Class Warfare in Popular Cinema

This blog serves as a "let me get some things off my chest" kind of place. I don't like to call out filmmakers and usually their films tell me allot about the way they see the world. For better or worse the Clint Eastwood films of the last 5 years tells me his views on race, media and victimization of the white American Male. (Yes, I said that and its an entirely different conversation)

The one thing that angered me in 2019 (other than talking to confused talent agencies) is a press release that was sent out a couple of weeks before the release of Joker. The headline reads:
'Joker' movie prompts mass shooting threat at US movie theaters"

The thing that bothers me is that we had a previous Batman movie and a Joker movie that was released with no threats of violence or release from authorities to be concerned about such a potential horror. Yes, we all have to be vigilant during these times with all the mass shootings. But why this movie?

"The alarming notice was sent out on Monday the week before Joker was released by military officials at Fort Sills Army base in Oklahoma, and was based on intelligence gathered by the FBI from the

 "disturbing and very specific" chatter of alleged extremists on the dark web, officials said."

Why Joker? Why did the FBI release such a bulletin?

The movie was released and it was a monster hit making it the highest grossing Rated R film surpassing Deadpool. People gravitated to the film and connected with the dark story of a loner's journey into madness.

Upon viewing the movie I came to the conclusion that the film's "rich versus poor" theme was the most controversial aspect of the film. Sure its violent. American cinema is ripe with violent films and these days, its never an issue. But what made the movie tick is the violence carried on by society when they witness Joker shoot a television host in the head on live tv. Joker is driven to jail by a Police car as the city burns.

Movies reflect the times, no doubt about it. Joker is the right film at the right time which is why it struck a cord with a large audience.

My anger goes back to 911 when The Bush administration sent their top political administration to a private meeting with the movie studios about making "American Themes" stronger and more relevant in their stories.

https://www.cnn.com/2001/US/11/08/rec.bush.hollywood/

My concern is that we should keep political manipulation away from Hollywood. Hollywood will always make the "why we fight films" with great flicks such as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Black Hawk Down". But what happened with the Joker release brings up many questions about motive and who made the decision to red flag the Joker movie. I can imagine this might happen again to less popular films and less powerful filmmakers and that's what scares me the most. Censorship is UNAMERICAN!

A Movie Carved into My Emotions - The Crescent Moon, Korea 2003

I love movies with children and when they are not treated like children but like human beings.  My Life as a Dog, The Sandlot, Stand By Me are three examples of movies that make you feel that there are no adults around and we are witnessing children being themselves.
In 2003 a film was released entitled, The Crescent Moon directed by Kil-soo Chang.  A director will not find a more difficult task than to effectively direct children having them achieve and effective and memorable performance.  At times as a viewer, you find yourself feeling as though your are witnessing real cruelty and children making absent minded decisions not out of maliciousness but out of ignorance of the consequences.

Plot
Nan-na lives with his grandma in Gugyul-li, a small seaside village. The year he turns four, Nan-na gets confused by the sudden appearance of his sister, Oh-gi. His grandma makes him take care of his new baby sister, so he starts to hate her as he can’t play war games anymore. As Oh-gi grows older, she develops a humpback due to malnutrition. In his childishness, Nan-na is ashamed of Oh-gi and does not let her anywhere near his school. But then Oh-gi is sent to grandma’s sister for the time being. Though his sister, whose presence was annoying to him, is is finally out of sight, Nan-na secretly goes to see her from time to time, but never dares to talk to her. When grandma recovers and opens a market stall, the family is reunited and Nan-na and Oh-gi jump for joy. But when Nan-na accidentally finds out that Oh-gi is his half-sister, Nan-na childishly starts mistreating her again, feeling a sense of distance from her. So, he takes the unwilling sister to the bakery, pushes her inside and runs away. But then, his uncle tells him the jolting truth that they were merely guessing about his mother. Nan-na runs straight away to the bakery but Oh-gi has already been sent off to a city-operated juvenile shelter…

Yes Crescent Moon is a movie that can be gut wrenching because of how children can be cruel one second and loving the next.  But what makes this movie interesting is the ability to make you reflect as an audience the cruelty we as children can sink to while searching for the forgiveness for the we all yearn.  

The Crescent Moon can be seen on Amazon Prime.

This Film Features One of the Darkest Characters in Motion Picture History!

Yes, another movie you have to search in order to find but this one is a gem.  "Once Were Warriors" is an award winning film in 1994 and is a timely classic.  It is a gritty in your face drama that will stay embedded in your brain for a very long time.  Not since Martin Scorsese Raging Bull do you feel a sense of intrusion when the drama and family violence occurs.

The film is set in the hard streets of Auckland (New Zealand) and explores the issues of alcoholism, domestic violence in a cruel and in your face way.  Jake Heke (Temuera Morrison) is a violent, tragic and at times a perverted man in the vein of Frank Booth (Blue Velvet).  In fact you can easy call the one of the top five creepiest, darkest characters in motion picture history. 

