Pulp fiction was a film containing many risqué scenes. Quentin Tarantino is not a man that shy’s away from the more controversial film making style, indeed he embraces it.. positively thriving on it. The audience is given a thrilling and daring piece of entertainment.
Pulp Fiction is now a cult movie…with iconic status within the movie world. Quentin wrote and directed Pulp Fiction, it was his debut for the the industry.The movie with it’s refreshing and unique style made people stand up and take notice. Tarantinos’ raw talent made him a legend immediately.
He followed this up with Reservoir Dogs ( little fact. Reservoir: …from Old French reserver,meaning to reserve )…the movies ‘USP’ is the nonlinear narrative. Basically the audience is subliminally absorbed in the film and story. They are almost forced to concentrate very hard in order to make the connections in the story throughout the movie. Flash backs and flash forwards engage the watcher and stimulate them to use their memory, so that they can apply all they have seen, follow the plot and then bring it all together in order to comprehend the movies finale. In it’s modern format however: nonlinear narrative is also a tool to elevate a movies fundamental premise and plot; to create more excitement and intrigue.
As with any genre, the introduction of new techniques is a talking point. It is always difficult to sustain an industry with the ‘same old, same old’. When something is formulaic it is by definition predictable. Moving away from the more obvious and giving the audience something to get their teeth into is what Tarantino excelled at.
Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs are two of my favourite movies. Having seen them both numerous times..I never get bored. This is indicative of there style arousing great intrigue.
The filming technique alone is not the only factor that give the films substance. The style is very appealing. Gritty, gratuitous and gratifying, they grab your attention, pull you in and then assault your senses with insane action. The dialogue is sparky, the characters very human and flawed. The camera work creates a claustrophobic and conflicting intimacy…which is another layer blanketing the audience.
In both movies, there is violence, pain, suffering and redemption. Guilt, fear, anger. Revenge, desire and insanity. There are guns, drugs and plenty of explicit language. The use of junk food and cigarettes along with drugs shows how the human being has fundamental destructive desires. All of the characters in the movies exhibit some paranoia and confusion, whilst still trying to function within their environment/situation. The audience can relate to them on many levels. Although these people go to extremes, at the core is a very human heart and mind.
Two scenes stand out in Pulp Fiction…the male/gay rape scene and the drug overdose ( this requires Uma Thurmans character, Mia Wallace to require an adrenaline shot straight to the heart ) Both scenes are shocking and yet humour is injected by Quentin…making them bearable.
Mias’ husband Marsellus Wallace, is the victim of rape.
The rape scene: The soundtrack is rather bright and cheerful, so the sounds of grunting etc are almost drowned out. Quentin was a fan of having a soundtrack contradict the action in a scene, if you like.
( sorry, about that description… :/ )
Mia being brought back to life via an adrenaline shot after overdosing on drugs:
Resivoir Dogs..here is the trailer:
One of the best scenes from Res Dogs: Torture scene. The character is so unstable and clearly psychotic and yet his behavior is some how amusing, this is in stark contrast to his violent actions.
Of course every movie is enhanced by it’s soundtrack ..the music in Res dogs is lively and cheerful..once again providing an element of contrast between the visual and the audio. All that violence softened by fluffy tunes
Some of Pulp Fictions soundtracks:
This is the dancing scene with John Travoltas’ character Vince and Mia, Vince is taking care of Mia ( He has agreed to do this for Mias’ husband…he is Vinces’ boss )… and has taken her out to entertain her. This scene is prior to things going to shit when Mia overdoses later. It is brilliant!…Of course Mr Travolta can dance very well Uma is not bad either.
It is a twist contest. I love the normality of what they are doing in this scene. It is fun and when things go badly wrong later: when Mia nearly dies; it makes the viewer feel for her and Vinces’ character.
Well there you are….these movies if you have not seen them ( most people have ) are really ones you must see.
This excerpt from ‘The little Prince’…is amazing to watch.
