re doing on the streets and radio in to *someone* “he’s heading east,” or something of the like. Then when Bond gets out of the cab at its destination, a Fillet of Soul restaurant, the cabbie himself tells *someone* “he’s headin’ on in.” So…if the cabbie was working for the [bad guys], then why did these randos need to file a report too? Or why didn’t the cabbie just kill him?</blockquote>
It was so wonderfully ridiculous that I couldn't stop laughing and had to stop the movie for a second to catch my breath. I get that scene was trying to show the scope of the operation or something but it was so silly and completely unnecessary. Like Kylie said, if the cabbie works for them why did they need anyone else radioing in?<br />
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<br />
Moving past racism for the moment, let's talk about camp. Because that is what Roger Moore brought to the franchise more than anything else, a fun campy sensibility which truly fitted the often ludicrous plots and outlandish adventures Bond goes on.<br />
<br />
Just for a framework, we'll start with a simple definition of camp from Wikipedia, "Camp is a social, cultural, and aesthetic style and sensibility based on deliberate and self-acknowledged theatricality". Something with camp value is aware of its own artifice through an exaggerated or theatrical performance an over-the-top-ness.<br />
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This over-the-top-ness can also manifest in a sense of ridiculousness or hyper-reality. For your consideration, I present this clip without comment.<br />
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<br />
The camp extends to Moore's constant sly winks, ostentatiously to himself but really to the camera, coupled with his wondrously awful puns and the increasingly farcical adventures Bond went on, where logic takes a backseat or often just left the room.<br />
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In <a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/james-bond/245036/live-and-let-die-revisting-roger-moores-first-james-bond-movie">Max Williams' review of <i>Live and Let Die</i> for Den of Geek</a>, he imagines that none of the other portrayals of Bond would have been much fun at a party but Roger Moore? Well,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Roger is the life and soul! Roger instigates drinking games, performs magic tricks, starts up a conga line. Roger guffaws at all of your jokes, makes you laugh at his own slightly off-color ones and encourages you to text that girl you know you shouldn’t but really want to. Even though, deep down, you suspect he’s slightly too old to be hitting the shots, the guy is such a laugh who cares? Come the end of the evening, Roger leaves with the hottest, youngest girl on his arm and gives you a cheery wave: “absolute pleasure, old sport! Same time again?” And, clasping hands to your pounding head, you mutter, “Okay Roger. See you for brunch.”</blockquote>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"See you then, old chap."</td></tr>
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Talking about girls, due to his more camp, some would even say lightweight, reputation, I assumed that Moore's Bond would be less rapey than Sean "<a href="http://seanconneryonline.com/art_playboy1165.htm">I don't think there's anything wrong with hitting a woman</a>" Connery's Bond but I was wrong. It's particularly bad in <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i> but we'll get there.<br />
<br />
For now, let's focus on the film where Bond uses a woman's cultural fears of the occult to sleep with her in the very same scene that she had rebuffed his advances. Maybe I should paint a word picture. Rosie is a CIA agent who meets up with Bond in San Monique. However, she is completely incompetent of course because who ever heard of a <a href="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/marvelcinematicuniverse/images/5/54/BlackWidow02Interrogation2-Avengers.png/revision/latest?cb=20141130064949">capable female spy</a>?<br />
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While we find out she is a double agent who is working for Kananga, she is legitimately scared of the voodoo warning the bad guys leave in her room, a fear that Bond uses to have sex with her because of course he does. Later, he realises that she is a double agent and confronts her about it, but only after they've had picnic sex because he "certainly wouldn't have killed [her] before".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You're serious with that bullshit?" - Rosie probably.</td></tr>
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And this is our hero, ladies and gentlemen. But this isn't even the worst bit. No, that comes with Solitaire. Kananga is a believer in the occult and keeps Solitaire in servitude since she is a tarot card reader who can see future and remote events by reading the cards.<br />
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However, her mystical ability is tied to her virginity (yeeeaaah, that's not problematic in and of itself), so what does Bond do? I'll let <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_and_Let_Die_(film)">Wikipedia break it down</a>,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Inside Solitaire's house, Bond uses a stacked tarot deck of cards, that show only "The Lovers", to trick her into thinking that seduction is in her future, and then seduces her. Solitaire loses her ability to foretell the future when she loses her virginity to Bond, and decides to co-operate with Bond as she has feelings for him and has grown tired of being controlled by Kananga.</blockquote>
She tricks a woman into having sex with him by false pretenses (which is rape by the way in case you weren't sure) causing her to lose her magical ability to read the frickin' future! And she's cool with it? Like, after the deed she's depressed and even dismisses Bond revelation that he cheated to convince her to have sex with him since "The physical violation cannot be undone".<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I've lost my amazing supernatural gifts by succumbing to this man and he's asleep." - Solitaire probably.</td></tr>
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But of course, within the same scene she's had a change of heart and is all for helping Bond defeat Kananga and find out the secret of "voodoo land" (heroin, the secret is heroin). Of course, her change of heart might have something to do with this exchange,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Solitaire: They'll kill you.<br />
Bond: Us, darling. They will kill "us".</blockquote>
Our hero, ladies and gentlemen. Right after this, she asks if they have enough time for another go-around (because she's totally into sex now and has gotten over "the physical violation"), to which Bond delivers one of his best puns, "Absolutely. There's no sense in going off half-cocked."<br />
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But despite all of that, I did enjoy Moore's first outing as Bond. The film has a fun energy to it that works even if the plot is nonsensical and it isn't a particularly good movie by a number of measures.<br />
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However, any movie with James Bond running over crocodiles and alligators is one worth a watch.<br />
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And so we come to 1974's <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i>. In his second outing, Moore is definitely comfortable in the role but this is yet another film with a host of issues. Where <i>Live and Let Die</i> jumped on the then popularity of blaxploitation, <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i> borrowed from the kung fu craze of the early 1970s, although in a more halfhearted manner.<br />
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The film doesn't completely take on the kung fu movie genre the way its predecessor committed to blaxploitation but it does bring in those elements. Largely Asian locations like Macau, Thailand and Hong Kong set the mood but it's probably the extended scene featuring Bond and a couple of Chinese schoolgirls taking on martial arts students that is the most obvious example of pandering to the genre.<br />
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While there is obviously some debate about the worst James Bond movie, personally I'd have to go with <i>Die Another Day</i>, but some consider <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i> the nadir of the Bond franchise, mostly due to the wasted potential of the film's premise and some terrible artistic choices.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Bond in a tweed jacket? What were they thinking?!</td></tr>
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The basic premise of the film (if one could ever simplify a Bond plot) is that Bond gets a golden bullet with his agent number, 007, embedded into it, the sign he's been put as a mark for Francisco Scaramanga, the most deadly assassin in the world. Scaramanga is the 'man with the golden gun', who charges one million dollars per kill, Bond's dark opposite killing for profit instead of for country.<br />
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This sets up the film as battle between two equally matched, and impeccably dressed, foes. The world's best secret agent against the world's best hitman. As <a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-man-with-the-golden-gun/34844/james-bond-007-revisiting-the-man-with-the-golden-gun">Max Williams put it in his highly negative review of the film</a>,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Such a waste of a brilliant premise and a brilliant performance by Christopher Lee. Bond and his dark mirror-image locked in a fatal struggle for supremacy. Scaramanga – the most Bond-villain name imaginable – a hitman who requires only one shot, obsessed with the only man he sees as his equal. The seemingly invincible 007, finally outmatched…? How. Could. You. Mess. That. Up?</blockquote>
It's surely not because of the villain since Christopher Lee is utterly fantastic. Kananga might have been a great Bond villain but Lee's Scaramanga is on a different level. That sort of happens when you're played by Christopher "Counts Dracula & Dooku" Lee who also played a wizard in a little known films series called <i>The Lord of the Rings</i>.<br />
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Lee gives Scaramanga a level of badassery second to none. Partly because <a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_18905_11-celebrities-who-were-secretly-total-badasses.html">he was just as badass in real life as the character he was playing</a>. Christopher Lee was once a member of Britain's Special Operations Executive, aka the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, during the Second World War. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warefare were basically Winston Churchill's go to commando unit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I was attached to the SAS from time to time but we are forbidden – former, present, or future – to discuss any specific operations. Let's just say I was in Special Forces and leave it at that. People can read in to that what they like." - <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/baftas/8316999/Interview-Christopher-Lee.html">Actual Christopher Lee quote</a>.</td></tr>
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No, the problem is the execution. Instead of focusing on the relationship between Bond and Scaramanga as opposite sides of the same coin leading up to a battle between giants, the film instead devotes more attention to the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MacGuffin">MacGuffin</a> of the story, the Solex Agitator.<br />
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By definition, a MacGuffin is supposed to have no purpose either than to be the motivating element for the plot. To be fair, the Solex Agitator is used in the climax of the film so it could be considered a plot device but it's really just a bit of advanced technology everyone wants just because.<br />
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Yet, as Williams states in his review, "<i>Golden Gun</i> is obsessed with the Solex. It turns up again and again, passed from one character to another, lost and recaptured". There is so much attention given to a device which converts solar radiation into electricity (the film was released during Britain's energy crisis) that it sidelines the dynamic between the protagonist and the antagonist, which is just a wasted opportunity.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole film should have been this.</td></tr>
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And some of the artistic choices are odd. Like there is an amazing stunt involving a car doing a 360 degree flip to cross a broken bridge. It is a great stunt, all practical effects and done in one take. Please take 15 seconds to watch it <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh0VF6s-UYU">here</a>, I'll wait.<br />
<br />
Great stunt, right? But did you notice what ruined it? They put a slide-whistle sound effect as the car makes the jump... Why, why would they do that? It completely undercuts the the impact of the stunt and makes it seem silly instead of cool. The stunt is perfectly done and yet the film ruins it.<br />
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There's also the fact that this is probably Bond at his most misogynistic, which is a bold statement but there it is. Bond is possibly at his most rape-y in <i>Thunderball</i> but I don't recall as much physical violence towards women or just straight up assdickery as in this film.<br />
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There are two scenes I want to highlight here. The first is when Bond manhandles Andrea Anders, Scaramanga's lover, and literally twists her arm to get information about Scaramanga's whereabouts from her. The issue isn't that he necessarily used his superior strength to physically dominate a woman. She is on the 'bad' side and he needed information.<br />
<br />
However,<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsOx8uO2J7x0l4uK_siCFk9W8_66l1b33MoUlnOTv6fKTqTzugiTwgDeCnWs9PWs17no-k870bbYj-AiSxXnc2_OJo_KbVqKA51ZNqpMD-scNTg37NKQeSqcUKLjHkCvbul7yVPY3cBc/s1600/James+Bond+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsOx8uO2J7x0l4uK_siCFk9W8_66l1b33MoUlnOTv6fKTqTzugiTwgDeCnWs9PWs17no-k870bbYj-AiSxXnc2_OJo_KbVqKA51ZNqpMD-scNTg37NKQeSqcUKLjHkCvbul7yVPY3cBc/s640/James+Bond+13.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at the pain on her face. A line's been crossed here.</td></tr>
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What is egregious and moves the scene into the realm of ugly misogyny is the sheer brute force with which he overpowers her and twists her arm, shoving her down on the bed. He also slaps her face with a heavy backhand that made me flinch a little.<br />
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During the <a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-021-the-man-with-the-golden-gun-with-greg-proops-and-jeff-davis/">James Bonding podcast episode on <i>The Man with the Golden Gun</i></a>, they rewatch the scene and you can hear guest Jeff Davis yell "Oh, Jesus Christ!" when Bond smacks her a second time (around the 1 hour mark in the podcast). The way the scene is shot makes it seem more like a case of domestic violence than a secret agent interrogating a suspect, making it uncomfortable to watch.<br />
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Naturally, the scene finishes with the most insensitive scene change possible following the domestic violence just a moment before:<br />
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We went from physically beating a woman to objectifying women. Nice.<br />
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To be fair, Moore is more threatening in the scene than I ever thought he could be given his Bond's reputation. He really feels like a dangerous man in the same way Daniel Craig's Bond comes across like a genuine killer. Pity that is tainted due to the sexism and all.<br />
<br />
The other scene revolves around Mary Goodnight. Now Goodnight is supposed to be Bond's fellow agent stationed in Hong Kong to help him with his mission. I say 'supposed to be' since she is the most incompetent agent imaginable.<br />
<br />
Britt Ekland does her best with the material she is given but when the most consequential things your character does is get captured and accidentally turns on a laser with her butt nearly killing Bond, there's not much you can do.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq7DDaSQes03pwAbYAOdgLkJUbcMweoLqbpja0bxYW5CRxb9gk2TAquYJyPF92B-EfrJbpauZ6XCTfYR7AvkpOGG9Xfz4w5eNcKRYBlP-lWZvXpilRqtgioGYQTT0bXVOBn2ECIoyyeE/s1600/James+Bond+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq7DDaSQes03pwAbYAOdgLkJUbcMweoLqbpja0bxYW5CRxb9gk2TAquYJyPF92B-EfrJbpauZ6XCTfYR7AvkpOGG9Xfz4w5eNcKRYBlP-lWZvXpilRqtgioGYQTT0bXVOBn2ECIoyyeE/s640/James+Bond+15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the most agency she has in the film.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now, Goodnight has this weird attraction/disdain for Bond. She is obviously infatuated with him but also knows him well enough to realise she would just be another one of his conquests, just someone he wasted the hours with and forgotten in the morning.<br />
<br />
She initially rejects Bond's advances when they had dinner together, which you know, good for her. She's too good for his womanizing ways. She knows it would be little more than a meaningless hookup and she wants more than that from him. Fair enough. You got to protect yourself from unnecessary harm.<br />
<br />
But in the very next scene...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAwUpMhJFAGifXNShkQMjIgxw9Mwf1JEa2FYJDvvMLJJ0mhovqkxdpJZk9lOf-QHnJrOKxPbDmgAaR-IodSVwHeHs8a4C5woy2orAJGuJyFaFM3IHFf_y8c198tZhety5UKqB8X8XRgw/s1600/James+Bond+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGAwUpMhJFAGifXNShkQMjIgxw9Mwf1JEa2FYJDvvMLJJ0mhovqkxdpJZk9lOf-QHnJrOKxPbDmgAaR-IodSVwHeHs8a4C5woy2orAJGuJyFaFM3IHFf_y8c198tZhety5UKqB8X8XRgw/s640/James+Bond+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
She just saunters into his hotel room and is all ready to go. Bond even asks her what changed her mind and she replies that, "I'm just weak".<br />
<br />
Seriously? Okay then, sure whatever. However, this change of heart is completely meaningless since Andrea Anders knocks on Bond's door causing Bond to hide Goodnight under the covers. Miss Anders confesses she had sent the golden bullet so Bond could help her escape Scaramanga's grasp in exchange for the Solex and her body.<br />
<br />
Bond naturally does the honourable thing and tell her that while he'll help for the Solex, he has another woman in the room so it wouldn't be right to sleep with her. Oh wait, sorry. I was thinking of a film where our hero actually has morals and doesn't see women as interchangeable objects.<br />
<br />
What he does instead is hide Goodnight in the wardrobe as Miss Anders changes in the bathroom and Goodnight has to stay in there while Bond has sex with Miss Anders... let that sink in for a moment. And just so we're clear, Goodnight was making a move to exit the room but Bond directed her into the wardrobe for some reason. He wanted her to be in the wardrobe while he had sex with another woman, and he knows she likes him.<br />
<br />
So of course, Bond and Goodnight end up together at the end of the film, this scene forgotten.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdnu7ISy24zRIBZHB6Cqpe6V4hQWzbjoUJXKqPDvrt7dWyyaS0U8mDmlIac2BOEcUr_3AGl9D-zJ8y7Q5t-7Vvz-riFlwLCE2tg24ACXIUnfuO6_sMi4QMA0764oSEh6Md_BrBiK3Gt0/s1600/James+Bond+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsdnu7ISy24zRIBZHB6Cqpe6V4hQWzbjoUJXKqPDvrt7dWyyaS0U8mDmlIac2BOEcUr_3AGl9D-zJ8y7Q5t-7Vvz-riFlwLCE2tg24ACXIUnfuO6_sMi4QMA0764oSEh6Md_BrBiK3Gt0/s640/James+Bond+14.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hello? No, I'm not busy. Don't worry, she'll forget about this in a sec." - James Bond probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, I did like the film although it isn't a good movie by any stretch of the imagination. Christopher Lee steals every scene he's in and Scaramanga is one of the best Bond villains ever easy. The score is also fantastic. While <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSbj2Mx2By8">Lulu's theme song is all sorts of wrong</a>, the way the theme is incorporated into the film is great and the musical cues are wonderfully dramatic and peppy.<br />
<br />
I also love the dumb moments in the film, like when <a href="http://i.imgur.com/Ai1wxXe.gif">Bond jumps through a window with no idea how high the fall</a> is or when our dashing hero <a href="http://i.imgur.com/m06g2RU.gif">pushes a young boy off his boat</a> after the boy helped him get the boat going. The elements for a great film are there but they're buried under all the misogyny and the lacklustre script.<br />
<br />
So, how do I feel about Moore's James Bond having seen his first two outings as 007? I quite like him. While not as suave as Connery, as dashing Brosnan, or as brutal as Craig, Moore's Bond is definitely fun.<br />
<br />
I like the winks, terrible puns, and sly smiles. Moore plays Bond like the caricature he is: a secret agent who is also world famous and everyone knows, who is more interested in bedding women than focusing on the mission at hand. Too bad about all the misogyny.<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Stay tuned next week and see if I continue to enjoy Roger Moore's take on James Bond with <i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i>, <i>Moonraker</i>, and <i>For Your Eyes Only</i>.</span></h3>
<br />
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_and_Let_Die_(film)">Live and Let Die (film) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-0016-live-and-let-die-with-paul-f-tompkins/">James Bonding #0016: Live and Let Die with Paul F. Tompkins</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/live-and-let-die-a-recap/">Live and Let Die Recap - Fandom Following</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/james-bond/245036/live-and-let-die-revisting-roger-moores-first-james-bond-movie">Live and Let Die: Revisting Roger Moore's First James Bond Movie - Den of Geek</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camp_(style)">Camp (style) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.separatecinema.com/exhibits_blaxploitation.html">Blaxploitation: The Controversial 1970s - Separate Cinema</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_with_the_Golden_Gun_(film)">The Man with the Golden Gun (film) Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdist.com/james-bonding-021-the-man-with-the-golden-gun-with-greg-proops-and-jeff-davis/">James Bonding #0021: The Man with the Golden Gun with Greg Proops and Jeff Davis</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-man-with-the-golden-gun/34844/james-bond-007-revisiting-the-man-with-the-golden-gun">James Bond 007: Revisiting The Man With The Golden Gun - Den of Geek</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2012/oct/03/favourite-bond-man-golden-gun">My favourite Bond film: The Man with the Golden Gun - The Guardian</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MacGuffin">MacGuffin - TV Tropes</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_18905_11-celebrities-who-were-secretly-total-badasses.html">11 Celebrities Who Were Secretly Total Badasses - Cracked</a><br />
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/baftas/8316999/Interview-Christopher-Lee.html"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/baftas/8316999/Interview-Christopher-Lee.html">Sir Christopher Lee interview: 'I’m softer than people think' - The Telegraph</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/why-sir-roger-moore-was-the-greatest-007-8198952.html#gallery">Why Sir Roger Moore was the greatest 007 - The Independent</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-84461592786777873532016-07-15T20:30:00.000+12:002016-07-15T21:35:03.942+12:00007 Announcement - The Second James Bond Month<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on0gsj-ya9U" style="background-color: white; color: #b98800; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px; text-decoration: none;">Dundedun dun dun dun dundedun dun dun dun </a><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on0gsj-ya9U" style="color: #b98800; text-decoration: none;">Dundedun dun dun dun dundedun dun dun dun deDON Do do do</a><br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on0gsj-ya9U" style="color: #b98800; text-decoration: none;">Badap ba daa ba da daa ba daa da deda daa Badap ba daa ba da daa ba daa da deda daa</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on0gsj-ya9U" style="color: #b98800; text-decoration: none;">Da da badap da da Da da badap da da Da da badap da da Da da badap da da</a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #595959; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.85px; line-height: 20.79px;">
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on0gsj-ya9U" style="color: #b98800; text-decoration: none;">Ba ba DON Ba ba DON Badap da da</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXjaVQUsUrea2qIbW2DCCxbUZO0rh7NzRj63C2zeVzfQU3kIGC1KES24tOQtQKyWDSNPmO45JpLXC3fsjMwpTv1ewSqlc5uzk5JnvOCZNvJaSby3VO5o3y1gwo1NHRVYH5RE_u4_F96o/s1600/James+Bond+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYXjaVQUsUrea2qIbW2DCCxbUZO0rh7NzRj63C2zeVzfQU3kIGC1KES24tOQtQKyWDSNPmO45JpLXC3fsjMwpTv1ewSqlc5uzk5JnvOCZNvJaSby3VO5o3y1gwo1NHRVYH5RE_u4_F96o/s640/James+Bond+1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Welcome to the second edition of James Bond month. I'll be taking a short hiatus for research but Friday the 5th of August will see the first of three, yes, that's right, three articles covering the Roger Moore era of Bond.<br />
<br />
The second James Bond Month will be capped by a post looking at the black sheep of the Bond franchise, covering George Lazenby's single outing as the world's most famous secret agent and Timothy Dalton's two missions in the late 1980s.<br />
<br />
This is gonna be interesting since I haven't seen a lot of these films and don't entirely know what to expect aside from the casual misogyny, fancy gadgets, and outlandish adventures of course.<br />
<br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-4031906104969049072016-07-08T20:00:00.001+12:002020-07-17T14:39:11.125+12:00Family Ties in Legend of Korra - Book 2Book 2 is often seen as the weakest season of <i>Legend of Korra</i> with some valid reasons. While it's not really the goal of this series of posts to examine the narrative or other elements of the show but rather to focus on the interpersonal relationships, I do want to address those critiques of <i>Korra</i>'s second season and defend it a little.<br />
<br />
Now, this might not be a popular opinion but I actually like Book 2 over Book 1. When I rewatched it, I noticed there was a lot more to be mined from a rewatch than when I watched Book 1 again. A lot of this has to do with the deepening relationships between the characters which I'll get into but also because Book 2 has some simply amazing moments.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4N_DoljFn9Q/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4N_DoljFn9Q?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
The problem is that is an uneven season. The writers had written themselves into a bit of a corner with the end of Book 1 (since they didn't know they would get a second season) and started the season seeming with a number of interesting ideas, half of which they never explored.<br />
<br />
They also had to dial back some of Korra's character development in the beginning of Book 2 becase of how they worked themselves into that corner, although as <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/korra-last-airbender-steampunk.html">I have argued before</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
this is how real people behave. We expect and want our fictional characters to grow and develop, learning from their mistakes and developing, but often people in the real world don't. Not because they don't want to or can't, but because change is hard and habits of behaviour are difficult to break.</blockquote>
