Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Audiophilander (A) on November 25, 2003 at 12:45:32

In Reply to: Surely the finest review yet, of Master and Commander posted by clarkjohnsen on November 25, 2003 at 07:47:26:

... comes from contradictions alluded to by his ultimate conclusion, summed up in the last paragraph. Here, the right-wing's jolly roger is flown so proudly above the ideals that Mr. Hoffman has endorsed within his critical subtext (i.e., "If we would have a future, we will train up a generation of Christian gentlemen...") that even the secrecy of a certain well known public servant's Skull & Bones heritage would not betray it's bias.

The irony is that Michael is indeed correct that Napoleonic period seafaring was much crueler and rife with abuse, but having criticized that aspect of the film early on, in the end he condescends to approval of the movie's white-washing of the historical aspects of British navy life BECAUSE he genuinely likes the subtext of it's contemporary moral message!

Hmmm, it's interesting that the reason he didn't approve of the Patriot was that he didn't like it's contemporary moral message refering to it as an 18th century science fiction film that should've been set on Mars, fathers spouting hippie platitudes, inter-racial parties on the beach, etc. That's certainly food for thought! ;^)

AuPh