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In Reply to: Re: Have you seen Matrix? posted by Victor Khomenko on July 19, 2000 at 09:03:00:
No offense taken Victor - I enjoyed Matrix, and parts of Saving Private Ryan, but I would be the first to admit that both movies are flawed on many levels and certainly would not feel compelled to defend either one.>>> I am truly sorry "movies" like that are being watched<<<
I dunno - I can think of some films that are a lot worse that pass for "mainstream" entertainment - especially those films that glorify violence as an acceptable solution for dealing with life's problems and kid's films that are mean-spirited or include inappropriate subject matter. I'm not sure what you specifically find objectionable in Matrix or SPR but they are IMO fairly benign compared to much of the tripe that passes for "entertainment" these days. (Starting to sound like a cranky old fart - or worse, my parents - "that hippie-crap rock music you kids listen to is garbage!").
It's a complex topic that can stir complex emotions - cinema as a reflection of our culture.
***I dunno - I can think of some films that are a lot worse that pass for "mainstream" entertainmentI suspect you are right.
***- especially those films that glorify violence as an acceptable solution for dealing with life's problems
I thought that one had all the violence you might need - but really, it is not violence that bothers me. There is plenty of it in the Clockwork Orange, with only one small difference - that one is a work of art. Meaning that there is depth and there is something behind the violence, in other words it is not gratuitous.
***and kid's films that are mean-spirited or include inappropriate subject matter. I'm not sure what you specifically find objectionable in Matrix or SPR but they are IMO fairly benign compared to much of the tripe that passes for "entertainment" these days. (Starting to sound like a cranky old fart - or worse, my parents - "that hippie-crap rock music you kids listen to is garbage!").Oh, I am with you on that old fart issue. However, the biggest problem with the Matrix is that it is very representative of things responsible for dumbing down of this nation. If you like, I would compare it to reading the comic books. One book is not gonna make you dumb, but you get my tilt.
***It's a complex topic that can stir complex emotions - cinema as a reflection of our culture.
It is a pretty good reflection, indeed.
The Wachowski(sic?) brothers are reported to be huge comic book fans, as is evidenced throughout The Matrix. If you ever do see the movie, take note of the freeze-frame/slow-motion shots. If the movie were condensed into a comic book, these are the exact shots (drawings) that you would make up the comic book action shots. Also of comic book note is the direct refernce to "Superman" at the end of the movie.
Interesting observations... I think we are in agreement on the major issues... perhaps my senses have been numbed from a steady diet of violent American cinema. I don't really perceive Matrix as violent movie per se as it takes place in a cyber-world and therefore none of the violence is "real" and all of the action is way over the top. I suppose it's easy to get desensitized when you see a character get killed every 10 seconds on TV...I agree with you about Clockwork Orange being a work of art, but find it sad that the violence that was considered "science fiction" in the sixties had become a common daily American occurrence less than 30 years later.
I have to interject that the violence in the Matrix and probably in many other movies should be understood symbolically by the audience. Unfortunately one cannot expect the mainstream to not take things literally, which is where problems arise...There is no spoon,
Andrew
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