I understand that this a bit of honeypot on my part, trying to explain away a flaw in the writing but I still stand by it to some degree. Honestly on the rewatch, while Korra does appear to be just as brash as she was in the first season and reacts to things in a confrontational way, most of the time she is justified in the way she feels, if not in her reaction.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIcJZIw0spvrHWrDIr_Tx7VsxUyB7-4pspqcFMT21i1zb7kuupAPUHOPWlsbYCKVFYn47qVcMubQ4CEsYRRPHSIGo8OLY61mXbxQvRg2VuY6MxYXkGXtdOl1UbA7fEaBKMnnBdGu8mVY/s1600/Korra+2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIIcJZIw0spvrHWrDIr_Tx7VsxUyB7-4pspqcFMT21i1zb7kuupAPUHOPWlsbYCKVFYn47qVcMubQ4CEsYRRPHSIGo8OLY61mXbxQvRg2VuY6MxYXkGXtdOl1UbA7fEaBKMnnBdGu8mVY/s640/Korra+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"My father and my mentor purposely lied to me because of their overprotective paternal desire to 'keep me safe' despite the fact I'm the Avatar, while my boyfriend is seemingly supportive but passive aggressively undermines me due to his own ego issues. <br />
So yes, I'm a little pissed, why'd you ask?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Korra is frustrated at the sense of betrayal and lack of trust from the father figures in her life who are more concerned with controlling or shielding her in the name of keeping her safe than they are about letting her become her own person.<br />
<br />
Korra had spent her whole life up to this point believing that Avatar Aang had decided it was best for her to live and train isolated in the Southern Water Tribe with the White Lotus but learns it was actually her father and Tenzin who made the call.<br />
<br />
Add to this her frustration at her inability to develop spiritually is misdirected at Tenzin's teachings, it is no wonder that she responds positively to the first male authority figure in her life who tells her that he has faith in her and treats her as an adult instead of a child that he must shield from the world.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMimKJN5WRaQx-7Rs07z4epLXUmaKf1T3zIacpNEDZ_t7ZwASB394yqIE8aaZlMDvAFP9TEQeDHkExSlaYcWNCRMI42PFDUuPMjymXyqiw33WK9OfAM9r6jKCutyAOUza26sq2axecDuE/s1600/Korra+4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMimKJN5WRaQx-7Rs07z4epLXUmaKf1T3zIacpNEDZ_t7ZwASB394yqIE8aaZlMDvAFP9TEQeDHkExSlaYcWNCRMI42PFDUuPMjymXyqiw33WK9OfAM9r6jKCutyAOUza26sq2axecDuE/s640/Korra+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fact Korra doesn't pick up that he is totally evil from the first second she meets him is understandable in those circumstances.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br /><div>
People forget but Korra is around 18 at the time of Book 2, she's a young adult who wants to establish her own identity but feels as though she is still treated like a child by the men in her life, especially by her father. In that context, while she definitely reacts far too angrily at times, there is a real cause behind those emotions that I think is often dismissed.<br />
<br />
Most criticisms of Book 2 revolve around the retread of character developments from Book 1, <a href="http://beccatoria.tumblr.com/post/127098011221/the-legend-of-korra-deliberately-deconstructed">Tumblr blogger beccatoria</a> argues that the show repeats those beats to first deconstruct and then reform them,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The latter half of the series began to rebuild itself in new and fascinating ways, but it was here that the series made a radical, handbrake turn. This was where Korra’s queer origin and radical future were expressly clarified."</blockquote>
For the second season is when the interpersonal relationships and familial drama between characters becomes incredibly intertwined and complex. The foundations of those relationships were laid in the first season but Book 2 steps it up massively.<br />
<br />
Now it doesn't always work and the narrative occasionally presents some unintentionally problematic relationships without realising it (which we'll get to), but when it gets it right, it is some of the most touching and effective storytelling on television.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPF2-DGelLTbJRCRQCK3_VpsuXNBniclnLN-1hcAHIDGHzckuhD4ZY0IYn_e9CMdJlhyafeFGGLf91UjDH0UOKgPbSXpUSjMExv889rI31xCHyWafpIrhefxPnCmnwmWCBz54_dyf25U/s1600/Korra+3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiPF2-DGelLTbJRCRQCK3_VpsuXNBniclnLN-1hcAHIDGHzckuhD4ZY0IYn_e9CMdJlhyafeFGGLf91UjDH0UOKgPbSXpUSjMExv889rI31xCHyWafpIrhefxPnCmnwmWCBz54_dyf25U/s640/Korra+3.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm sorry but every scene with Tenzin's family and his siblings Bumi and Kya is golden. While other aspects of the story might have been uneven or even annoying (like the incompetent dumb detectives who were supposed to be foils to Mako), the fact that Book 2 had the familial drama of Tenzin's siblings more than balances out the missteps elsewhere.<br />
<br />
There is so much to get into that it's hard to know where to start but I suppose a good place is with Aang. Aang, the beloved bald protagonist of <i>The Last Airbender</i>, wasn't a good father. He wasn't a terrible father but he wasn't there for all his children the way a good father is. And that is important.<br />
<br />
It's a nice deconstruction of the idealisation of fatherhood, which is an important narrative to tell. Not in a "I never knew my father!" way, or even in villainous "he was an arsehole" way, but rather showing that although Aang was the protagonist of the previous season, he had aspects of his personality that didn't make for a great father.<br />
<br />
Which was a bold move for the writers to make simply because of how much Aang was as a character, not to mention as the hero of the previous series. It would have been easy for them to depict Aang as a perfect dad. But his failures as a father are clear in the obvious favouritism he had towards Tenzin as his only child who could airbend, something which caused lingering resentment from Bumi and Kya.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ADqzBT6Kjd7yQ9N3iHO7CnHvwOW7KkgT-a_Rp9no_Z6iWhiQTE2hOH4Y5uIsmgTZDk70XZIINbeCCX73CFjGYnVTO4w2dWPmCiVXjYIzxwNRM7OVxEQfalMEHyPHUIK40v81I034MR4/s1600/Korra+5.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8ADqzBT6Kjd7yQ9N3iHO7CnHvwOW7KkgT-a_Rp9no_Z6iWhiQTE2hOH4Y5uIsmgTZDk70XZIINbeCCX73CFjGYnVTO4w2dWPmCiVXjYIzxwNRM7OVxEQfalMEHyPHUIK40v81I034MR4/s640/Korra+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This isn't mentioning just how heavy Aang's legacy as the Avatar weighs down on his children. It affects each of his children but let's spare a tear for Bumi. As Aang's oldest child he felt a massive responsibility to uphold his father's legacy but as a non-bender he felt he let his father down.<br />
<br />
I think <a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/108780883093/bumi-kya-and-tenzin-analysis">LoK Gifs & Musings put this better than I ever could</a> so I'll just quote her here,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Bumi may well be one of the most tragic characters in the show. Though Aang and Katara likely wanted children, I’m sure given Aang’s status as the last airbender, they also felt a great responsibility to do so. Though I am sure Aang or Katara loved Bumi, the fact that their eldest was a nonbender had to have been a bit of a blow for them. And even though they seemed to let Bumi be free to follow his own passions (joining the military and drinking a lot of cactus juice, from what I can tell), there was a part of him that internalized the guilt of not being “enough” for his parents." </blockquote>
Bumi's juvenile behaviour (especially for a man into his 60s) is his way of standing out even though he can't bend. Considering both his siblings are benders and formed bonds with their parents that he couldn't, it's no wonder he plays the clown to mask the internal sense of inadequacy he feels.<br />
<br />
All of which is crystalises in the scene where Bumi talks to Aan's stature.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHm3IEcHY8k3SqqfP1ec-Ik0MCEPSHN6b32Ff4-LQiy2cCI3w0oHf5lq3Xro14kkRQiQ5Q-yhVCc2l0T6yYoErPCY12MFktWibLbZyrbE1kYcUHH3jvtlvninLH5b4sylnq-e-CPVdr3E/s1600/Korra+6.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHm3IEcHY8k3SqqfP1ec-Ik0MCEPSHN6b32Ff4-LQiy2cCI3w0oHf5lq3Xro14kkRQiQ5Q-yhVCc2l0T6yYoErPCY12MFktWibLbZyrbE1kYcUHH3jvtlvninLH5b4sylnq-e-CPVdr3E/s640/Korra+6.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Uh, hey there, dad. You're looking well.. Look, I'm sorry I didn't turn out to be an airbender like you hoped, but I've tried my best to make the world safe. Hope I made you proud." - Actual, heartbreaking, dialogue.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I think we have to move on to Tenzin now. Tenzin may be Aang and Katara's youngest child but as the only airbender, he felt a particular responsibility to uphold his father's legacy, even more so than Bumi.<br />
<br />
Tenzin was so dedicated to preserving Aang's legacy as the Avatar that he created an idealisation of his father which glossed over Aang's real flaws as a parent. Also, this dedication meant he focused all his attention on being like his father instead of accepting that he is his father's son, not his father.<br />
<br />
I don't want to go into this too much since LoK Gifs & Musings basically covered everything I want to say in her "<a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/116236479168/i-am-tenzin">I Am Tenzin</a>" article. The only thing I will say is how Tenzin's journey to let go of his internalised guilt as a failed spiritual leader is combined with learning to let his daughter Jinora come into her own as the spiritual leader he couldn't be is something else. He escapes the spectre of his father at the same time that he, as a father, allows his own child to grow.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2Sj74XtlJCSE2H74dFl3jsHKSkygMjsZ98oFd_bEdyol33e5kGxZBTXOUmT4fVI030nCASoi8erJrg2MiguNSMfwdbx7gsZ_2RgbQgG-d19tePmdsTV9fP5mHXg6CdjhaMn2Kl3CO8E/s1600/Korra+7.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2Sj74XtlJCSE2H74dFl3jsHKSkygMjsZ98oFd_bEdyol33e5kGxZBTXOUmT4fVI030nCASoi8erJrg2MiguNSMfwdbx7gsZ_2RgbQgG-d19tePmdsTV9fP5mHXg6CdjhaMn2Kl3CO8E/s640/Korra+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awww...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I don't want to seem like I'm neglecting Kya but she isn't given as much attention in the narrative as her brothers. That said, she has to deal with the emotional baggage of their less than ideal childhood as well and actually seems the most bitter of the siblings despite her empathetic caring nature.<br />
<br />
For example, she is the one who snaps at Tenzin for idealising their father. While Bumi was definitely upset by the special attention Aang gave Tenzin, Kya seems genuinely hurt by it and became defensive as a result.<br />
<br />
She tried to escape her family's legacy in her youth, travelling across the world while Bumi joined the military and Tenzin join the council in Republic City. However, she then went back to the Southern Water Tribe to look after their elderly mother after Aang died, which is something she chastises her brothers for failing to do.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, after Bumi has his confessional moment talking to Aang's statue wondering if his father would be proud of him, Kya overhears and immediately says that of course Aang would be proud. She then gives him a hug as Bumi tells her she always knows when he needs one. It's a touching moment.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqZEjfDvXRDQSH7j_WbvEAzOlM0ban4IpdrsYRnqawLKR-kIonjaYn9Ud9Vb3TPvuQRYe1VF8wB32yWithvtgBr445MlnMn5O-VL6_dqOKwsWZYpY09ctw9laaKjgSFkud2gUCrFd-mU/s1600/Korra+8.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiqZEjfDvXRDQSH7j_WbvEAzOlM0ban4IpdrsYRnqawLKR-kIonjaYn9Ud9Vb3TPvuQRYe1VF8wB32yWithvtgBr445MlnMn5O-VL6_dqOKwsWZYpY09ctw9laaKjgSFkud2gUCrFd-mU/s640/Korra+8.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sibling huggery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Jumping back to Tenzin for a second, in light of the emotional journey that he goes through over the course the season it's not surprising how constricting he is as Korra's teacher in the beginning of Book 2 and why she bristles against that.<br />
<br />
I covered in my previous <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.com/2016/06/family-ties-in-legend-of-korra-book-1.html"><i>Korr</i>a post</a> how the differences in their personalities make them the perfect teacher/student combination but only by adapting to each other. Now, although I can totally see where Korra is coming from, at times the anger she flashes at Tenzin seems unfair in light of his transgressions.<br />
<br />
Regardless, their reunion in the second half of Book 2 and the fruition of their relationship as it blossoms by the end of the season is completely worth the (only) slightly contrived nature of their parting of ways in the beginning of the season.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpvtlXOBHrm-wsdt3xhLI4ZTqc9BjWl9UZSc34rQxmyJfm4tOSUltIm_z-aqLb7wGFBJ53gXW6zTRukzItvf7FVUh0gJ6Idiz-s41lKhcThYhpz9df0rgqhx57K9rE97YRiovqThACF0/s1600/Korra+9.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwpvtlXOBHrm-wsdt3xhLI4ZTqc9BjWl9UZSc34rQxmyJfm4tOSUltIm_z-aqLb7wGFBJ53gXW6zTRukzItvf7FVUh0gJ6Idiz-s41lKhcThYhpz9df0rgqhx57K9rE97YRiovqThACF0/s640/Korra+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I mention that Tenzin is the one who helps Korra complete her spiritual journey?<br />
With hugs!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But before we celebrate the wonderfulness that is the familial drama of Tenzin's family and the blossoming of his relationship with Korra, I mentioned there were some problematic relationships in this season, so let's look at the most problematic - Bolin and his love interests, Eska and Ginger.<br />
<br />
There's no other way to say this, Bolin is in an abusive relationship with Eska. She forces him to do things he doesn't want through intimidation, fear, and the threat of violence, isn't interested in his well-being, only in how he can better serve her. He isn't her boyfriend, he's her victim. <br />
<br />
And yet the show presents this as something funny in a 'Oh, look at how Bolin can't get out of this abusive relationship, isn't it hilarious how Eska, a girl, dominates him and he just whimpers?' way. It's not like they ever examine the destructive nature of their relationship in a meaningful way, it's only depicted as a gag.<br />
<br />
The fact they immediately follow this up by having Bolin sexually harass his co-worker Ginger on the set of their movers (old-timey film reels) is rather tone deaf, especially for a show that gets so many other things so right.<br />
<br />
And let's be clear, Bolin is sexually harassing her. They're at their workplace, she told him that she wasn't interested and that he is confusing "Ginger the actress with Ginger the character" but he still continues to flirt inappropriately and make unwanted advances.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTAzMFVO78s9lQcrfyjqjLtZQxQSWT4grAgK51pZM8n0Z9YOLrCre9Z6GJ3aXVjYYGoOlkiN_GZyxuxRFFJlpkoJ3XOFzr8C4g8YHkbKeumtAUDidvmFua0f0bxPpwEttFDbDF62VJNI/s1600/Korra+10.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSTAzMFVO78s9lQcrfyjqjLtZQxQSWT4grAgK51pZM8n0Z9YOLrCre9Z6GJ3aXVjYYGoOlkiN_GZyxuxRFFJlpkoJ3XOFzr8C4g8YHkbKeumtAUDidvmFua0f0bxPpwEttFDbDF62VJNI/s640/Korra+10.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The difference between their facial expressions says it all.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
And so we come to Mako and Korra. I discussed before how their relationship had a sense of contrivance to it since there never seemed to be any reason for them to get together aside from the fact that they were the male and female protagonists.<br />
<br />
However, there is a lot wrong with Mako's behaviour and how he treats Korra that I didn't notice until this rewatch. The reason I didn't notice it the first time around was that I used to be a lot like Mako in terms of the type of boyfriend he is.<br />
<br />
Therefore, I didn't see anything wrong with his actions despite the fact that they are only superficially supportive and actually quite defensive in nature. For example,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Korra:</b> What do you think I should do?<br />
<b>Mako:</b> I guess you should do what you think is right. I support whatever decision you make.<br />
<b>Korra:</b> Oh thanks. That’s a big help.<br />
<b>Mako:</b> I thought you wanted me to be supportive? Now you want me to tell you what I think? Make up your mind!<br />
<b>Korra:</b> Just forget it.</blockquote>
I originally sided with Mako in this argument because it hit home with what I would likely would have said in the same position but then I realised that he isn't being supportive by withholding his opinion, he's avoiding conflict. Korra expressively asked him for advice and his response was to give an empty declaration of support for fear of her disapproval.<br />
<br />
Like Mako, I wanted to place myself as the protector and feel useful to, or even needed by, the person I was with. This is something that's subsided now and I don't feel that same need to be a 'protector'. because I figured it's not necessary, and even more than that, it's infantilizing. If you see your partner as someone who needs to be protected constantly, you're not treating them as an equal but like a child in your care.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_jAYLLBhmkABANUSv9uo3g81Erx8Iaz2LZifPmydf_e0FQQR5_PuQ3zCkzIJ5QESCH3E-ZOQ3LRtw6vMxfRDLHlEKXWrQ9lL2nCk6JDwsuiYyD_aGITXJqTh3VHEie24H5oQo7tGJf8/s1600/Korra+2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-_jAYLLBhmkABANUSv9uo3g81Erx8Iaz2LZifPmydf_e0FQQR5_PuQ3zCkzIJ5QESCH3E-ZOQ3LRtw6vMxfRDLHlEKXWrQ9lL2nCk6JDwsuiYyD_aGITXJqTh3VHEie24H5oQo7tGJf8/s640/Korra+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She really doesn't need anyone's protection.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, I didn't have the same <a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/107842287143/meta-makos-castration-anxiety">anxiety Mako has in regards to being dominated by Korra</a> since I came more from a "white knight" place and didn't feel threatened by the accomplishments of my partner. Because Mako's ego does bristle at the fact Korra is the Avatar, with more responsibility and power than he will ever have.<br />
<br />
At one point before their break up, Korra apologizes to Mako for her inconsistent behaviour and blowing up with him due to the stresses of her role as the world's protector,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>Korra:</b> By the way, I'm really sorry for being a total pain. Things were really stressful and pretty confusing. It's hard being the Avatar.<br />
<b>Mako:</b> (jokingly) It’s harder being the Avatar’s boyfriend.</blockquote>
Mmmhmm, really? It's harder being the boyfriend of the most powerful person on the planet with the weight of innumerable political, social, spiritual, military pressures than being that person? I know, Mako's cracking a joke here but it does seem to indicate where his head's at.<br />
<br />
I mean, he doesn't offer any substantial response or support to address the stress that Korra's feeling, he just makes a joke about how hard things are for him.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_UkcOOLU5FJqNIsoCpiXdIcX45hBpX9PKmN-9gwyAMG1IoWgjwBBCsuTtnXTP5LLmrvG9j-htOsOzVtDpp9KSpafJuZ7sgwpCYVeXfQNqgzCV2uO_w5TH4EvZdTeWt9M1fly6wVbhF0/s1600/Korra+11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF_UkcOOLU5FJqNIsoCpiXdIcX45hBpX9PKmN-9gwyAMG1IoWgjwBBCsuTtnXTP5LLmrvG9j-htOsOzVtDpp9KSpafJuZ7sgwpCYVeXfQNqgzCV2uO_w5TH4EvZdTeWt9M1fly6wVbhF0/s640/Korra+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Yeeeaah... not quite the supportive response I needed there, Mako." - Korra, probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So yeah, its't not at all surprising that once they get back to Republic City and Mako is able to go back to his job as a police officer that even his pretense of support for Korra kinda evaporates. It's like as soon he is back into his role as a 'protector' in an official capacity, he's freed himself from having to support Korra.<br />
<br />
He practically blames her for the civil war between the Water Tribes even though in the previous episode he helped her break her father out of prison, an inciting incident for the war in the first place. After Korra visits the President of Republic City to ask for his help in the war and he refuses, she complains to Mako who agrees with the President.<br />
<br />
He eventually betrays Korra's plan to get the Republic fleet without the President's permission which leads to their breakup. All because he felt his job was more important than their relationship due to the insecurity he felt at being 'dominated' by Korra. While he loved her as a person, he couldn't accept her role as the Avatar.<br />
<br />
This is more obvious when later in the season he is willing to risk his job to be a protector for Asami, setting up a sting mission without proper approval. Unlike with Korra, Mako doesn't feel threatened by Asami's power (she is a wealthy industrialist after all) in the same way and therefore doesn't need to hold on to his official police officer role as 'protector' with her.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePUK2cWEwfEe13s9yZ7otKDEdtfNxYTL74b3Awj7AI1XpfX3pGj8PUVQ5SP61oXaXDMDZ8gBFL3C2bQCnnpJNOwYll2g2FGWsyTg9p_A6x8xb72Us8bOcZ-TuwC7JVm26icdy4B1B3ak/s1600/Korra+12.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiePUK2cWEwfEe13s9yZ7otKDEdtfNxYTL74b3Awj7AI1XpfX3pGj8PUVQ5SP61oXaXDMDZ8gBFL3C2bQCnnpJNOwYll2g2FGWsyTg9p_A6x8xb72Us8bOcZ-TuwC7JVm26icdy4B1B3ak/s640/Korra+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To be fair to Mako, I would want to protect Asami as well if she looked at me like this.<br />
Then I remember that she is a highly intelligent and capable person who holds her own in a team of benders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In regards to the whole Mako/Korra thing, I'm glad they showed the dissolution of their relationship. It really seems like a deconstruction of the 'inevitability' of them getting together in Book 1 simply because they were the male and female protagonists and highlighted why they shouldn't be a couple.<br />
<br />
I'm going to have to end it here but again there were things I didn't get to touch on, like the retread of brother vs brother with Unalaq and Tonraq, Korra's relationship with her parents, the dynamics of Tenzin's children, or Bolin and Asami's wonderful bromance.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoFRr0BCkImdCXpFPLcy0rPrPaUxnZfn3s9VUIftjryCVo8mbETnJ-jV22VW-VaX9k2fi3q0D4jv1oDXIbXX_wXMDin1-RAj35aDtUU99FAFBuSruOGqv8xvEYStenzwihQkDAyz8hbg/s1600/Korra+13.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuoFRr0BCkImdCXpFPLcy0rPrPaUxnZfn3s9VUIftjryCVo8mbETnJ-jV22VW-VaX9k2fi3q0D4jv1oDXIbXX_wXMDin1-RAj35aDtUU99FAFBuSruOGqv8xvEYStenzwihQkDAyz8hbg/s640/Korra+13.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This gif is everything.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Oh, well. Maybe next time.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Book 3 in this series will come out whenever I manage to finish the season. I should probably get on to that.</div>
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://beccatoria.tumblr.com/post/127098011221/the-legend-of-korra-deliberately-deconstructed">The Legend of Korra: Deliberately Deconstructed - beccatoria</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Korra's_relationships">Korra's Relationships - Avatar Wiki</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Bolin's_relationships">Bolin's Relationships - Avatar Wiki</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/107842287143/meta-makos-castration-anxiety">Meta: Mako’s Castration Anxiety - LoK Gifs & Musings</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/108780883093/bumi-kya-and-tenzin-analysis">Bumi, Kya, and Tenzin: Analysis - LoK Gifs & Musings</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/116236479168/i-am-tenzin">I Am Tenzin - LoK Gifs & Musings</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-61212928510810187552016-07-01T21:01:00.000+12:002016-07-09T12:10:58.371+12:00The Anatomy of a Fight SceneFight scenes are often maligned as dumb bits of action with little intellectual or thematic worth. I mean, there's a reason why action movies aren't often considered films that say <i>something </i>or have little artistic merit.<br />
<br />
To be fair to that critique, most action movies, while enjoyable on a visceral level, don't have much to say about the human experience but then the same could be said of most genres. More often than not, their goal isn't to make a profound comment on the meaning of life but rather to entertain, which is valid aspiration in its own right.<br />
<br />
However, the value of action movies not really what I want to focus on. Instead, I want to examine what makes some fight scenes work and others not. There's an art in choreographing the perfect fight scene and what needs to go into giving that fight scene weight. For example, a fight scene might look great but feel hollow or another might look simple yet be completely engaging.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8kpHK4YIwY4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8kpHK4YIwY4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
Let's start with <i>Star Wars</i>, a very good place to start. Okay, I'm going to real here for a second, speaking purely in terms of action and the choreography, this scene is simply boring. There's nothing visually interesting and the lightsaber "battle" is just a bunch of old guys tapping glow-sticks at each other while talking.<br />
<br />
However, this scene is often praised over the complicated flippy twirling battles in the dreaded Prequels where Jedi are bouncing here and there and everywhere with back-flips and Force aided acrobatics. That doesn't make sense, right? Surely, the more visually stimulating an action scene, the better? Not if those visuals don't have any meaning to them.<br />
<br />
In the clip above, while it is is rather restrained visually, there is so much narrative and thematic weight to the fight that it feels more far more epic than it actually is. Through the dialogue you get the backstory of Obi-Wan and Darth Vader which frames their fight as a confrontation between former friends who were once in a master-student relationship. The fight has meaning, which is why,<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1rzoADEp3Akt9iKsdy2XzLl4KxGpOqGk49cXYs1cYes0DF0Al6ei0npOcBPBsv5dbifhoLeITdNfsNNjDYGR2FKJBy8Y-fwXrmaPc3_0USpZlLd0UYPjS9YZEYJjbhTeGd0Kq_UWQH8/s1600/Fight+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu1rzoADEp3Akt9iKsdy2XzLl4KxGpOqGk49cXYs1cYes0DF0Al6ei0npOcBPBsv5dbifhoLeITdNfsNNjDYGR2FKJBy8Y-fwXrmaPc3_0USpZlLd0UYPjS9YZEYJjbhTeGd0Kq_UWQH8/s640/Fight+1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm, Obi-Wan didn't do a back flip in this one?</td></tr>
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<br />
People remember that fight fondly because it had consequence. It also had a purpose within the narrative since it ended with the death of Obi-Wan, an act which was needed for Luke's character development and the fulfillment of his hero's journey.<br />
<br />
As <span id="goog_430034138"></span>Tumblr blogger <a href="http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/144124986777/a-few-thoughts-on-gots-fight-scenes-one-of-which">meddlingwithdragons</a> puts it<span id="goog_430034139"></span>,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“A fight is conversation. With stabbing. But still, it’s communication. You’re supposed to learn things about people in the fight. And not just oooo shiny swords moving.”</blockquote>
This comes through in the fight with Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. You see the dynamic at play between them, not only through their dialogue but through their fighting styles and the type of fight they're having.<br />
<br />
They're older men and their movements are slowed by age but Obi-Wan favours parries and controlled stabs to Darth Vader's more forceful thrusts and slashes. This mirrors their different personalities and perspectives - it actually says something about their character ans what this fight means to both men and the story as a whole.<br />
<br />
And then we get this,<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9jNiOnOvLgKKFCf72Um0LsYMepGVCX6Kgns0kQvJomw3ml-PQwE93U-poP33s_VEH-hjEBYWumwKlkrUbvWYUCYj2fjnLjq9wQNuT521FGqro-UHOTMNwthff1Jk7itw8M2pOLTD70I/s1600/Fight+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9jNiOnOvLgKKFCf72Um0LsYMepGVCX6Kgns0kQvJomw3ml-PQwE93U-poP33s_VEH-hjEBYWumwKlkrUbvWYUCYj2fjnLjq9wQNuT521FGqro-UHOTMNwthff1Jk7itw8M2pOLTD70I/s640/Fight+2.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What is this even?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLV-Vpy1gqQ">Yoda versus Count Dooku fight</a> in <i>Attack of the Clones </i>is one of those things which seems like a good idea at the time and is kinda fun while you're doing it but immediately regret afterwards when you think about it for more than two seconds.<br />
