|
|
Post by fatboy on Mar 17, 2007 4:31:55 GMT -5
I have been noticing reoccuring trends in american blockbusters, and that trend being, what some might call propaganda, as its movies that survive the test of time not news papers and documentaries. EG. In the film "the guardian"- terrible- when they are doing the whole "training musical buildup" where the lifeguards are getting better and everything one pilot is talking about the diving routine and hows its the same in every coast guard in america, "and thats why hurricane katrina rescue was such a big success"  ?? huh im pretty sure its was a disaster and the goverment did nothing for ages and handled it terribly, now in 20 years people will see that film and think it was - another great victory for America - Also im allot of films they use these sterotypes - the blumbering stuttering idiot British guy, the backstabbing frenchman, and of course the hero American, who overcomes some great difficulty and does "whats right" with a "kick ass" attitude. The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, my favourite books ever, but in the new american produced films they changed the sexy "trillion" to an american, and they changed the crazy cool Zaphod to an american to, and Arthur Dent, stuttering spineless and wimpering he stays British. There are a lot of films which arnt like this but there are a lot which are. Many films in america seem to suggest that life in america is amazing, well apparently 70% of the country work for an hourly wage - gutters of gold? This isnt an America hate speech. |
|
|
|
Post by sarahjean on Mar 19, 2007 9:15:32 GMT -5
I'm not quite sure what is your argument. I think if you look at the best picture nominations this year (The Departed, Little Miss Sunshine, The Queen, Letters From Iwo Jima, and Babel) you wouldn't draw the conclusion that "life in America is amazing".
In my opinion, The Guardian and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy are hardly films that will stand the test of time.
Granted, stereotypes do exist, but I think you will find that the most grossing films are rather tackling these stereotypes and forcing America to become aware of their own prejudice and discrimination, (Crash).
I suggest watching Requiem For a Dream .
|
|
|
|
Post by fatboy on Mar 23, 2007 6:49:40 GMT -5
true but most of america dont watch bable or crash, they'll watch the action films with exsplosions, and people going "lets kick some ass" annd why are people calling Bable "babble" its Bable as in the tower of bable. and i did say that there are some films that arnt like this, but all of the films you mentioned are not the most exspensive films, nor no.1 grossing films
|
|
|
|
Post by Emily on Mar 25, 2007 9:37:52 GMT -5
With all due respect, sir, I think your way off the mark.
Crash and Bable for what were teof of the biggest films ever in America. Crash woDon Cheadlen best film of the year at the emmys. And, Hotal Rwanda stared an American Don Cheadle, who palyed Paul (he did a Aferican accent), which was a huge seller in America, and one of my favorite movies of all times.
Also, who in their rightr mind would call Katrina a succsess just because of some movvie? Americans arnt idiots. No one is going to be foiled by that. I never saw the gauriden, so I can't truely speak my opinion on it. But ifyour saying the movie priased the US govermant's rule in Katrina, then udnerstand that not everyone is going to fall for that, unless theya re of the opinion that the US govermant did do well, in that case, its your opinion.
Its like if someone made a movie about how great the USSSR did at the end of the Cold war. Its not like anyone would look back on it and say, "Oh yeah, the USSCR totaly won that battle!"
|
|
|
|
Post by fatboy on Mar 27, 2007 11:51:24 GMT -5
aha i've caught you there, Bable was directed by a maxican, not really an american film, and crash was directed by a canadian, also i said they didnt make the most money at the box office, because they didnt, they are great films and yes they did win many awards but didnt become number 1grossing in north america. annnd hotel rwanda was directed by a irish guy- who also wrote it, also how could that be your favourite film? it was horrible, Schindler's List was a excellent film but i would say i liked it.
and about the USSR thing, you are probably smarter than most americans, so a lot of stupid N. americans will go see an action film and take that in and believe it, the soviets did make those films and distrubuted them amongst the peasents and since they have not been outside their own country (2 thirds of North Americans dont even have a passport) or were educated they didnt know any better and believed it.
