I wonder if it’s arguable for me to profess that House of the Dragon has demonstrably benefitted from the apparent accruement of female voices to write, direct, and otherwise influence episodes, particularly those in which sexual themes and imagery are represented. One of the most ardent and vociferous complaints some people had of Game of Thrones was the frequent sex scenes, which often were solely intended to provide visual “interest” or stimuli to augment and backdrop moments of expository discourse in the script. Though I can’t state with certitude who or what this is attributable to exactly, House of the Dragon has thus far proved to contrast this, and sex scenes seem to have more contextual significance. Essentially, they are a conduit for the exploration and depiction of how the characters relate with one another and with the concept of intimacy itself. For example, young Alicent presents a reassuring, dutiful smile to Viserys as they lay together, in purposeful opposition to the passionate playfulness of Rhaenyra and Criston Cole as they electively indulge their caprices without restraint. Thematically, this conflict between stringent duty and rebellious defiance seems in part to define the growing capacious division between Alicent and Rhaenyra. Alicent appears resentful of the rigidity of the expectations and decorum foisted upon her by the nature of her station and the standards of righteousness and ethicality defining her society and its norms. Rhaenyra is vilified by Alicent partly due to her emblematic subversion of enumerated traditions, particularly her intent upon ascending the throne despite her womanhood and her overlooked sexual liberty to explore outside the confines of her vows. In addition to the compounded rationale underlying the sporadic sex scenes in House of the Dragon, this show also demonstrates a significant departure from Game of Thrones in its depiction of nudity and the female-bodied participants of these intimate sequences. Personally, I noticed that the cinematography in relation to woman during Game of Thrones was often gratuitously exploitative, as the camera would unabashedly present the nude female form for needless durations with explicit focus and obvious intent. Comparatively, male nudity was sparser, and often included to elicit shock or disgust as opposed to pleasure, though neither overt depictions are, in my opinion, truly necessary for the artistic conveyance of intercourse, empowerment, ostracization and depravity, etc. House of the Dragon is decidedly more creative and equal with these scenes, as well as cleverly implicit in their direction, for instance, Rhaenyra and Criston Cole’s activities being generally obscured and momentarily shot through the reflection in a mirror. Whether this noticeable departure from Game of Thrones’ notorious nudity is attributable to more women on staff, I guess I really can’t say. Regardless, I do hope that the coordinators of these scenes continue to make the actors feel comfortable and safe no matter what.
Captain America- Civil War: The Incomplete Arc of Tony Stark
It is certainly arguable that Captain America Civil War demonstrates a laudable and notable divergence from other contemporaneous Marvel Films through its augmented, centralized focus on the interpersonal dynamics and ideological disparities which individually motivate members of the Avengers. The film’s primary antagonistic force, as eponymously implied, deviates from a world-threatening entity and is instead dependent on the threat of widening the capacious schism forming between the Avengers themselves. Foundational to the crumbling façade of unity are the incompatible mentalities of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, representing the subjugation of the Avengers to external regulatory bodies and independent self-governance, respectively. Each perspective is presented with commensurate strengths and fallibilities to instill complexity to the determination and disentanglement of this predicament facing the Avengers, and the side chosen by every member elucidates their personal experiences and history with the organization. Steve, for instance, is intimately cognizant of the failures of bureaucracy and the supposed impregnability of powerful associations, such as S.H.I.E.L.D., that seek to retain control over the deployment and development of weaponry or “super-human” beings. Tony’s position, conversely, is inextricably related to the profundity of his guilt and sense of responsibility at the helm of the Avengers, which he desires to alleviate through foisting integral decisions onto a conglomerate of governing bodies. Though the establishment and explication of Tony’s remorse is effectively conveyed throughout the introductory moments of the film, the culmination of his arc and the residual implications of his internal tribulations were essentially abandoned and remained incompletely resolved by the film’s conclusion.
Guilt, as the predominant motivator impelling the actions of Tony Stark, was shown to originate with the realization of the devastating collateral impact incurred by the rampant, unregulated behaviors of the Avengers during their missions. Regardless of the general mitigating effect their influence has over the overarching predicament, each personal loss has individual significance and weighs heavily upon Tony’s conscience. In addition, compounding this prodigious remorse for the unintentionally harmed, Tony experiences latent guilt and trauma over the final interactions he had with his parents before they died. The film specifically expounds upon the nature of this moment and its importance to Tony, who creates three-dimensional visualization technology to simulate this final conversation and allow for him to respond with the kindness and love his original reactions were devoid of. The ardency of Tony’s efforts to mollify the synthesis of this insurmountable grief and regret translates into his devotion to relinquish control of the Avengers and subject them to the decisions and caprices of the U.N.
The eventual exculpation of Bucky Barnes for acts of terrorism and the acknowledgement in the failures and misdirection caused by external authorities erodes Tony’s austerity towards the opinions and actions of Rogers. He accepts the veracity of Rogers’ words and offers his assistance in the apprehension of the true mastermind, Helmut Zemo, until Zemo attempts to permanently fracture the solidity of the Avengers through the reveal of Barnes’ responsibility for the death of Tony’s parents. The ideological dissonance existing between the two manifests as a final physical confrontation, which culminates in the apparent severance of their tumultuous, tenuous relationship. Within the context of this film, in isolation from the continued arcs and storylines present in subsequent entries in the Marvel compendium, this resolution insufficiently completes the arc of guilt and pain Tony experiences that impels his actions throughout the film. In a sense, he was cognizant that Barnes was mind-controlled and logically could not be at fault for the death of his parents, therefore, the ferocity Tony displays seems to imply a deeper origination to the emotion he releases against Barnes and Rogers. Essentially, Tony’s intensity transcends both the discovery about his parents and the ongoing philosophical differences, and appears to have its derivation from his projection of personal guilt and ability to corporeally punish Barnes and Rogers in substitution for himself. Perhaps Rogers could have recognized this during the course of their fight and implored Tony to also admit to the truth underlying and inciting the needlessly violent physicality of their interaction. Without a layered rationale emboldening the nature of Tony’s response, it simply appears as if inflicting pain when in a momentary state of incomparable anger is a viable reaction and means of temporarily dissipating conflict between parties. Instead, the immeasurable encumbrance of responsibility and regret which define Tony’s impetuous and belligerent behaviors should have their culmination in the realization of this projection of blame. Only upon the acknowledgement of these actions would Tony finally be able to forgive Rogers, Barnes, and, most importantly, himself.
The Twilight Zone Discussion Compilation
Episode 1- Where is Everybody
Twilight Zone has always been to me a conduit for the exploration of human psychology amplified and extrapolated to its deepest extremity, which certainly suits the visceral, claustrophobic fear and freneticism of the abject solitude, loneliness, and abandonment associated with seemingly becoming the last person alive. These latent fears are greatly resonant within us, and the Twilight Zone is the perfect construct through which the very human responses and reactions to preternatural situations with such harrowing, realistic emotional stimuli can be showcased.