’Snake in the grass’ was Bob Fosse’s character in the 1974 move ‘The little prince’…it is clear that Micheal was replicating some of the great Mr Fosse’s moves, when he choreographed his video Billie Jean in 1983. Nearly a decade later, MJ the master mimicker, brought a rocking beat together with a slinky dance routine to create a memorable masterpiece …well that is my opinion…however of course it was very well received…
‘ Billie Jean’ became a worldwide commercial and critical success; it was one of the best-selling singles of 1983 and is one of the best selling singles worldwide. The song was top of the US and UK charts at the same time . ‘Billie Jean’ also went to the top of the charts charts in Spain and Switzerland, reached the top ten in Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, and peaked at number 45 in France. Rolling Stone magazine placed ‘Billie Jean’ in the 58th spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song has long been heralded for it’s distinctive bass-line and MJ’s quirky and unique vocal hicups. The song was mixed 91 times by audio engineer Bruce Swedien before release.
Michael Jackson was a man with a mental illness…or perhaps you may describe him as mad. Certainly to say that he had abnormal states of mind and exhibited abnormal behavior, would be a fair and accurate description. Without this damaged mind would he have been as creative as he was?
I feel that it was the insanity that bubbled under the surface of his black skin ..his white skin, that elevated the music, dance and showmanship to another level. Micheal Jackson may have been as mad as a hatter…a total basket case, but a picnic with him down the rabbit hole sure was a trip. .MJ entranced with his his physical moves…and thrilled us with wonderful images. He also repelled us with a destructive and brutal personal life battle. I have always been fascinated by MJ. He had his professional life and his personal life…but the two became almost impossible to separate eventually…it was a hard distinction to make ..not unlike trying to figure out if Micheal wanted to be a white woman or he was in fact proud to be a black man.
I do not think there has ever been anyone like him nor will there ever be. Micheal was a man that loved to observe…he watched others perform from an early age. He took everything in, and if anything appealed to him..caught his eye, he would take it …change it up a bit and use it. He always credited those that had inspired him but took deserved credit for his manipulation of the work. It was not just individuals but whole dance sequences and musicals such as ‘West side story’ that MJ absorbed, drew from and then reinvented. West sides story…clearly inspired Jackson’s ‘Beat it’ video
.
‘West side story’…great scene…obviously MJ wanted to use ideas from the musical and incorporate them into his ‘Beat it’ video. Which was a little bit gay…in a good way..lol.
‘Beat It’…1983
Now take a look at the video below and compare it to the Bob Fosse video at the top of the page. There are definite similarities. Including MJ’S choice of attire the short ankle grazing black trousers, white socks, loafers and trilby hat. The clothes make a huge difference…drawing the spectators eyes to parts of the dancers body. MJ had one glittery glove and white socks which provided a stark contrast and drew attention to his crazy feet! The dance moves I mean…cos MJ’s feet were fairly normal. The glove was just to dazzle and thrill..it was his trademark. Tape on his fingers too was a favourite of his…just for greater effect when dancing…he so loved to point.
Billie Jean Live – Motown 25
I find it interesting that this song Micheal wrote (Billie Jean) is filled with anxiety…and fear in mind…it was about guilt and desire, resentment and fathering a child….about groupies…MJ feared them as he had a bad experience once when they got into the grounds of his home. The Bob Fosse dance therefore is rather appropriate… a predatory and crafty snake in the grass. So maybe MJ felt Bob’s dance moves, suited the song he had composed.
Micheal worked so hard…to the point of exhaustion..he insisted on perfection. He not only sang lead vocals but he also recorded all the other vocals on many of his songs. They were then overlaid in the recording studio. The effect was beautiful, as MJ had such range…it was fascinating listening to his music, hearing his voice as lead and background vocals…also there was plenty of punctuation throughout the songs, as Michael’s trademark hiccups and squeals were overlaid…such contrasting ranges and vocal effects. It is a very effective techniquein my opinion.
Now Micheal had immense unprecedented success with the Thriller album, the Bad album was also incredibly successful however to MJ it did not do well enough. Thriller became his benchmark ….and until the day he died MJ was forever trying to surpass what Thriller achieved. It consumed him and probably damaged his ability to focus on just being creative and making great music. He never really hit his stride again after the release of the Bad album.
Again throughout the ‘Bad’ video we see ‘West side story’ nuances. MJ once again delivered what had been seen before in a different package… re-branded and maybe even created a new improved recipe?
So ‘bad’ …it’s good. “your butt is mine” …ha ha …poor Wesley Snipes. Prince was originally going to collaborate with MJ but when he heard that line..said no thanks lol.
Once again very gay…but MJ’s buckles and black leather, contrasting with his Jheri curls, feminised face and makeup….just owwww…I confess I think MJ is hot….in this video.