<br />
Now, I don't want to harsh on the Prequels since that is a dead horse which has been well and truly beaten to a pasty mulch but let's just examine that scene for a moment in contract to the Obi-Wan versus Darth Vader one just discussed.<br />
<br />
The scene opens after Dooku has easily defeated young Obi-Wan and Anakin. Yoda walks in all boss-like and Dooku starts throwing things at him with the Force, including some CGI lightning which hasn't aged that well, which Yoda deflects. Dooku then declares they must settle this by their skills with a lightsaber and so they fight.<br />
<br />
And by fight, I mean, Yoda jumps around flipping this way and that while Dooku twirls his lightsaber around, both occasionally hitting the other but missing just as much (see above gif). There's absolutely no wait to this fight. Yoda is a CGI Muppet and it shows that Dooku is fighting something that isn't really there.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9jNiOnOvLgKKFCf72Um0LsYMepGVCX6Kgns0kQvJomw3ml-PQwE93U-poP33s_VEH-hjEBYWumwKlkrUbvWYUCYj2fjnLjq9wQNuT521FGqro-UHOTMNwthff1Jk7itw8M2pOLTD70I/s1600/Fight+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9jNiOnOvLgKKFCf72Um0LsYMepGVCX6Kgns0kQvJomw3ml-PQwE93U-poP33s_VEH-hjEBYWumwKlkrUbvWYUCYj2fjnLjq9wQNuT521FGqro-UHOTMNwthff1Jk7itw8M2pOLTD70I/s640/Fight+2.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Just in case you missed it.</td></tr>
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<br />
Also, Yoda tells Dooku that he has fought well and drops the bombshell that he was once his Padawan - near the end of the fight, undercutting any impact that revelation might have had during the fight itself since it's after the fact. And the Dooku bounces out of there.<br />
<br />
It's obvious that they were trying to recall the whole student gone dark versus wise master thing but it just falls flat. I might have blocked large parts of <i>Attack of the Clones</i> from my memory but I don't think Yoda or Dooku have ever mentioned each other before this.<br />
<br />
In <i>A New Hope</i>, one of the first things Obi-Wan does is give Luke some backstory (later retconned in <i>Return of the Jedi</i>) about how his father was betrayed by a former pupil of his who was seduced by the dark side of the Force, Darth Vader. So when they face off later in the movie, you understand the history between the characters.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe0eaOutYbyWWQiPR0pVoMNQpKpiTpYzkgF54GCXHm5_I2W_53dYJM_nenwB6s5tddAA0NRV938dQV2_HpgFTkftdB1YPgFDvoJqaHhU-S-YuqYfRIFZPOC5AfOnGqZxK7V_DLddw0gY/s1600/Fight+5.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe0eaOutYbyWWQiPR0pVoMNQpKpiTpYzkgF54GCXHm5_I2W_53dYJM_nenwB6s5tddAA0NRV938dQV2_HpgFTkftdB1YPgFDvoJqaHhU-S-YuqYfRIFZPOC5AfOnGqZxK7V_DLddw0gY/s640/Fight+5.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I didn't even mention that time your father and I fought on a lava moon and I chopped off his limbs, leaving him to die."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But the Yoda/Dooku fight doesn't even work with the choreography for the scene. Yoda's spastic twirling and hyperactive jumping don't really lend the fight the gravitas which would match the type of emotional beat they're trying to go for. Furthermore, the editing continually cuts away to hide the imperfections in the fight or changes to a close up when their lightsabers engage so you don't notice the Christopher Lee's stunt double or the average CGI.<br />
<br />
This is supposed to be a fight between a master confronting an old student who has betrayed his teachings. However, all I see is an old guy in a cape randomly swinging a red laser sword at a jumping frog-thing with a green laser sword. The only thing that makes this feel epic is the music, which hits the intense tone just right. Too bad the fight itself feels empty.<br />
<br />
Staying with <i>Star Wars</i>, because why wouldn't we stay with <i>Star Wars</i>, I want to contrast that fight to Rey and Kylo Ren's lightsaber battle at the end of <i>The Force Awakens</i>. There's no way I can contain my enthusiasm for how much I love this scene but I'll do my best.<br />
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<br />
Firstly, the cinematography and lighting is just brilliant. Each shot is frame perfectly and gives you the full sense of the fight with no tricky editing to disguise or hide mishits. It's nearly all shot in long shot or medium shot, with close ups only used for a purpose (which we'll get to).<br />
<br />
And each swing of the lightsaber had substance to it. In the Prequels, a big problem was that lightsabers were swung as they had no physical weight, like a glowing plastic sword. When lightsabers clashed in those movies, there was no oomph behind that clash, it might as well have been two pillows smacking into each other.<br />
<br />
But in this fight a lightsaber seems physically heavy and when they clash there is a real collision there. Rey and Kylo Ren don't jump around each other light as a feather, they swing their lightsabers with some exertion. This isn't an easy thing and it feels like they are wielding supremely dangerous weapons. Each blow seems heavy and packs a punch.<br />
<br />
And then there are the close ups. remember I said we'll get to them? Most of the fight is shot in medium or long shot, framing the fight in camera with no tricky editing. The only real time we get a close up is of Rey's face where Kylo Ren has her pinned and says she needs a teacher to learn about the Force. She then closes her eyes and opens herself up to the Force (something she had been actively rejecting), turning the tide of the battle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mFcXZqfLKckbX4JfkrEz39462it3TJ9TUZwIrMKy5AJC0WbjWh4p69kQ56cuW4N728SRU9mTlF2xHjfz1Ib9mFOs2ZlbSqWZBz7TFK4WJO6NQ_CSPVIlgIAs_ah5g4U-x26TVAhrIac/s1600/Fight+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-mFcXZqfLKckbX4JfkrEz39462it3TJ9TUZwIrMKy5AJC0WbjWh4p69kQ56cuW4N728SRU9mTlF2xHjfz1Ib9mFOs2ZlbSqWZBz7TFK4WJO6NQ_CSPVIlgIAs_ah5g4U-x26TVAhrIac/s640/Fight+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is not the face of a woman who was losing this fight a few seconds before. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We also see Kylo Ren's face in close up as he watches this transformation with some puzzlement, not realising he had inadvertently given Rey the means to defeat him. My point is that these close ups <b>had a point</b> and served to show what each character was going through emotionally.<br />
<br />
<br />
Not to mention that the setting of the dark snowy forest is inspired and just lets the heavy blue and bright red of their lightsabers really stand out. The fact that the planet is coming apart forming gigantic caverns is something else, I know this isn't the most original visual metaphor for the destructive forces at play in their fight but the way it actually ends the battle with one of them on each side of a gigantic cavern creates a striking visual which is quite effective.<br />
<br />
This fight is not only epic, it feels mythic, like something from an old legend. The duality of dark and light, the wonderful choreography, the forest setting on a planet falling apart, the dynamic at play between Rey and Kylo Ren. It's just beautifully done.<br />
<br />
Speaking of things, which are beautifully done, let's leave a galaxy far, far away to talk about <i>Daredevil</i>.<br />
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In this scene, instead of being an invincible badass, we see Daredevil getting tired as the fight wears on. He has to catch his breath after dispatching bad guys, pausing before going to the next one, his punches getting looser, arms heavier. By the end of the fight, he can barely walk into the room where the child was being held captive but forces himself to. It feels real in a way so few fight scenes are. And it is expertly crafted.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Daredevil</i> was actually why I wanted to write about fight scenes in the first place. The fight scenes in <i>Daredevil</i> are impeccable, just everything you could want in a fight scene. So much so that I looked up who was the stunt coordinator for the show which isn't something I think I've ever done before.<br />
<br />
His name is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2856661/">Philip Silvera</a>, by the way, and he also did the stunts for Deadpool, which were great for the complete opposite reason to <i>Daredevil</i>, over the top and hilarious opposed to brutal and realistic. Eschewing the wire martial arts which has been in vogue since <i>The Matrix</i> and <i>Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</i>, the choreography on <i>Daredevil</i> emphasises fatigue and vulnerability with hits that have real oomph behind them.<br />
<br />
And they are designed to serve the story. In Silvera's own words,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"I hate repeating the same story or telling the same story. The stairwell fight that everybody's talking about, it's the one shot fight on crack. I like to think it's its own, it's its own piece right now. Not trying to do what we did last season 'cause that was unique to that story and I think this one is unique to this story."</blockquote>
Because a good fight scene helps tell the story. Here's that stairwell scene he's referring to:<br />
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I'm sorry but that is possibly the most impressive fight scene I've seen in years, definitely among the best ever on television. That's a five minute fight in a single take tracking along as it moves down a stairwell. I can't imagine the amount of planning and practice it took into bringing that fight to the screen since everything needed to be thought out and executed perfectly. They didn't have cuts to hide behind.<br />
<br />
It also tells a different story than the hallway fight from the previous season. That Daredevil was still inexperienced and learning, only half-healed after an ambush. The hallway scene was supposed to emphasise his determination and grit, not refusing to stop even though his body ached.<br />
<br />
The stairwell scene showcases an older and more confident Daredevil. He has full command of the environment around him. He even uses what could have been a handicap (his one hand has a chain wrapped around it while his other hand has an empty gun duck-taped to it) as an asset.<br />
<br />
The fight is still difficult and tiring (he's exhausted by the time he gets down the stairs) but shows how far he has come as a fighter while still highlighting that his determination to keep fighting despite the odds hasn't wavered.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdo8Jlx8GRvgHcT0Invo2BUhOBDfw_ADPMtx1jPxtW3sOTpRkEISqxGNJ0C3BXs_-Y6wocR48-f0Q4G2bdp4NUWcwxDTjrY-tQubiZb0u6KJKE0q3HvSrvXTfvCMr7ucGVvdWNwTz6cw/s1600/Fight+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTdo8Jlx8GRvgHcT0Invo2BUhOBDfw_ADPMtx1jPxtW3sOTpRkEISqxGNJ0C3BXs_-Y6wocR48-f0Q4G2bdp4NUWcwxDTjrY-tQubiZb0u6KJKE0q3HvSrvXTfvCMr7ucGVvdWNwTz6cw/s1600/Fight+4.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a reason "daredevil fight choreography is the third auto-complete search term <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">if you Google "action choreography"</span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></td></tr>
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Fight scenes shouldn't just be guys punching each other or swinging swords with no point aside from looking cool. They should tell a story and reveal something about the characters.<br />
<br />
A fight is a conversation, so it should say something. It's speaking with punches and swords.<br />
<br />
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://turtle-paced.tumblr.com/post/144124986777/a-few-thoughts-on-gots-fight-scenes-one-of-which">A few thoughts on GoT’s fight scenes - turtle-paced</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQVJ-32mT8k">Daredevil: Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Fight Footage</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2856661/">Philip Silvera IMDb page</a><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-53786215173421230932016-06-17T09:06:00.002+12:002016-06-17T09:06:52.552+12:00What's in a Theme?<div>
Let's talk about theme songs. They open our favourite television shows at the start of each episode, we hear them week after week. The pieces of music or songs which tell you something about the show you're about to watch, they are an often overlooked part of a show's success.<br />
<br />
You can't think about <i>Cheers</i> without starting to hum "where everybody knows your name" or start an episode of <i>Friends</i> without wanting to clap in time with The Rembrandts' <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-9kPks0IfE">"I'll Be There For You"</a>. It's just not physically possible. Those songs are so intrinsically and inescapably linked to their associated television shows that hearing them immediately brings nostalgia tinged recollections of the show.<br />
<br />
Funnily enough, it seems to me that often the song can be even more memorable than the show itself. I know chorus to "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" so well that hearing it is like meeting a good friend, warm and familiar.<br />
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And this is for a show I can barely remember. To be fair, it was popular before my time but I still didn't watch the show regularly, at least not that I can recall. Despite that, the song remains entrenched in my mind. It's more than just having a catchy hook or singalong chorus though. The song is wrapped in the 'feel' or essence of <i>Cheers</i>.<br />
<br />
And people love the theme songs to their favourite TV shows and recall them fondly. If you type in "tv theme songs" into Google, you are immediately bombarded by lists of the best theme songs defining what makes a good theme.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWr_mvuMLJQagvA1Gr-ehl1K-H7mS17muJ2yVyWj8wG1UfyfiyCDF7C8UXS8KGRJCWsE8Ibie0dYD1ZZeSSYgm98ZCPuua3OoXIUidTf3OYSbOrutytjHvpmoOQsSiu0BqISXs1LvSJI/s1600/Themes+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdWr_mvuMLJQagvA1Gr-ehl1K-H7mS17muJ2yVyWj8wG1UfyfiyCDF7C8UXS8KGRJCWsE8Ibie0dYD1ZZeSSYgm98ZCPuua3OoXIUidTf3OYSbOrutytjHvpmoOQsSiu0BqISXs1LvSJI/s640/Themes+1.JPG" width="610" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was just as much as I could catch in one screenshot. The lists go on and on and on. They never stop...</td></tr>
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<br />
Which is something that interests me. How does a piece of music which is so intertwined with a show become so memorable that ir can actually surpass the show in regards to popularity?<br />
<br />
I think part of this of course has to do with the fact that songs are significantly more transportable than a television show. What I mean by this is that a song can be recalled far easier than an episode or series. A drama is an hour of television while sitcom is between 22-25 minutes long and cartoon like <i>Adventure Time</i> or <i>Steven Universe</i> is 11 minutes.<br />
<br />
So in terms of just time, they obviously take more of it but they also cover more in that time. An hour long drama can incorporate several plot-lines which have been carried over from a number of previous episodes and possibly a multitude of narrative twists or character developments in a single episode.<br />
<br />
However, a good theme song condenses the themes and feel of a show into a digestible and identifiable minute long earworm which slithers into your brain forcing you to hum along. There's an art to crafting a great show theme. Speaking of which,<br />
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I think it's become quite clear that I have less than positive things to say about the last couple of seasons of <i>Game of Thrones</i>, particularly in regards to its poor writing and lack of consistent characters. But the theme song is simply put, perfect.<br />
<br />
Since it debited in April 2011, the <i>Game of Thrones</i> theme has woven itself into the fabric of the pop cultural consciousness. It is one of the most covered TV theme songs of all time, from renditions with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OWQXQgHgq8">electric guitars and violins</a>, in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyCCfJwFh8I">8-bit</a>, or with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHlzIgSvnYc">vocals repeating Peter Dinklage over and over</a>, and many, many more.<br />
<br />
On the wonderful <a href="http://songexploder.net/ramin-djawadi">Song Exploder podcast</a>, where musicians breakdown the different elements which comprise their songs, composer Ramin Djawadi talked about his inspiration in crafting the grandiose theme for the show. What is interesting is how much it was a conscious decision to make the music match the feel of the show from the get-go.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"The one keyword that they [the show's creators] said to me about writing the main title was that they wanted it to be a journey. Because there's lots of different locations, there's lots of different characters, there's just a lot of travelling in the show. And that's something that they wanted to convey with the music as well."</blockquote>
The focus on matching the visuals/feel of the show with the main title theme should be obvious I suppose but since the soundtracks or scores aren't something which are often discussed in much detail, it's refreshing to examine how they are composed.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh, there's a voice and violin cover too.</span></div>
<br />
For example, Djawadi discusses how the opening of the song starts with its recognisable riff in a minor key, then a major key before it changes back to a minor key. This key shift mirrors the complex way in which characters in the show change allegiances in the show as he explains,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"My intention was just because what the nature of the show is, there was so much backstabbing and conspiracy, and anybody can turn on anybody at any point, so I thought it would be cool to do the same play with the music so, even though the majority of the piece is in minor, there's that little hint of major in there where it kinda switches and then it changes back again so that's the opening."</blockquote>
Whether this is something that the average audience member would pick up on consciously is debatable, I'm not sure even most critics would notice, but I would argue that it plays to the success of the theme, not only as a piece of music but as possibly the most identifiable part of <i>Game of Thrones</i>.<br />
<br />
Dwajadi even chose the cello for the instrument which starts the theme because it has a darker sound which matched the tone of the show. I guess what I'm trying to get at here is that it's clear a lot of thought goes into composing a memorable theme.<br />
<br />
As must be abundantly clear, I don't have any formal musical training but the thing that I think makes great a theme song is whether it has what I'm going to term 'complex simplicity', because oximorons are fun. Essentially, a great theme often has a complex arrangement built around a simple musical hook, like the way <i>Game of Thrones'</i> epic theme is all built around its main riff - daaa, da, dun-dun, daaa, da, dun-dun, da.<br />
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The <i>Daredevil</i> title theme is one of my favourite current TV show themes and listening to it, what it striking is how simple its main melodic hook is. Played on a piano, its just descending notes played slowly over the spiraling strings in the background pulsating the song forward.<br />
<br />
There's a great juxtaposition between the simplicity of the main melody and the rushing string arrangement. Similarly, the beginning of the theme starts with an easy arpeggio repeated high on the piano awash with atmospheric electronic sounds to hook the listener in. And just as a nice touch, the theme ends with the sound of a beating heart, tying into Daredevil's advanced hearing and the often gruesome violence in the show.<br />
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It's a neat trick to craft something that sounds simple but actually isn't. I always found it fascinating that a lot of <i>Beatles</i> songs sound simple because they are so melodic but they would often have weird chords and subtle time changes which were rather complicated.<br />
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But then again sometimes things are just simple and that's okay because when talking about the effectiveness of simplicity, <i>Adventure Time</i>'s theme song is a prime example.<br />
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It opens with a soundscape as the visuals fly over the land of Ooo passing by all the characters of the show until we get to Finn & Jake fist-bumping. Cue a youngish guy with a slightly weak singing voice (listen to how he strains to sustain notes) declaring it's "Adventure Time, come grab your friends, we'll go to far off distant lands/With Jake the Dog and Finn the Human, the fun will never end, it's Adventure Time!" over the simple strumming of an ukulele.<br />
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You might think I'm being mean criticising the singer's vocal abilities but I'm not. I think the fact he doesn't have a powerful singing voice improves the song immensely since it adds an innocence and playfulness that a more capable singer couldn't have. I particularly love how he ends the song on a high note he can't quite reach, it just feels so human to me.<br />
<br />
And this plays into the sweet playful nature of a show which has candy people, ice kings, unicorn rainbow dragons, and a sword wielding boy having adventures with his shape-shifting dog. Furthermore, the lyrics are great. In two sentences, they sum up the entire show and what it is about. I'm not sure what more you could ask from an opening theme song.<br />
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So let's change tack and discuss a finale theme.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/182218852&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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<div>
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That is the final piece of music for <i>Avatar: The Legend of Korra</i> and it is just beautiful. Composed by Jeremy Zuckerman with a mix of Chinese and western instruments, yet again it shows the value in simplicity married with a complex arrangement.<br />
<br />
On the <a href="http://songexploder.net/jeremy-zuckerman">Song Exploder podcast</a>, Zuckerman notes that his favourite musical cue for the series is "such a simple little thing". I truly believe it is through simplicity that we can most easily convey emotion through music. He mentioned how he was inspired by the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzMSfaNXYZg">Lonely Man Theme</a> from <i>The Incredible Hulk</i> and wanted to tap into the melancholy feeling of that theme invokes while composing the cue for <i>Korra</i>.<br />
<br />
Now, I don't want to <b>SPOIL</b> anything for anyone who might not have watched the finale of <i>Legend of Korra</i>, but in the last scene Korra and Asami leave to travel the Spirit World as a romantic couple. Zuckerman explains that the spot notes (where there should be music and for what function) for the final episode read,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Transition to score for this last sequence: They will hold hands and turn to each other at the end so we'd like to have a more romantic feel for this last sequence to support the intention that these lovely ladies are going to get together."</blockquote>
What I thought was a lovely touch is that Zuckerman, who was also the composer for <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i>, mentioned how he put a callback to one of the more memorable music cues from <i>The Last Airbender</i> at the end of the piece because it was a culmination of the journey from Aang to Korra. That level of detail is always impressive to me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmAS33xmYyOy1LPYBTdoKXXOKGvopZhjdpI1AKM9bhwcIwBYx_0OG7VL8hVQnm9RttRXE-xiBOPxUtWINaFOrXcJnoIxM9r2DLuscC-D-g353BHE-QCW_KfyAyRtdeQN34SHiMswpEGI/s1600/Themes+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJmAS33xmYyOy1LPYBTdoKXXOKGvopZhjdpI1AKM9bhwcIwBYx_0OG7VL8hVQnm9RttRXE-xiBOPxUtWINaFOrXcJnoIxM9r2DLuscC-D-g353BHE-QCW_KfyAyRtdeQN34SHiMswpEGI/s640/Themes+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not crying, I've just got something touching my very soul.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I guess my main argument for this post is that although we don't often discuss music themes in the same way we do about the writing or characters of a television show, they can be just as important to the success of a show as the rest.<br />
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This isn't to say a great show needs to have a great opening theme or that bad shows can't have a great theme song. Rather my point is that music has an ability to touch us and worm its way into our brains like no other form of art, and creating a memorable theme song which also embodies the feel of a television show is something special.<br />
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References:</div>
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<a href="http://songexploder.net/ramin-djawadi">Episode 40: Ramin Djawadi "Game of Thrones (Main Title Theme)" - Song Exploder</a><br />
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<a href="http://songexploder.net/jeremy-zuckerman">Episode 30: Jeremy Zuckerman "The Legend of Korra" - Song Exploder</a><br />
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Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-21511718707873816892016-06-10T20:00:00.000+12:002016-06-12T09:34:30.771+12:00Family Ties in Legend of Korra - Book 1Alright, I've finally settled down to write on <i>Avatar: Legend of Korra</i>. This is something I've been wanting to write for a couple of weeks but couldn't seem to get started. I'm not sure why, it just is one of those things where I just needed time to get my head around what I want to say.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2014/08/korra-last-airbender-steampunk.html">I have already written about <i>Legend of Korra</i> before</a> looking at its steampunk inspirations, its narrative and character development (up to Book 3), and how it functioned as a sequel to <i>Avatar: The Last Airbender</i>. However, I wanted to focus on something a little different here, family. Specifically I want to trace all the familial relations through <i>Legend of Korra</i> book by book.<br />
<br />
This includes all the relationships Korra forms throughout the series as well as other family dynamics like Aang's children, Tenzin, Kya, and Bumi, and those of the antagonists like Amon. I might have bitten off more than I can digest but there's nothing like rushing headfirst into something when it comes to <i>Legend of Korra</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVNZTxhT6Ch9e4c-lKO3Divzqaix2ggv4QvAjhYHpXQ36FfHAzTfZd96PY9YoS4j_zEF8aNxV4-RfGaab5xoB3uk81d60sVL8nL87oAEtJqyH9VFQpMEBCCkYoAlXxCwktpKq6Yt4Luo/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPVNZTxhT6Ch9e4c-lKO3Divzqaix2ggv4QvAjhYHpXQ36FfHAzTfZd96PY9YoS4j_zEF8aNxV4-RfGaab5xoB3uk81d60sVL8nL87oAEtJqyH9VFQpMEBCCkYoAlXxCwktpKq6Yt4Luo/s640/Legend+of+Korra+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, I got this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In my previous post on <i>Korra</i>, I discussed the much maligned love triangle between Korra, Mako, and Asami. Now for anyone not aware, the love triangle is a depressingly common trope found in television and movie writing.<br />
<br />
For a succinct definition, please see <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LoveTriangle">TV Tropes</a>,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Alice is in love with Bob, but Bob is in love with Charlie, while Charlie is in love with Alice. Well, that's one of them. A Love Triangle commonly involves three people, love, and decisions. It can be dramatic, or it can result in Wacky Hijinx. Sometimes a fourth person is brought in to make it right, sometimes somebody might be kicked out.</blockquote>
You can see this trope used relative well in things like <i>The Hunger Games</i> or terribly forced like in <i>Twilight</i> and it nearly always revolves around a <b>choice</b> where the primary protagonist has to decide between two love interests.<br />