Concerning the quality of the acting and the verisimilitude of the monologues performed, I noticed a somewhat prevalent tendency in the acting towards the theatrical, especially during character monologues, which compromised the believability of said character’s tribulations. This sort of dramatic style of acting was rather concomitant with this time period of cinema and television. Still, for the most part, the performances were sufficiently grounded and realistic to properly convey the complex narratives, themes, and emotions that Rod Serling intended.
Lastly, as themes appertaining to space travel and its possible physical or psychological threats are somewhat commonly explored throughout the series, it seems that the era of the late nineteen-fifties was rife with fears and speculations concerning the advancement of space technology and the potential for human travel, which would eventually become relevant in Rod’s work as a reflection of conversations pervading his societal zeitgeist.
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Episode 4- The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine
The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine explicates the unfortunate prevalence of discriminatory practices against middle-aged actresses, who find their careers in leading roles prematurely truncated by the injudicious and cruel determination that their beauty has irrevocably faded and their worth as people and performers has been consequently revoked.
Rod Serling’s introductory analogy was particularly poignant in its eloquent depiction of Barbara as someone who time has struck and left behind and whose dreams lie in the perpetually unalterable reality of film. I’ve so far found it a rather frequent theme in Rod’s writing to explore the unremittent ineluctability of the passage of time and the impermanence of fame, youth, and life. It’s extremely evocative of the existentialist fears of irrelevancy, the withering of age, and inevitable death, which many desperately seek to delay or avoid, both inside and outside the Twilight Zone. There also exists conversations appertaining to the mental and emotional torment of being vociferously denied the sole or predominant source of self-worth and personal identity simply due to age or physical appearance. For someone such as Barbara, who is defined by her success and the roles she once played, an existence beyond this lifestyle is wholly unfathomable and unpalatable.
In a sense, I think the ending for Barbara at least is felicitous, as she can now reside amongst the reawakened memories of the past in affront to the natural and degrading caprices of time. The bittersweet tone is invoked upon the realization that such wishes to stay the hands of time can only exist… within The Twilight Zone.
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Episode 5- Walking Distance
The evident pathos of a man reliving the simplicity of experiencing the world of his youth through the eyes of an adult was rather emotional to behold, particularly in the context of a current reality beset with difficulties and prone to eliciting a sense of longing and wistful reminiscences of a quieter past. The discussions this episode invokes appertaining to the mundanities and tribulations of adulthood are truly of exceptional resonance with a generation finding the imposition of modern stressors and responsibilities to be overwhelming. It’s therefore incredibly important to heed the eloquent advice of Mr. Serling, and while the past can be regarded with the fondness of a transient memory, the present must take precedence and life must move forward. However, as the elder Mr. Sloan implies, focus on the future isn’t synonymous with resignation and solemn admission of the joyless monotony of adult life, rather, seeking stability and the security of having made a new “home” with ones we love is a life worth working and hoping for.
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Episode 7- The Lonely
Throughout its duration, there were demonstrable psychological intricacies and complexities that elevate this particular episode of The Twilight Zone. Conceptually, the imposition of protracted, unabated deprivation of company would be torturous for any individual to contend with, which is typically why such solitary punishment is relegated to only the most violently obstreperous of inmates. Even then, from my understanding, this form of retribution is still limited in duration for the sake of the criminal’s sanity, an appeasement that Mr. Corry is curiously denied. In a sense, such inhumane treatment of purported criminality, regardless of the temperament or behavior of the inmate, precipitates interesting discussions in itself, appertaining to the fairness of punishment and the extent of psychological torment that a government should be allowed to inflict upon its deviant populace.
The more evident of the elicited thematic conversations is centralized on the now popular quandary exploring the tenuity of the line between code emulating human behavior and humanity itself. The true constituent elements comprising a person remain nebulous and undefined, and this inability to definitively state what makes an autonomous human has since inspired deep, contemplative depictions in all forms of fictional media. Whether Alicia is capable of learning and developing legitimate feelings for her sole companion or is merely replicating the actions and opinions she witnesses is cleverly left open-ended, though, in a way, it’s also arguable in the end whether or not this question even matters at all. Alicia, regardless of what she was, human or machine, provided Corry with salvation from his loneliness and gave him the company and love that serviced him through his time of desperation and abject solitude.
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Episode 8- Time Enough at Last
Given that Time Enough At Last is commonly seen as the quintessence of Twilight Zone episodes, it is difficult to dexterously and comprehensively anatomize the facets of its constituent writing, performances, and overall execution which solidified this episode in the collective conscious as one of the series’ most iconic. Mr. Bemis, despite the somewhat obsessive and interruptive nature of his introversion and fixation on literature, was portrayed as a sympathetic individual who found solace and companionship within the fictitious worlds of the books he read. He prefers the quiet company and solitude found apart from the emotionally corrosive relationships he has formed with the other significant people in his life, and yearns for the time and tranquility necessary to indulge his true desires without the intrusive knell of callous and demanding voices constantly stopping him. Thematically, pleasurable and truly loving relationships are a rarity within The Twilight Zone, with Mr. Bemis finding his idiosyncratic devotion to reading, which is a foundational characteristic of his personality, to be incompatible with the expectations of his listless and impatient wife. His joyous assent to read poetry to his wife is sincere and romantic, indicating the unfortunate reality that Mr. Bemis has not found a partner who deeply shares his values nor reciprocates his love of the written word. I can’t be certain whether the frequency of fundamentally dissonant personalities existent in Twilight Zone marriages can be interpreted as commentary on perhaps the archaic perceptions and approaches to marriage dominant in the nineteen-fifties, or whether these characterizations are simply necessary set-ups for the subsequent narrative to be effectively told. Regardless, poor Mr. Bemis is never more alone than with company, and never more fulfilled than in unremittent solitude with his books.
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Episode 11- And When the Sky Was Opened
The speculative complexity inherent to a narrative about the gradual erasure of a person’s identity is certainly fascinating to discuss, and I particularly enjoy theorizing on the nebulous circumstances which define this episode and its finale. Personally, though I’ve never been much interested in the sanguinary, violent physicality often concomitant with the horror genre, the abject terror cultivated from deeply psychological constructs typically precipitates profoundly humanistic and thematic conversations which are always intriguing to anatomize. In this case, the malleability of reality and the abrogation of identity are represented through the slow recognition that Forbes appears to be the only individual left who remembers Harrington. The agonizing frustration and instinctual fear of social ostracization become unbearably tangible and real for Forbes, who embodies the paranoia of being completely alone in his remembrance of Harrington and the reality in which they were friends. This experience of isolation in memory facing the constancy of denial and questioning from others is understandably maddening for anyone to endure, especially when the lucidity and assurance of your own sanity lies incongruous to the collective truth everyone else is equally certain of. Given the ardency of their dismissal of Harrington’s existence and the warping of their surroundings to accompany this conceptualization of events, it does appear as if some intersection of realities has occurred, in which the three astronauts have returned to a world where none of them have ever existed. To compensate for this dissonance, this new reality must erase every bit of evidence marking the arrival and presence of these men. Regardless, I do appreciate the speculative nature of this ending allowing for the possibility of theorization and discussion, as well as the harrowing mystery born from this haunting inconclusiveness.