and about the whole "americans arent idiots" hmmmmm.....................debatable
|
|
|
|
Post by jacksloststepkid on Mar 27, 2007 13:00:13 GMT -5
aha i've caught you there, Bable was directed by a maxican, not really an american film, and crash was directed by a canadian, also i said they didnt make the most money at the box office, because they didnt, they are great films and yes they did win many awards but didnt become number 1grossing in north america. annnd hotel rwanda was directed by a irish guy- who also wrote it, also how could that be your favourite film? it was horrible, Schindler's List was a excellent film but i would say i liked it. and about the USSR thing, you are probably smarter than most americans, so a lot of stupid N. americans will go see an action film and take that in and believe it, the soviets did make those films and distrubuted them amongst the peasents and since they have not been outside their own country (2 thirds of North Americans dont even have a passport) or were educated they didnt know any better and believed it. and about the whole "americans arent idiots" hmmmmm.....................debatable honestly, if you go for the bottom of the barrel regarding films (both Guardian and Hitchhiker are near the bottom IMO) you can draw a huge number of conclusions that I don't think most people would agree with. I would generally agree that there is certainly stereotyping that happens in certain lower brow films, mostly because it is a crutch for writers to not have to fully flesh out their characters, hence all of the award winning movies don't tend to fall back on these stereotypes as much - better written. Unless you are saying that other countries don't have racial stereotypes that people are broadly aware (even though most people know they are not true) - I don't see this as a uniquely american issue. Good lord - just look at how the UK and France view each other. I've spent a lot of time in Europe and there are huge stereotypes pervasive there - Ask any Northern Italian about Southern Italians and what their general opinion of them is for instance. Finally, as much as I hate to bring it up, one of the years most liked films that was highly consumed was Borat. Talk about a critisism of American culture. Who cares if it was from a British comedian. Your case is primarily that the films that are most popular in the US portray it as an ideal place. I'd really question that. Certainly that is true in some films, and there is some feeling of that in general in the US, but not as wide spread as you are portraying. |
|
|
|
Post by Emily on Mar 27, 2007 20:28:48 GMT -5
You see, by calling americans idiots, your sterotypeing lol
And I wouldnt' exactly call the movie "The Departed", or "A history of vviolence" praising America. Yes, some films do, you find that everywhere. Maybe its found mostly here, but no one can say as a general rule that all Americans go out and see simple action films.
|
|
|
|
Post by fatboy on Mar 28, 2007 7:21:47 GMT -5
well yes you can, by looking at the highest grossing films, not bable or lost in translation but some action flick, and i didnt call americans idiots, and my point was that american films are appealing to stupid people (ALL AROUND THE WORLD) like those people in italy and ireland who are sectarian idiots, im irish and im from a cathoholic family in dublin, but i dont think all northern irish people are unionist traitors. But a lot of sou. irish people do, and when they say in american action films (the type of film that these people would go and see) "katrina was a huge sucess" they'll believe it, these are no uni graduates whos hobbys are reading jane austin, they dont giv a nuts about pride and prejudice or political/social satires, they want car chases.
also im annoyed i saw on E entertainment they were talking about babel, and they called it "babble" and that aint it its Bablel as in the tower of babel, or have i got that wrong....
|
|
|
|
Post by Emily on Mar 28, 2007 8:22:04 GMT -5
Actualy the Garuiden didn't do as great as you make it sound like lol.
But babal did do great, and Crash too, stories about the faults of American soccity, which do exsist. And both films did amazing. The departed was another great film, that didn't exactly make America look like a great palce to live ein (hgreat film) And it was nominated for film of the year. Crash won film of the year of voer. And wacth "A history of violence", another high gross film that talked about gangs in America.
|
|
|
|
Post by jacksloststepkid on Mar 28, 2007 9:21:58 GMT -5
The reality is that the US probably has one of the most robust entertainment industries in the world, both in terms of volume and distribution breadth (I could be wrong, but I suspect it is probably the largest - perhaps India or China might rival it...) Anyway, my point is that with that much volume you are going to get a huge spectrum. I would agree that I think there are way too many movies that just take the easy way out and are basically pretty crappy films. In general I'd say anything with Asthon Kutcher is probably automatically entered into this category, but that is my personal opinion. And from what I remember, the guardian didn't do so well at the box office.