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This dilemma is supposed to be dramatic but often is just boring since the decision is usually obvious (Edward, of course she's gonna pick Edward, everything screams Edward!) so the 'drama' created is pandering at best.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mB7UahH1JblFy8HeZaD3_fSLrr1SUORTGh0BcAXLYhOQ8V6I1Oqz-lmKmKwveMsJd4WUEKPpAndqo9qpoZtq-2_9zYdnbOEZOMNZYlqBamyGACmInxjTRFliDVB2LvI0zOoNEfLFass/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mB7UahH1JblFy8HeZaD3_fSLrr1SUORTGh0BcAXLYhOQ8V6I1Oqz-lmKmKwveMsJd4WUEKPpAndqo9qpoZtq-2_9zYdnbOEZOMNZYlqBamyGACmInxjTRFliDVB2LvI0zOoNEfLFass/s640/Legend+of+Korra+2.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asami isn't in for that pandering nonsense.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I had said that the love triangle in Book 1 was very high school teen drama, which I stand by. These are teenage characters so it makes sense that they would behave like teenagers, even if that behaviour is frustrating to literally anyone who is not a teenager.<br />
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Unlike a number of people, I don't have that much of an issue with it. Or at least, it doesn't distract too much from the overall narrative. But something I always wonder is why people forget this love triangle started out as a love square with Bolin in tow.<br />
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People often dismiss Bolin but I think this underestimates his role in the group dynamic. His levity and amiable nature offers a contrast to Korra's brashness and Mako's brooding. When they first met, Bolin was quite smitten by Korra and wanted to go out with her. They even went on a date where they had a great time and seemed to have perfect chemistry.<br />
<br />
However Korra just isn't attracted to Bolin that way and while <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfDZzFEwEoQ">he didn't react to seeing Korra kiss Mako all that well</a>, he quickly accepted that Korra wasn't in to him and remained her friend with no animosity towards her. When I first watched Book 1, I was always a little disappointed Korra and Bolin didn't date since they did seem to be perfect for one another.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YE4MsJWkKT4F5PiYK5i-CUF0-4Y-iB8jDB-MraCSB7RJSsTUGbJLb3z7bk63Bnu5swUYppvC5SvrodWiglVJix2cHs01fGhZX1ubtVxHONbbTiVOvPhpRTcOIGhyphenhyphenyWPh2OjVKk7GBXg/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YE4MsJWkKT4F5PiYK5i-CUF0-4Y-iB8jDB-MraCSB7RJSsTUGbJLb3z7bk63Bnu5swUYppvC5SvrodWiglVJix2cHs01fGhZX1ubtVxHONbbTiVOvPhpRTcOIGhyphenhyphenyWPh2OjVKk7GBXg/s640/Legend+of+Korra+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like seriously.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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But then I realised they made much better friends than they would have as romantic partners. They're too alike in a number of ways, both are friendly but struggle to read people and often rush into things without thinking.<br />
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They work as friends since they share the same sense of humour and are there for each other but as <a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/110592371103/borra-the-greatest-bromance-ever-told">LoK Gifs & Musings puts it</a>, "their similarities allow for a mutual understanding, they don’t provide the emotional support or the push towards growth that either one needs".<br />
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On the other end of the spectrum, we get Mako and Asami. Now I honestly can't tell why Asami is dating Mako. They do have a nice meet-cute when she nearly runs him over with her moped which leads to a date that she orchestrated but I never understood just quite why she had a thing for him aside of the fact he was there and like, oh so hot, you guys.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt7n7GvQvvn2p71z-I0LkdKApe85-2kQ7pwjhPbXgpn-vm3oeLqsHciy2XT5M1JI7v0XmkgqNvLwOd4jAZI5wFxF1HErX90PdFw2X12wncgh1fXuF7bh9wZbq3D-T8RawC7nEigbCHQA/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUt7n7GvQvvn2p71z-I0LkdKApe85-2kQ7pwjhPbXgpn-vm3oeLqsHciy2XT5M1JI7v0XmkgqNvLwOd4jAZI5wFxF1HErX90PdFw2X12wncgh1fXuF7bh9wZbq3D-T8RawC7nEigbCHQA/s640/Legend+of+Korra+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mean, just look at the man brood. He's got some serious brooding game.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There's almost a kind of contrived inevitability that they have to end up together because she's the spunky rich girl with a fabulous head of hair and he's the brooding good-looking jock. It seems to more a relationship of societal expectations than a real romance.<br />
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To be fair, Asami is real supportive of Mako and cares for him. Once they are in a relationship, it is obvious that she has feelings for him and when she finds out that he likes Korra, she is legitimately hurt. On his end, Mako seems to really like Asami and play the masculine protector role for her, a role she is happy to let him play.<br />
<br />
However it just seems to be taken for granted that they would be dating after their meet-cute and so they are, even though I couldn't say why they would have started a relationship aside from the fact they are both young and attractive.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtX2Td8vTAxb8wNsUbIFIxD2GdZ7JQTRPrD7H1VwzBWclPIsZ7-9cdSZx4eJMBQJhVKYe4LlaT5HESfP3YXdJH0XQ31p2DSrYiU6LPnj2krS2BuAms4T5Mzj1_C9OTkMggW3oD8SHbm4/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="582" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtX2Td8vTAxb8wNsUbIFIxD2GdZ7JQTRPrD7H1VwzBWclPIsZ7-9cdSZx4eJMBQJhVKYe4LlaT5HESfP3YXdJH0XQ31p2DSrYiU6LPnj2krS2BuAms4T5Mzj1_C9OTkMggW3oD8SHbm4/s640/Legend+of+Korra+5.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I wasn't joking about her fabulous hair.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
But moving past that, Asami finds out that Mako has feelings for Korra (he was doing a terrible job of hiding it) and while she is hurt by the betrayal, she's such a classy lady that she doesn't flip out on him, although they do break off their relationship for obvious reasons.<br />
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However, I agree with <a href="http://beccatoria.tumblr.com/post/127098011221/the-legend-of-korra-deliberately-deconstructed">Tumblr user beccatoria</a> that the best thing about the love triangle subplot is that "Asami’s character was not demonised, and that the show specifically allowed her to reject the idea that she should blame Korra". Instead of Asami becoming catty towards Korra for 'stealing her man', she instead is rightly angry at Mako for his open attraction for another person when they are supposed to be in a relationship.<br />
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I'll get to Mako and Korra in a bit but as I'm sure you're all aware, at the end of the series, Korra and Asami get together and there are the slightest hints of attraction between them in Book 1. At least on Asami's end. She thinks Korra is amazing right from the get-go and wants her to like her. Korra for her part initially see Asami as a romantic rival but is shortly won over by her confidence and class.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRSdLzrW8fms2-1-DnhDlvm1tseRAMmUhwSI_u4hRm672184E0trMbTiJjy3LqXWD9KISEZhQfPpGdC6PrWNUl6BxssyqwJkcI6p7qkHucPpXLfDqjOOs4j6V56A9NZzJN6D5NpStHXI/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeRSdLzrW8fms2-1-DnhDlvm1tseRAMmUhwSI_u4hRm672184E0trMbTiJjy3LqXWD9KISEZhQfPpGdC6PrWNUl6BxssyqwJkcI6p7qkHucPpXLfDqjOOs4j6V56A9NZzJN6D5NpStHXI/s640/Legend+of+Korra+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can I say, Korra likes a lady who can handle fast cars.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There isn't anything necessarily romantic between the two but they are quite attracted to each other as people and don't let the love triangle nonsense ruin their attitudes toward each other. Which I really like since so often the two 'rivals' in love triangle are pitted against each other so this is a nice change.<br />
<br />
But then we come to Mako and Korra. I'm going to analyse this relationship in more depth with Book 2 but here even more than with Mako and Asami I have no idea why these two would start a romantic relationship. To be fair, it's clear from the second episode after they meet that Korra has developed a crush on Mako and why not? He's good-looking and brooding after all.<br />
<br />
However kinda like how Mako and Asami get together because it seems the thing to do by societal expectations, Mako and Korra seem to get together because of narrative convention.They are the male and female leads so they should get together, right? The fact Korra had more chemistry with Bolin, someone she wasn't interested in romantically, should speak volumes about how this doesn't quite work.<br />
<br />
And if we're being really real here, Mako is kinda selfish and insecure. His primary focus is on himself and what is best for him. This is why he continues to be in a relationship with Asami while harbouring feelings for Korra. He says he is confused but really what he should have done was break it off with Asami until he sorted his shit out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5xon20EmBXOGCK5KjyrEBs2onAEjoKIZ21Q_voWRLxkn7qd3T4bldQSE0czYaY6lqpa-V_TzxDuDWT_JkEEu0m1Ebj3w3OI3Z17ryntv3Fw6QUQ-NgjkogKTIqFjicgV3oCVXvyntL8/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht5xon20EmBXOGCK5KjyrEBs2onAEjoKIZ21Q_voWRLxkn7qd3T4bldQSE0czYaY6lqpa-V_TzxDuDWT_JkEEu0m1Ebj3w3OI3Z17ryntv3Fw6QUQ-NgjkogKTIqFjicgV3oCVXvyntL8/s640/Legend+of+Korra+7.gif" width="532" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Let's move on to Tenzin.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm gonna put it out there for full disclosure, I love Tenzin. He honestly might be my favourite character in <i>Legend of Korra</i>. Firstly he is a badass Airbender and just a badass period. So often when the gang is getting taken down by a bunch of bad guys, Tenzin is nearly always the last man standing. And the fact he is voiced by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgL8h_u2PHw">an unrecognisable J.K. Simmons</a> is just the cherry on the top.<br />
<br />
I'll get into this more as the series progresses but Tenzin's relationship with Korra is fascinatingly complex. They both learn so much about each other and themselves through their relationship. Tenzin is not only a mentor and teacher to Korra but a surrogate father-figure away from home. Similarly, Tenzin sees Korra as much as a daughter as he sees her as his student or charge.<br />
<br />
Tenzin's controlled and stoic demeanor belies his sometimes controlling and anxiety-ridden manner, which is something Korra, just by being her stubborn headstrong self, bristles. Tenzin has a lot of internalised anxiety in regards to upholding his father Aang's legacy as well as being the father of the next generation of Airbenders.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOEwHuPdjMpqsaCVmaGCTro2sQlyfUbFfJP7jqQDcmg_Squ2e9fAeSUllCIzemsLfgdY_3XXCzWbCCibvFRAN_R66klij0i6PBr9V1YBoqRWn4z_RIsmlKD5Rpuai1YmyrAryFIRuv9Y/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+8.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOEwHuPdjMpqsaCVmaGCTro2sQlyfUbFfJP7jqQDcmg_Squ2e9fAeSUllCIzemsLfgdY_3XXCzWbCCibvFRAN_R66klij0i6PBr9V1YBoqRWn4z_RIsmlKD5Rpuai1YmyrAryFIRuv9Y/s640/Legend+of+Korra+8.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So sometimes he loses his cool.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Tenzin initially imposes strict restrictions on Korra since he sees structure and discipline as key to teaching. However he didn't give much consideration of the best way to adapt his teaching technique to nurture Korra and help her learn considering her rebellious nature.<br />
<br />
However he eventually realises that by giving Korra the tools she needs and letting her use those tools in a practical setting she thrives. He also offers support for her emotionally, telling her he is always there if she needs to talk. He is truly proud of Korra, not only as his student but for who she is and as the Avatar.<br />
<br />
For her own part, Korra is resistant to Tenzin's style of teaching and takes a lot of the frustration she feels at not being able to Airbend out on him. She also doesn't take well to his slightly patronising paternal instincts and desire to protect her at the cost of her freedom. But at that same time she respects him greatly as a mentor and confidant, eventually opens up to him about her fears.<br />
<br />
Her complex feelings towards Tenzin sets up a breakdown in their relationship in Book 2 that blossoms into something truly wonderful by Book 3 but we'll get there when we get there.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe0HG5T5lW453u-l6qZe-hd8rTdQ9YKGlNyMc7vRdLRJ5JNNrR1WT1LCa-okqvioMwWmx_yXqw_KOTb6g2Q_oOebsyZ9H97mLnJdRFr7gSef0EzeuQI_wXbZZgZNxv29RY0c_y-92Q38/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRe0HG5T5lW453u-l6qZe-hd8rTdQ9YKGlNyMc7vRdLRJ5JNNrR1WT1LCa-okqvioMwWmx_yXqw_KOTb6g2Q_oOebsyZ9H97mLnJdRFr7gSef0EzeuQI_wXbZZgZNxv29RY0c_y-92Q38/s640/Legend+of+Korra+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've got some bloodbending brothers to talk about in the meantime.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The antagonists of Book 1, Noatak and Tarrlok, have a complicated sibling rivalry. In "Skeletons in the Closet", the penultimate episode of the season, we learn from Tarrlok that Amon, the Equalist leader and Big Bad of the season, is actually his brother Noatak and from the Northern Water Tribe like himself.<br />
<br />
He then goes into their tragic backstory. They are the sons of Yakone, a bloodbending crime boss who was escaped from Republic City after Aang took away his bending. When their father finds out that his sons are both Waterbenders, he starts training them in the taboo art of bloodbending. His training is intense and harsh as he wants to use his sons as a means to get back the criminal empire that was taken from him.<br />
<br />
Tarrlok doesn't like bloodbending because of the unease he feels forcibly manipulating living creatures although Noatak is a prodigy. Throughout their training Tarrlok and his brother drift apart as Noatak becomes increasingly detached. Eventually Noatak turns on their father and leaves.<br />
<br />
As an adult, Tarrlok makes a decision to go to Republic City, not to control it the way his father did through crime but lead it through legitimate channels. He works his way onto the City Council and sets up the task force charged with taking down Amon (who he doesn't know is his brother yet).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEh74Qn1i0WaTnnM8QW3gAxrrp1a9auyY5XekBXc3zsvlTRCcjcdTH6h8dXw-k-zemXR_YiWQtZImOwSyrK3iaSTZVj_LVRrEfP-6yTZRx4MJjNP68NCkKB0Cn3xm72iMvpNOfnFYAjM/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZEh74Qn1i0WaTnnM8QW3gAxrrp1a9auyY5XekBXc3zsvlTRCcjcdTH6h8dXw-k-zemXR_YiWQtZImOwSyrK3iaSTZVj_LVRrEfP-6yTZRx4MJjNP68NCkKB0Cn3xm72iMvpNOfnFYAjM/s640/Legend+of+Korra+10.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It doesn't go that well for him.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Brothers Bad offer an interesting examination of the perils of parental pressure. Yakone pushes his sons to excel in a field he has chosen for them with little to no consideration of their own desires. He envisions who they want to be in order to vicariously get his own vengeance on Republic City.<br />
<br />
Both of his sons reject what he wanted them to become. However due to their own ambitions, they end up becoming exactly what their father wanted anyway- the antagonists of the story instead of the heroes they wanted to become.<br />
<br />
This is clear in Tarrlok's apology to Korra (for the whole bloodbending and kidnapping her thing),<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Avatar Korra. I am truly sorry for all that I did to you. I thought I was better than my father, but his ghost still shaped me. I became a soldier of revenge, just like he wanted me to be. And so did my brother."</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaBBOS5fxTgtadNQIYxCaaU2T4jjq0bdC74BTs73SjkDpax6tFCwBNWTPcvT-W6Ieztd1u3Hp_UY_Y-PJFeXtwTu3kiDuamenTvDcp7fL1S9hS9_Yu1uPS8gB10kdPaY7j47FZREUzEY/s1600/Legend+of+Korra+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLaBBOS5fxTgtadNQIYxCaaU2T4jjq0bdC74BTs73SjkDpax6tFCwBNWTPcvT-W6Ieztd1u3Hp_UY_Y-PJFeXtwTu3kiDuamenTvDcp7fL1S9hS9_Yu1uPS8gB10kdPaY7j47FZREUzEY/s640/Legend+of+Korra+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So he decides to end their sad tale with murder-suicide. You know, for kids.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now I've only begun to scratch the surface of the network of relationships within the series. I didn't get to mention Asami's highly complicated relationship with her father (who turned out to be an Equalist and not at all the man she thought he was), Tenzin's family and his wife Pema, or even Lin as Tenzin's old flame and her interactions with Korra.<br />
<br />
<i>Legend of Korra</i> didn't always handle things perfectly. It made missteps here or there where the wider implications of the story they were telling wasn't considered and some elements didn't quite work but it did present a rich and varied text full of complicated and nuanced interpersonal relationships worth exploring.<br />
<br />
The next one of these <i>Korra</i> posts will come out once I finished Book 2 so don't hold your breath since it might be a while. Don't worry though, I'm sure I'll find something else to write about in the meantime.<br />
<br />
<br />
References:<br />
<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LoveTriangle"><br /></a>
<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LoveTriangle">Love Triangle - TV Tropes</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://beccatoria.tumblr.com/post/127098011221/the-legend-of-korra-deliberately-deconstructed">The Legend of Korra: Deliberately Deconstructed - beccatoria</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Korra's_relationships">Korra's Relationships - Avatar Wiki</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://lokgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/110592371103/borra-the-greatest-bromance-ever-told">Borra: The Greatest Bromance Ever Told - LoK Gifs & Musings</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nerdswole.com/2013/12/12/bald-mentor-appreciation-day/">Bald Mentor Appreciation Day - Nerdswole</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://avatar.wikia.com/wiki/Tarrlok's_relationships">Tarrlok's Relationships - Avatar Wiki</a><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-5887040901787216592016-06-03T20:39:00.000+12:002016-06-03T22:12:22.945+12:00High Fantasy Versus Low Reality: What Makes Fiction RealThis wasn't the thing I was going to write about this week. I was going to write about <i>Avatar: The Legend of Korra</i> but then I saw an article on the latest episode of <i>Game of Thrones</i> which made me want to write about something completely different instead.<br>
<br>
The article in question was by Fandom Following and argued that <a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/stop-pretending-got-is-worthy-of-analysis/">the show doesn't deserve critical analysis</a> examining the motivations of its characters or whether it is providing commentary worthy of discussion.<br>
<br>
The primary reason for this is because <i>Game of Thrones</i> doesn't have a consistent internal logic since the writing continually breaks the established rules of its own world.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKa1zbEvQq2g6FuqiNELHk-j_JiHL_7hqorVhmTjaC1_fj7hu2wNVS3bskva9vwYCBZJUiN4d_LSmLG4og6mvnO3lOcJy0svbm2lZa0vrkn7UJ9yV9bRXZtDhJD9W9OPbaK8l8bSjgD6o/s1600/The+Eye+of+the+World+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKa1zbEvQq2g6FuqiNELHk-j_JiHL_7hqorVhmTjaC1_fj7hu2wNVS3bskva9vwYCBZJUiN4d_LSmLG4og6mvnO3lOcJy0svbm2lZa0vrkn7UJ9yV9bRXZtDhJD9W9OPbaK8l8bSjgD6o/s640/The+Eye+of+the+World+2.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Listen to them, son. It doesn't make sense how one episode you needed to hold a root of the weirwood tree to have a vision but the next you stay in a vision long after letting go of the root. And no, 'because magic' is not an acceptable answer."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<i>Game of Thrones</i> often tries to have it both ways. The show writers defend the use of rape for drama, explaining it is part of "<a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/19/game-thrones-season-5-dvd-sansa">the reality of this particular world</a>" of brutal patriarchy. However they still want to have ladies occasionally be sassy or talk back to men for a fist-pumping moment which makes no sense in a toxic misogynistic environment.<br>
<br>
Or as Fandom Following explains,<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Because you absolutely cannot pretend that in a world where Talla is not allowed to express that her future husband isn’t appealing to her without being silenced, her mother would even think to speak out against Randyll in order to defend a wildling that mothered the illegitimate child of her disinherited son. Yet not only did she speak out, she did so in front of others, and in such a manner that was meant to shame him.</blockquote>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0D4xtVW8PcDZakpsQhHsF2uZZ4r-vjPvx9Kz5-iInrFtOF7cKEUMLDn7rKHQNNT7JYvfeydlO2VgJOowAAXxQ8GmItihJEKafw7AlgC-gYQGfFUr7FMMaZGbiG0hRyKyoRulaOhyXWDg/s1600/The+Eye+of+the+World+1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0D4xtVW8PcDZakpsQhHsF2uZZ4r-vjPvx9Kz5-iInrFtOF7cKEUMLDn7rKHQNNT7JYvfeydlO2VgJOowAAXxQ8GmItihJEKafw7AlgC-gYQGfFUr7FMMaZGbiG0hRyKyoRulaOhyXWDg/s640/The+Eye+of+the+World+1.gif" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why would a blatant and violent sexist like Randyll allow his wife to publicly shame him like this?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
But I don't want to focus on <i>Game of Thrones</i> since <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/the-girl-who-would-be-sansa-stark.html">I wrote about the show last week</a>. Rather I want to examine the critique that since fantasy novels have a vaguely medieval setting, they should therefore be 'historically accurate' or gritty. This is often a criticism leveled against high fantasy works, things like <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> or <i>The Wheel of Time</i> in contrast to 'realistic' fantasy series like <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i>.<br>
<br>
The critique often follows something along the lines that it is unrealistic the main protagonists of a highly dangerous epic adventure are likable and all survive. How can it be taken seriously unless there is the real danger that any character could possibly die? Essentially, the real Middle Ages were a brutal place and since fantasy novels superficially reflect the Middles Ages, they should reflect that brutality in order to have real merit.<br>
<br>
I'm sorry but I call bullshit. There is no reason why a quote/unquote gritty fantasy world should be considered more seriously than a high fantasy world. Darkness can exist in well-lit worlds, characters don't have to be anti-heroes in order to be nuanced or complicated, and compelling storytelling doesn't have to rely on a gritty setting full of death.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iIMK9IfkDCXdH5CKMLh1ux3jM-3jlHcDbyVbrepRV2JkGuBdkBu9gPOolVWOMMpw9hL3ST0N1gcAcerOFqBa8J-q0OKr3QwtnFbxhZ6_jBISl-os5Zh_kA7NyM1lpgjJYqORFGHyw78/s1600/The+Eye+of+the+World+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iIMK9IfkDCXdH5CKMLh1ux3jM-3jlHcDbyVbrepRV2JkGuBdkBu9gPOolVWOMMpw9hL3ST0N1gcAcerOFqBa8J-q0OKr3QwtnFbxhZ6_jBISl-os5Zh_kA7NyM1lpgjJYqORFGHyw78/s640/The+Eye+of+the+World+2.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Captain America: Civil War</i> dealt with complex themes of privacy vs security, agency vs accountability, freedom versus governance, and loyalty versus betrayal but I don't know if the setting was gritty enough for me to take it seriously.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
Let's focus on death for a moment since so many shows nowadays follow the 'anyone can die' mould as way of showing how realistic their fictional world is. <a href="http://www.vox.com/2016/6/1/11669730/tv-deaths-character-best">Todd VanDerWerff wrote an in-depth and brilliant article</a> for Vox on how the proliferation of death on our television screens in recent years has actually diluted its narrative or emotional impact.<br>
<br>
When you rely on death as a plot point, it becomes reduced to shock value and cheapens the narrative. A fictional world doesn't need to rely on the death of one or more of its main characters to raise the stakes in order for us to be invested.<br>
<br>
For example, <i>Harry Potter</i> is a high stakes tale where a bespectacled boy battles wizard Hitler but we all knew going in that Harry, Ron, and Hermoine were going to survive. We didn't need their deaths to become invested in the world.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0eUZ_weKGfJaTz-PdpaBnGEW1D-x6AYnsBzUIdfs2OiIkMwCa0I7-VV6rK3tNdCI879CGtvpJk_M0hYacJcXiO8WX572DNe4Kc4RTqeuvl6UaKbl0HXDifz7apPP7LvwAja4iVl1Alw/s1600/Fantasy+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm0eUZ_weKGfJaTz-PdpaBnGEW1D-x6AYnsBzUIdfs2OiIkMwCa0I7-VV6rK3tNdCI879CGtvpJk_M0hYacJcXiO8WX572DNe4Kc4RTqeuvl6UaKbl0HXDifz7apPP7LvwAja4iVl1Alw/s640/Fantasy+1.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can't possibly invest in this. They're laughing and none of them die.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
Death can and should happen in fiction but it needs to matter. I mean there was death in <i>Harry Potter</i> but it had a purpose. The first character of any worth to die was Cedric Diggory but that was in the fourth book in the series and he was a minor secondary character. J.K. Rowling spent the three previous books developed a rich world inhabited by identifiable characters we related to and used his death to mark the severe consequences of Voldemort's return in a real way.<br>
<br>
And Cedric's death had an effect. It signaled a change in the series as the tone become more adult and dark. One that heralded later more significant character deaths like Sirius Black in <i>Order of the Phoenix</i>. As Harry's godfather, Sirius' death was dramatically significant as he lost one more link to his parents and his sense of family.<br>
<br>
This leads to Harry's first real emotional breakdown in the series as it all becomes to much for him to handle and he calls Dumbledore, his other father-figure, out on his bullshit. But Harry then learns from this what makes him different from Voldemort and how he will inevitably defeat the Dark Lord - he has the capacity to love.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXTV0D-TxmWcKbOoYCf3z_q8EnZVVIAopQ5cS0ER6v7eGU41U8S8Hh5cqMNq6tg6CRyUmDa6UunvCiKEcY4Ud3cGbKXntF6t0o6RI4jy-mUCSB9LTCFrwSoerlGkXcj0PcTkf7qoRrJM/s1600/Death+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDXTV0D-TxmWcKbOoYCf3z_q8EnZVVIAopQ5cS0ER6v7eGU41U8S8Hh5cqMNq6tg6CRyUmDa6UunvCiKEcY4Ud3cGbKXntF6t0o6RI4jy-mUCSB9LTCFrwSoerlGkXcj0PcTkf7qoRrJM/s640/Death+1.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know it hurts Harry but at least his death wasn't a cheap shock.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
Of course, there is Dumbledore's own death in <i>The Half-Blood Prince</i> but yet again, that wasn't an attempt to show the reality of this particular world so much as it served an emotional and narrative function. Dumbledore's death was effective emotionally not only because he was a beloved character but because his death was handled with sensitivity.<br>
<br>
And thematically it made sense for him to die. Over the course of the story Harry lost his adoptive father-figures in order to become his own man and face He-Who-Was-Already-Named-In-This-Post. It could be seen as a metaphor for growing up since he could no longer rely on his 'father' to swoop in and save him.<br>
<br>
I guess what I'm trying to say is that fantasy doesn't have to mimic the real world or be dark and gritty in order to be realistic. It just needs to establish the rules of its own fictional world and follow them. As <a href="http://lindira.tumblr.com/post/143791304441/fantasy-does-not-have-to-follow-real-world-rules">Tumblr user Lindira puts it</a>:<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Fantasy does NOT have to follow real world rules. Fantasy does NOT have to relate to some real world event, country, concept, law, or history. Fantasy does NOT have to mirror any particular time period or country, even if you’re basing your world on a real world one. There is NO SUCH THING as “historical accuracy” in fantasy as it relates to the real world. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