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Episode 12- What You Need
Poignant melancholy and a discussion on intricate human realities comprise this deceptively simple tale of a man with prognosticative abilities. Pedott is generally characterized as a rather unobtrusive individual leading a prosaic existence dedicated towards providing others with the seemingly meretricious trinkets that he predicts will provide some minor though positive change to the beneficiary’s life. Renard entertains the prospect of abusing Pedott’s predictive capabilities for more expansive and significantly lucrative reasons, yet the old man ardently refuses, preferring to influence lives through his smaller, intimate gestures. As Pedott himself implies in the clip you showcased, his powers are confined to tangible attributes of life such as acquiring wealth or looking presentable for a photograph, which are sufficient to satisfy the needs of his chosen subjects. Renard represents a man dissatisfied with his existence, desperately in need of all that he perceives will suffice to ameliorate his status as a lonely and bitter man, yet, his true need is for the intangible, the happiness and tranquility born from within, which can never be assuaged by all the trinkets and money in the world. Despite this selfish and callous nature to his personality, Renard’s characterization still elicits some sympathy for the unlucky and misguided trajectory that his life has always assumed. The pitiable solemnity of the ending arises from the recognition of the veracity of Pedott’s words; sometimes, what we need most cannot be simply gifted by another. Sometimes, significant change to our lives and perspectives must be wrought from within.
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Episode 14- Third from the Sun
Minor indications in the set design, lighting, shot composition, angles, and other cinematographic elements contribute to the aberrant, other-worldly setting and the constant, incipient tension underlying this episode. These subtle inclusions retrospectively establish and embolden the strangeness of this unnamed planet without prematurely revealing the alien nature of these people and their doomed home. The effectiveness and potency of this final twist is augmented through the analogous construct of having two countries on the brink of atomic war, considering the societal zeitgeist that permeated the collective consciousness at the time this episode was produced. Despite never explicitly stating the names of the countries involved in this atomic arms race, the audience assumes and projects their current reality onto the delineated skeleton of this episode’s narrative arc, which allows for the final realization to feel sudden and significant. Therefore, this ending can be interpreted as cautionary, imparting upon the audience that persistence in the continuation of Cold War fervor will ultimately lead to destruction, with the prospect of escape solely confined to fictitious realms of The Twilight Zone.
In addition to the more evident discussions on the possibility for reciprocity in nuclear confrontation, there are also elicited conversations in this episode appertaining to the application and ambiguity of human ingenuity. The ending itself demonstrates a beautiful juxtaposition between the ability of human invention to provide salvation and protection from harm and its capacity to indiscriminately destroy all life. During a time of great discovery and the elevation of humanity to space travel and beyond, the dark, morbid side of technology shadows the light of promise for the betterment of society and the glory of invention. Living in a time of such contradictory simultaneity is perfectly captured in the final moments of this episode, as it warns of earth following the same trajectory of allowing the purpose of eventual interplanetary travel to be escape from what humanity has wrought upon itself.
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Episode 18- The Last Flight
With regards to the narrative arc constituting The Last Flight, I think it would be appropriate to specifically expound upon the significance of the intimate character relations and gradual personal development that elevate the depth and overall quality of this particular episode. Additionally, within the construct of the Twilight Zone, there appears to be a propensity to explore the ineluctability of fate, whereby characters find that their circuitous trajectories of avoidance or denial will always be ineffectual at escaping some predetermined culmination of their life’s journey. Running from death seems to be the most common manifestation of this concept, with characters able to prognosticate their own imminent decline and consequently confront this looming death with trepidation, pleading, or vociferous bargaining. In the instance presented by this episode, Decker encapsulates the cowardice which defined his characterization by abandoning his comrade, Mackaye, amidst the fray with German planes and somehow emerging decades later, assuming Mackaye to be dead. The performance employed for Decker beautifully encompasses the fervid and frenetic guilt which has accompanied the timidity of his actions and contributes to the ferocity with which Decker insists that Mackaye must have died because of his betrayal. Learning of Mackaye’s unlikely survival, and determining the sole cause had to be attributable to his own subsequent behaviors, solidifies Decker’s will and translates the intensity of his anguish into a profound assurance in what he must do to secure this reality of events. Thus, the cyclic loop of time is closed and the inevitable fate of death has retrieved Decker at last.
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Episode 20-Elegy
Thematically, the poignancy and gravity of this work predominantly lies in the deceptive simplicity of Wickwire’s instilled programming that defines humanity as intrinsically incompatible with peace. Within the context of the episode itself, this insuperable mentality towards men that Wickwire has adopted implies his awareness of the almost constant state of war and the threat of nuclear annihilation which pervaded the era of the mid-twentieth century. From the perspective of an artificial observer, the prevalence of grotesque morbidity wrought from war and the excoriation of civilian lands must disturb even the tranquility of the dead as the number of their mutilated companions rapidly amasses. Therefore, it seems that Wickwire has certain veracity to his sentiments concerning humanity and the necessity of ensuring that his graveyard is absent of all men and the consequential prospect of incipient conflict. As Wickwire is the murderous villain of this episode, however, the righteousness of his mentality is demonstrably flawed and perniciously generalized as it pertains to humanity as a whole. After all, true peace is not necessarily the absence of all conflict, but rather the ability to find peaceable resolutions in spite of it. The beauty of humanity is derived from the expansive diversity in experiences and perspectives which comprise it, which, in its heterogeneity, will undoubtedly breed disagreements and debate. The vast majority of such instances need not end in violence, and though an intrinsic part of humanity, all forms and scales of conflict are not necessarily negative attributes. In a sense, Wickwire’s beliefs and desires are incongruous with the astronauts’, causing a conflict to arise between them, which potentially could have been solved peaceably by helping the men to quietly leave Happy Glades as they intended. Instead, Wickwire ironically found peace through violence and killed to achieve resolution, himself perpetuating the very same negative presumptions he imparted upon humanity.
Undoubtedly, this episode inspires quite interesting discussions pertaining to what constitutes true peace and whether or not humanity is compatible with this ideation.