Anyway, part of what I'm saying is that there are so many movies, both bad and good, it is pretty easy to point out a few and make general statements about the industry or culture as a whole. I would agree that there is a trend towards a larger portion of movies appealing to the "stupid" as you say, but I'm not sure it is quite as bad as you are making it.
JLSK
|
|
|
|
Post by thepiedpiper on Mar 28, 2007 19:43:59 GMT -5
i think the only annoying thing with regards to american cinema is how they portray certain historical events (ie: wars) yes i know there are films out there (the thin red line/platoon/full metal jacket/ those two clint eastwood films recently) that do represent a real vision of how war is and the horoor that it is. and i am not saying that americans glamourize war, far from it. but one thing that niggles me is how in films like saving private ryan, pearl harbour and the like seem to suggest that america not only won the 2nd world war by themselves but seem to suggest that they were in from the beginning. there were 3-4 long years before the "cavalry showed up." that point seems to get missed. and when you look at the amount of lives places like russia lost during the war it is really quite depressing that they don't get the praise they deserve. (it's something like more than 10 times more than any other country or something). obviously however, i wouldn't have thought that an american forum is the ideal place to rant about things likes this mr fatboy. on a side note speaking about propoganda, public relations was originally officially called propoganda until the word began to have ominous undertones. they changed it after the 2nd world war interestingly. froyd had a lot to do with that and the PR/propoganda within news media is a much more interesting debate and more widespread than cinema, in my humble opinion. IE: FOX NEWS  |
|
|
|
Post by Emily on Mar 29, 2007 8:06:14 GMT -5
See, thats pretty much it.
To me, tis all about finding a middle road. Yes, Hollywood is mostly full of a bunch of stuck up movie critics, actors and just plan spoiled idiots who never worked a day in their lives (see Paris Hilton and Britny Spears) their salmsot pracily....soemtimes they act like very *friendly* persons, inn the most poloicly correct way I can say it lol.
But, I don't tink anyone should make a gneralization about all american movies, utnill you've actualy seen all american movies. No one shoudl say all rieish people get drunk alot for exsample, untill you've meant all the tireish
|
|
|
|
Post by fatboy on Apr 3, 2007 12:25:42 GMT -5
ok, i agree american does claim that they won the war, when they were not a big part of both, this didnt seem to show when they wanted a rather large share of the reparations, oh well. i do think america glamourises war, i dont mind violent films as long as they portray war as horrible. but again JUST BECAUSE BABLE, CRASH AND A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE WON BEST FILM OR WHATEVER, DOSENT MEAN THAT THEY WERE THE MOST WATCHED, NORBIT OR WTV IS NO1 IN THE USA NOW, IS THAT A THOUGHT-PROVOKING SATIRE?
|
|
|
|
Post by Steve on Apr 3, 2007 15:04:31 GMT -5
I don't think Norbit is even in the top 10...
|
|
|
|
Post by hansosjesusstick on Apr 12, 2007 12:28:50 GMT -5
true but most of america dont watch bable or crash, they'll watch the action films with exsplosions, and people going "lets kick some ass" annd why are people calling Bable "babble" its Bable as in the tower of bable. and i did say that there are some films that arnt like this, but all of the films you mentioned are not the most exspensive films, nor no.1 grossing films who says i didn't see either ;D and i can see what your saying about the propaganda but right now i could give less of a crap about my government until it affects me i don't care and if i have kids i'll tell them what's happened so they know and can carry that information on so that's kinda what we the people are her for to pass knowledge on while others may spread wrong ideas such as racism some will teach their kids from what's right and wrong though they might not always be correct on that particular subject just my thought have a good day everyone  |
|
?? huh im pretty sure its was a disaster and the goverment did nothing for ages and handled it terribly, now in 20 years people will see that film and think it was - another great victory for America - Also im allot of films they use these sterotypes - the blumbering stuttering idiot British guy, the backstabbing frenchman, and of course the hero American, who overcomes some great difficulty and does "whats right" with a "kick ass" attitude. 