OK..so enough about the music…most people think MJ is synonymous with a circus freak. It cannot be denied that due to his introduction to the showbiz industry at such a delicate age, MJ did grow up to be a man trapped in a boys body…with a very damaged and confused sense of self. His ability to dance, sing and act like a wise black man, when he was a young boy; his mothers oppressive religious beliefs ..she was a Jehovahs witness..this means very strict beliefs on sex etc. MJ had to adhere to the principals of the religion whilst seeing his father, brothers and others indulge in sex with groupies etc.
Micheal became a very damaged man….under mental illness in the dictionary…should be a picture of Micheal. (bad I know)
Although MJ had always been infatuated by Phineas. T. Barnum…(he was a ringmaster of American entertainment.) His shows were legendary and MJ wanted to ensure his own shows were “The greatest shows on earth”. Barnum put freaks in his shows, which really drew the crowds….salacious, gratuitous images for the voyeur to enjoy. Unfortunately Micheal took the concept and instead of showing off freaks, he became the freak. He knew people would sit up and pay attention….would want to look and see his antics…if he told tales..made things up….publicity stunts etc. However he did not strike a balance and the freak persona transformed him into a freak. He was a man with a fragile mind and self image. His dancing was a mix of masculine sexuality and vulnerability…the shock tactic of the crotch grab…his androgynous body caressed by his large manly hands. Michael was a walking set of contradictions and unresolved conflict. Although via dance and music he could let some of it out…he never sought the help/therapy he needed…. preferring to self medicate with prescription drugs.
The plastic surgery Micheal mutilated himself with, was an endless source of fascination and speculation for the media. It is something Micheal ferociously denied but what could be seen on the face of it, was a clear indication of the fact he had indulged in massive amounts of surgery. Only he knew what he wanted to achieve by sculpting his physical being.. perhaps to carve away some of the mental anguish?
It is so difficult to talk about Micheal Jackson I have so many books and media on the guy….there is so much more.
One thing I would like to mention is the child molestation charges. I am a massive fan of MJ but also I am open to the very real possibility that he abused young boys. Even if he never touched them physically, the very act of taking them form their families and using them for his own entertainment (he befriended young boys around the age of 9 and then discarded them when they hit puberty) little vulnerable toys…..a man even one with regressive tendencies should know morally this is wrong..abusive! MJ’s constant dwelling on his nonexistent childhood and his telling the world how he wanted to recreate it…just didn’t hold any water for most in the public and the media.
so here is something a little lighter ..MJ talks to Oprah saying he is a virgin….some say he died a virgin.
BELOW: Micheal getting a little irritable with Martin Bashir the English journalist. The questions are about MJ’s surgery and Bashir is somewhat unconvinced by MJ’s insistence that he has only had two surgery’s to his face. Bewildered bashir goes in for the kill…Micheal is not happy…hard to tell really as he has no way of expressing this, due to a rather inanimate face. Also Gavin Arvizo (a young boy that stayed with MJ) features in the video and both he and Micheal seem very close…..when the ‘Living with Micheal Jackson’ documentary aired to millions of people worldwide….Micheal was once again vilified for being a pedophile.
Ok a brief mention of Micheal’s unconventional family….he bought them. Going into any more detail would make this blog super huge!
Here are some MJ pics.. Micheal’s wardrobe was an eclectic mix, including military along with obvious royal influences. He elaborate and ornate clothing also perhaps reflects his rather egotistical nature. There is no doubt he had one massive ego! He thought of himself as royalty…even bestowing the title “The King of pop” on himself!
Just look at this painting MJ had commissioned….it shows him in the middle of a group of people…(creatures in ET’s case), that he considered to be the greats…brilliant people and he was centre stage.
Micheal desperately wanted to be Knighted.
Ok quite scary! Micheal collected art and antiques to fill his Neverland home…the ones he had commissioned are bizarre images depicting disillusions of grandeur I think.
BEAT IT!
THE WIND HAS CHANGED.
BAD BUCKLES.
DRIVERS LICENCE IMAGE.
‘THIS IS IT’…PRESS CONFERENCE
LIGHTER SHADE.
LIGHTER STILL.
PENSIVE POSE.
BUCKLES EVERYWHERE.
