Films/DVD Asylum

At the risk of being insulting

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Analog Scott

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In Reply to: Re: I saw it quite differently posted by mr grits on December 26, 2006 at 16:08:02:

and I am not trying to be, but do you really think the film drew those lines or did you? There were many Americans in this movie, how many were emotional and demanding? There were many Japanese people in this movie, how many were scarred and emotionally detached? Same for the Mexicans. Many of them in the movie, how many were simply stupid? I don't think the movie makes any stereotypes. The individuals act on their own. As I see it no one is stupid or emotional or self-centered because they are of one nationality or another in this movie. Funny thing is all the main characters share the same frailties and virtues.

Follow Ups:

Your statement is apt - boa2 19:27:10 01/08/07 (0)
"Funny thing is all the main characters share the same frailties and virtues."
Exactly. Which is why the viewer is inclined to step into the trap of automatically aligning the characters with their respective cultures, when in fact their frailties, virtues, and vulnerabilities make them culturally interchangeable...or simply put, human. Inarritu is a much more inquisitive filmmaker than is Gaggis, who in "Crash" tapped into predictable audience preconceptions to hammer home the point that we're all racist. In "Crash", the characters are are their stereotypes, both as perpetrators and victims. The film was awarded for confirming exactly what audiences already believed to be true even before seeing it. As one critic noted, it wasn't plotted, it was programmed. Whereas "Babel" prompted questions, "Crash" professed to have all of the answers from take one.
Stereotypes come from movies and this one nailed everybody--intentionally or not. * - mr grits 16:42:22 12/26/06 (5)
,
Grits: "Rewarding, very, very, VERY REWARDING!"
- Maybe I am misunderstanding you but stereotypes do not come from movies - Analog Scott 16:51:24 12/26/06 (4)
  Stereotyping predates motion pictures by several millenia. When you say "nailed" it seems like you are saying the stereotypes you saw are accurate? i hope that isn't what you meant.
  - I meant nailed with a negative portrayl . . . stereotypes can be created by mass media . . . - mr grits 17:20:20 12/26/06 (3)
    but I certainly understand your point.
    Ever see any clips of Hitler's propaganda films on Jews on History Channel or TLC? Powerful stereotypes created and made believable by constant repetition.
    This film is carelessly bad stereotyping since it was meant for an international audience.
    (Oh, I forgot about it showing my how simple-minded and brutal Muslims are.)
    
    Grits: "Rewarding, very, very, VERY REWARDING!"
    - That is a relief - Analog Scott 18:26:06 12/26/06 (2)
      Interesting that you saw Muslims as being portrayed as brutal and simple-minded. Seemed to me the guy helping Brad Pitt was anything but. In fact no one in that village came off as either brutal or simple minded to me. Did tyhey really come off that way to you? The kids were, well, kids. their father was a bit brutal but i think with that group the featured disconnect was between the father and his kids. Not a particlularly Muslim thing. The government agents were ceertainly brutal but I think that is simply often the truth with agents of monarchies. Again, not something exclusive to Muslims. You'd see that fro real in many other african nations. You know the non-Islamic ones. So I gues I don't see stereotyping here. I see many people of each nationality clearly NOT being played as the stereotypes you are seeing.
      - Well, the guy helping Pitt was the only "redeemable" Muslim . . . - mr grits 21:46:22 12/26/06 (1)
        
        In Reply to: That is a relief posted by Analog Scott on December 26, 2006 at 18:26:06:
        
        The kids were stone simple, dad was harsh and brutal, the police were beyond brutal willing to shoot kids dead without blinking.
        Everybody gets a black eye in this one.
        
        Grits: "Rewarding, very, very, VERY REWARDING!"
        
        I thought all the Muslims were helping and caring. nt - Duilawyer 21:50:50 12/26/06 (0)
        
        In Reply to: Well, the guy helping Pitt was the only "redeemable" Muslim . . . posted by mr grits on December 26, 2006 at 21:46:22:
        
        .

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