THE ONLY THING Fantasy has to do to be believable is follow the established rules OF ITS OWN WORLD. Fantasy can literally be anything you imagine it to be.</blockquote>
This is why we all accept that Superman can fly and shoot laser beams out of his eyes but get upset when writers pull shit like this out of their arse:<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wI1UVDOuMqE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wI1UVDOuMqE?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br>
Nothing in Superman's list of powers in the movies (or comics) ever mentioned or hinted at being able to throw cellophane S shields at his enemies. It is obvious that the writers didn't care this flew in the face of Superman's established powers.<br>
<br>
In fact, the final act of <i>Superman II</i> is unfortunately riddled with this lack of care, which is a shame because I love that movie. Like Superman can suddenly make holographic copies of himself because that is somehow a thing.<br>
<br>
And then there is <b>the kiss</b>. You know the one. Where Superman kisses Lois so hard she forgets all the events of the movie. There are so many things wrong with that that I don't even want to touch it.<br>
<br>
You can't just make up things whenever you feel like it if they go against the rules of the fictional world. It just doesn't work. The only thing it shows is that the writer either doesn't care about either the fictional world they have created or their audience.<br>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br>
<br>
Now that I've established that, let's discuss <i>The Wheel of Time</i> for a bit. I am currently reading the series for the first time and have only finished the first three books so far but since that's a trilogy, it's as good a place as any to provide some reserved analysis.<br>
<br>
I mentioned up top that due to the fact that <i>The Wheel of Time</i> is a high fantasy series where (as far as I've read) none of the main characters die and lacks the 'anyone can die' approach which is all the rage nowadays, it somehow is less serious than a work like <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i>.<br>
<br>
That argument seems to be based on the false premise that grim = realistic, one I've spent some time diffusing. It also ignores the fact that Robert Jordan was going for something completely different to George R.R. Martin. Now bear in mind that I am by no means well versed the works of either author but here's how I see the distinction between the two series.<br>
<br>
To my mind Jordan is more interested in exploring notions of prophecy and determinism, the resistance between who the characters believe themselves to be and who they were fated to become, with an emphasis on duality. There's also a focus on the cyclical nature of time for some reason.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCBlJeW5SRhqpKCg37KmKyIdmZ6tUuuBhcxmdPHO33PKFB9D3cmAK1rSZ6gd-EUj3f0VZ_Oqzf-V1s65z9QUqP23tN4ObEn7k945J0GKwoQrg_Pbz-dF7DqCN4kFGgYIVqJ4URodrr-w/s1600/Fantasy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxCBlJeW5SRhqpKCg37KmKyIdmZ6tUuuBhcxmdPHO33PKFB9D3cmAK1rSZ6gd-EUj3f0VZ_Oqzf-V1s65z9QUqP23tN4ObEn7k945J0GKwoQrg_Pbz-dF7DqCN4kFGgYIVqJ4URodrr-w/s640/Fantasy+2.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hmm, an ouroboros entwined with a wheel. Whatever could it mean?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
Jordan used his richly imagined fantasy world as a backdrop to explore those ideas in a manner which couldn't have been done in quite the same way if the story was set in a more 'realistic' setting. On the other hand, while Martin's fictional world is home to magic and mystical creatures like dragons, his focus is more on the medieval aspect of fantasy.<br>
<br>
Martin uses fantasy to create as an a brutal, patriarchal feudal world and used the medieval values of that setting to explore the workings of sexism and ableism (and to a lesser extent racism), the expression of masculinity, and personal identification.<br>
<br>
In <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i>, rape is a very real thing since it is a symptom of the toxic patriarchal world Martin built and exploring, but it would seem quite anachronistic in a series like <i>The Wheel of Time</i>. This isn't to say that the regularity of rape within his narrative is completely necessary for the 'realism' of Martin's fictional world but it does make sense within its internal logic.<br>
<br>
But just because his world is more brutal doesn't necessarily make it more serious. Both <i>A Song of Ice and Fire</i> and <i>The Wheel of Time</i> deal with gender politics and both have explored the cruelty of slavery or bondage to some degree for example.<br>
<br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH24CXCDXcYy2qWaNXEVS_EB00LwIo1IiIhGK7TtHXHapwd7LLD4ICv3W26_lgynTn85WxUf8ZRJeZuWCqAzOBzQogw37HucAnGiqVjoWGTocGXqmr_XEYkLBwfNyeE54N13LTNDWk8Ms/s1600/Fantasy+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH24CXCDXcYy2qWaNXEVS_EB00LwIo1IiIhGK7TtHXHapwd7LLD4ICv3W26_lgynTn85WxUf8ZRJeZuWCqAzOBzQogw37HucAnGiqVjoWGTocGXqmr_XEYkLBwfNyeE54N13LTNDWk8Ms/s640/Fantasy+3.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It might not be clear but the lady in green is Egwene and she has a <a href="http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/A%27dam">leash around her neck</a> that the lady in red and blue is holding to control her. This is from the less serious <i>The Wheel of Time</i> series by the way.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
Furthermore, while The Wheel of Time could be said to have a lighter tone overall than A Song of Ice and Fire, the historical backstory that lays the foundation for the series is undeniably dark. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wheel_of_Time">From Wikipedia</a>,<br>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A century after the initial breach of the Dark One's prison, open warfare occurs between the forces of the Dark One and those of the Light, until the chieftain Lews Therin Telamon, known as the Dragon, leads a force of channelers and soldiers to reseal the prison; whereupon the Dark One inflicts a malediction that drives male channelers of the One Power insane. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thus affected, the male channelers create earthquakes and tsunamis altering numerous landscapes in an event that comes to be called "The Breaking of the World." Lews Therin himself kills his friends and family, and is known afterwards as "Kinslayer." Given a moment of sanity by Ishamael, chief among the Dark One's servants, Lews Therin commits suicide.</blockquote>
Remember this is the story which some dismiss as 'high fantasy' like that's a bad thing and less worthy of attention. And that's my point. Fantasy can be whatever it wants to be. It doesn't have to be 'adult' in tone to handle some heavy stuff and it doesn't have mimic the real world to be realistic.<br>
<br>
It just has to follow its own rules. Even if those rules include magic.<br>
<br>
<br>
References:<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/stop-pretending-got-is-worthy-of-analysis/">Stop Pretending Game of Thrones is Worthy of Analysis - Fandom Following</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.ew.com/article/2016/02/19/game-thrones-season-5-dvd-sansa">Game of Thrones writer defends Sansa scene in heartfelt new commentary - Entertainment Weekly</a><br>
<a href="http://lindira.tumblr.com/post/143791304441/fantasy-does-not-have-to-follow-real-world-rules"><span style="color: black;"><br></span></a>
<a href="http://lindira.tumblr.com/post/143791304441/fantasy-does-not-have-to-follow-real-world-rules">Fantasy Does Not Have To Follow Real World Rules - Lindira</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.vox.com/2016/6/1/11669730/tv-deaths-character-best">TV is killing off so many characters that death is losing its punch - Vox</a><br>
<br>
<a href="http://wot.wikia.com/wiki/A%27dam">A'dam - The Wheel of Time Wiki</a><br>
<br>
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wheel_of_Time">The Wheel of Time Wikipedia page</a><br>
<br>Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-15371980029402007352016-05-27T09:00:00.000+12:002016-05-27T09:00:02.624+12:00The Girl Who Would Be Sansa StarkWe are five episodes into the latest season of <i>Game of Thrones</i>. We are halfway through and I have no idea what is the story being told. I couldn't tell you what the characters' motivations for doing anything are or even which character a particular actor is going to be playing before an episode begins.<br />
<br />
This isn't because of some neat same-actors-playing-different-roles-each-season thing like <i>American Horror Story</i> or something like that for the three of you who don't watch <i>Game of Thrones</i> and might not know what the show is about. Each actor plays the same character across each season, aside from one or two recasting calls.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgDHlu41pZU6xVw-Nv3kYR8FbiaV7inGqnBBNR9xvgqD6TbCtYyXSI3xKH7Np6I-xcs1Ts65s-tw7nYewc94FUYbmRTbhCpA_qhA5RR1FTB2cLXHh5YWnyfO7HRg7O-WonDuaOAcykcg/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgDHlu41pZU6xVw-Nv3kYR8FbiaV7inGqnBBNR9xvgqD6TbCtYyXSI3xKH7Np6I-xcs1Ts65s-tw7nYewc94FUYbmRTbhCpA_qhA5RR1FTB2cLXHh5YWnyfO7HRg7O-WonDuaOAcykcg/s640/Game+of+Thrones+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't let the recasting fool you, in my heart he will always be Faabio.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
No, the problem is that the writing of those characters is so inconsistent that a character who was completely submissive or stoic the previous episode will act assertive or emotional the next with little to no reason. Don't get me wrong, there are a handful of characters who remain relatively consistent throughout the story but they are becoming fewer and further between as the show progresses.<br />
<br />
This isn't a the-more-they-divert-from-the books-the-worse-the-series-gets book snob thing, by the way. Just because of the way things turned out, I've only read two and a half of the books (the third one was split in two) and only come to the show for entertainment and a compelling story, not as an adaptation necessarily.<br />
<br />
And I liked the show. I was enthralled by the first three seasons, which I thought were fantastic. The fourth season was still entertaining but the fifth was kinda so-so. However the sixth so far has been a bit underwhelming to say the least.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4QqZms6ltSMcBAtLCaLx916Fjtu7kJ0ZPMcj432qOIfH1dG7LMz2P-sX-JQiQbBF0MJX81id7QZwMSU0lDRPEFqsrAlCP3mEBLolgKMarlaHcucwKwT1565I3Ehco5gtta5SRNf73Lw/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4QqZms6ltSMcBAtLCaLx916Fjtu7kJ0ZPMcj432qOIfH1dG7LMz2P-sX-JQiQbBF0MJX81id7QZwMSU0lDRPEFqsrAlCP3mEBLolgKMarlaHcucwKwT1565I3Ehco5gtta5SRNf73Lw/s640/Game+of+Thrones+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Don't listen to them, son. Yelling 'That's my father!" in every flashback scene is not a lazy or boring way of delivering exposition.<br />How would the audience ever know otherwise?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h3>
This Post is Dark and Full of Spoilers</h3>
<br />
Stepping into season 6 there is so much filler and wheel-spinning in certain arcs, it's becoming frustrating and I just want things to happen. For example, in five episodes we have seen Arya been beaten up by the smug Waif character who seems to hate her, for reasons undisclosed. Arya has done nothing in those five episodes aside from get beaten up.<br />
<br />
She may have started off as blind like she ended season 5 and gets her eyesight back in episode 3 but has learnt nothing as far as I can tell. There was no growth to her character. The Waif shows up, taunts her, and proceeds to beat her up with a stick, rinse and repeat. Arya blocks a blow while blind at one point which apparently is enough to give her back her sight. Why?<br />
<br />
There was no indication that this was intrinsic to her learning something without the use of her eyes, like relying on her other senses since your eyes can be deceived, becoming more zen-like or anything like that. Arya blocked a single attack (possibly by accident) so she gets to have her eyesight back but then <b>still gets beat on</b> and I'm not sure why.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Fu1CVEjkuXW4nrkuvNx0rQ-oM9bDPvlgar3YRAjQUTgDgqqiDcKhn2UybSAPofbXog4bfSVHvKEkOzmXDSC8ufEa4HujMRFhmzPxiXNjEbuuSedijj5ZYzJBQcjFmk4Lh6pTPWIeSj0/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Fu1CVEjkuXW4nrkuvNx0rQ-oM9bDPvlgar3YRAjQUTgDgqqiDcKhn2UybSAPofbXog4bfSVHvKEkOzmXDSC8ufEa4HujMRFhmzPxiXNjEbuuSedijj5ZYzJBQcjFmk4Lh6pTPWIeSj0/s640/Game+of+Thrones+3.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm equally confused why everyone is just cool with this random beating up a blind beggar girl on a public street in broad daylight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Let's look at a counter example from <i>Star Wars: Episode IV</i> when Luke is lightsaber training with the floating zappy ball. In order to teach Luke to trust in the Force and open himself to a wider world of possibility, Obi-Wan tells him to try again but with a helmet on and the blast shield down so he can't see.<br />
<br />
As Luke lets go of the limitations of his physical senses, he connects with the Force for the first time and blocks the zaps from the ball whilst blind. The lesson Obi-Wan is trying to impart is clearly illustrated and makes sense, there is more than just what we can see with our eyes. And this is only in one scene!<br />
<br />
On the other hand, I have no idea what Arya is supposed to be learning. To be fair, she has finally been given something else to do in the fifth episode but only after scene after scene of getting beaten up with a stick because they had to fill the time somehow.<br />
<br />
I'm not gonna delve into more examples of narrative stagnation in the show, although there are others *cough cough, King's Landing, cough cough*. No, rather I want to focus on a single character. Now Arya, along with Tyrion and Cersei Lannister, is one of the few characters in the show who remains consistent from week to week. I can give you a decent bead on who they are and what they want.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately I can't say the same for Sansa Stark.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa9ZfRMrXrweB8wW1Qa___G2rFn81b9G6QeN-BlW-gZge6jEERPJDNBQ3_6lPhX-zomwHD7fKddX1uj4HrpbiBFppPIJ1jJT1ofSamLqyNPzaZ-TEEqAjRlP_v4tTTXKEDXXf2rQR_Yc/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa9ZfRMrXrweB8wW1Qa___G2rFn81b9G6QeN-BlW-gZge6jEERPJDNBQ3_6lPhX-zomwHD7fKddX1uj4HrpbiBFppPIJ1jJT1ofSamLqyNPzaZ-TEEqAjRlP_v4tTTXKEDXXf2rQR_Yc/s640/Game+of+Thrones+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Well, hello stranger.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Now I know that Sansa is not many people's favourite character and is often dismissed as too passive. I reckon this is because a lot of people don't appreciate the precarious nature of her situation for much of the series and that her resistance is largely internal. Sansa is a high born girl raised to be a lady. Her strength isn't physical or militaristic but comes from her empathy for others and will to survive.<br />
<br />
She does what she needs to do with the tools she has at her disposal. For example, while his captive and betrothed to be his wife, Sansa acts as the perfect lady in response to King Joffrey's horrific mental and physical abuse. She often turns the other cheek while making it clear to him that he hasn't broken her. Courtesy is her armour as well as her weapon.<br />
<br />
At least that was her character, more or less, over the course of the seasons 1-4. There were a number of sidesteps, she whined a bit early on and didn't seem to have a lot of real agency since her internal resistance didn't translate well on-screen but at least I knew who she was. Even during the second half of the season when she lies to the Lords of the Vale to protect Petyr Baelish for reasons.<br />
<br />
But at the end of season 4, this happened:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDndXV_T1gAIxJCHjvsmQ2zeCd7TDq1dqIJLnxnIY3eJuMVQA8h7cLfR7lNeHxBWKoUbmhcjoqzoV4q1Q6JmiUraOZnYciJX8jPYZP2qZonQaC_r_pxBJ2fKHXQ3eWde7fwHysmv2sT8/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+5.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDndXV_T1gAIxJCHjvsmQ2zeCd7TDq1dqIJLnxnIY3eJuMVQA8h7cLfR7lNeHxBWKoUbmhcjoqzoV4q1Q6JmiUraOZnYciJX8jPYZP2qZonQaC_r_pxBJ2fKHXQ3eWde7fwHysmv2sT8/s640/Game+of+Thrones+5.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who are you and why are you dressed like a Sith Lord?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Sansa ended the season as an apparently domineering and/or manipulative seductress who is meant to look badass in her Sith dress. And don't tell me you don't notice the dress. If you Google Image search 'sansa stark season 4 dress', this is the dress which comes up. It was an iconic visual but a complete 180 for the character.<br />
<br />
Which makes what happens in the fifth season all the more illogical. I'm not gonna do full on recap because GoT Gifs & Musings did a <a href="http://gotgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/131913523312/winterhell-retrospective">fantastic retrospective of the Season 5 Winterfell plot-line</a> I encourage everyone to read (there's one for each plot-line in Season 5). Essentially it boils down to this: every single decision made by the characters in this plot was to serve one purpose, to get Sansa to Winterfell so Ramsey Bolton could rape her on their wedding night.<br />
<br />
They decided that Ramsey had to rape Sansa for reasons unknown and contrived everything to fit that decision. Once Sansa realises that they're heading North to Winterfell, she tells Baelish she doesn't want to go but <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JrOgj39XFo">he convinces that she can marry Ramsey to avenge her family</a>...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzKBvLudYrQQmCumbpQ7qSb_SC4NKSWY8zqjsRISsA7MBeM_hk4A3EOV3xbGB1mNwMAPaaLg2C0fp31F69Zw9m-3v1GwjwmNs5Y3FryqA2pffQcMQ3bQkm86QEObsn6umNAYm7fCQh6Q/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzzKBvLudYrQQmCumbpQ7qSb_SC4NKSWY8zqjsRISsA7MBeM_hk4A3EOV3xbGB1mNwMAPaaLg2C0fp31F69Zw9m-3v1GwjwmNs5Y3FryqA2pffQcMQ3bQkm86QEObsn6umNAYm7fCQh6Q/s640/Game+of+Thrones+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had the same look on my face too, Sansa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
That is easily one of the stupidest things I have ever heard. How the hell does one marry for revenge? What does that actually mean? Baelish knows that by marrying Ramsay, Sansa solidifies the Boltons' position and Roose Bolton's claim as Warden of the North, right? We're told not many Northerners like the Boltons and are still loyal to the Starks but a marriage between the two houses would bring an end to that. How does her marrying Ramsay help anyone but Ramsay?<br />
<br />
Whatever, let's go along with this like Sansa does because the plot tells her to. She gets to Winterfell, shows she isn't intimidated by the Boltons but does nothing to win them over like Baelish said she should in order to avenge her family. Also she could have and should have left as soon as she realised what a monster Ramsay is, which is pretty early on but doesn't because reasons.<br />
<br />
The rape happens like it was always going to on their wedding night since the whole arc was written with this destination in mind. Baelish is supposed to be smart, the show constantly tells us how conniving and knowledgeable he is but apparently he knew nothing about Ramsay somehow. And Sansa goes along with this plan purely because the plot says so, not because it makes any sense for her character to do so. Anyway, at the end of the season Sansa and Theon/Reek escape Winterfell.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxDbyLV5NQVowZyq1afopxggeFnm-82LjC9DLvVegzfLDhiD3o6FOwwUWWshWcwsZShVeGa2vbTsC7E4oXiddFzPmntBHwem38M3DCnl3SUC5O39Zj_nOZCI_rlqvGIcn8IvEx26cn5k/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUxDbyLV5NQVowZyq1afopxggeFnm-82LjC9DLvVegzfLDhiD3o6FOwwUWWshWcwsZShVeGa2vbTsC7E4oXiddFzPmntBHwem38M3DCnl3SUC5O39Zj_nOZCI_rlqvGIcn8IvEx26cn5k/s640/Game+of+Thrones+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sansa: "You think jumping off this really high wall is really a good idea?"<br />
Theon/Reek: "My body is already broken, so I should be fine."<br />
Sansa: "..."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Which brings us to Season 6 and the many faced Sansa. Sansa starts the season off running away from Ramsay's dogs and men with Theon (he's pretty much dropped being the broken Reek unless the plot demands it). They come across a river and Sansa says she can't cross it but Theon says they must to throw the dogs off their scent.<br />
<br />
Two things to note here. First Sansa says "I can't" not "We can't". The Sansa I knew was empathetic to a fault. She would be just concerned about Theon as she is about herself, despite what he had done to her family, so that doesn't jibe with me.<br />
<br />
Secondly, this show frames this hesitation as a weakness on Sansa's part and Theon needs to convince her to cross the river but there's very good reason for not crossing the river. It is freezing cold and snowing. They could get hypothermia and wouldn't be able run anymore.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDhOCbWFsFliPocqAHf4BRMKNbwNX6xrvwQK3_1rweD2vCg6c49aLQLlIbPPhYAowUT9r08NlxzuSwIsYAnkpDcM1S0IZQoFxKpKuyfeKpvhozMQd0HZ4CijOcliayR5thxb9Uk6rtk4/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidDhOCbWFsFliPocqAHf4BRMKNbwNX6xrvwQK3_1rweD2vCg6c49aLQLlIbPPhYAowUT9r08NlxzuSwIsYAnkpDcM1S0IZQoFxKpKuyfeKpvhozMQd0HZ4CijOcliayR5thxb9Uk6rtk4/s640/Game+of+Thrones+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Weren't you mentally broken too? Should you be making the decisions here?" - Sansa probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Whatever, they cross the river but the dogs still find them anyway so Theon's brilliant idea to cross the river in freezing conditions to throw off their scent came to nothing. Anywho, Brienne and Podrick ride in and save them, Podrick somehow having learnt to ride a horse well enough off-screen that he can swing a sword without falling off. Oh, Theon also kills a dude since apparently he got over his body being broken somehow and can hold a sword straight again.<br />
<br />
And here we get to the scene that was utterly insulting to me because of how condescending and unconsciously misogynistic it was. Brienne pledges herself to Sansa who then looks to Theon for approval. WHY?! No, seriously can anyone tell me why she needs Theon to approve her actions, especially to approve Brienne?<br />
<br />
Let's start at the most obvious, Theon doesn't even know who Brienne is. He's never met her before. <a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/game-of-nonsense-week-one/">For all he knows she could be just one more of Ramsay's mindfucks</a>. He has no reason to trust her. Sansa on the other hand has met Brienne before and knows that she served her mother. Second, Brienne is pledging herself to Sansa, not to the both of them. Lest we forget, this is Sansa Stark of Winterfell, a lady highborn and true. She doesn't need permission from anyone to accept a knight, least of all from the man who had betrayed her family.<br />
<br />
Okay, moving on to what might be an even more egregious act, Sansa forgets the oaths and needs to be prompted by Podrick of all people. Podrick, a squire who is so ill-trained he barely knows the basic protocols of knighthood and is repeatedly berated for his ignorance. This is supposed to be the same Sansa who didn't forget her courtesies when Joffrey showed her the head of her father on a spike, right?<br />
<br />
Now I know people might say that she is in shock and traumatised following her rape and the following pursuit in the cold and wet but I call bullshit. While trauma effects people in vastly different ways and leaves a scar, there's no established reason why Sansa, who has suffered more abuse in her lifetime than most, would all of a sudden forget her courtesies when that had been the one thing which she had used as her defense.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnskU2HteUy3WNWZoSZyaAgrgKGdpkH6lcuBh6vrF8alk6ollyxlgwPCLkf3VRv7Z6Cf8p5DhIVg3x5f61jW4ltGWEw5FDVfku5zVGTYTR1a5bM83k_RZxg0hV2Mth7Zk2HpcOaoa5INc/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnskU2HteUy3WNWZoSZyaAgrgKGdpkH6lcuBh6vrF8alk6ollyxlgwPCLkf3VRv7Z6Cf8p5DhIVg3x5f61jW4ltGWEw5FDVfku5zVGTYTR1a5bM83k_RZxg0hV2Mth7Zk2HpcOaoa5INc/s640/Game+of+Thrones+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Hey, it's kinda cold out here in the snow. Can we hurry this along?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Alright fine, Sansa in this season is unsure of herself and fragile following the events of the previous season. Fair enough. I don't agree with this development since it makes little sense given what was established for her character but okay, let's roll with it. Sophie Turner is a fantastic actor and can sell it.<br />
<br />
But then she behaves like regular Sansa in the very next episode, trauma forgotten as she converses normally with Brienne. She is also the voice of reason when Theon wants to put the fire out for fear of being caught but she points out that they'd freeze and they just need to make it to the Wall. Okay, <b>fine</b>.<br />
<br />
And then we are introduced to badass Sansa two episodes later. They say this is the same character and she is still played by Sophie Turner but this isn't the Sansa we saw so far this season or the previous season. If anything this character seems to have picked off where season 4 Sith Lord Dress Sansa left off, confident, assertive and in charge.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="373" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZa9ZfRMrXrweB8wW1Qa___G2rFn81b9G6QeN-BlW-gZge6jEERPJDNBQ3_6lPhX-zomwHD7fKddX1uj4HrpbiBFppPIJ1jJT1ofSamLqyNPzaZ-TEEqAjRlP_v4tTTXKEDXXf2rQR_Yc/s640/Game+of+Thrones+4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi there, do I know you?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After she has a touching reunion with Jon Snow at Castle Black, during which she apologises for being awful to him when they were kids although that was never shown onscreen but okay, Jon gets a letter from Ramsay demanding Sansa be sent back or rape and pillaging will ensue. And it is Sansa who steers the conversation and convinces Jon that they need to take back Winterfell, Wasn't this the girl who was too afraid to cross a river a couple of episodes ago?<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong, I really like confident assertive Sansa, I just have no idea where she came from. Did she get over her trauma just like that? Because that's just terrible writing. I'm sorry, there's no other way to get round it, that's poor writing with no concept of how trauma works or manifests.<br />
<br />
I'm no expert but I'm pretty sure trauma isn't a means for people to act in completely random ways. Usually trauma manifests in a specific ways like shutting down emotional reaction or conversely feeling intense reaction to things, not "I'm a badass now after being completely incapable a couple days ago".<br />
<br />
But then we get to the kicker with the arrival of Baelish (by teleportation?) at Mole's Town, just south of Castle Black. Sansa goes to confront Baelish, <a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/game-nonsense-week-five-point-one-ballad-sansa-stark-plot-contrivance/">with only Brienne as guard for reasons that make no sense</a>, and gives him quite the talking down.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3KHWrlcSbxv9t7kU08m-SeSXN_Qy9el3XyP9DT8juaHEqmxNtvEARR65J-bwDWxjWfjN2EE9O_Gmki55BiGGINpfJ9M3n1Isti_TxRSpQBVHKtZZs8U3hJJml3ag8uN4d6WypXGnH9E/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3KHWrlcSbxv9t7kU08m-SeSXN_Qy9el3XyP9DT8juaHEqmxNtvEARR65J-bwDWxjWfjN2EE9O_Gmki55BiGGINpfJ9M3n1Isti_TxRSpQBVHKtZZs8U3hJJml3ag8uN4d6WypXGnH9E/s640/Game+of+Thrones+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You may be badass now but this still makes no sense.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So she's left the security of Castle Black to face Baelish with Brienne and gives this line of dialogue which is probably the most meta piece of writing in the entire show,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“Did you know about Ramsay? If you didn’t, you’re an idiot. If you did, you’re my enemy.”</blockquote>