‘CAPTAIN EO’
AFRICAN AMERICAN BOY
WHITE MAN
HIS NOSE AS GOD MADE IT.
ELABORATE CLOTHING.
MORE ELABORATE
FRILLY EPAULETTES
FALLING APART..AT A COURT CASE
MORE STYLE TO GO WITH HIS SUBSTANCE
MJ a few months before he died. He is at an O2 press conference in London, promoting his billed ‘This is it’ stage show. ..it was never to be. His attire toned down a bit, he became more subtle in his dress sense with age.
Ok two last videos… a recording of MJ as he is being quizzed by detectives on the subject of child molestation. He looks very uncomfortable indeed!
MJ was the perfect person to mock…comedians found endless material in him ….there are many parody’s available. This is Jay Leno taking the …erm, Micheal out of a part of MJ’s Bashir interview. So funny!!! Jay Leno rocks!!
Ok….so MJ was a nutter…but he was a talented nutter. He did change the music industry…introducing the “short film” or music video as a way of promoting or conveying a song, and bringing it to life for an audience. He was a black man..(was being the operative word.) that was able to make it mainstream. Today many other artists cite MJ as an influence in their artistic style…Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber and Chris brown among others. Music videos choreographed with the singer dancing in front of a dance troop, who mimic their every move….. are so effective…see MJ’s Thriller video etc. He gave that to the world. He has become an inspiration now….as he once was inspired by others. That is how artistry works…..a chain reaction.
MJ was so broken he crumbled before our very eyes….., he said he wanted to be Peter Pan….and he achieved that by never growing up, however immortality was always going to elude him.
Micheal Jackson ..1958-2009. He died just short of his 51st birthday.
My favourite MJ picture….on the set of the ‘Liberian girl’ video shoot….that smile……wow!
All links in coloured text..click for even more information Click pictures to enlarge
The recent Bahrain Grand Prix. involved some controversy, Jenson Button said Perez, his team- mate needed to “calm down” following their on-track battle, during which they clashed several times.
Jenson Button and Sergio Perez.
“I’m not used to driving down a straight and your team-mate wiggling his wheels at you and banging wheels at 300kph,” said ex-world champion Button.
The two drivers were disputing fifth place at the time, with Perez eventually finishing sixth as Button dropped back to 10th because of high tyre degradation. Formula 1 ..such a contentious sport!
So that was the inspiration behind this blog….
So…I love the sound of an F1 engine ( in the morning…sounds like victory ) ..car engines in general have such a beautiful pitch depending on of course, if they are a V4.. V6..V8 or a V12 etc etc. The Turbo charged engine will be back in 2014 after 26 years….
BMW F1 engine … Ferrari F1/89 V12 …they are beautiful sounds!! Just hearing the noise is like an aural rush through the veins straight to he heart…an adrenaline soundtrack.
Ok.. now for a bit of serious stuff……….
Formula One: the formula in the name refers to a set of rules, applicable to the drivers and cars…rules which must be adhered to.
It was around the late 1930s and the inter-war years, from the European racing scene emerged an idea to hold an F1 championship….World War two put those plans on hold.
In 1946 thoughts once again returned to the idea of Formula 1 racing and in May 1950 the first world championship race was held at Silverstone, although prior to that there had been an F1 race which took place a month earlier in Pau.
F1 was at first a difficult sport to establish, with it proving unprofitable however the private drivers with their own cars continued to race. Formula 1 was dominated by large pre-war manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo,Ferrari, Maserati and Mercedes Benz. Although Giuseppe Farina The driver of note in the 1950s was Juan Manuel Fangio who won the drivers’ championship 5 times with 5 different manufacturers.
F1 is a fascinating sport…the fact that it is a constant battle, between advances in technology and faster..better cars and safety issues, creates a vibrant juxtaposition. There is a pulse that throbs through this adrenaline rush of a sport…i think.
It is followed around by controversy and that is surely part of the appeal…such an intense sport cannot exist without it’s flaws. The competition between different manufacturers ..creating faster cars, cars with advanced components for maximum performance …cars that can out perform competitors whilst keeping the driver of the car safe….cars.. cars.. cars
Formula 1 is an expensive sport to compete in, therefore McLaren, Williams, Renault and Ferrari won every World Championship from 1984 until 2008. These top 4 dominated the scene..with other independents being unable to really compete…they (the independents) made no lasting mark on the sport….and recognition therefore did not occur. In order to improve I feel that first the ability to win and gain sponsorship and prize money is essential, only then can the evolution through investment be seen. It is a natural process seen throughout all sports and those with the money, the mega bucks…they gain power..keep power and produce more power! Life meh!