This is the top 5 most evil characters portrayed in film

1. Frank Booth played by Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet (1986)

      2. Tom Walsh played by Wings Hauser in 1982’s Vice Squad

      3. Leather face played by Gunnar Hansen in the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

      4. Jake Heke played by Temuera Morrison in Once Were Warriors (1996)

      5. Patrick Batemen played by Christian Bale in American Psycho (2000)

What is your top 5 and why? 

Going back to Once Were Warriors, the film takes us to the depth of hell and digs us out with pride, value and the importance of family in a fascinating journey that transforms both protagonist and the audience.  As a screenwriter I have read many dark scripts that deal with drugs, gangs, domestic violence, molestation and end with death, destruction and darkness.  Who wants to pay to see “no hope?”  We read and witness “no hope” on the nightly news every night. 

Yes, life is not fair.  But for the most part, movies are fair because the bad guys get punished and the good guys get the girl.  Young filmmakers complain that movies are not “real” like life.  We go to movies to escape and when we see drama we would like an ending that does not lead us to jump off a bridge!!!

Once Were Warriors gives us that hope in a realistic and inspiring level.  That is what makes this movie a gem.  Upon lending this dvd to a social worker friend of mine, she now uses it in Domestic Violence circles as a form of therapy.  To see firsthand the charm and love the abuser has and how quickly the love turns into darkness.   The following scene shows the horror of violence and the innocent victims are always the children.

Yes, the scene is ugly, disturbing and evil.  Watching this scene made me sob because I grew up watching this at my home when my father was drinking.  To capture this raw scene with authenticity and horror are credited with both effective directing and acting.  I hope you search for the film because with its ugliness, the true beauty is in the resiliency of the head of the household, the mother and how she leads her family to safety and security. 

One Gang Movie You Have to See

America loves gang movies!  Scarface, Godfather, American Me...  The list goes from Italian American gangs, Irish, Mexican and the bloody, urban, film list goes on...
But one movie is never mentioned and I hope you have the time and the luck to find this gem.
1979 film, The Wanderers is a film that has comedy, great acting and more importantly, "the giant rumble."
The Wanderers is considered a "greaser" film but what makes it unique is the recognition of many "ethnic" gangs and does not view them as a threat but as part of growing up.  Phillip Kaufman wrote and directed the script (based on the novel written by a 24 year old author) and the authenticity comes in the fact that Philip was a gang member.  When you look at Kaufman's work, it is diverse as The Wanderers.  Kaufman is credited with directing Invasion of The Body Snatchers (1978), The Right Stuff (1983) and Quills (2000).  A truly dynamic range from horror to period piece, Kaufman has no limitations.  Now, most of his work are in screenplays but The Wanderers represents a piece of American Film-making that is rare in today's films.
Today, in high school movies, we see the infamous tour seen where the new student is being shown the school and where everyone hangs out.  The Wanderers has such seen and we witness the school being divided by gangs, racial gangs.
The Wongs ("Nobody fucks with the Wongs"), The Mo-Mo's, The Del Bombers and The Ducky Boys are an array of gangs divided by race and later united by necessity and the changing times.  In fact, this film represents the division of gangs such as Little Rascals, into the real dark side of gangs we see today.  The Ducky Boys in the film is depicted as a dark, sadistic, evil gang.  They are zombie like, dimly lit and portrayed as destructive and hopeless.  In the film, all the racial gangs unite and fight the Ducky Boys and win the battle.  This is a battle that represents the true America, uniting into one to fight an opposition that is destructive and evil.  
The most fascinating aspect of the film is the death of President Kennedy.  The movie has its plot, comedy, violence and then the Assassination of Kennedy happens and disrupts life and the movie itself.  The community is unified in sadness and it all doesn't really matter what was going on in your life at that moment.  Everyone shares their feelings of  remorse and sadness.  I was not around during Kennedy's death but watching The Wanderers gave me a true feeling of the interruption in the routine of life, triggered by a tragedy that everyone feels.
The Wanderers is a truly American film and will never grow old, the soundtrack is golden, acting is great and you will yearn for more films like The Wanderers but will learn, its one of a kind.

2 Swedish films you must see!

Sweden, known as a peaceful country that offers great offshore accounts, is also known for world renown films.  Ingmar Bergman (Fanny and Alexander, Wild Strawberries) and my favorite Swedish director, Lasse Halstrom (My Life as a Dog, Cider House Rules) are filmmakers that focus on relationships whether they be twisted, unhealthy and the family next door. 

The following two films delves deep into the relationships of people and how sometimes friendships brings strange bedfellows.  Let The Right One In (1993), is a movie that was released in a micro-small amount of theatres.  A movie about a boy named Oskar, who befriends a little girl who happens to be a vampire.  The movie is Fright Night meets My Life is a Dog.   It’s a horror film but what makes you horrified is the fact that you really care about the two main characters.  We don’t see this in American horror films; usually we hate all the victims and root for that one female character that is not as obnoxious as the rest of the cast. 