YES! How could Baelish not know about Ramsay? The series shows again and again how he knows things that he shouldn't about everyone, even things he couldn't possibly know but the plot says he has to. There is no way he couldn't have heard of Ramsay's atrocities. He's the son of the Warden of the North, it's not like he's some random unknown.<br />
<br />
I would say it's almost like the writers are acknowledging the criticisms of Sansa' arc last season <b>if</b> the rest of the episode and Sansa's erratic characterisation post-rape didn't seem like a perfect example of "She needed to be raped in order to learn a lesson".<br />
<br />
Because that is what it is. For the writers of the show, in order for Sansa to learn that the world is cruel and become badass, something they set up at the end of Season 4 but reigned back in Season 5, she needed to get raped.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkztcSEaJtVlbM0zS3k_FqVeL49aKLIoTAyvW6c83tQaiparvaRqVEviLJcLu2v1Vjr8TgwHULUKOpSjPXjpdd2PiCaDSbEP8puRy_DdPU-ZGGrIlGFOJz7YAWFWSmDLWTr68axwE3aI/s1600/Game+of+Thrones+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkztcSEaJtVlbM0zS3k_FqVeL49aKLIoTAyvW6c83tQaiparvaRqVEviLJcLu2v1Vjr8TgwHULUKOpSjPXjpdd2PiCaDSbEP8puRy_DdPU-ZGGrIlGFOJz7YAWFWSmDLWTr68axwE3aI/s640/Game+of+Thrones+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"No, please. Do go on."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Execution of her father. Nope. Mental and physical abuse at the hands of a tyrant king. Nope. Deaths of her 'brothers' (she didn't know it wasn't them who were burnt). Nope. Loss of her brother and mother. Nope. Being married off to a member of the family which orchestrated the fall of her own house. Nope. Being nearly thrown out of the Moon Door in the Ayrie by her deranged aunt who suspected her of sleeping with Baelish. Nope.<br />
<br />
She totally needed to get raped in order to learn from <b>that</b> tragedy. A rape which was completely and utterly contrived, where all the events leading up to that moment made no sense but had to happen, Since Ramsay needed to rape his wife on their wedding night and his wife needed to be Sansa because it wouldn't mean anything if it hadn't been another character, right?<br />
<br />
But let's get back to 'rape as motivation'. <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2015/04/rape-of-thrones.html">I've written before about rape in pop culture on this blog</a> and that the depiction of rape is a sensitive topic but an important one. However, using the same quote from Rachel Eddin I used in that post:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Take a good look at your story. Why do you think a rape is what you need for it to progress? Is there something else that could fill the same function? Unless you have a damn good reason to include rape in a story, you probably shouldn't. Using sexual assault as a motivation-in-a-box or an equivalent trope will do nothing but steal credibility and respect from a really serious, really important subject. Plus, you'll look like a twit.</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkztcSEaJtVlbM0zS3k_FqVeL49aKLIoTAyvW6c83tQaiparvaRqVEviLJcLu2v1Vjr8TgwHULUKOpSjPXjpdd2PiCaDSbEP8puRy_DdPU-ZGGrIlGFOJz7YAWFWSmDLWTr68axwE3aI/s640/Game+of+Thrones+11.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sounds about right."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What we are seeing in the current season of <i>Game of Thrones</i> is exactly how rape <b>shouldn't</b> be used in storytelling, sexual assault as a motivation-in-a-box. It's a disservice to the audience who is invested in the character, it is a disservice to the story being told, it is a disservice to real victims of sexual assault, and it is a disservice to the character.<br />
<br />
Sansa didn't need to be raped in order to want revenge on the Boltons. She already hated them since they are traitors who killed her brother and mother. And it's obvious they only used the effects of her trauma (timid unsure Sansa) when it was convenient to have other characters shine by protecting her, not for any dramatic or thematic reason.<br />
<br />
I had always felt a bit defensive for Sansa. She was always put in impossible situations with little resources and survived but still got a lot of flack from the fandom for her apparent lack of agency and 'girly' ways. But this badass woman who suddenly appeared out of nowhere isn't Sansa.<br />
<br />
Or rather she is who we wanted Sansa to become but how she got there makes no sense and isn't the same character Sophie Turner had been playing earlier in the season or the season before that.<br />
<br />
And that, I'm sorry, is just bad writing.<br />
<br />
<br />
References:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Sansa_Stark">Sansa Stark Game of Thrones Wiki</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://gotgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/131913523312/winterhell-retrospective">Winterhell Perspective - GoT Gifs & Musings</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JrOgj39XFo">Game of Thrones 5x3 - Sansa and Littlefinger - You loved your family. Avenge them.</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/game-of-nonsense-week-one/">Game of Nonsense Week One - Fandom Following</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fandomfollowing.com/game-nonsense-week-five-point-one-ballad-sansa-stark-plot-contrivance/">Game of Nonsense Week Five Point One: The Ballad of Sansa Stark - Fandom Following</a><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-91145549741591019542016-05-06T16:30:00.000+12:002016-05-06T16:30:07.010+12:00Break From Another Star - Read The ZeppulianHi the internet, no post today.<br />
<br />
It's not you, it's me. I just needed time to myself to focus on my online science fiction comedy serial novel, <a href="http://zeppulian.com/">The Zeppulian</a>. This is something I've been putting quite a bit of effort in and even launched a website for.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAOohsEGeyTcFykHc0ILoH9EzP_iDpNm0BeDRaeftjl_ByAOtmKmAacmmKhLg-dbMn6I6CFF8C6aEsTfws4JwSPD4d6SGXtnhNkZPc8GGqi7QgqWjzvr_Jj7-iAdM254z15d9tGuuQco/s1600/Zeppulian.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAOohsEGeyTcFykHc0ILoH9EzP_iDpNm0BeDRaeftjl_ByAOtmKmAacmmKhLg-dbMn6I6CFF8C6aEsTfws4JwSPD4d6SGXtnhNkZPc8GGqi7QgqWjzvr_Jj7-iAdM254z15d9tGuuQco/s640/Zeppulian.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It tells the story of the Zeppulian, the fastest and grandest ship in the galaxy, which is stolen by Zo and Qin off the planet Lozth. Problem is, they have no idea how to fly it. Luckily, they meet Kara whose escape pod crashed into the ship and is an ace pilot. Together they must evade all the people trying to capture the Zeppulian, including the Neuzuan fleet of space pirates, as they have adventures across the galaxy on their way to a fabled lost planet so lost no one knows its name.<br />
<br />
If you like jumping right into the middle of a story, check out <a href="http://zeppulian.com/storysofar/">The Story So Far...</a><br />
<br />
But if you prefer starting at the very beginning, a very good place to start, check out Part 1 of Chapter 1, <a href="http://zeppulian.com/storysofar/2016/3/12/chapter-1-part-1">Zo and Qin</a>.<br />
<br />
If you like what I do and want to support future content, please go over to my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/zeppulian">Patreon page</a>. Any donation, no matter how small, would be just the best.<br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-69498134471673906932016-04-30T12:29:00.001+12:002016-04-30T15:29:08.843+12:00Spaced Episodes XI-XIV: So Long, and Thanks for All the GeeksAnd so we come to the end of this series of Musings with the final four episodes of <i>Spaced</i>. I know that the Spaced Musings have been overwhelmingly positive but it's not my fault that <i>Spaced </i>was such a great show. But maybe I'll find something to criticise in this final installment, who knows.<br />
<br />
<b>Full Disclosure:</b> Like last week I have to say that I've never watched season 2 of <i>Spaced </i>before. So until I've reached the end of the review and have seen the final episode, I won't know how the series ends. Hopefully it provides a satisfying payoff, we'll just have to wait and see.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NVyC4LJqy-15NUzIjzOqsJDZQqNNTNHuI_KvAuHe_JOPFNpMhyphenhyphenIM77Zx68sqISCKsky-k1WUB_3vjZoUn0pd4KEnO-fXl87Kr7UDpiM0lvQhM9HeaEqYeLfX5TY5E2tJqedS4VUS9PI/s1600/Spaced+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NVyC4LJqy-15NUzIjzOqsJDZQqNNTNHuI_KvAuHe_JOPFNpMhyphenhyphenIM77Zx68sqISCKsky-k1WUB_3vjZoUn0pd4KEnO-fXl87Kr7UDpiM0lvQhM9HeaEqYeLfX5TY5E2tJqedS4VUS9PI/s640/Spaced+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You may attempt to dramatically satisfy me."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode XI - Help</span></h2>
We open with Damien the head of Dark Star comics as he calls in his secretary to announce they need a new title, all ominous and swirling cigarette smoke. They run through a list of possible names before settling on Tim, who pitch his comic to them last year. Inter-cut to Tim blowing pixelated bad guys away in first person shooter I recognise but can't remember the name of... oh well.<br />
<br />
Daisy doesn't seem to take the good news that Dark Star comics have asked Tim for a portfolio of his work all that well. It's almost like she's jealous of the potential success he might have or afraid he will take the opportunity to move on to the next stage of his life. But that would be petty, wouldn't it?<br />
<br />
Okay, the joke where Tim knees down to pray and it is revealed that he was praying to a poster of <i>Buffy the Vampire Slayer</i> was pretty gold. I'm currently rewatching <i>Buffy</i> at the moment, so it was anice meta moment for me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5na_V614OWFb_R8pWzYKVpf4CgL6WuoAL16hyKMcDWuvrlTwrZFuJnt4pmFDAAQ8LiGw9gkMAWvK9SQeyfyfIryyZ1MHsMBLACMw2wpQWC3_eq_viRmB4TPwBIVllVE71e83AlrPOZE/s1600/Spaced+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5na_V614OWFb_R8pWzYKVpf4CgL6WuoAL16hyKMcDWuvrlTwrZFuJnt4pmFDAAQ8LiGw9gkMAWvK9SQeyfyfIryyZ1MHsMBLACMw2wpQWC3_eq_viRmB4TPwBIVllVE71e83AlrPOZE/s640/Spaced+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"For thou art the Chosen One and thee only will stand alone against the forces of darkness. Amen."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Due to her reaction to his opportunity to become a comic book artist, it's uncertain whether Daisy intentionally meant to put Tim's caricature of Damien which he had removed from his portfolio back in to sabotage Tim or whether it was a simple accident made when she wasn't thinking. Because of her general thoughtlessness, I'm inclined to believe it was the later but who knows.<br />
<br />
Of course Tim finds out and doesn't take it especially well. Daisy tries to defend herself saying that she was only trying to help but as Mike points out, Tim's just really angry at her because she has jeopardised his future. Regardless of her intent, her thoughtlessness does effect other people.<br />
<br />
Tim and Mike chase after Tyres who is delivering Tim's portfolio, Daisy goes on a jog with Marsha, while Brian puts on a suit to meet his mom for lunch - she thinks he's a lawyer. Hijinks enuse! Tyres has already delivered the portfolio so that's a bust but Mike has an idea how to get it back.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcxi2IZz58knVRNaotdpWhyeAp9EwAzefVmO_BKEvT22Aq0hSohmUULOTuDOQ27sukRJ8_YTZOqw1NK70KcR4HHHC4w3jIkJfxKuPQUxXbc6D9GEfAg5yGdpdBEinMc_eL_cYCH5qTWE/s1600/Spaced+3.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcxi2IZz58knVRNaotdpWhyeAp9EwAzefVmO_BKEvT22Aq0hSohmUULOTuDOQ27sukRJ8_YTZOqw1NK70KcR4HHHC4w3jIkJfxKuPQUxXbc6D9GEfAg5yGdpdBEinMc_eL_cYCH5qTWE/s640/Spaced+3.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really forgot how many <i>Matrix</i> references were made in the early 2000s. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Brian is trying to impress his mom by making her think he is a successful lawyer who makes all the money and is successful and stuff. He also pretends not to know Marsha when she jogs by which is a bit of a dick move. Not cool Brian.<br />
<br />
At the same time Tim and Mike are infiltrating Dark Star comics to get back the Damien caricature with Tyres' help and some walkie-talkies. They manage to get to Damien's office but it's locked. Brian in the meantime has let his mother know he is an artist, which she takes remarkably well. She's totally cool with him being whatever as long as he isn't gay...<br />
<br />
Moving on from random homophobia, Tim manages to get inside Damien's office by the ventilation shaft. Meanwhile, Daisy and Marsha are exhausted after their competitive jogging but then Colin the dog runs into the road towards Brian on the other side. Brian saves Colin but then...<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXEcduXqmSlfQFkoJvMYuzaU_sz7rKd9y9cW6J3UzE98Wu3Ha7ZkorMV3hEJzpSg9B6h-1KVbkZ4XkDzguQ86YKZ0ckPVQosBHgC9PPCOK7uIDvz6QwuZN_-G86rlfwtdDRC1WsE9Pi0/s1600/Spaced+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNXEcduXqmSlfQFkoJvMYuzaU_sz7rKd9y9cW6J3UzE98Wu3Ha7ZkorMV3hEJzpSg9B6h-1KVbkZ4XkDzguQ86YKZ0ckPVQosBHgC9PPCOK7uIDvz6QwuZN_-G86rlfwtdDRC1WsE9Pi0/s640/Spaced+4.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The suspense is killing me. That face though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Damien's car hits Daisy but it's okay. Tim gets back the caricature and also scores a date with Sophie, Damien's secretary. He apologises to Daisy for shouting at her earlier and everyone goes home happy at the end of the episode. Hijinks resolved.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode XII - Gone</span></h2>
Let's do the time jump again as we start the episode with Tim and Daisy running down a street in Camden late at night before being stopped by some young looking thugs who are going to beat them up for some reason but cut back to "Six Hours Earlier".<br />
<br />
Tim is getting ready for a date with Sophie as Daisy is making chicken stew with that most exotic of spices, oregano. Sophie calls in to cancel since she has to work late but Tim thinks she is cheating on him with her boss. Luckily Mike knows just what to do and slaps him in the face. Daisy decides to take Tim out so he feels better.<br />
<br />
Enter Brian to wax lyrical about how women are the true creators since all men do is destroy things. Women have a bond so unknowable to men since their menstrual cycles can sync up if they are together for long enough, you see. However Mike has the perfect response here too as he informs Brian that men share a telepathic bond unknowable to women.<br />
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<br />
Mike takes Colin for a walk but then loses him, enlisting Brian to help find him since no man or dog gets left behind. Tim bumps into some college kid in the toilet at the pub who wants to buy some weed off him but brushes him off.<br />
<br />
They run into the college kid and his group of young thugs outside the pub and they demand the weed, which Tim had given to Daisy for safe keeping. In a case of wacky mix-ups, Daisy hands them the oregano by accident.<br />
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We also get Marsha's tragic back story that is too tragic to relate here but trust me that it is a tale of Olympian proportions. Tim realises that he forgot his keys and runs back to the pub when they are cornered by the young thugs. Cue slow motion gunfight. Tim and Daisy escape and make it home safe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1dXbFNAdeHDd8yPPDB-DdbWMW8bgIWX-jQc61Wc3ZZcmrgGZ3OuhMIUPYgKhaA_JtI2G5qp6phFHwIc2AIvqcuOWLlL20LYpwWlPx-1DMBOnMqxgVKpCDzod_Bl9tVuWTB4oQrKWUjc/s1600/Spaced+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1dXbFNAdeHDd8yPPDB-DdbWMW8bgIWX-jQc61Wc3ZZcmrgGZ3OuhMIUPYgKhaA_JtI2G5qp6phFHwIc2AIvqcuOWLlL20LYpwWlPx-1DMBOnMqxgVKpCDzod_Bl9tVuWTB4oQrKWUjc/s640/Spaced+5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They all just had the chicken stew with the "oregano" in it.</td></tr>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode XIII - Dissolution</span></h2>
I've been spending to much of this review just recapping the events of the past two episodes. Therefore I wanted to get into some analysis for the last two episodes. Just so we know a basic outline of what went on, here's the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0706388/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_pl">plot summary of this episode on IMDb</a>:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Marsha still thinks that Tim and Daisy are a couple, and when she sees Tim kissing and flirting with Sophie, she gets suspicious. Later that night at Daisy's birthday dinner, Marsha tell Daisy that Tim is cheating on her, which Daisy replies with the truth about their relationship. Marsha, humiliated after realizing that she's the only one who didn't know the truth leaves the restaurant and moves out of the flat.</blockquote>
Okay, analysis. The first couple of scenes have this recurring joke which is just expertly executed and a perfect example of how to use juxtaposition of sound and image for humour. So many comedy series or films forget that television and film are audiovisual media and sacrifice the visuals for dialogue or don't use sound in funny ways (and no I'm not talking about wacky sound effects).<br />
<br />
On their night out at the pub, Brian and other people are taking pictures of the group enjoying themselves intercut with shots of Brian in a darkroom developing the photos while a horror movie sound effect is heard. Then this overly dramatic and ominous choir music plays as he looks at the finished photos. The music implies something nefarious is afoot which completely contrasts with the relatively innocent act of developing photos of your friends and fun times at the pub.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbcwZshhAM062JoVI7yHISpBh-o3qNAdbuEGRTYCnF4Qj7aDAgi-RZWV5P5m6CD20z5wcZAPlXSOerd2ZJj7qLevnWBvPPYfFExh6odhcF0uYJAoVLA94DABslDlKxQtR1jcpyFuZ564/s1600/Spaced+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbcwZshhAM062JoVI7yHISpBh-o3qNAdbuEGRTYCnF4Qj7aDAgi-RZWV5P5m6CD20z5wcZAPlXSOerd2ZJj7qLevnWBvPPYfFExh6odhcF0uYJAoVLA94DABslDlKxQtR1jcpyFuZ564/s640/Spaced+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The horror. The horror.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The same highly intense dramatic choir music plays when Marsha spies Tim and Sophie making out outside from her bedroom window. It subsequently punctuates that moment when Mike watches Tim dance on the sidewalk before he confronts him about how his relationship with Sophie is causing him to forget his friends. Also Tim missed his promotion to Sergant. Not cool, Tim.<br />
<br />
In each one of these instances, the complete disconnect from the mundaneity of the scene being played out visually and music better suited for an apocolyptic battle or horror film comes together for a perfect audiovisual joke which can only be done in the media of film or television. I've told you guys, I love Edgar Wright, right?<br />
<br />
Another fantastic visual joke is that Marsha confronts Tim that she knows what he is up to and cut to the shot of Tim and Sophie making out. Tim asks if Mike told her and cut to a shot of the birthday cake Tim got Daisy in the shape of a typewriter. Throughout the exchange, it keeps cutting to what each thinks the conversation is about to heighten the misunderstanding.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-O__158xG6pNLHc3_9xCPUEy98CZT9w5vJQiBcl-mnKkPGZRiPC6XkSg9n-gvwiBUEmdIgKhEzYDFQtGAc4O4l9Zw6hS8LvBlOhm09NKcjxdxt7xW4tR1Mq5T-SNRQUNBiHUwcT0FpSM/s1600/Spaced+7.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-O__158xG6pNLHc3_9xCPUEy98CZT9w5vJQiBcl-mnKkPGZRiPC6XkSg9n-gvwiBUEmdIgKhEzYDFQtGAc4O4l9Zw6hS8LvBlOhm09NKcjxdxt7xW4tR1Mq5T-SNRQUNBiHUwcT0FpSM/s640/Spaced+7.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The horror. The horror.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Whereas other shows would have a similar exchange where characters think they are talking about the same thing but actually are each thinking of different things for comedy, they wouldn't use the visual cues. But because the camera also zooms in on the making out and typewriter cake to highlight the misunderstanding, it heightens the comedy of the exchange.<br />
<br />
The episode covers quite a bit too, Daisy grappling with getting older on her birthday as well as her dislike of Sophie because of her unstated feelings for Tim, Mike's disappointment in Tim, Brian and Twist breaking up, Marsha's feeling of betrayal... a lot happens. Which sets things up nicely for the season finale and final episode ever of <i>Spaced</i>.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode XIV - Leaves</span></h2>
We open with an Oasis b-side since you can't get more British than that before we see that the house is for sale. Marsha obviously didn't take being lied to by Tim and Daisy very well. The show then gets super-meta as the first scene post title credit is an exact reenactment of the scene where Marsha shows Tim and Daisy the flat in the first episode.<br />
<br />
Realising that they need to apologise to Marsha and try to convince her not to sell the house and break up the flat, Tim and Daisy try find her. They go to Brian but he isn't coping with expressing his emotions that well at the moment and isn't even aware the house is for sale. They then go to Mike for information.<br />
<br />
And he has scones with jam inside! They find out Marsha is living with her daughter Amber and head to Amber's flat. Meanwhile Daisy noticed Colin wandered off into the neighbour's and she goes after him. She kinda just lets herself in and what she lets herself in for is a horror movie spoof.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEf18x575d2dHFnF_DlCfeNmsifeHVeApeI6p8FIBvn4qnhYzEEL2MNk3AN_5FYWJ0o33VYZXSvdGIjx8DP03-yiV4TGfNLKaQ342o3jhheBvtz4NVwMSAtRHo5xOhmtiyhyYQkPEHRtM/s1600/Spaced+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEf18x575d2dHFnF_DlCfeNmsifeHVeApeI6p8FIBvn4qnhYzEEL2MNk3AN_5FYWJ0o33VYZXSvdGIjx8DP03-yiV4TGfNLKaQ342o3jhheBvtz4NVwMSAtRHo5xOhmtiyhyYQkPEHRtM/s640/Spaced+8.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oh my god! Yet another horror movie spoof!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Essentially Colin has been cheating on Daisy with the elderly neighbour lady next door since Daisy hasn't been treating him right and that's very important in a healthy relationship. Plus the neighbour has a widescreen TV so no real competition.<br />
<br />
Tim and the rest don't have much more luck with Marsha who doesn't buy Tim's the "family of the 21st century are friends" speech or his apology and still wants to sell the house. They are really showing the hurt of Marsha's betrayal. Also Sophie is leaving to Seattle so she can work for Marvel.<br />
<br />
As is apparent from the title of the episode, the theme of this episode is people leaving. Life doesn't stand still and things change. For a show that was all about how people either wander aimlessly or are stuck where they are, it's appropriate the last episode would focus how everyone leaves.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEw1y9Wvw0TpopK3O1ozRJCxp9HzO8vcF8IuziQlWkcOTMiEPnFjOo-8tR8zwGzZotKiF4kR2DNr8ft-ucav8mIhcJHfJuLpPJGOgOV6DY2JQRQIDP9fgmBHvmdyvzX5tSegmRcoa-CM/s1600/Spaced+9.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTEw1y9Wvw0TpopK3O1ozRJCxp9HzO8vcF8IuziQlWkcOTMiEPnFjOo-8tR8zwGzZotKiF4kR2DNr8ft-ucav8mIhcJHfJuLpPJGOgOV6DY2JQRQIDP9fgmBHvmdyvzX5tSegmRcoa-CM/s640/Spaced+9.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even when they are family.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Anywho, Mike and his army buddies hikack a tank to do something spectacular to convince Marsha not to sell the house. Which of course means a <i>Say Anything</i> moment as Tim holds a boombox above his head John Cusack style to warm Marsha's heart because over the top gestures always work.<br />
<br />
However Daisy has done a runner to get some distance and sort things out, and is waiting at the train station. But Tim also has to see Sophie off at the airport. A nice touch is that when Tim tries to call Sophie to let her know he needs to stop Daisy, John Denver's "Leaving on a Jet Plane" plays when we cut to Sophie blow-drying her hair.<br />
<br />
Skip to the end, Tim gets to Daisy with Colin (who's come back), Mike drops off a letter from Tim to Sophie before she leaves, Marsha moves back in, Twist a hit in Manchester's gay scene, Brian's art is flourishing, and everyone is happy. It might be sappy but it was a real satisfying end to a fantastic series.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBRdVGlwXoPzuJvGuOKAGeh1hneZT9YPdZ8cGz-9_aeG5-mHlINWNgJW47kcK_g6ff8yozly7pi_F5JEu_99eMqQBxSImfeycejcaJ4uwU_D7YyJ1bxrG3Ze2quzI3eBBHtQlyMk6R2g/s1600/Spaced+10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBBRdVGlwXoPzuJvGuOKAGeh1hneZT9YPdZ8cGz-9_aeG5-mHlINWNgJW47kcK_g6ff8yozly7pi_F5JEu_99eMqQBxSImfeycejcaJ4uwU_D7YyJ1bxrG3Ze2quzI3eBBHtQlyMk6R2g/s640/Spaced+10.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All is right with the world again.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Notable Pop Culture References:</h3>
<i>The Sixth Sense</i> "someone got hurt" exchange - even featuring <a href="http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0002337/?ref_=tt_cl_t4">Olivia Williams</a><br />
When Sophie calls and speaks to Daisy, she's holding a Buttercup PowerPuff Girl doll<br />
Tim obviously has a <i>Judge Dredd</i> poster on his bedroom door.<br />
"Clever boys." reference to "Clever girl" in <i>Jurassic Park</i><br />
The sound effect while Brian is developing his photos is from <i>The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i><br />
The dramatic choir music I kept mentioning is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIU5RBZPF1U">"Ave Satani" from <i>The Omen</i></a><br />
The ending of "Dissolution" is a perfect homage to <i>Empire Strikes Back</i><br />
<div>
The opening scene of "Leaves" is a nod to <i>The Royale Family</i> title sequence</div>
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Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-2680417521830117322016-04-22T16:30:00.000+12:002016-04-22T16:30:07.088+12:00Spaced Episodes VIII-X: Reality Strikes Back<div>
The saga continues with the second season of <i>Spaced</i> (or the second series if you're from the UK, in which case, hi!). Once again we join Tim and Daisy as they try navigate the uncertainty of their aimless twenties in turn of the millennium London.<br />
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<b>Full Disclosure:</b> I'm not as familiar with the second season as I was with the first. This isn't because there is anything wrong with the second season or I think the first is better or something. I just never watched it. Sometimes things just turned out that way.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCiVFzG5ErLPkZHYnC0sN-2Baj8527sSUtJQGBQJhShKWP7VbRQFnz8Rcqvd5QFif0KKatsoHsprCoFB4UBTZtHhpaHCy7gc30pGG0vyJ-nSQKwvSXMS0L0rUfPU2s_LesSLqfmd3q78/s1600/Spaced+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYCiVFzG5ErLPkZHYnC0sN-2Baj8527sSUtJQGBQJhShKWP7VbRQFnz8Rcqvd5QFif0KKatsoHsprCoFB4UBTZtHhpaHCy7gc30pGG0vyJ-nSQKwvSXMS0L0rUfPU2s_LesSLqfmd3q78/s640/Spaced+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Art never just turns out that way. True art like Season 2 is vibrant and free of cliche." - Brian probably</td></tr>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode VIII - Back</span></h2>
The first episode back starts with an introductory sequence just in case you forgot who the characters were since the season one ended. They do this neat trick where the shot holds on the character and they wobble the picture as Tim delivers expository narration on the character. I don't think I described it all that well but it's a cool visual effect that ties nicely into the tone of the sequence.<br />
<br />
Tim's expository narration is intercut with Daisy's narration for a book she is trying to write. She had spent the past couple of months travelling over Asia trying to find herself after she sold some articles and inherited some money from her dead auntie. And she comes back to find that Mike has been sleeping in her room.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHulj25epuPyXPxu954SKs7wJorTtmCiwneCZtvqM63VCH5Znfh00O3GooDmsedIm_bthdKhml_U0dkq_YIz-lyY8yfrIv5YZfRKW9ry0A032a9nmGf_OqXWm9dLWsJZs1KfvBILE7wg/s1600/Spaced+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiHulj25epuPyXPxu954SKs7wJorTtmCiwneCZtvqM63VCH5Znfh00O3GooDmsedIm_bthdKhml_U0dkq_YIz-lyY8yfrIv5YZfRKW9ry0A032a9nmGf_OqXWm9dLWsJZs1KfvBILE7wg/s640/Spaced+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He didn't make that much of a mess.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When Tim asks for photos of Daisy's trip, she doesn't have any but rather recorded her travels with a video camera... on tape. Ah, 21st century technology at its finest. Also a nice touch is that right before Tim asks to see her photos, the screen flashes with a flashbulb sounds off like an old timey camera as it cuts from Daisy to him. Damn you Edgar Wright and your expert directing touches!<br />