Michael Schumacher and Ferrari, won an unprecedented five consecutive drivers’ championships and six consecutive constructors’ championships between 1999 and 2004. Michael monopolised the scene….a speed demon! Schumacher was a brilliant but ruthless driver in my opinion…is that what makes a champion?
From 2000 manufacturer-owned teams returned with success, McLaren the exception , as Renault, BMW, Toyota, Honda and Ferrari dominated the championship..they were able to also receive a share of F1 profits. They could even give input into the running of the sport…a power shift…a change in gear….sorry metaphor overload! The people that made the sport what it was through drive and determination…(whoops) could have a say…the people that never got their hands dirty had to listen.
To this day scandal constantly rides with the sport…there have been cases of fixed races (involving team mates) What the public see of the sport, which is still very popular, is a fundamental awe inspiring adrenaline rush. The politics behind the scenes though are a constant threat to the integrity of the sport.
Very pretty :)
….Gives you wings…
Proud to race. Look at the gull- wings on the cars in the background.
WOW.
Interesting!
BMW
BOOM!
Evolution in half a dozen years.
Changes.
Michael Schumacher.
Inside the car..F1 engine…
Sponsorship.
Turbo engine!
Now onto the dark side of the sport….death!
Formula One World Champion Ayrton Senna died on May the 1st 1994, as a result of his car crashing into a concrete barrier while he was leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Italy. He had won it three times. There were many accidents that weekend but Senna and Roland Ratzenberger were two fatality’s. It had been twelve years since any driver had died in the sport. The deaths were not in vain they prompted the implementation of new safety measures. So for nearly two decades the sport has been able to ensure the safety of it’s participants, whilst still providing a magnificent spectacle.. man Vs man…machine Vs machine…man Vs machine….a thrilling competition about technology …advancement…skill…rivalry…co-operation ( unless it is Jenson and Perez lol ) and mans ability to push himself to the limits. A sport on a razor sharp edge…a winning formula.
Here is a list of all those that have died starting from 1953-1994 over 41 years there have been 36 fatality’s. This is an unacceptable death toll….but of course the 19 years free of death (bar two trackside officials) gives testament to the dedication for creating a sport where man comes together with machine, at ridiculous speeds and comes out alive
Senna’s death Advisory: This is a video of the crash that killed Senna and his final moments are clear. R.I.P Ayrton Senna 1960- 1994.
The engine sounds though are really something.
Lewis Hamilton Vs Senna comparison. Brilliant to watch how things have changed for the driver. Super video. What once was a very rough ride is now super smooth!
’It’s the weirdest attack on your senses when you’re going fast and you’ve got this sort of closure of the tunnel leading to the point,” Coulthard said after the early-morning drive.
Former Scottish Formula One driver David Coulthard, on steering a 2011 Red Bull Formula One car through the Lincoln Tunnel linking New York and New Jersey.He clocked speeds of up to 305km/h completing the journey in just under a minute.
A constant adrenaline rush is felt by an F1 driver….I am not surprised. Great tune here. Well if you click the word adrenaline.
Eyeliner on guys…It is striking and bold…sexy and stirring…I champion guys that have the balls to wear it! Displaying diversity and spirit…character and a willingness to rebel…. those dudes rock!
Ancient Egyptians outlined their eyes on a daily basis. Historical pictures of the Egyptians depict both men and women wearing copious amounts of eyeliner. There is no doubt this enhancement makes the images more appealing.
I personally think that eyeliner on guys is seriously hot…the effeminate nature of it contrasting against their masculinity. It is hard to explain the aesthetic appeal, the sense of beauty …it softens a mans face they appear beautiful. I actually think eyeliner looks better on men than on women…weird?
Of course eyeliner is to enhance the eyes, bring them out. The eyes are so unique to each individual, they are the first place we look when we see a picture of a person…we search for their eyes. With men the eye makeup really makes their eyes pop and gives them another dimension. In my opinion…it is good for a guy to draw a females eyes away from his torso to level with a woman, indicating that a man is also a beautiful and caring creature.