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Episode 22- The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
As one of my favorite episodes of all time, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street definitely represents a poignant synthesis of the quintessential elements attributed to The Twilight Zone as a series, notably the reliance on science fiction as a conduit to anatomize human sociology under unique, inciting parameters, and the consequential, overarching commentary on the behaviors and psychology intrinsic to humanity as a whole. There are both strengths and fallibilities in this particular episode, and I can assess that the motivational instigator for the devolvement of this microcosm of society was not necessarily believable enough at its inception to have caused the rapid emergence of this violent mob-mentality. The foundational absurdity of an idea does appear to hamper its initial adoption and acceptance by a group of people, and in this context, the narrative proceeds at a steady pace even without the existence of some base suspicions or fears surrounding the infiltration of their neighborhood by aliens to give veracity to the boy’s imaginative assertions. Still, as Rod’s potent and reverberant words state, a simple thought can ensnare the mind, feeding off existent prejudices and queries, emboldened by latent anger, amplified by its mirrored reflection in the opinions of others, and given externalization by assuredness in the righteous fervor it instills. In the case of the people of Maple Street, there are instances where “evidence” is manifested from these extant suspicions, which, in actuality, betray the judgmental perceptions harbored for the idiosyncrasies or behaviors deemed to be a notable departure from the acceptable norm. It’s a lesson on tolerance, in a way, where stressful situations precipitate old grudges and disdain, inclining people to adopt a viewpoint or belief on the subconscious basis of what they want to be true, rather than what actually is.
The unfortunate reality surrounding the poignancy of this episode is its continued relevancy, which demonstrates the cyclic nature of human mentality whereby scapegoating, blame, hatred, and fear without evidentiary foundation lead to the needless oppression of innocent people. If anything, conspiratorial thinking has only been further entertained and augmented by the advent of the internet, which can allow for the heightened promulgation of pernicious ideas to a receptive audience of like-minded individuals. The power wielded by a single thought can be more frightening and destructive than any outside threat, a reality which exists both inside and outside of… The Twilight Zone.
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Episode 23- A World of Difference
It appears from the paucity of definitive evidence and general ambiguity surrounding the events of the inextricably entwined lives of Arthur Curtis and Gerald Raigan that multiple prospective interpretations exist which each have the possibility for defensibility and veracity depending on the audience’s perspective. Personally, I would like to believe that A World of Difference can be seen as an exploration into the tenuity of the dividing line between fiction and reality, and how the constructed worlds of a fictionalized narrative can seem real and tangible from the strength and intimacy of the detail used to describe them. Arthur Curtis is a true identity, as is the universe he and his family populate, though to the reality of Raigan, his existence is merely relegated to the pages of a script. Arthur’s world has warped amidst his prosaic existence, the walls of his reality literally fading before him, and he finds himself suddenly immersed in a dimension in which his life was never real, like a character escaped from the printed text of a novel. His reality is immersed or inset within Raigan’s, just as fictionalized narratives exist within our own, and Arthur, due to a momentary intersection of realities or other preternatural workings of The Twilight Zone, is free to explore his alternate, simultaneous existence as Gerald Raigan. Assuming Arthur has crossed worlds and adopted Raigan’s identity, the question then becomes what happened to Raigan during this time, given that when Arthur escapes Raigan cannot be found in either world. It’s therefore possible to postulate that Raigan’s body and identity were overridden by Arthur, and that Raigan essentially no longer exists. It’s a rather dark perspective to harbor concerning this episode, yet I suppose the erasure or denial of self are rather prominent and would suffice as an overarching theme, in addition to a moralistic lesson pertaining to extinguishing or punishment of Raigan for the dismal life he has led. After all, Arthur learns to further appreciate the normality of his own existence and elects to live an improved life post his experiences as Raigan.
Regardless, the prospect of theorizing numerous possibilities to explain the events of this episode is a true testament to quality of its writing and ability to create effective nebulousness in its ending.
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Episode 24- Long Live Walter Jameson
While the concept of explicating the potential detriments associated with immorality has been conveyed through various forms of narrative media, Long Live Walter Jameson is an effectively executed and poignant representation of this rather philosophical preternatural phenomenon. The inevitability of death and the concomitant fear it often instills is a theme frequently explored on The Twilight Zone, which, as a realm of supernatural possibility, allows for the theoretical avoidance of death and its emergent effects to be entertained and evaluated sociologically. Sam Kittridge encapsulates the aged weariness and physical decay which accompany the passage of time, and, consequently, harbors a solemn longing for the youthfulness and vitality that Walter enjoys in perpetuity. The older gentleman yearns for longevity, yet soon learns from Walter that the negative and mentally corrosive attributes of immorality are far more painful and devastating to endure than suffering the degradation of age. The experience of loss is compounded, as every friend, lover, and child succumbs to the inescapability of death that imbues their short lives with purpose and meaning. Walter has felt more love and heartache than any person ever should during the course of his two-thousand years, though, despite this emotional trauma, he is never deterred from repeating this cyclic pattern and accepting the affections of a woman once again. Kittridge affirms from Walter’s behaviors that wisdom is not necessarily accrued from age, which is demonstrated by Walter’s personal and selfish failure to avoid subjecting women to his repetitious proclivity to abandon them, no matter their decades of devotion, promises, and love, once their beauty and vivaciousness has faded. In a sense, Walter’s predicament is not only born from the fear of death, but the fear of being alone, as he cannot stand the prospect of living without love, even if this love will eventually prove pernicious and an unrepentant source of anguish for the two of them. Love, to Walter, is transient, an unfortunate victim to the immorality he refuses to relinquish. But to him, it’s better than never having love at all.
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Episode 26- Execution
I can certainly profess that the affable timidity of the bartender and some narrative decisions render Execution a bit tepid in comparison to the multitude of profound and memorable episodes of The Twilight Zone. However, in addition to the general performances and established grim, frantic atmosphere, there are some intriguing conversations pertaining to the dispensation and definition of justice that can be precipitated from the events and overall construction of this episode. Caswell is portrayed as an indubitable villain with a propensity for violence and murder, yet, his confrontation with the professor yields some recognition as to the situational contributors to his behaviors, namely the necessity of employing recklessness and brutality in order to survive in a time when lawlessness, theft, and murder were pervasive. He rails against the judgement that the professor imparts upon him, vociferously arguing that standards of justice in a period of comparable peace, affluence, and stability are inapplicable to the era of the west when a paucity of resources and safety beget violence. Though Caswell vehemently kills the innocent professor, thus solidifying his characterization as a truculent, impulsive individual and compromising the defensibility of his claims of circumstances or “nurture” being the sole attributors of his actions, the potency of his statements appertaining to the nature of justice and the complex source of criminality remain.
With regards to the seemingly random introduction of the modern-day thief, I do think it’s possible to derive some thematic reasons for his existence within the narrative. Paul Johnson kills a murderer by strangulation about the neck, which is precisely the intention and method of obtaining justice that the law of 1880 was about to dispense. Therefore, his actions could be considered fate, or some strange vigilantism ridding the world of an unstable killer, which results in him receiving the execution intended for Caswell. In a sense, Johnson obfuscates the delineation between murder and lawful execution, inspiring a discussion about the righteousness and justice of killing for the purpose of eliminating a destructive person. Still, from a pacing perspective, Johnson’s appearance was interruptive to the flow of the narrative and removes focus from Caswell’s experiences in the “present” day.