Director Tomas Alfredson reinvigorates the vampire genre with this scary and interesting film based on a popular European novel.  Children with adult problems have been a common theme but when injected with horror, it takes the genre to another level.  The following scene is a sample of that kind of storytelling.  The movie is available on DVD and Netflix BUT PLEASE NOTE: There is an American version that has mixed reviews, stick to the original and please don’t be turned off by the subtitles.  

WARNING THE CLIP BELOW IS THE FINALE SCENE, I WAS TRYING TO ADD ANOTHER SCENE, WITH NO SUCCESS!  SORRY!

Our second film is Evil (Ondskan), directed by Mikael Hafstrom and it was nominated for best foreign film in 2004. It is a dark tale that tackles the issue of anger management. It doesn’t offer solutions but it does portray the cause and effects of violence. In fact, you can call it the Swedish Clockwork Orange to an extent.

Without giving too much away (I never do) the protagonist of the film is a violent and real talented fighter at his school. His mother realizes she must step in before she loses his son through his rage and sends him to an expensive boarding school. Erik’s mother has sold many of her belonging to pay for the school and makes him promise not to cause trouble, to go to school and study without incident. Unfortunately, there are sadistic rich students, who are evil, disgusting and arrogant. Erik must make a decision in how to handle his new environment without breaking a promise to his mother.

Evil is at times difficult to watch and every character has a flaw. But the brutality and honesty of the film is what makes you watch from beginning to end.

Both films can be found on netflix and feel free to shoot me a message whether you like the film or not!

City of Life and Death

I have posted many foreign films on this blog.  Primarily, because it’s a great time on Netflix.  The American movies are dreadful and mostly low budget crap you would have ignored at the video store (RIP Video Stores).  But the foreign films offers a cornucopia of new voices, visions and POV’s that are both profound and universal.  Today, I would introduce 2009’s City of Life and Death, directed by Chuan Lu, one of China’s youngest promising directors.

City of Life and Death is about the Invasion and occupation of China by the Japanese, in particular, the city on Nanking.  The movie is shot in black and white and is as brutal as Schindler’s List with beautiful vision and horrific shock! 

The shock to me and why I watched it was my consistent romanticizing of the Samurai culture.  Yes, I love Samurai movies.  However, the atrocities of Japan inflicted to both China and Korea seems like the remnants of that Samurai culture and a country that paid homage to warrior and his bloody and proud lifestyle.

The following scene is towards the third act of the movie in where Japan is celebrating their occupation of Nanking.  PLEASE NOTE: the dance is not historically correct.  However, director Lu is trying to portray the romanticizing of the Samurai culture.  Many Japanese consider this scene a propagandist and incorrect scene but the poetry of what the director is conveying is riveting. 

City of Life and Death is not an easy movie to see.  But to understand China and Korea’s continued animosity towards Japan is explained a little bit more.  And reflecting on the romanticizing of the Samurai culture makes you think twice.  One last thing, Japan gives the world hope.  When you see how brutal their society was and how they have evolved now, the world can feel comfort in the fact that societies can change for the better. 

2 Foreign Films YOU HAVE TO SEE

I love Samurai movies.  Actually, I'm a bit of a foreign film addict.  The world has caught up with the U.S. and at times can tell a better story than many of the mainstream films out today.  Here are 2 films I would highly recommend that are available now on Netflix.  Twilight Samurai is a wonderful samurai film and if you don't like movies like 13 Assassins, this film will delight you because of the lack of violence and the injection of humanity.  Twilight is still not a family film but the importance of family and how it raises the stakes in every aspect of our lives is a timeless and universal theme.  Siebei Iguchi is a run down single parent who sold his sword to pay for his wife's funeral.  Now the samurai must make his living walking around with a wooden sword.  He must balance his life as a father of 2 daughters, a life he cherishes more than anything.  Versus his volatile Samurai life where his colleagues cannot stand the sight and smell of him.

My second film has to be one of the most memorable and emotional film I have seen in my lifetime. Aftershock, was China's more profitable film a couple of years ago and based on a true story. Aftershock, a film that should have been nominated for best foreign film is a film about survival and forgiveness during China's most horrific and deadly earthquake in 1976. Its a mix of Sofie's Choice and Titanic. Aftershock is a riveting look during chaos where a devastating earthquake destroys Tangshan, and Da Qiang dies while trying to rescue his children from their apartment. When a collapsed beam traps Fang Da and Fang Deng, Yuan Ni is forced to decide between saving her son or daughter and the long term trauma she must face.

Both Aftershock and Twilight Samurai are subtitled and if that what keeps your from watching these films then you are missing out on 2 of the most wonderful films you can catch on netflix.

What do you think?  Japan and China are two countries with a strong consistency of making excellent films.  See you at the movies!