Alan Kingstone, a psychologist at the University of British Columbia, has been debating with peers for many years what exactly comprise the gaze mechanisms. Do humans first look for the eyes or face when surveying another person or animal? Many scientists believed this is a question impossible to answer since the two are indistinguishable. Capitalizing on his 12-year old son’s brilliant idea of using monsters from Dungeons and Dragons as test canvas for his experiment, Kingstone proved that we’re indeed hot-wired to look for eyes, not faces, whether they’re thousands of them or positioned in unusual places like the hands of a monster. The findings could provide clues as to why some individuals, particularly those inflicted by autism, have a though time making eye contact.
Soon after, he enlisted 22 volunteers and instructed them to look at the corner of a computer screen before images of the monsters appeared. The volunteers were equipped with an eye tracking system to follow rapid eye movements as they browsed through the photos. Their findings showed that indifferent whether the graphic depicted a humanoid being or an utter monster, the viewers gazed first hit the center of the image. For humans and humanoids, their eyes then drifted vertically. Monsters, meanwhile, prompted sporadic eye movements. Still, in all cases people looking at the photos first searched for the eyes and, once they found them (on a head, hands, torsos, or otherwise), their gaze locked onto the eyes before moving to other body parts.
Kiss were the first Rock band to start wearing makeup in 1972…their look was rather extreme of course….but others soon followed with a more subtle approach. Rock bands employed the use of makeup to give them an extra edge, to add another layer to the image they wanted to portray.
in movies or television eye makeup is used on men to add extra intensity…particularly if a lot of the shots are reliant on a mans eyes to convey emotion. Close ups of the eyes, sending out a message to the viewer are a very intimate way to convey a message. Ian Somarhalder plays ‘Damon’ in ‘The Vampire Diaries’, his eyes are stunning..for the show he wears a touch of eyeliner, because his eyes do most of the acting lol.
‘Damon’ ..The Vampire Diaries…the eyes say it all.
Johnny Depp..Pirates of the Caribbean. Jack Sparrow was a crazy dude…the eyeliner really draws attention to his face…and his expressions which were great.
In real life a man wearing makeup may perhaps have issues with not fitting in. Society of course now dictates that women should wear makeup and men should not. The appearance of a woman seen without her makeup can be quite a dramatic contrast to her with a made up face. It is strange to think with men it works the other way ….to see a man with make up is quite shocking…and then the contrast of them without the makeup is amazing.
Men wearing cosmetics; particularly eyeliner, look sexy and still strong…I do not think it detracts from their masculinity rather it shows them as powerful individuals, willing to show the world they are happy to rock a look ..challenge society’s norms. Because who governs what a person should feel…how they should express themselves? Individuality and the ability to not follow the flock…that is a beautiful thing.
So ignore the title of this blog…the dude wearing eye liner, looks like a dude…but hotter.
Cinema is a medium which can communicate messages easily to a wide audience. The film as a way of keeping religion current and palatable, is often a method employed by directors.
The most overt example I can think of is from the film ‘Platoon’, made in 1986, directed by Oliver Stone. There is a scene which I found very visceral. The character of Elias played by Willem Dafoe is betrayed by a fellow solider. The platoon are on a patrol in the jungle, they are ambushed by the enemy…a rescue helicopter arrives to evacuate them. The solider that betrayed Elias is Barnes, he shot him whilst they were in the jungle.(He had a vendetta against Elias) He then joined the members of the Platoon that were still alive and boarded the helicopter…telling them Elias was dead. As the helicopter takes off with the soldiers on board; Elias suddenly appears running out of the jungle, he is being pursued by the enemy. There is no way the helicopter can land again to help him, Elias knows it is futile…he is going to die. He throws out is arms and falls to his knees….as the enemies approach firing…this is the ‘Christ pose’. It symbolises I think the betrayal of Jesus as he was betrayed by Judas.
I found the scene gut wrenching and yet liberating…to see a man accept his demise…surrendering himself to his inevitable death.
WILLEM DAFOE…PLATOON. ‘THE CHRIST POSE’
Robocop 1987 (really you have to watch this movie…set in a dystopian Detroit..it is dated…but so great to watch..the poor acting is very amusing) anyway I digress. As I was saying the movie Robocop also depicts religious elements… Director Paul Verhoeven.. says it was his intention to get a message across about religion via the film. Robocop is created from a policeman who was the victim of a shooting. The policeman is in a coma and there is a company that creates robots to uphold the law. They see this as an opportunity to experiment with using a human and the policeman is made into a Cyborg.