<br />
Daisy heads downstairs to catch up with Brian who is enjoying life way too much for a tortured artist. His relationship with Twist has been going quite well and they are enjoying quite the healthy sex life with an appropriate leather aesthetic.<br />
<br />
Tim and Mike are watching the same skateboarding fails video from season one and once again Wright uses the reactions to the video to punctuate the scene that actually plays out, namely Daisy telling Marsha about Stephen, a Time-Lord she met on her travels.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZC5KCKf8WGOuHMAFv6PvkNzAEiF9KFRSMEYOUSgtLQbbWYC593Jfrcxh_zCrEeK-LquZ-gtT2d7lPhGBl5Ll9Ya7vdPLMiLK1oMu1mxBoCuSyRgTE_3kmHJlTTz-yvGDHya3nEcFpk0/s1600/Spaced+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZC5KCKf8WGOuHMAFv6PvkNzAEiF9KFRSMEYOUSgtLQbbWYC593Jfrcxh_zCrEeK-LquZ-gtT2d7lPhGBl5Ll9Ya7vdPLMiLK1oMu1mxBoCuSyRgTE_3kmHJlTTz-yvGDHya3nEcFpk0/s640/Spaced+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He really is the Master.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Stephen is nabbed by the agents from the Matrix, one of which is Mycroft Holmes so you know things are serious. They are looking for something in Stephen's bag but he switched it out with Daisy's and so she becomes their target.<br />
<br />
Honestly it's quite refreshing to see a parody of <i>The Matrix</i> don't doesn't feel tired, like the innumerable bullet time parodies which came out in the early 2000's, and is actually still funny removed from the source material.<br />
<br />
They are about to take Daisy away but then Marsha shows up like a wine-soaked deus ex machina to show them the video which shows Stephen swapping out his illegal bag for Daisy's. All is well, aside from Daisy's post-holiday blues.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLN2Zqw-PClSmatiVVyImGJGraoei0oVv73pohyphenhyphen9GbQc03qaws5G0VyGsGVqzVHDhX9g0TaCT72Oc4IrA6rhuVp3oemq8flx3OlpFvGlxNBtTrGTCdssHiF3TfqwiOXseoqCa2CJefVNc/s1600/Spaced+4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLN2Zqw-PClSmatiVVyImGJGraoei0oVv73pohyphenhyphen9GbQc03qaws5G0VyGsGVqzVHDhX9g0TaCT72Oc4IrA6rhuVp3oemq8flx3OlpFvGlxNBtTrGTCdssHiF3TfqwiOXseoqCa2CJefVNc/s640/Spaced+4.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"What? I will write for and appear in both <i>Doctor Who</i> and <i>Sherlock</i>? That is the sound of nerd credibility."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode IX - Change</span></h2>
A window breaks with a clash of smashed glass and the thump of a heavy suitcase landing on the lawn outside. Tim, Daisy, Mike, Brian, and Colin the dog are abruptly awoken by the disturbance above their heads. Marsha's daughter Amber has moved out.<br />
<br />
Tim then doesn't have the best day as he is fired from his job at the comic book store by Bilbo after shouting at a young boy for wanting to buy a Jar-Jar Binks doll since the child obviously had no soul. Tim still hasn't gotten over <i>The Phantom Menace</i> even though it has been 18 months since it came out. To be fair to Tim, we still haven't gotten over <i>The Phantom Menace</i> and it's been 17 years.<br />
<br />
Over to Brian who is having trouble finding inspiration for his painting due to his happiness in his relationship, even though he has been approaching the canvas in different ways.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0snhBNy-6W4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0snhBNy-6W4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
However he does seem to get his groove back when he finds out his uncle has just died. Fueled by grief and pain, he attacks his canvas with delicate strokes of his brush in a creative frenzy. As a tortured artist he needs to feel tortured in order to art. Such is his curse.<br />
<br />
Daisy and Tim go to the Job Centre to try get some money. Tim is lucky since he found a sympathetic employee who understood the negative impact <i>The Phantom Menance</i> had on people's lives and works something out for Tim. Daisy not so much since she hadn't claimed the dole in the three months she was on holiday.<br />
<br />
Tim manages to get a job in Bilbo's doppelganger Derek's comic book store while Daisy has some trouble getting a job since she doesn't know what type of work she could do. Daisy's desire to be a writer but her total aimlessness is quite real to me.<br />
<br />
So many people have dreams or aspirations but don't actually know how to achieve them or don't do what they need to get there. And Daisy is one of the few television characters who exhibits this reality and I identify with that.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4NEdfDpcrYkb5XOjJT0u5ve14aCVI4urb81dP7sbPK5WrBAPgY9AWjQuCb0tt-IHYP5c6qp7B_XGgHLJc1LCAH2dMWBWVsUZTreWdtfVwR_yRxbMzFs9uA6HcRCZKl5K3bcvLt3547g/s1600/Spaced+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX4NEdfDpcrYkb5XOjJT0u5ve14aCVI4urb81dP7sbPK5WrBAPgY9AWjQuCb0tt-IHYP5c6qp7B_XGgHLJc1LCAH2dMWBWVsUZTreWdtfVwR_yRxbMzFs9uA6HcRCZKl5K3bcvLt3547g/s640/Spaced+5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my reaction to the question "What kind of work can you do?" too.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Marsha hits on Mike who she's made her new lodger and then gives Brian inspiration by telling him that he needs to be miserable in order to paint and that the conflict between his happiness and his art must make him inconsolable.<br />
<br />
Can we just take a moment to appreciate Julia Deakin's performance as Marsha here? Because she is hilarious. This could so easily have been an annoying character and while Marsha is a little one-note, Deakin's gives her a real presence and totally sells the character.<br />
<br />
End of the episode, Tim's got his old job back, Mike's got his own room, Brian is naked in the garden, and Daisy got a job in a book shop. All is well.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhea4OFFaXx2-vSw8nEzeanMPRKgfneak1N7WFKkjeGynaqFUU06CFWhMWBTRTdGg4qBUk8D0YWLL75YdIp3HBVb82HK0xZZnsfQ92rvd0qOdpPJuvp-7w-hzugS3a1h2fOB8nMV-wM8n0/s1600/Spaced+6.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhea4OFFaXx2-vSw8nEzeanMPRKgfneak1N7WFKkjeGynaqFUU06CFWhMWBTRTdGg4qBUk8D0YWLL75YdIp3HBVb82HK0xZZnsfQ92rvd0qOdpPJuvp-7w-hzugS3a1h2fOB8nMV-wM8n0/s640/Spaced+6.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm just gonna leave this here.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode X - Mettle</span></h2>
<i>Robot Wars</i>! I remember watching that show as a kid, people building dangerous little robots to attach other dangerous little robots with axes and saws. It was great. They even namedrop Sir Killalot. Ah, the early 2000's.<br />
<br />
By the way, Tim and Mike built a robot in case that wasn't clear. They have a rivalry with Dexter who also has a robot which they beat in the regionals to qualify for the quarterfinals. Dexter wants a rematch but Mike declines. Dexter isn't happy about this.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO5Or2J5OcySfMZw7jMzKf-_vmVelFoBqTdZP6tSMZ5UrSwNCz6xk3D5nvLID4O9RYfFcIb3ep3DA-wpZ_dGwAbNNsDcWRNXdxljWl1E2ZpX5njQOZZtIbZbJZsFlIrB3Gd30SfAuHwI/s1600/Spaced+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxO5Or2J5OcySfMZw7jMzKf-_vmVelFoBqTdZP6tSMZ5UrSwNCz6xk3D5nvLID4O9RYfFcIb3ep3DA-wpZ_dGwAbNNsDcWRNXdxljWl1E2ZpX5njQOZZtIbZbJZsFlIrB3Gd30SfAuHwI/s640/Spaced+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robot war is hell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Oh, that thing I said about all being well at the end of the last episode? Well they're not. Well, that is. Daisy has been fired from three jobs in as many weeks. She's not real good at the whole 'keeping a job' thing. She gets a job in a kitchen run by Nurse Ratched, sorry I mean her boss Tina.<br />
<br />
Brian also has his arc going this episode where he is the last minute replacement to put on an exhibition but is facing insecurity about his art and if people will like it. Funnily enough, whereas in the last episode Marsha gave Brian creative inspiration, in this one she inadvertently shattered his confidence.<br />
<br />
Mike and Tim's robot is sabotaged by Dexter and his goon in the night. But they resolve to rebuild it before the quarterfinals. This kicks off the what I'm gonna call the "getting shit done montage" as Mike and Time rebuild their robot, Brian resolves to paint his arse off, and Daisy is determined to wash all the dishes she can to pulsating music. It's a pretty funny and effective montage.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK2V3UlXgSaqZhb8fheN83mTtT9D7N1nJgOyspruvJ4xDLD3_9U70tjZlsVLyS5d5f18xJQoQW4TI6VpV6iBh4XbhHar0GRyxi1qYo7addft5HRJfh3Nu6h8nwB4ptcHI3XnCq6Xv_Z4/s1600/Spaced+8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqK2V3UlXgSaqZhb8fheN83mTtT9D7N1nJgOyspruvJ4xDLD3_9U70tjZlsVLyS5d5f18xJQoQW4TI6VpV6iBh4XbhHar0GRyxi1qYo7addft5HRJfh3Nu6h8nwB4ptcHI3XnCq6Xv_Z4/s640/Spaced+8.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The show is over.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
What I also like about it is that everyone is taking charge. Much of the first season was focused on inaction, not doing things whether due to apathy, lack of direction, or simple laziness. It nice to see these guys take action and be determined to get a goal accomplished.<br />
<br />
Daisy gets a heavy dose of reality when Tina informs her that all the staff at Neo Nachos are writers and she isn't special or the only creative one. While Tina is obviously the villain here, this is an important message to tell. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own narrative that we forget that other people are also creative and struggle to do the things they want to do too.<br />
<br />
Tim and Mike have a rematch with Dexter at Robot Club. I really wish I could say more but the first rule of Robot Club is that you do not talk about Robot Club.<br />
<br />
So that was the first half of the second season of <i>Spaced</i>, join me next week for the last installment of the Spaced Musings as we look at the final four episodes.</div>
<div>
<h3>
<br />Notable Pop Culture References:</h3>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Tim's voice-over is <i>Goodfellas</i>' "As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster"</div>
<div>
<i>Pulp Fiction</i> with the pop tarts and Daisy finding the gun as Mike comes out of the bathroom</div>
<div>
Darth Vader's funeral pyre when Tim burns his <i>Star Wars</i> memorabilia<br />
<i>The Karate Kid</i> training montage<br />
Bilbo's office front door is the TARDIS<br />
<i>The A-Team</i> - Marsha puts a cigarette in her mouth and says "I love it when a plan comes together"<br />
Derek quotes Obi-Wan Kenobi "You've just taken your first step into a larger world"<br />
Daisy's two halves are Sandy pre and post transformation in <i>Grease</i><br />
The Neo Nachos kitchen is just the <i>One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest</i> ward<br />
Robot Club is of course <i>Fight Club</i><br />
<br /></div>
Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-64169430269737045172016-04-15T17:20:00.000+12:002016-04-15T17:20:49.686+12:00Spaced Episodes IV-VII: The Wrath of TimHere we are with the second half of the first season of <i>Spaced</i>. Having introduced and established the characters within the first three episodes, the remainder of the first season focuses on the characters adapting to changes in their personal relationships and making important life decisions.<br />
<br />
The pop cultural references continued unabated of course. In this installment of the Spaced Musings, let's check out the next four episodes as battles are began and chaos reigns until epiphanies are had as the first season ends.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNkrJ1j-Fk5SylFUujcFwQdF8glD80ZXksrldS6h34e-fLgouGZb6TMSrE-qyN3r0h2cj9gIWvIoQVkRegzxbcD-SLjnwYzJxGQ42kmYtU__49oQvpMTsz5yUaISb_XO1rH8FUl-9ovs/s1600/Spaced+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNkrJ1j-Fk5SylFUujcFwQdF8glD80ZXksrldS6h34e-fLgouGZb6TMSrE-qyN3r0h2cj9gIWvIoQVkRegzxbcD-SLjnwYzJxGQ42kmYtU__49oQvpMTsz5yUaISb_XO1rH8FUl-9ovs/s640/Spaced+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Aren't you glad we've been introduced?!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode IV - Battles</span></h2>
The fourth episode opens with Daisy breaking up with her long distance boyfriend Richard due to her success as a writer. By which I mean Richard breaks up with Daisy since he's meeting new people and doesn't have space in his life for her. Also, she's been getting off with other people behind his back. Again Edgar Wright does a nice little camera pan to reveal the real situation.<br />
<br />
Talking about nice little camera pans, there another bit of classic Wright camera work where Daisy is telling Tim about the breakup after he asked her. The camera turns in on her for a close up while she weepily talks about her feelings, just to a quick head turn back to Tim who is playing video games since she said she was "fine".<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiajsmrUwF9zM4J7agR3WC60grCF8LsD6xIcdgo2AeNCH6Y2LhpZ3TfADxA66PSkbbI5hWAFjlGJKpHbcoJbcTidOH6o2A-Q1A3ALJderqZD9ZCzcbQAMrHUDWdjCzlBOkfdipF2wj8Tg/s1600/Spaced+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiajsmrUwF9zM4J7agR3WC60grCF8LsD6xIcdgo2AeNCH6Y2LhpZ3TfADxA66PSkbbI5hWAFjlGJKpHbcoJbcTidOH6o2A-Q1A3ALJderqZD9ZCzcbQAMrHUDWdjCzlBOkfdipF2wj8Tg/s640/Spaced+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She did say she was fine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The juxtaposition between the slow dramatic close up and abrupt cut to Tim emphasises the humour of the moment. It also emphasises that these aren't the nicest characters in the sense that they aren't particulate empathetic and are a little self-centred.<br />
<br />
To be fair to Tim, he is dealing with stuff following his own breakup with Sarah, which he isn't handling that well. Unless it is considered healthy to repeatedly drown Lara Croft. As he tells a paint covered Brian,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Tim: Well, I just got a letter from my ex-girlfriend, three months late, explaining why she dumped me. It was full of "You'll always be special" and "I'll always love you" platitudes designed to make me feel better while appeasing her deep seated sense of guilt for running off with a slimy City boy called Duane and destroying my faith in everything.<br />
Brian: So it didn't really work, then?<br />
Tim: No, it made me wanna drown things! You've got some paint on you.</blockquote>
This is the problem I have reviewing <i>Spaced</i>. I just end up dissecting every scene and line of dialogue so I don't get anywhere. Since I've got three more episodes to do and I've barely got into this one, I'm gonna do more of an overview approach from here on end. Alright?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OlSDi8PJCJYg3HaQIXVqWZcRjz8sQ114OGcJrjBE3ulFxiCAnJGmF3xelzj4u-Hwfkr5WQIUS1ulLVRBzEXXQJvtY-qECeTdGszj2s-M15YBIVNgtbqr_OlsEWICRgmSQbnKk6zdKEU/s1600/Spaced+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OlSDi8PJCJYg3HaQIXVqWZcRjz8sQ114OGcJrjBE3ulFxiCAnJGmF3xelzj4u-Hwfkr5WQIUS1ulLVRBzEXXQJvtY-qECeTdGszj2s-M15YBIVNgtbqr_OlsEWICRgmSQbnKk6zdKEU/s640/Spaced+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Alright then." - Duane probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So in this episode, Daisy gets a dog to deal with the emotional hole she's feeling following her breakup while Tim faces off Duane, his ex-girlfriend's current boyfriend, in paintball. I think this episode might have Wright's first ever <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LockAndLoadMontage">lock and load montage</a> but as anyone who has watched <i>Hot Fuzz</i> knows, it definitely wasn't his last.<br />
<br />
I forgot to mention the homoerotic tension between Tim and Mike before because it is so blatant that it's almost above mentioning when you occasionally get lines of dialogue like this,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Paint ball player: I've always fancied myself as a bit of a soldier.<br />
Tim: I've always fancied myself.<br />
Mike: I've always fancied you.<br />
Tim: Not here.</blockquote>
Moving on, basically this episode is supposed to show how different people deal with their grief, Daisy does it by finding something to fill the void while Tim does it with the violence of paintball.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OlSDi8PJCJYg3HaQIXVqWZcRjz8sQ114OGcJrjBE3ulFxiCAnJGmF3xelzj4u-Hwfkr5WQIUS1ulLVRBzEXXQJvtY-qECeTdGszj2s-M15YBIVNgtbqr_OlsEWICRgmSQbnKk6zdKEU/s1600/Spaced+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9OlSDi8PJCJYg3HaQIXVqWZcRjz8sQ114OGcJrjBE3ulFxiCAnJGmF3xelzj4u-Hwfkr5WQIUS1ulLVRBzEXXQJvtY-qECeTdGszj2s-M15YBIVNgtbqr_OlsEWICRgmSQbnKk6zdKEU/s640/Spaced+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">"Both are equally valid." - Duane probably.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode V - Chaos</span></h2>
Daisy has developed a nearly unhealthy obsession with Colin the dog due to her emotional dependence following her breakup. This is difficult for Tim because of his phobia of dogs but at the same time he understands that Daisy has had a hard time and does feel better while Colin is around.<br />
<br />
This shows some emotional growth for Tim as he puts aside his own feelings for Daisy, possibly due to his cathartic paintball confrontation with Duane in the previous episode. We also get to see more of Bill Bailey as Bilbo Bagshot, Tim's boss at the comic book store, in this episode and more of Bill Bailey is always welcome.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9YOE7SCAgTbqYe1rTqVCjoKq77ZiJ2qjB7yLRJ7Nv0y3VsJdfSkH2uuvC2c0BYBjHXuPB6lm7M1AiK8sIFX8sqA3ALk2bUecG2JqL8H26U9peOGdNFB3ASFYpnwN3l70N6XiHz9TcTE/s1600/Spaced+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9YOE7SCAgTbqYe1rTqVCjoKq77ZiJ2qjB7yLRJ7Nv0y3VsJdfSkH2uuvC2c0BYBjHXuPB6lm7M1AiK8sIFX8sqA3ALk2bUecG2JqL8H26U9peOGdNFB3ASFYpnwN3l70N6XiHz9TcTE/s640/Spaced+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill Bailey: Who's my character?<br />
Edgar Wright: You play a comic book store owner named Bilbo Bagshot and...<br />
Bill Bailey: No, that's enough. I've got this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Tim and Brian have a <i>Star Wars</i> marathon as part of a cultural exchange since Tim went to an art museum with Brian but on his way to buy popcorn for the marathon, Tim bumps into an evil and suspicious man on the pavement.<br />
<br />
There's a nice early dig at <i>Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace</i> (remember this show came out in 1999 before we had all realised just how unforgivably atrocious that film was) with the "Three Good Star Wars movies later..." scrolling text.<br />
<br />
Also, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0706387/trivia?ref_=tt_trv_trv">fun fact from IMDb</a>, the song that plays as Tim, Daisy and Brian have just finished watching the Star Wars trilogy, is the Ewok song which plays in the final scene of the original version of <i>Return of the Jedi</i> sung by Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright. They couldn't get permission to use John Williams' Star Wars end credits score so their composer came up with a tune and they sang the Ewok song over it.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Dt9sDAM2bljKuGPkWZWoNA418RCtJFf-VvHIYu2G0nXydtDx2L_Q1VWiRd0wdye_2PwrlRnz8b3cgOFVudkUPHLjqWY4hCesZRPti7TQTfyeciBngaojoo32GY5PUPOcYmxBPVCDyWw/s1600/Spaced+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Dt9sDAM2bljKuGPkWZWoNA418RCtJFf-VvHIYu2G0nXydtDx2L_Q1VWiRd0wdye_2PwrlRnz8b3cgOFVudkUPHLjqWY4hCesZRPti7TQTfyeciBngaojoo32GY5PUPOcYmxBPVCDyWw/s640/Spaced+5.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They had no idea of the horror that awaited them. <br />
<i>Attack of the Clones</i> wouldn't be out for another three years.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Colin is then abducted by the evil and suspicious man while Tim has takes him out for a walk. Apparently the evil and suspicious man is a vivisectionist and the gang has to arrange a rescue mission to break Colin out of an animal testing lab.<br />
<br />
I quite liked this bit. Not sure why exactly but there was something quite gratifying in seeing this bunch of misfits and oddballs pull off an <i>Ocean's Eleven</i> style heist/rescue mission. Spoiler Alert: They get Colin back.<br />
<br />
Oh, and can we talk about Marsha's intense lady boner for Brian? This has been a running joke throughout all the episodes so far but it seems way more intense in this episode. Maybe her sexual innuendos are more blatant or something but they really went for it in this episode.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfIK3QKtARVVEa_D7A2mlCE6dBDkDXi7RGxc2ly7ngapHIri0dePmeInbjmQDhp8smMTcTpHuiF-aNnsDJ4xKhYORWkGvyYNwpL4meWXHjfOaLN67livEfBagNnpDHwLN_gWaLjrOD-g/s1600/Spaced+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrfIK3QKtARVVEa_D7A2mlCE6dBDkDXi7RGxc2ly7ngapHIri0dePmeInbjmQDhp8smMTcTpHuiF-aNnsDJ4xKhYORWkGvyYNwpL4meWXHjfOaLN67livEfBagNnpDHwLN_gWaLjrOD-g/s640/Spaced+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I could really go for it, you know what I mean Brian." - Marsha probably</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode VI - Epiphanies</span></h2>
And so it has come to this, the clubbing episode. Tim's friend Tyres invites Tim and Daisy to go clubbing with him. Tyres often speaks in high-octane flurries of words jam-packed with a hundred adjectives and back by a pulsating rave beat. As a bike messenger, he's a worker man and won't miss any opportunity to diss Tim and Daisy for their more artsy career choices.<br />
<br />
It seems that the emotional growth I thought Tim had undergone in the previous episode hadn't been so much a growth as a momentarily blip on his emotional radar. When Daisy observes that he is still hung up over Sarah, he snaps at her quite aggressively since he's so touchy about it.<br />
<br />
They invite Brian to join them as they go clubbing but he's hesitant due to a traumatic 1980s clubbing event involving a punch to the head and the Dexys Midnight Runners' "Come On Eileen". Also he says he is busy painting with his penis, obviously to avoid the cliche of using his paintbrush, and doesn't want to go.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRHNvQ2HVkoTp4e7xa_534q3cJ5BWsbckbs7X9nwNQ1Fxnenkyt4HY2C6xgIouYu_VcJ2ADRYjs0WlvUvC55K17hLI3qHKqBEaW0oJk5OVkFcegJhyn9FfM6kwhvdzsz6yI3zYa_7WaY/s1600/Spaced+7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHRHNvQ2HVkoTp4e7xa_534q3cJ5BWsbckbs7X9nwNQ1Fxnenkyt4HY2C6xgIouYu_VcJ2ADRYjs0WlvUvC55K17hLI3qHKqBEaW0oJk5OVkFcegJhyn9FfM6kwhvdzsz6yI3zYa_7WaY/s640/Spaced+7.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suffice to say he goes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Before I felt like I writing too much an every scene and needed to take an overview approach but now I feel like I'm glossing over so many things. There are just so many jokes and humorous minor story-lines crammed into each episode. I haven't even mentioned how Mike was banned from the Rough Ramblers canoe club following a failed Eskimo roll or the recurring joke involving Tim and Mike's childhood flashback.<br />
<br />
Anywho, the club scenes feel like being at a club. Pulsating music, flashing lights, things happening. Brian's arc comes to a satisfying close in the club with a repeat of his earlier transgression of knocking someone's drink out of their hand but instead of a punch to the face and "Come On Eileen", this time he gets a bear-hug set to rave music.<br />
<br />
Also, Tim apologised to Daisy for snapping at her earlier in the episode which was nice. This shortly devolves into a compliment-fest as they say how talented they both are. I like how Tyres leaves the club at the end of the episode, his work done.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXdND9lcSiJxrL0tuKCKP70hlMkfdSmhVUhqoop_YL04fpNEJaePASrjPiurp3pn-2QU3yKKyhHCVQGJmTt4UhGJIiHySNOysYg3CzUN3wStAO5tna9W_L2DHe_48-O31VuYQ_p1CZgI/s1600/Spaced+8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSXdND9lcSiJxrL0tuKCKP70hlMkfdSmhVUhqoop_YL04fpNEJaePASrjPiurp3pn-2QU3yKKyhHCVQGJmTt4UhGJIiHySNOysYg3CzUN3wStAO5tna9W_L2DHe_48-O31VuYQ_p1CZgI/s640/Spaced+8.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And what fine work it was. Mike become a hardcore UK raver.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode VII - Ends</span></h2>
Here we are, the final episode of <i>Spaced</i>'s first season. Or if you're from the UK, the last episode of the first series of <i>Spaced</i>. Naturally we open with shots of people falling doing Tim's natural mode of transportation, skateboarding. Ah, the late 1990s and early 2000s, when watching skateboarders bail real hard was the only version of a fail video they had.<br />
<br />
Tim gets a call from Sarah who wants to see him for some reason. The cuts to skateboards eating concrete after Daisy comes up for different reasons Sarah might want to see Tim and Tim's reaction to the skateboarders is a nice touch. Not that that is surprising at this point, the whole season has been fill of nice touches.<br />
<br />
Moving on, Sarah says she has split with Duane which makes Tim jubilant since he thinks that means she'll want to get back together with him. Obviously, this causes Daisy some distress since she thinks Sarah is manipulating Tim and leads to an exchange of catchphrases/idioms such as "Don't judge a book by his cover" and "Do you believe in life after love?".<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNokgUZ5KzsQEFPDpF6Em2kT8HCYRxpYBuA786myx4OSTSLMAlRg_n-Oo9pXSWIR1t4DrAYw9MB0dpN-tor2uwXeppuv_WFCc-0ffrDjEEYpV_M1GnlWr5QUg7iw_y-c0gudUj0caRHaQ/s1600/Spaced+9.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNokgUZ5KzsQEFPDpF6Em2kT8HCYRxpYBuA786myx4OSTSLMAlRg_n-Oo9pXSWIR1t4DrAYw9MB0dpN-tor2uwXeppuv_WFCc-0ffrDjEEYpV_M1GnlWr5QUg7iw_y-c0gudUj0caRHaQ/s640/Spaced+9.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We all know Cher believes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
They also finally reveal the mystery that we had been trying to unravel the entire season, the tragic backstory of how Mike and Tim became friends. I won't spoil it here for those not yet caught up for fear of ruining the reveal but suffice to say it involved a tree and was greatly satisfying.<br />
<br />
There's is a lot more Mike in this episode which I'm happy about since I love Nick Frost so more Mike is always good. He is trying to get into the Territorial Army since he was banned from the regular army after commandeering a tank to invade Paris. Like most Paris invasions, Mike's invasion was cut short due to a stop at Disneyland Paris, then called Euro Disney.<br />
<br />
Back to nice touches, Tim lashes out at Daisy for not supporting him in regards to his relationship with Sarah and she hands a brutal take-down which is mirrored by Nina in Tekken kicking the other character's ass.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxjQHYcTQwz_Rhq3Jzp7habW8EKrVM92mufqEezCq8STriW1tw-3ru84TCBjvevoGErdR9eJxVDQR0Ib8ImVEC2deqLP2krDpCldTCy0xWCVqKZTE2dDpAg4Md27-QCBDtEYRsj0-96M/s1600/Spaced+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxjQHYcTQwz_Rhq3Jzp7habW8EKrVM92mufqEezCq8STriW1tw-3ru84TCBjvevoGErdR9eJxVDQR0Ib8ImVEC2deqLP2krDpCldTCy0xWCVqKZTE2dDpAg4Md27-QCBDtEYRsj0-96M/s640/Spaced+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If only every argument had such a clear winner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Follow this fight, Daisy tries write but gets interrupted by Marsh bringing gifts of wine and backstory. She and Brian had a thing before but it was only to pay his rent. Daisy then settles in to write but properly this time, and for the first time the whole season.<br />
<br />
Also Brian and Twist go out on a date which turns out real well, so hooray for them. Tim and Sarah also go out on a date but theirs doesn't end well, so hooray for them. Sarah wanted him back but he declined. Daisy meets up with Tim at the pub and he describe his moment of clarity,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It's like when you have an orgasm on your own. Lyin there watching some porn movie you bought on a drunken, lonly night in SoHo. And you're lyin there, everything is really great. You're getting totally turned on by these absurdly graphic images. Everything seems so right, then Ppett. Bingo! You wake up. You're lyin there sweatin, despreatly lookin for the tissue, which you just know is still in your pocket. And the remote control which is somewhere on the floor. It's like walkin in on yourself. You know, 'What you doing?' That's how I felt tonight. Sitting here, feeling my heart miss a beat everytime the door opened. What the fuck are you doing.</blockquote>
