David J. Skal, author of the Monster Show proposes an interesting hypothesis that teenagers flock to slasher flicks for precisely the opposite rationale - that the kids watching the movie see their child/adolescent selves killed, thereby allowing them to embrace adulthood. It’s not that having sex means getting killed, it means the end of their childhood and therefore the beginning of adulthood. Consider that part of the thrill of seeing a slasher flick in a theater is seeing an ‘R’ rated and therefore “grown-up, adult” movie. Also consider that the serial killers tend to be stunted children (how many times has the Final Girl in a Friday the 13th movie survived by impersonating Jason’s “mommy”?)
Anyway, as for new contributions to the thread, I’ll throw out the Exorcism of Emily Rose from about five years ago. IMO this scurrilous film did not get enough heat for bluntly arguing that ‘scientific facts’ should be treated as dubious & unprovable, and that religious tomfoolery that even the Catholic church considers outlandish should be taken seriously. Especially given that it came at the time just when a bunch of religious yahoos were trying to shill ‘intelligent design’ as a legitimate ‘scientific’ theory.
Yeah – I would rephrase that as “The impression that the government cares about one mother’s last son is more politically valuable than the husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers of ten or twelve other women. Ain’t that a bitch?”
Also, individuals will be consumed by the remorseless struggle for dominance between super-organisms. Ain’t that a bitch?
When the movie came out, the local paper gave it a rather scathing review. A few days later, I noticed a letter to the editor from a young man who disputed the review, arguing that the film had such a deep and profound impact on him that he had joined the army and was shipping out to basic in a couple of weeks.
Now, far be it from me to disparage military service, but anyone who watches Fight Club and thinks the message is, “Join the army!” has missed the point on an almost cosmic level.
Actually, she was pretty dull to begin with. No personality. No grooming or hygeine. Dressed in shapeless, dark clothing.
Also, I think Emilio’s character was also supposed to have made an internal transformation from violent, sheep jock to someone who could make his own decisions and not just go along with other people’s expectations. For example, dating a weird unpopular girl.
The thing about Knight’s Tale is that the bad guy was actually, you know, helping the Prince fight in wars whereas Will was just wandering around making cash. *@# loyalty to your country if you’re a mean black armour wearing type.
The Cosby Show - Black people are perfect but the Huxtables are the most perfect black family to live next to. Better even than the Brady Bunch.
And Mrs. Huxtable is the most frightening harpie of a woman in the entire world. How did Cliff get into bed with her every night without fearing for his life and/or sanity?
She was awful. Just awful. The kids were actually ok and Theo was a believable character. The parents and grandparents though were just awful. It was the black Maybury around there.
Not to mention the fact that fuedal armies were not known for their love of country, at least compared to their love of raping and looting. “Patriotism” was an unknown concept in that specific time and place.
Aren’t most wars fairly stupid? I think it was still being loyal to the crown though and he did more for the crown then Will actually did what with putting his life on the line.
Explain this one a bit? I’m guessing it’s the guy changing, not the woman (cuz I cannot remember Vardalo’s character changing to please the guy’s parents).
The whole point of the jousting tournaments was to provide a venue for knights to train during peace time. By making Will a “real” knight, he’s basically conscripting Will to fight for him in real wars - but as a loyal and honorable vassal, instead of a self-serving, vicious heel like Adhemar.
The Graduate was the first slacker movie, the message of all of which seems to be that sitting on your butt makes you incredibly attractive to hot chicks. It predated video games and public dope smoking, but if it were remade …
(Anyone from Hollywood reading this - I’m joking :eek: )
Oh, she was hot. But Ted Bundy was hot and I wouldn’t have gotten into bed with him either! Well…I mean, NO.
Actually I ordinarily like Phylicia Rashad. I saw her in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof playing Big Mama and thought she did a really good job. I just got so creeped out by Clair Huxtable.
In real life (which I’m aware Knight’s Tale wasn’t), black armour proclaimed to the whole world “poor itinerant knight without a liege”. It meant that to keep your armour from rusting you had to blacken it (like you would a frying pan) because you didn’t have a page to spend hours every day polishing it for you.
Having your “spurs” as a knight was the equivalent of having a law degree: A huge step up from being an unqualified peasant yes, but there’s an enormous difference between scrabbling by as self-employed store front lawyer, and being taken on by a prestigous law firm.