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Episode 27- The Big Tall Wish
It is difficult to properly convey the poignant sentimentality and themes which comprise The Big Tall Wish. I adored the exploration into the ideological juxtaposition between the youthful optimistic vitality and fantastical perspective of life and its possibilities that contrast with the wearied realism concomitant with experiences of time and age. Bolie tenderly represents a man literally fighting against life’s constant fustigations, cognizant of the futility of wishes and the falsity in believing that simple thoughts can significantly alter the status of one’s situation. Young Henry encapsulates the idealistic and altruistic belief in the efficacy of desire, that the want and desperation for a reality is enough to manifest it as true. The intersection and confrontation of these differing perspectives in that single, touching scene between the Bolie and Henry demonstrates the simultaneity of belief and denial which oft reside in all of us who dare to dream, yet realize the improbability of such wistful thoughts without some intervention or unlikely miracle in circumstance. In the finale of this episode, Bolie and Henry harbor an understanding of the other’s views, Henry acknowledging the puerile emptiness of grandiose wishes, and Bolie learning that the staunch absence of belief renders a life despondent and pessimistic. It is the proper convergence of these ideals which a constitute true sense of hope and light in life, the belief in the possibility for betterment that translates into sustained motivation to take personal action and make those dreams a reality for yourself. There is universality to the need for dreams and wishes in order to persist and see the prospect of what can be beyond what currently is. Something all of us could use more of, outside of The Twilight Zone.
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Episode 28- A Nice Place to Visit
I certainly attest to the profound quality of A Nice Place to Visit and the deceptive simplicity which compounds this somewhat predicable tale of a man suffering the torment of perfection in Hell. The more evident discussion is centralized around the unique method of inducing torture in Hell that entails employing the monotony of stability and generosity offered by Pip. Just as light cannot exist without shadow, life is naturally concomitant with uncertainty, risk, fear, loss, and pain which serve to amplify the recognition of any experiences of hope and joy that transpire throughout life. Without change, there can be no growth, and the stagnancy of existence becomes torturous to constantly and predictably endure. The concept of Hell manifesting as a realization of all desires instead of fears is intriguing, and inspires conversations pertaining to the constituents of Heaven if Hell already allows for perfection to be achievable. The simple acquisition of all wants appears to never bring true happiness, and the journey, with all its associated pitfalls and oscillatory highs and lows, is what imbues life with its real meaning in the end. Additionally, there seems to be an ethical discussion on the derivation of criminality and the appropriate retribution modulated for the specific contraventions one has committed throughout their life. “Rocky” himself demonstrates an interesting amalgamation of nature and nurture, as his propensity from youth appears to have been violence towards the innocent, yet, the constancy of his unlucky circumstances and impecuniosity have also contributed to the necessity of his thievery and other crimes. Perhaps some of this ambiguity is why “Rocky” must suffer boredom for eternity rather than other more sanguinary or mentally torturous situations. Conversely, as the thrill of his illegal activities appears to be a significant contributor of why he partakes in them to begin with, it is also possible that monotony and security is the most pernicious and harsh punishment someone like “Rocky” could receive. Regardless, the complexity of what comprises fair punishment for a life of degeneracy is instilled and wonderfully explored within this episode.
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Episode 30- A Stop at Willoughby
The subtle directorial and cinematographic elements implemented in A Stop at Willoughby amplify the tension, pathos, and wistfulness experienced by the unfortunate Gart Williams. The last few days of Mr. Williams’ life commentate upon the rigidity of the corporate environment in the nineteen-fifties, which necessitated constant formality and extensive personal investment in the pecuniary success of the company. Devotion at the expense of stress and degradation of individualism was prioritized, corroding the mental and physical health of the employees without sufficient compensation or recompense for what they endured. In the context of this cultural climate, Gart finds his desperate longing for tranquility and simplicity incompatible with the elevated competitiveness of working within the thankless corporate structure and incongruous with society’s conceptualization of what constitutes the epitome of a successful, idealized man. Gart’s wife corroborates this mentality, venomously vituperating her husband for his deviance against this image of the perfect family man who willingly subjects himself to the whims of the company for the sake of being an effective provider. The innate traditionalism of these societal roles also seems to also have negatively impacted Gart’s wife herself, as she appears frustrated in her own impotence to become an ambitious corporate individual and tormented by her forced reliance on her reluctant husband to adopt this position in her stead.
The convergence of these unyielding expectations without reprieve results in the ideation of a different life for Gart to embody, an unending summer of liberation and relaxation in contrast to the turbid skies and bitter winds of his current reality. Willoughby is peace, a place of rest for the wearied where the hardships of life are impenetrable and dissipate in the summer heat. Willoughby is the comforting embrace of death, and the promises of an idyllic afterlife to follow. Traditionally, trains are metaphorical for the passage of life where death is the final destination, just as Willoughby is the final stop for Gart on his journey through life. In Walking Distance, the synthesis of Martin’s experiences in his idealized past emerge with the recognition that adult responsibilities need not be concomitant with joylessness and monotony in life, leading him to embrace his future with contentment. Conversely, Gart reflects upon Willoughby as an unobtainable reality, a life simply divergent with his own, with the satisfaction and happiness he will always be deprived of in his current existence. Willoughby strips Gart of hope instead of imbuing him with it, consequently leading him to choose Willoughby, and death, over life.
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Episode 31- The Chaser
Conceptually, the audience’s perception of The Chaser is highly dependent on their personal attitudes, backgrounds, and the tone or seriousness with which this episode is viewed. It appears to have been the original intention to cultivate a narrative imbued with an odd sense of levity in its cautionary tale about the impetuousness and danger of unsubstantiated infatuation. I suppose in the nineteen-fifties, lack of reciprocity was not a deterrent to the ardent pursuit of a woman’s affections and, conversely, was interpreted as an endearing attribute demonstrating the devotion the young man harbored. Perhaps the desire was to derive humor from representing the initial obsequiousness which is oft concomitant with the pangs of young “love” in comparison to the perpetual “trapped” sensation someone might endure once bound to another in marriage. It’s a rather traditionalist and antiquated perspective on marriage to even find levity in the expression of disappointment or “being tied down” if the relationship is truly founded on mutual respect, equality, friendship, and a deeper emotional and intellectual connection. Still, marriages within The Twilight Zone are fraught with resentment and ideological incompatibilities that serve to create discord in the male protagonists’ existence, and in this particular episode, it is the unbearable constancy of affection that incites him to consider the glove cleaner after only six months with Leila.