They then finish the episdoe dancing to a pub band performance of Louis Jordan's "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" and honestly I can think of a better way to end the season.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Notable Pop Cultural References:</h3>
<br />
<i>Psycho</i> shower scene theme (again) while Tim mimics frightened girl's pose in <i>Evil Dead II</i> poster<br />
Bonus <i>Evil Dead II</i> reference - After the lock and load montage Mike says "Groovy"<br />
Instrumental version of the <i>Baywatch</i> theme plays during a flashback scene<br />
<i>The Nutcracker</i> plays whenever we see Colin the dog<br />
So much <i>Star Trek</i>, just all the <i>Star Trek</i><br />
<i>The Shining</i> in the flashback to Tim's step-dad who was a nice guy<br />
<i>The A-Team</i> theme music plays while Mike is raving in the club<br />
"He who dares, wins" Del Boy's catchphrase from <i>Only Fools and Horses</i><br />
<i>Tekken</i> obviously<br />
I like to think they're referencing <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24e-B00iiws"><i>Tom & Jerry</i> with "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby"</a><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-56108639017963448052016-04-08T18:00:00.000+12:002016-04-08T18:00:09.905+12:00Spaced Episodes I-III: The Nerds Awaken<i>Spaced </i>was a British sitcom directed by Edgar Wright and written by Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. It ran for two season of seven episodes each from 1999 to 2001. It chronicled the story of Pegg's Tim and Stevenson's Daisy, who pretend to be a couple in order to get an apartment in London, and their friends.<br />
<br />
Really the show focuses on the directionlessness that people can feel in their twenties as they try to figure out what they want to do with their lives, form new relationships, and come up with ways to waste time. It also featured surreal fantasy sequences and innumerable allusions to pop culture, particularly science fiction and horror films, but also comic books and video games.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPi5xEFOivQb19yslX1Yw5VKaZr25VCSEavkfzmOXGpC1M69vWMpOPQ7wIqj8GYgnuiaN-Fnwk0qxRPWYIyQdN0qXDZTAqpLacnhGmyWyYHjAJzrdkujxOZbkRKEpu85AgImiP3YwppA/s1600/Spaced+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPi5xEFOivQb19yslX1Yw5VKaZr25VCSEavkfzmOXGpC1M69vWMpOPQ7wIqj8GYgnuiaN-Fnwk0qxRPWYIyQdN0qXDZTAqpLacnhGmyWyYHjAJzrdkujxOZbkRKEpu85AgImiP3YwppA/s640/Spaced+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It kinda tips you off right away since its logo is a tribute to the horror science fiction film Alien.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A number of people might know Wright and Pegg as the pair who brought us the perfect Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy, that is <i>Shaun of the Dead</i>, <i>Hot Fuzz</i>, and <i>The World's End</i>. I've written before how that <a href="http://musingsfromanotherstar.blogspot.co.nz/2014/09/toy-story-is-the-best-story.html">trio of films makes up the sole perfect unconventional trilogy</a> in cinema history (the only perfect conventional trilogy is the Toy Story Trilogy.<br />
<br />
Those films are beloved cult classics, each one paying homage to a specific genre of film, zombies, buddy cop, and invasion film respectively. And each one is filled to the brim with pop cultural references, witty dialogue, inventive editing, and just the smartest jokes. So I thought it would be a good idea to see where they started and they started with Spaced.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKshUCH1yFHdLMWUBXxyg9ncp02NJXnTgwQI9nh3EyQIfUyo__ciOWhoXpMu-6W61eNN69NLj1KsFFE4lrVaqGUNYEm9PTQARGZ4UIDL_IApNeYqyAtWQ8OBATGW_xH2jwnVuPMuf1Go/s1600/Spaced+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJKshUCH1yFHdLMWUBXxyg9ncp02NJXnTgwQI9nh3EyQIfUyo__ciOWhoXpMu-6W61eNN69NLj1KsFFE4lrVaqGUNYEm9PTQARGZ4UIDL_IApNeYqyAtWQ8OBATGW_xH2jwnVuPMuf1Go/s640/Spaced+3.jpg" width="578" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With these guys.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Since I'm reviewing the first three episodes in this post, I'm gonna break it down by episode rather than do it in a clump. The idea is that I'll be able to comment more clearly on each episode instead of just giving my general impressions. Here we go.<br />
<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode I - Beginnings</span></h2>
Right from the offset Wright's trademark quick editing and visual humour are on display. The first episode begins with what looks like Tim and Daisy having a break-up as the camera cuts from Tim down on the street and Daisy in her bedroom window as they speak.<br />
<br />
However it is revealed that Tim was actually talking to his girlfriend of five years Sarah and Daisy was talking to some (homeless?) guy she apparently had a drunken one night stand with. Which clears up the comedic disparity in Tim's pleas and Daisy's dismissive replies -<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Tim: It's been five years, you know? Five years!<br />
Daisy: I was, I was drunk.</blockquote>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujP8HF7P9ermClpu9zqxgiDJuMaCfLqtPiqF5ZGjlQMdF5RoQ4dyOuzW2Kp0RadgLorakVeeoTtXI1G5goL9JnPTjzyWo_bnYXqvTE4sEK57FAJZXDsf3QPTOGmnLD3rS6uusMRYrwlo/s1600/Spaced+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhujP8HF7P9ermClpu9zqxgiDJuMaCfLqtPiqF5ZGjlQMdF5RoQ4dyOuzW2Kp0RadgLorakVeeoTtXI1G5goL9JnPTjzyWo_bnYXqvTE4sEK57FAJZXDsf3QPTOGmnLD3rS6uusMRYrwlo/s640/Spaced+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">"You think I'm unemotional, don't you? I can be emotional. Jesus, I cried like a child at the end of Terminator 2." - So did we all,Tim. So did we all.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I'm not gonna to try mention all the memorable quotes or clever moments since there are just too many, from <i>The Shining</i> and Scooby-Doo references in their new flat, to the smart montage of Tim and Daisy sitting at the same table in a cafe while "Getting to Know You" from <i>The King and I</i> plays.<br />
<br />
This episode also has my favourite piece of dialogue ever:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Tim (talking to Daisy): You're scared of mice and spiders, but oh-so-much greater is your fear that one day the two species will cross-breed to form an all-powerful race of mice-spiders who will immobilize human beings in giant webs in order to steal cheese.</blockquote>
The editing is so quick and the direction is so sharp, with the witty pieces of dialogue flying here and there, that it's real easy to miss everything on first viewing. At the same time, it never feels cluttered and the episode does a good job of introducing the primary characters, even when we don't get to spend a lot of time with them.<br />
<br />
We really only see Tim's best friend Mike and Daisy's best friend Twist in short cutaway intro scenes where we're told their names and primary character traits - Mike's is a weapons expert and Twist is into fashion. by which they mean Mike is using a slingshot and Twist works in a laundromat. And that's enough to go on.<br />
<br />
We do get some time with Marsha, their new landlady who Tim and Daisy have to convince they are a couple and their downstairs neighbour, Brian. Brian is an artist.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode II - Gatherings</span></h2>
The second episode starts with a dream sequence and unlike the dream sequences in <i>Batman V Superman</i>, this one actually has a point. Tim dreams his ex Sarah is in his new fully unpacked flat with him before his alien monster costume attacks him. He then wakes up to find no Sarah in his new still to be unpacked apartment and then he attacks his alien monster costume out of frustration since he is still getting over Sarah.<br />
<br />
Then there is a scene where Daisy is ostentatiously is trying to write but really is trying to put off writing as much as she can by procrastinating, mainly by bugging Tim they should finish unpacking. This leads to a nice bit of editing which shows a close up of Tim and Daisy's faces as they lie on their backs smoking while their dialogue suggests they just had sex...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYrq2uZEP7s-DcVIfJXG32T6mnJpvrwgJUCveVrbJJKKMeJ9hDRhwOV9Ys2NAlJVlwIT2ZXKm_8qnjyw5RbZgvw4H8jsBgpDmfun0Y8tQDqsLNa0IwXaRvhCP_1cBDGwHDHD9eaVk_us/s1600/Spaced+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGYrq2uZEP7s-DcVIfJXG32T6mnJpvrwgJUCveVrbJJKKMeJ9hDRhwOV9Ys2NAlJVlwIT2ZXKm_8qnjyw5RbZgvw4H8jsBgpDmfun0Y8tQDqsLNa0IwXaRvhCP_1cBDGwHDHD9eaVk_us/s640/Spaced+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Tim: Mmm, I''m glad we did that.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Daisy: We had to.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Tim: It was inevitable.</span></td></tr>
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Only to zoom out and reveal they cleaned up the apartment. I like this since it not only plays on the dynamic between the two characters but also the trope of obvious will-they/won't-they sexual tension relationships in sitcoms and television shows.<br />
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Daisy decides to throw a party so she doesn't have to write. This is kinda a thing for Daisy, she wants to be a writer and be considered an intellectual but doesn't actually want to put in the hard work or even know how to get started.<br />
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The party also acts as narrative technique to get all the characters together in a room so they can all introduce themselves to each other. But let's just say that the party isn't quite a success since it turned out to be one of those Time-Warp and dip parties where no one has a real good time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAwos8eIwroukrPLhaXBQZuviIiGfvAI4JPBhZkHWQ14jzMZEnxBrnwOtmlfdztsPuDhvQO-qlV7lLC8PdvBU-g9-XcvgAZnOqtY68MPssT2DXX5t-I3wdkwpSRyoWhfiFDmSTX33-Uk/s1600/Spaced+6.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDAwos8eIwroukrPLhaXBQZuviIiGfvAI4JPBhZkHWQ14jzMZEnxBrnwOtmlfdztsPuDhvQO-qlV7lLC8PdvBU-g9-XcvgAZnOqtY68MPssT2DXX5t-I3wdkwpSRyoWhfiFDmSTX33-Uk/s640/Spaced+6.gif" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've all been there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Episode III - Art</span></h2>
And so we come to the episode which gave Wright and Pegg the idea for <i>Shaun of the Dead</i>, their first feature film and a cult favourite. The episode pivots around Tim's drug-induced illusions that everyone is a zombie after playing <i>Resident Evil 2</i> on Playstation 2 on cheap speed all night.<br />
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On a side note, it's kinda quaint that when Daisy asks Tim if he wants anything from the shops, he says "porn". She says she isn't gonna buy him porn but it's funny how in only seventeen years, the idea of buying porn from a dairy seems completely antiquated and from another time.<br />
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Also in the episode, Daisy has an interview for a woman's magazine "Flaps" while Brian is invited to an art exhibition by his former artistic partner Vulva. Of course when I say invited, I mean Brian received a blank page with only the word "Come" on it because modern art.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuRMtn8HmCQ8J6_rlqBNJFHRQUxZ6sn1o_Uyq4Enp6S-mYo7is6yxBYOBJyyg-J__aI8O-MPNnSk9H1oTtcXA_kNVhLd82wQpaIxZDHxpFJkDNI7MHMOECp0jiG2Dq1H01RQx9WXuTYU/s1600/Spaced+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfuRMtn8HmCQ8J6_rlqBNJFHRQUxZ6sn1o_Uyq4Enp6S-mYo7is6yxBYOBJyyg-J__aI8O-MPNnSk9H1oTtcXA_kNVhLd82wQpaIxZDHxpFJkDNI7MHMOECp0jiG2Dq1H01RQx9WXuTYU/s640/Spaced+7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I mentioned the zombies, right?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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One thing that is apparent is that Daisy isn't the nicest person. Not because she's mean or a horrible but because she is so self-absorbed and vapid that she doesn't really consider other people. For example, she gets a couple of rejection letters and moans to Tim she wants to see her boyfriend Richard in Hull but completely forgets about him the second she sees the letter from "Flaps" about the interview.<br />
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She only wanted to see Richard, or moan to Tim about seeing Richard so they could talk, as a means to feel better about herself not because she actually wants to. To be fair to Daisy, Tim isn't that nice at times either, evident when Brian is talking to him about Vulva and Tim asks Brian if he's gonna go, as in leave his flat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIg0WfZQxbe7p_wxPCnAl06h3udkrRGOhsNwEzpvf1C2xwAuFu5e9fBLjcNCg0ves_7f_jwciptBG3clbpXA3jRDie9hHVoWMmPiMIZ6htzbHa7ei7JhPpIL1Ty5zvLDD8ti9etzjo7Q/s1600/Spaced+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIg0WfZQxbe7p_wxPCnAl06h3udkrRGOhsNwEzpvf1C2xwAuFu5e9fBLjcNCg0ves_7f_jwciptBG3clbpXA3jRDie9hHVoWMmPiMIZ6htzbHa7ei7JhPpIL1Ty5zvLDD8ti9etzjo7Q/s640/Spaced+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">However for context, this is the art that Brian and Vulva made together.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I realise this review has been largely enthusiastic but to be honest there is little to criticise here. The show is pretty great and unlike some television shows <i>Spaced</i> started off strong and fully formed. On to the next four episodes.<br />
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<h4>
I decided to start a list of pop cultural references I notice as we go along. I know I'm gonna miss a lot of them so I'll limit it to two or three notable ones from each episode.</h4>
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<h3>
Notable Pop Cultural References:</h3>
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<i>The Shining</i> twins in the cupboard</div>
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Tim and Daisy dressed like Shaggy and Velma followed by the Scooby Doo theme</div>
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"If we have it, they will come" from <i>Wayne's World 2</i> </div>
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Tim builds a mountain out his mashed potatoes like in <i>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</i></div>
Their refridgerator is CAL-9000, a distant ancestor of HAL-9000 from <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i><br />
<i>Psycho</i> shower scene musical theme when Daisy gets paranoid after taking a spiff<br />
Obviously<i> Resident Evil 2</i>, he plays the game throughout the episode<br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-69696078782926862992016-04-06T16:30:00.000+12:002016-04-06T16:30:10.543+12:00Announcement from Another Star: The Spaced MusingsHaving wrapped up my series of Musings on the films of Charlie Kaufman, I thought I'd head straight into another series of Musings, this time on the TV show <i>Spaced</i>! <i>Spaced </i>was a British sitcom directed by Edgar Wright, my favourite director, and was written by Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. It ran for two season of seven episodes each from 1999 to 2001.<br />
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Much of the humour, storytelling, and editing techniques displayed in the show were then used, arguably to greater effect, in Wright and Pegg's Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy and Wright's <i>Scott Pilgrim Vs the World</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnU0Eqd8Ad9PNUDl8CTV0_2ZPdtEsElJqrzBVN9kPZ8shRZaeios0Oed2AxX9tflR-kVRSitfJFNrnXv7ZmnzRvb7GAVb_KGMZKAsFc1QsQV4XLw2WECL4DBM2NE99LvDK2Ev-NHUGw8/s1600/Spaced+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYnU0Eqd8Ad9PNUDl8CTV0_2ZPdtEsElJqrzBVN9kPZ8shRZaeios0Oed2AxX9tflR-kVRSitfJFNrnXv7ZmnzRvb7GAVb_KGMZKAsFc1QsQV4XLw2WECL4DBM2NE99LvDK2Ev-NHUGw8/s640/Spaced+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Say what?"</td></tr>
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<div>
Since there are only 14 episodes and I don't want to spread it too thinly reviewing a single episode at a time, I'm going to review <i>Spaced</i> over the course of four posts. These four posts will review several episodes at once and will breakdown as follows: the first 3 episodes, the next 4 episodes, the next 3 episodes, the final 4 episodes. Hopefully this will work out fine.</div>
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On a completely unrelated note, remember how I said I was writing a short novel a while ago? Well, the website for that novel has launched! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjop5DZHMlfAuHxnN7kPf_-UECQ50ubnM-wCJf3mlMlGpxBq5fqYNhaWi15idxnagyktDn2GuvNQUfYTVVwM0TBF5dKqJHtqEaTZ4X-adN6fLR3eRxlV5IJIRSG-wShK0E3kCUFErHqtxM/s1600/The+Zeppulian-logo-black.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="http://zeppulian.com/" border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjop5DZHMlfAuHxnN7kPf_-UECQ50ubnM-wCJf3mlMlGpxBq5fqYNhaWi15idxnagyktDn2GuvNQUfYTVVwM0TBF5dKqJHtqEaTZ4X-adN6fLR3eRxlV5IJIRSG-wShK0E3kCUFErHqtxM/s640/The+Zeppulian-logo-black.png" title="" width="640" /></a></div>
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Actually it launched last month and I forgot to mention it. For those of you who have forgotten, <i>The Zeppulian</i> tells the story about the fastest and grandest ship in the galaxy after it was stolen by two people who didn’t know how to fly it. </div>
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Published in pieces as I write them, check out the first installment here: <a href="http://zeppulian.com/storysofar/2016/3/12/chapter-1-part-1">Chapter 1 - Part 1: Zo and Qin</a>.</div>
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Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1192833926500280984.post-78248590295673874742016-04-01T21:42:00.000+13:002016-04-02T15:01:15.129+13:00Being John Malkovich: The Puppetry of BeingAnd so here we are with the final Kaufman Musing. <i>Being John Malkovich</i>, Charlie Kaufman's debut film and first success. It's been a long 6 weeks but we got right to the end with the beginning. And after the misstep that was <i>Human Nature</i> last week, it will be nice to close off these Musings with a great Kaufman script.<br />
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And Being John Malkovich is a great Kaufman script. I was worried that it wouldn't hold up on the re-watch but I was surprised to find that it's still as fresh and inventive as on first viewing. I was also surprised to realise how much I forgot about the movie.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeuQfUiYCeL-pwPGYOREawUd9izmMC7Z4ZOtXQoOrs6sivIE5a5KmWXVTu-CgBrpp_yQ7racyk-L8-G9qKbY8JGplFp0dLZBp5Z9syOfgvGefdRQ1bRbOA6QpuleDsPQAyok6X40L1l8/s1600/Malkovich+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkeuQfUiYCeL-pwPGYOREawUd9izmMC7Z4ZOtXQoOrs6sivIE5a5KmWXVTu-CgBrpp_yQ7racyk-L8-G9qKbY8JGplFp0dLZBp5Z9syOfgvGefdRQ1bRbOA6QpuleDsPQAyok6X40L1l8/s640/Malkovich+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opening scene is a puppet dance. I forgot there were even puppets in this movie.</td></tr>
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I think the majority of this review is just gonna be me realising how little I remember the movie. Which is odd because I liked this movie. When I thought in my head about <i>Being John Malkovich</i>, if I was ever thinking about <i>Being John Malkovich</i> for some reason, I'd think things like, "That's a good movie" and "I enjoyed that".<br />
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However I don't think I could tell you what happens in the story aside from there's a portal into John Malkovich's head. I mean, I forgot there were puppets and puppets are all over the place in this film. The main protagonist played by John Cusack is a puppeteer. He puppets for a job.<br />
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The puppets are a metaphor because John Malkovich's body becomes a puppet subject to the whims of whomever is inside his head. I'm not sure if that was obvious since the film was very subtle with its abundant use of puppets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-RE57pekvM0yUmw5JXLkenAj1sECCqWAD5nB87CajY-uHF2zLziaE1-VjZ0_MEVURNGPMdmS6bgpflQRltoiOjGpV8u3ZYamR1A-wFlMpIwuttQfX5WU2Xcjskfo2fW_my1dt-fYEbY/s1600/Malkovich+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw-RE57pekvM0yUmw5JXLkenAj1sECCqWAD5nB87CajY-uHF2zLziaE1-VjZ0_MEVURNGPMdmS6bgpflQRltoiOjGpV8u3ZYamR1A-wFlMpIwuttQfX5WU2Xcjskfo2fW_my1dt-fYEbY/s640/Malkovich+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Subtle.</td></tr>
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True to form, Kaufman's puppeteer protagonist is rather unlikable. He's scruffy and kinda squirmy-looking, but he's really a misunderstood soul trying to make art in an uncaring world that doesn't pay him any attention - you know, an <i>artiste</i>. He's also the type of guy who apparently doesn't have a second thought about cheating on his wife, played by Cameron Diaz.<br />
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That's another thing I forgot about this movie, Cameron Diaz is in it. Sure, they fizz up her hair and dress her in frumpy clothes to try to make you not notice it is Cameron Diaz but you can't hide that a Cameron with that much Diaz no matter how fizzy her hair or frumpy her clothing. It's just not scientifically possible.<br />
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The first act of the movie has no Malkovich in it but does have a lot of puppets and animals in it -Cameron Diaz's Lotte has a lot of pets, it's her quirk. She wears frumpy clothing, she's nice, and she has a lot of pets.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMMPrwf_rYNoZLX5cJbs_SAfCldUc7apc_lG0leau9iVuAG343fUM_4QT8zFZfLzANeKbQAZVZOrHf4m-d30JPN3Bk0AnK91ibeGfniKplsyVIJGFhIWODtpBu_cdaHPhRayJoSqtOMM/s1600/Malkovich+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMMPrwf_rYNoZLX5cJbs_SAfCldUc7apc_lG0leau9iVuAG343fUM_4QT8zFZfLzANeKbQAZVZOrHf4m-d30JPN3Bk0AnK91ibeGfniKplsyVIJGFhIWODtpBu_cdaHPhRayJoSqtOMM/s640/Malkovich+3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For some reason if you type "being john malkovich cameron diaz ape" into Google Images, this also shows up.</td></tr>
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So the basic plot of <i>Being John Malkovich</i> is that a struggling puppeteer named Craig finds a portal into the mind of John Malkovich in the office he works in on the 7&1/2 floor of the Mertin Flemmer building. He strikes a partnership with Maxine, a woman who also works on the 7&1/2 floor that he develops an obsession with, to monetize 'being John Malkovich'.<br />
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However Diaz's Lotte goes into Malkovich while Maxine is on a date with him and she and Maxine form a rather unusual relationship where they see each other but only while Lotte is in Malkovich. This causes Craig to become insane with jealousy and he locks Lotte up in their ape cage, they have an ape cage, and pretends to be Lotte inside Malkovich to sex up Maxine. But Craig can take Malkovich over completely instead of just look out his eyes and experience what he's feeling.<br />
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Craig, as Malkovich, use Malkovich's fame to kick off his puppetry career and becomes a celebrated puppeteer. Maxine aware that Craig is in control acts as his manager but gets withdrawn as she grows increasingly pregnant. Pregnant with Lotte/Malkovich's child, not Craig/Malkovich's.<br />
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Some stuff happens, some old people who want to live on the vessel that is John Malkovich trick Craig out of him, while Maxine and Lotte raise their daughter together. Oh, and Craig is trapped in the mind of their daughter, watching the world through the eyes of his lover's child...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAdsIKFLL0UN2JX9RzKfFUewwM0EtTad4cxrd2XTD8Owhvy0cp2iaeAdZOrz_hkVLaM48XK-B8aadqBoQ8KFFgqg2m09ocABxZ9UUKH9yMt_pTmkC9qW849C2y7vd9YRVi1EeTAHU3aM/s1600/Malkovich+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAdsIKFLL0UN2JX9RzKfFUewwM0EtTad4cxrd2XTD8Owhvy0cp2iaeAdZOrz_hkVLaM48XK-B8aadqBoQ8KFFgqg2m09ocABxZ9UUKH9yMt_pTmkC9qW849C2y7vd9YRVi1EeTAHU3aM/s640/Malkovich+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"That's fucked up, yo" - Might not be an actual quote.</td></tr>
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The reason I rattled off a synopsis of the film is twofold. One, it's to highlight just how crazy and inventive the script is. Again this is a film that opens with puppets and includes a portal into John Malkovich's mind. Second, it's so I can state for the record that I forgot everything single thing about this film that didn't include "portal into John Malkovich's mind" and "7&1/2 floor".<br />
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Quick side note, the 7&1/2 floor thing is interesting since <i>Being John Malkovich</i> came out 2 years after the first Harry Potter novel but the script would have been written around the same time. No real comment to make here since I'm not sure why the idea of platforms and floors existing in fractions was a thing at the time but apparently it was.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSG3Z5jTIxaZgTvzQYHmdDhNKY03gNWwp_0HTyh8b5gsMTqZ3Q4v_ucKIqI2ikmcvaTe-eZJliffjYcFQeE3qi0UWvzfW-lbWdAy2Q1tzHQiBNRPxDItSYBxKaUoRinWEC6bETH9V_Wz8/s1600/Malkovich+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSG3Z5jTIxaZgTvzQYHmdDhNKY03gNWwp_0HTyh8b5gsMTqZ3Q4v_ucKIqI2ikmcvaTe-eZJliffjYcFQeE3qi0UWvzfW-lbWdAy2Q1tzHQiBNRPxDItSYBxKaUoRinWEC6bETH9V_Wz8/s640/Malkovich+6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I think I would prefer a magical train platform than a floor with low overhead." - Maxine, probably</td></tr>
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Back to things I forgot about <i>Being John Malkovich</i>. I forgot about the weird Malkovich love trianle with Lotte/Malkovich, Maxine and Craig/Malkovich. I forgot about the ape cage. I forgot about the old people. And I forgot that Craig is actually the bad guy.<br />
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To be fair, at first the movie wants you to think that Craig is the protagonist. The film opens with him and we are introduced to everything through his eyes since he is the introductory character. His actions drive the plot, particularly in the first half.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnWoLzO8XRwKyy9px9h69RPai8lQnv9a9YqAYmipGEdmZgukR1CNcagg6kyJjxvKf3AhrZFB3sdUmq6kvN31dQCaJ8V-GINchK6KHVUyaNWvENYwGFHgxhkUqedPpooLzlbC2J7IXOaE/s1600/Malkovich+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmnWoLzO8XRwKyy9px9h69RPai8lQnv9a9YqAYmipGEdmZgukR1CNcagg6kyJjxvKf3AhrZFB3sdUmq6kvN31dQCaJ8V-GINchK6KHVUyaNWvENYwGFHgxhkUqedPpooLzlbC2J7IXOaE/s640/Malkovich+5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who, me?</td></tr>
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However, there is a shift around the mid-point of the film or so where he becomes the antagonist of the film for the real protagonist, Lotte. I would pinpoint this shift around about the time he locks her in a cage and pretends to be her inside Malkovich while making love with Maxine. That would probably be the point where he stops being the 'good guy' in any sense, not that he was particularly likable to begin with.<br />
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This is interesting to me since I like the way in which Kaufman is playing with our expectations, first with what we expect of our protagonists and then by showing that the people we thought the story was about are really the villains of their own story, not the hero.<br />
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Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">
Musing Rating: 5 Ratings</span></h2>
<h3>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">The type of film that is so thought-provoking that you completely forget everything about it.</span></h3>
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References:<br />
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<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_John_Malkovich">Being John Malkovich Wikipedia page</a><br />
<br />Caleb Sherriffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11694015191123832196noreply@blogger.com0