Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Analog Scott (A) on August 18, 2006 at 11:30:10

In Reply to: Rather that speaking of what is normal, how about some examples of abnormal? posted by Victor Khomenko on August 18, 2006 at 07:53:07:

"We could start easy, but on a truly idiotic note - the Hollywood (and American) obsesssion with winning underdogs.
Face it... in real life someone beat into the pulp doesn't suddenly raise off the canvas to win the fight."

Actually it happens more often in real life than it does in the movies. Honestly some of the most outrageous underdog stories have only been deemed acceptable because they were based on real life events. The made up ones are rarely as unlikely.

"A quadroplegic does not jump out of his wheel chair to win a marathon.

If I were to count such events in American movies my computer would be smoking."

I must have missed that movie about the quadropalegic marathon runner. OTOH there was this guy that was dying of cancer who beat the odds, survived, and won a record 7 straight Tour de Frances. Try selling a made up story as unlikely as that one. Oh and there was this US hocky team back in 1980. That's just a couple. There are many many more real life stories. I get the fealing you are not much of a sports fan.

"Normal? Hardly."

Again it depends on yor defenition of "normal." Underdogs beating the odds certainly is normal enough to happen with reasonable frequency. The facts pove it. But if normal simply means average then no. But then movies have never exclusively been about average. Thank goodness.

"A janitor does not - in real life - become a mathematical genius. Not any more often than a 55 year old fart suddenly starts playing like Vladimir Horowitz."

What movie was the 55 Horowitz in? By the way you are putting the cart before the horse. It was a mathematical genious that became a janitor because he grew up in a shitty envirement. Um yes that does happen. Ever heard of Einstein? No he wasn't a janitor he was a high school drop out and a clerk when he came up with two of the most important ideas in modern physics. Once again real life makes is stranger than fiction.

"Normal?"

depends on your idea of normal.

"I could keep going, but that should give you some idea... it is not Frankensteins I am talking about..."

if it wasn't then why mention Freddy and Jason?

" I am talking about fun for severely intellectually handicaped, forced by Hollywood on masses, and the masses willingly responding."

Actually I think you are talking about your personal taste in art and confusing it with an objective standard. Why not just complain about French impressionists because they don't paint realistic paintings?

"OTOH, all characters in Bergman's films are normal people... they find themselves in the situations that are common, but not any less interesting psychologically because of that."

Which is fine and I am glad his movies were made. but I would be quite sad if we were limited to his movies or that particular style.

"Truth is, one does not need an abnormal situation to provide food for deep analysis"

No truth is food for deep analysis is not limited to your concept of normality. really, how many of Shakespeare's characters or stories fall within your definition of normal? Or was he a hack?

" - a family divorce and how "ordinary" people go through it is rich in emotions and psychology, in drama and revelations."

It certainly can be if artfully portrayed. OTOH despite your prejudices a romp through outerspace or middle earth or an underdo's story can also be "rich in emotions and psychology, in drama and revelations." We as movie goers are enriched by the variety of vehicles for this.

"A quadraplegic winning a race is a sick joke, is a low brow entertainment for a dumb crowd."

I must have missed that one. Is a cancer survivor winning a record seven straight Tour de Frances a sick joke?