This is the Resurrection after the crucifixion, Robocop is a metaphor for Jesus Christ…he even walks on water in one scene towards the end of the movie. Paul Verhoeven says he created this scene so that Robocop could say the line “I am not arresting you anymore” ..’meaning, i’m going to shoot you. That is of course the American Jesus.’
I believe this is due to Americans having the right to bear arms. Robocop was righting wrongs.. eliminating the bad guys, a force of good. It is again a very obvious and clear example of a directors message about religion.
Robocop…the American Jesus.
Photoshop image of Robocop…as Jesus Christ…with a crown of thorns.
In 1988 Martin scorsese directed.. THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST..it was a controversial movie and was banned in some countries. The story Martin was telling showed Jesus as a man with normal needs and desires (he kissed men) although some suggested it showed Jesus as a homosexual. The last temptation of Christ starred Willem Dafoe he played Christ…two years after his iconic Christ pose in Platoon. The still shot of the Christ pose Willem struck in the film was used to promote it (Platoon) and appeared on the cover of the movies case.
The Matrix 1999 and Constantine 2005 starring Keanu Reeves were both movies that used religious imagery. In The Matrix, Keanu plays Thomas Anderson… aka Neo Anderson when he enters the Matrix. Neo is an anagram of ‘one’…meaning the one Jesus Christ. ‘Thomas’ represents doubting Thomas in the Bible. (Thomas/Neo) doubts that he is the one. Anderson means son of man. Also when Neo dies it is for 72 seconds which reflects the 72 hours of Christs Resurrection. The film can be perceived as a metaphor for the Christian belief system..or if you prefer just a really entertaining Sci-Fi movie. The main thing to remember ..there is no spoon.
In Constantine Keanu plays John Constantine…initials J.C..Jesus Christ..he is on earth to maintain the balance of heaven and hell. Gabriel the Angel comes to him and he also encounters Satin. So in short it is a movie about the complex relationship between heaven and hell…Angels and Demons and true belief.
Boondock Saints 1999 is about a pair of Catholic twins, they embark on a mission of vigilantism. They are ridding the streets of criminals, they think they are doing good and use religion to justify their acts. Gospel songs play in the background and the two brothers pray over the bodies of their victims. This is not a subtle way to bring religion to a mainstream audience but it promotes debate and keeps it current
ET directed by Steven Spielberg is fundamentally about Christian beliefs. ET is a savior with healing powers sent down to earth and then taken back up again. There are children who are his disciples. It also works of course as a movie about an odd looking alien that flies on a bike and makes lots of children friends on earth.
The best movies with religious undertones do indeed get the message across in a subtle manner. The movie must be able to work in a one dimensional way with an obvious plot and story line. But also hint at or use imagery and metaphors to broach the subject of religion. If a directer took a film idea to a film company; a fim that was wholly about religion, i think the company would prefer not to distribute or back the movie. So a directors challenge is to incorporate aspects of religion whilst keeping the movie fluffy .. a palatable pop culture production for people today.
I would talk about the Lord of the rings (Trilogy) and it’s religious connotations…but I have to live my life and stuff…these movies based on books written by JRR Tolkien were so religious, he said himself that it was his intention. They are also an epic adventure with a vast and deep world for the viewer to explore. A treat for the senses and the imagination. A movie watched and appreciated as a fantasy tale…but subliminally you are being told a story about Jesus and Christian beliefs. It is through imagery and metaphor that Tolkien achieves his goal. The example of said imagery really is a blog all of it’s own.
There are many movies that have religious messages embedded in them…from the very blatant to examples that utilise more refined imagery. Making a movie accessible to it’s audience and sparking religious debate is a skill as a director .
..adventures..that's wot I have in mind....starting right now :) Eggs..you will b turned in2 an omelette..fridge & cupboards u will b raided 4 days ago
Must regain self control...erasing my past seemed like a good idea @ the time..in hindsight..hmm. Well I shall concentrate on the future :) 4 days ago
Closed dwn my Flickr account..whoops!..mayb I was a touch impulsive & deleted most of my blog (old posts) never backed my poems up..crap! :/ 4 days ago
Jenson Button and Sergio Perez.