From a more modern, serious, and feminine perspective on The Chaser, the concept of a love potion to begin with is extremely disquieting, considering it necessitates a duplicitous person to spike another’s drink in order to make them more amenable to romantic and sexual interactions. Not only does Roger persist beyond Leila’s articulated rejection, but he manipulates her mind and never technically receives consent for any of his subsequent actions with Leila. In this context, Leila was a woman cognizant of her own desires who was chemically induced to love a man she didn’t want, become pregnant with his baby, then almost die at his hands. It’s an exceedingly dark story that I’m not sure was intended to be analyzed or perceived of in such a grave manner at the time period in which it was originally written.
The Redeemer
Recently showcased amidst the consortium of pieces featured in the Burbank Film Festival, The Redeemer is a short film stylistically redolent and respective of traditional western dramas that was written and directed by Harry Locke IV. Despite the film’s adherence to certain visual and structural elements intrinsic to the western genre, its narrative and characterizations demonstratively deviate and transcend the more predictable, antiquated aspects inherent to such plots which often incorporate themes of vengeance and justice. For instance, revenge has been notably employed in films as the paramount motivational factor to incite the protagonist to action, specifically through the death of their family or loved ones. The Redeemer subverts and expands upon this trope, first by the alteration of its common gendered construct that designates for the female character to be “fridged”, or sacrificed early in the film for the purpose of incentivizing the male protagonist. Instead, the Comanche woman, Moon, has her journey instigated by the violent elimination of her husband and daughter, allowing her the agency to pursue what she considers equitable justice against the female outlaw who enacted this sanguinary contravention.
The general conversation surrounding motivation and the righteousness of action is conducted brilliantly throughout the short film, and each character regards their personal decisions with depth and purpose. Though vengeance is the predominant impetus for Moon, she refuses to be corrupted by the questionable ethicality of her behaviors and seeks to find further reason for her existence apart from the altercations and tragedy that have thus plagued her. Her companion, Jackson Bullock, approaches his motivation for pursuit of justice with hesitancy and trepidation, cognizant of the potential for brutality which he inherited from his father and determined to avoid the possible titillation of these latent inclinations through the enactment of revenge and bloodshed. The contrast between Moon and Jackson’s perceptions of their collaborative efforts creates an intriguing dynamic which discusses the efficacy of vengeance, its ability to damage or permanently stain the temperament of one on the precipice of violent tendencies, and the prospect of relying on the concept of “justice” as a defense of the righteousness of all future behaviors. The primary antagonist, Bronagh Bullock, also embodies compounded motivations that transcend a desire for money and power, or a pure enjoyment in causing chaos born from a natural ebullient malevolence. Through her interactions with her brother Jackson, it seems evident that, in conjunction with these aforementioned personal incentives, Bronagh also harbors a pronounced need of recognition and acceptance from their infamous father. Consequently, she further resents Jackson for the castigation she received at the hands of their father when he unexpectedly expresses disdain over Bronagh having supposedly killed Jackson. Her inability to fulfill the role of heir and having incited her father’s ire over the destruction of the brother who betrayed his family and denied his inner propensities understandably accrues additional fervency to her hatred towards this brother and explicates the vehemence of their final confrontation. In a sense, the interlaced and aberrant motivations for each character evince notable complexity which elevates the encompassing experience of The Redeemer beyond the more simplistic revenge vs. justice narrative that frequents the genre of traditional western films.
With regards to the general composition and appearance of the short film, The Redeemer is demonstratively evocative in its purposeful implementation of color and visual imagery, which invokes a sense of cohesion across its duration. In particular, the staccato use of vivid red hues in the costumes and blood stains contrasts the muted, deeper filter and natural tones that comprise the film. The designs donned by Jackson and Moon throughout their triumphant, gruesome altercation with Bronagh’s gang also contribute to the conveyance of their reciprocal partnership, given the striking and matching red, white, and black colors featured in their respective clothes and makeup. Additionally, consistent, attenuated visual symbolism is achieved in the presentation of the backgrounds that underlie the film, specifically, the appearance of the clouds and sky. The opening narrative text is layered above an image of a pristine, blue sky, which immediately transitions to a beautifully composed shot of Jackson and his father figure standing amidst turbid storm clouds and imposing reticulations of lightning. It is possible to interpret this as symbolic for the incipient torrent of violence and anguish which would bluster forth and set upon the protagonists throughout the remainder of their journey. The final exchange between Jackson and Moon transpires before a cloudless, blue sky, potentially representing the dissipation of their current difficulties and the emergence of a liberated new future of their own choosing.
Though perhaps the opening text might not have been necessary, the writing and dialogue across the short film was naturalistic in tone and delivery, which contributed to the general verisimilitude of the piece. Overall, The Redeemer was a well-paced and composed film that dexterously cultivated a unique group of characters and complex narrative which cleverly adhered and subverted various trends concomitant with the traditional western genre.
Coco
The 2017 film Coco serves as further corroborative evidence to the profound, masterful dexterity Pixar demonstrates in the writing and presentation of their diverse compendium of stories. Coco specifically excels in the deferential portrayal of Mexican cultural traditions as well as its visuals and vivid coloration, the pacing of its narrative, and the accessible erudition evident in its themes. Despite being garnered towards a younger audience, the film consistently explores poignant ideas while precisely modulating the expression and attenuation of its tone throughout emotional sequences. Essentially, Coco refuses to oscillate from seriousness to immediate levity and irreverence for the sake of its audience, nor does it prematurely truncate its heavier scenes with the intrusion of humor to temper the intensity of the circumstances just witnessed. Converse to other media primarily focused on the entertainment of children, the film allows for the natural conclusion of these sequences to transpire after the effective duration and experience of the intended pathos, which resultantly contributes to the bolstering and clarity of the overarching thematic discussions.
Concerning these aforementioned inspired conversations, Coco subverts a rather common propensity in children’s films to create a dichotomous dynamic between parents and kids, whereby the older generations are defined by an infallible sagacity that is usually recognized and retrospectively regarded by the culmination of the narrative arc. Coco, instead, imbues its characters with a breadth of complexity, and familial traditions are shown to comprise a facet of irrationality while Miguel harbors veracity to his sentiments that family should represent reasonable support and love without restrictions or enumerated parameters. In addition to more accurately portraying the complicated interrelations that exist within familial bounds, Coco is also cognizant of the potential damage that can be wrought from promoting a lesson which argues for the obsequious and unquestioning adoption of the inculcated ideals and perceptions that have been promulgated across generations. Such a mentality could maintain the capacity to be quite pernicious towards the advancement of societal progressivism if the views are bigoted against a certain group of people or abusive in the ferocity of the imposed and enforced restraint. The writers of Coco were therefore rather evidently aware of the necessity for all individuals to listen to one another and attain reciprocity in respect and support without accidentally encouraging children to resign themselves to damaging familial situations. As manifested for Miguel’s specific circumstances and perspective, his family initially serves as the paramount antagonist impeding his attainment of creative and musical liberation, though this disdain for music is explicably originated from past anguish and promulgated through time due to their exceptional deference to the traditions and beliefs of past generations.
