(no subject)
Jun. 3rd, 2004 04:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
growler_southIs it just me, or does "ENJOY YOUR ONLINE SHOPPING!!" sound a lot like "EAT YOUR DAMN VEGETABLES!!"...?
In unrelated news, DebXenas latest movie review started an interesting train of thought:
Your stereotypical Kiwi movie has at least 1 scene where two main characters walk alongside a) train tracks in the dry heat of summer or b) the motorway in the rain at night. And usually, these main characters are talking about how terrible their lives are or, in the worst cases, how they feel trapped.
Why do film-makers even bother? surely it would be easier, and a lot more subtle, to simply beat the audience over the head with a large plaque which reads "This film deals in part with Kiwi issues of isolation and the desire to escape. Cliches included for the terminally dense."
Look here! these characters are trapped in a BadSituation. As we all know, the best way to resolve a BadSituation is to run away, but the situation these characters find themselves in is so bad they cant even do that, although of course they would like to. See the railway tracks, with their trains full of happily leaving people. See the motorway, the drivers and their passengers so warm and safe in their cars as they leave. Oh poor main characters. So sad. Why dont you just walk along and talk about how bad things are? (and the director says to himself I love this scene, so loaded with symbolism. like the beach in 'the piano', the motorway in 'once were warriors', the sea in 'whale rider'. I'll be famous.)
Still, I guess Hollywood have their "but wait! the bad guy isnt really dead at all and he's just come back for another go, best let the female lead finish him off this time" cliche, Bollywood have the sudden and improbable dance routine, Australia has the desolate junkie character... Perhaps I shouldnt be so harsh on our very own kiwi film industry cliche.
In unrelated news, DebXenas latest movie review started an interesting train of thought:
Your stereotypical Kiwi movie has at least 1 scene where two main characters walk alongside a) train tracks in the dry heat of summer or b) the motorway in the rain at night. And usually, these main characters are talking about how terrible their lives are or, in the worst cases, how they feel trapped.
Why do film-makers even bother? surely it would be easier, and a lot more subtle, to simply beat the audience over the head with a large plaque which reads "This film deals in part with Kiwi issues of isolation and the desire to escape. Cliches included for the terminally dense."
Look here! these characters are trapped in a BadSituation. As we all know, the best way to resolve a BadSituation is to run away, but the situation these characters find themselves in is so bad they cant even do that, although of course they would like to. See the railway tracks, with their trains full of happily leaving people. See the motorway, the drivers and their passengers so warm and safe in their cars as they leave. Oh poor main characters. So sad. Why dont you just walk along and talk about how bad things are? (and the director says to himself I love this scene, so loaded with symbolism. like the beach in 'the piano', the motorway in 'once were warriors', the sea in 'whale rider'. I'll be famous.)
Still, I guess Hollywood have their "but wait! the bad guy isnt really dead at all and he's just come back for another go, best let the female lead finish him off this time" cliche, Bollywood have the sudden and improbable dance routine, Australia has the desolate junkie character... Perhaps I shouldnt be so harsh on our very own kiwi film industry cliche.
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no subject
Date: 2004-06-03 12:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-06-03 08:54 pm (UTC)Lets face it, individualism is the foster mother to consummerism, and that movies arent going to make millions for there producers if they start pointing out that consumerism is makes about as much sense as using one credit card to pay off anothers debt.