The existence of a suddenly emergent villain is a somewhat questionable decision and arguably an unnecessary inclusion in order to orchestrate a more compelling, action-oriented climax. In its execution, the confrontation with the exposed villain is a bit cliched and predictable in certain instances, for example, when the villain, Ernesto, admits the entirety of his contraventions while this confession is surreptitiously broadcast to a considerable audience. Structurally, it would be possible to avoid this unambiguous, murderous characterization of Ernesto and instead arc his personality on the eventual realization of the deleterious effect his arrogance wrought upon the consequently forgotten Héctor. The rationale for the conceptualization of Ernesto as a narcissistic murderer to be ceremoniously defeated could possibly be attributed to the desire to recalibrate the predominant antagonist in the audience’s mind, shifting this imposing force from Miguel’s family to this sole individual. Without Ernesto requiring the family to join together in support of Miguel and Héctor, the prior memory of their chase and obstinance against music might persist and taint a young audience’s perception of the family. Essentially, electing for the final act antagonist to be the intangible concept of time and complicated circumstances might not erase or fully exculpate for their mistakes and impediment to Miguel. Should Ernesto have received a redemptive arc, perhaps the emotional significance of the family’s apology and reconciliation with Miguel may have been diluted in its potency and the intensity of its focus and presentation.
In its entirety, Coco represents one of the most accurate and tactful portrayals of familial relations, whereby arguments and dissonant opinions arise, yet the true profundity of the resilient dedication and love towards one another transcends these occasional life stressors and emerges more solidified and intimate than ever before.
Captain Marvel: Success and Failure in Allegorical Language
Amongst the vast and increasing compendium of films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Marvel has been generally defined by its critical designation of mediocrity and aberrant narrative structure which deviates from the established adumbrations categorical to the introductory films of other Marvel superheroes. These distinctive attributes and the quality of their execution were subject to variable perceptions by its audience and incited numerous conversations appertaining to the value in implementation of an amnesiac arc for its protagonist. The experiences and gradual development of Captain Marvel herself are also notable as intentionally metaphorical for the almost ubiquitous situations and societal encumbrances which unfortunately pervade the lives of most women in our current culture. Much of the allegorical language employed in the film therefore finds resonance within a female audience, however, the existence of familiarity to these circumstances does not render the film insusceptible to fallibilities in writing nor the occasionally overt, more literal and resultantly weaker conveyance of these themes. It should be allowable to impose a framework of analysis which lauds the subtle inclusion and subsequently inspired discussions on the generalized treatment and perception of women while also critiquing the flaws and squandered potential that paradoxically compromise the reception and strength of these desired messages.
The typical delineated plot of a superhero creation film often explores the initial adoption, emergent dexterity, and learned moral responsibility concomitant with the application of the newly acquired powers. Captain Marvel demonstrably subverts this arc by having Carol Danvers retain her extant confidence in her capabilities and personality, relegating her development solely to the remembrance of her past and realization of the duplicitous manipulation by her Kree companions. This arguable stagnancy to her internal conceptualization of self throughout the film was often interpreted by audiences as a lack of growth and consequential monotony to her characterization, since, essentially, Carol maintained unwavering control over the utilization of her powers and assurance in her ability to effectively dissipate encountered threats. Structurally intentional, the desired arc appears to be the recognition of the Kree’s deceit and the relinquishment of the artificially imposed limitation to the scope and accessibility of her true power. In conjunction with the repetitious and clearly mendacious remarks by the Kree to control her emotions, it appears that Carol’s journey was supposed to be emulative of the commonplace female experience, whereby impediments to success are oft wrought by those who injudiciously claim women’s abilities and pathos are weaknesses preventing elevation in status while ignoring their own culpability by undermining these very women. Carol is inculcated with the notion that she deserves this restraint for her own protection until she can prove herself, which is reminiscent of the automatic presumption of ignorance, a concept that defines the need for a woman to laboriously earn the respect that is immediately granted to male counterparts. From an allegorical standpoint, this deviance in storytelling is purposeful and effective in establishing resonance with all individuals who are peripherally regarded for their differences, deemed liabilities instead of assets, and made to believe the fault for said relegation lies in some intrinsic internal flaw which must be expunged or obfuscated in order for success to be gifted. The Kree represent these pernicious aspects of society that seek control, homogeneity, and forced repression of diversity in exchange for acceptance and promotion, while promulgating a false image of their own benevolence and magnanimity.
However, no matter the accuracy and tactful presentation of this subject matter, the lack of integration of Carol’s personal arc with these more general metaphorical discussions renders her a somewhat bland character rather mentally unaffected by the realizations and anguish she endured as a result of the Kree’s manipulative influence over her. In a sense, the confidence she demonstrates protracted across the film’s duration should have been an acquired attribute, considering the constancy of the Kree’s subtle disrespect and her attempts to achieve within a societal framework innately exclusionary to humankind. Carol should have been portrayed more avidly as an outsider, someone with cognizance of their own literal “alien” status who is impelled to work with greater ferocity than her peers yet is still disregarded. The frustration and consequential internalization of this treatment would be reflected in her self-perception and relationships with her Kree companions, as is oft redolent within a stratified culture.
The imagery of Carol rising and physically liberating herself from her tactile shackles is a rather potent moment celebrating her personal and emotional victory over the oppression and perfidious control she supposedly suffered by the Kree, interspliced with instances of her overcoming smaller repressive episodes throughout her life as a female. Though certainly eloquent in the visual conveyance of the sudden accruement of inner confidence, this intended, momentous scene felt underwhelming for a character never shown to be truly perturbed by the actions of the Kree against her. Had she endured corrosion to her self-esteem and hesitancy when employing her powers due to the Kree’s words, this representation of her ascension would solidify her final severance from the repressive forces in her life and depict her development into the confident superhero she could have already been.
In general, the failures of Captain Marvel should not be attributed to its aberrant structure nor its attempt to explore and explicate the faults mirrored in our own society. Conversely, the potency of the themes and inspired discussions should not grant immunity against critical analyses concerning the execution and quality of the character arcs and the narrative overall.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): An Analysis and Rewrite
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an adaptation of the eponymous novel presented through the enigmatic framework of Tim Burton’s imaginative directorial language. The original novel seemingly employed a moralistic narrative arc reflective of the perceived societal fallibilities and ethical ills that delineated the dichotomous distinction between gratuitous self-centrism and sincerity in kindness and generosity. From my perspective, Tim’s intentions for his divergent new inclusions and characterizations throughout the 2005 film appear to be the reconciliation of these older, commonly inculcated values with additional thematic elements purposed to achieve resonance with modern audiences. Projected through stylistically industrial visuals and a more cynical, charmless tone, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was generally criticized for these strange production and performance decisions as well as the muddled and incohesive message the film apparently attempted to invoke. Granted, there were transient precipitated moments that wrought potential intrigue from the re-conceptualization of certain character interactions, specifically between Charlie and Willy Wonka, which contributed to the solidification of their connection beyond the simple thoughtfulness Charlie demonstrates in the original novel and film. Flashback sequences were also provided to somewhat humanize and explicate the inscrutable behaviors of Willy, though it is arguable that such anatomization is antithetical to the intrinsic mystery surrounding his characterization and motivations. Additionally, these scenes generally failed to imbue Willy with any compelling new facets and complexity, or manage to inform his present personality in any meaning way beyond the introduction of an ostentatious physical inability to articulate the words “family” and “parents”. In my attempt to achieve comprehensibility and thematic consistency from Tim’s adumbrated ideas, I hope to adhere as closely as possible to the alterations Tim intended, including these flashbacks and the facilitated embellishment of the relationship between Charlie and Willy. The specific plot changes are enumerated below, and my associated rationalizations for these outlined alterations and the thematic coherence they induce will be subsequently expatiated upon.
The artificial and processed sounding opening music accompanying the sterile, shadowed visuals of the CGI credits will be supplanted by a softer main theme and practical and tactile imagery of the factory proceedings.
Charlie’s family exists in a state of impecuniosity, compounded by the recent loss of his father, which resultantly encumbers his mother with the majority of the financial and domestic responsibilities.
Grandpa Joe’s stories concerning Willy’s relations with the Indian Prince will be redacted.
Charlie’s imaginative expression is confined to rather transient moments where he is allowed to sketch with the curved ridges of his broken crayons before the exigencies of household upkeep require his attention.
During these artistic endeavors, prospective designs for new candies adopting the shape and form of various animals or children’s toys are prolifically explored.
His mother is understandably a bit stern about Charlie’s conviction to his chores at the expense of his irreverent activities, but his grandparents become conversely ardent that the boy deserves to engage his talents and enjoy a bit of indulgence once in a while.
Charlie’s mother seems to recall these same grandparents imparting a rather oppositional lesson when raising her, to which they respond that all parents should strive to be better than the ones that reared them, and that learning is often retrospective.
His mother reluctantly agrees for the time being, affording Charlie a few extra minutes to complete his drawing of a candy rope giraffe.
As in the film, Charlie finds the Golden Ticket, yet is hesitant in the acceptance of the opportunity given the extensive monetary compensation numerous people offered him in exchange for the ticket. Charlie’s mother pulls him aside and assures him that, while money is fleeting and commonplace, these tickets represent an exceedingly auspicious chance that few receive in their lifetimes which, for Charlie, would mean the realization of his deepest, most intrinsic desire. Charlie is grateful to his mother for allowing him to forgo the money and pursue his dreams.
The implemented, predominantly monochromatic color palette punctuated by vivid splotches of red in association with Wonka will be altered to maintain consistency in de-saturated, yet warm and inviting hues. The sweeping red curtain and bizarrely colorful puppet show proceeding Willy’s emergence should be replaced with a more understated, neutral-toned spectacle that retains the monochromatic precedent previously sustained throughout the earlier moments of the film.
Willy’s introduction and general characterization will convey a tempered version of the petulant eccentricity and demeanor he donned in the 2005 film, demonstrating quirky abnormalities in vernacular and speech patterns with unrestrained enthusiasm for the art of candy that others consider quizzically and perhaps a bit judgmentally.
Willy is somewhat cold and more sardonic to the adults, yet always maintains his vivacious veneer.
The formal adoption of a potent, refulgent spectrum of diverse colors in the film will be reserved for the moment Willy reveals the edible, verdant chamber of his factory.
The scene depicting Willy’s journey to Loompa Land and his encounter with the chief of the Oompa Loompas should be cut.
Charlie and Willy receive a few opportunities to exchange the fervidity of their mutual love of candy, and Charlie, endearingly, defends the existence of Willy’s more outlandish and bizarre inventions from the disdain and confusion of the other guests.
Charlie occasionally prompts Willy to expound upon his past and the emergence of his inspiration for becoming a chocolatier in possession of such an anomalously unique factory to house his creative processes. For example, Charlie begins by asking whether Willy can recall the first candy he ever designed. These questions incite the flashback sequences which are clearly portrayed as visualizations of the tales Willy regales.
Flashback 1: Willy’s father, Wilbur is a diligent, dedicated practitioner in his prestigious field (of which specifically is irrelevant) who regards his son’s investment in sketching various candy ideas with strident derision, insisting that Willy recalibrate his time towards more useful and educational pursuits such as reading medical journals as his own father once encouraged him to do.
Flashback 2: Willy continues to listlessly dream and ponder creative new designs for candies, surreptitiously keeping his notebook obscured from his father’s knowledge. Amongst his work are interior plans for a fantastical factory to house the spectrum of vividly disparate concepts appertaining to a variety of candies and chocolates. Wilbur eventually finds these sketches and burns them in the fireplace, threatening to rescind his financial support of Willy if he proceeds with these childish, pointless behaviors. He quells the impetuous ferocity of his anger and firmly explains to his son that his actions are solely derived from affection, as he can’t contend with the prospect of someone he loves becoming an artist and being relegated to a life of penury and degradation, especially when better prospects are just as available. Despite recognizing the likely veracity of his father’s words, Willy protests that he was never truly supported anyway and hastily determines to run away from home.
Flashback 3: Years later, Willy is working with devoted intensity at the shop of Slugworth, providing menial physical labor, designing candies uncredited, and still keeping his creative mind scintillated with continued contribution to his dream notebook. He is suddenly notified about the unexpected passing of his father and is brought forth to have the will read, which, to his surprise, remains unchanged, thereby allowing Willy to inherit his father’s considerable accrued fortune. Willy refuses to open the vast documents and letters Wilbur left behind and believes his inclusion to be attributable to Wilbur’s untimely death rendering him unable to have yet removed his son’s name.
Pondering the true veracity of this, Charlie questions whether Willy has ever read these papers and ascertained with certitude of how his father truly felt with regards to the ardent devotion to the pursuit of ideals that Willy employed as a young man. Willy answers with curt, laconic impetuosity about his assurance in his father’s mentality towards him.
The recognition of Charlie’s ascendency as the sole child devoid of demonstrable, destructive faults incompatible with Willy’s ideals earns him apparent ownership of the factory as the inheritor to Willy’s property and fortune.
The contract ordains that Charlie reside alone in the factory to allow for the uninterrupted collaborative efforts between him and Willy to avoid the intrusion of distractions that family will inevitably induce.
Charlie concedes that familial responsibilities can be occasionally stymying to the creative process, but rejects the platitude which decries their presence as incongruous with support or artistic stimulation and inspiration. Consequently, he refuses to accept Willy’s offer to abandon his family, especially when they need him most.
Grandpa Joe, present for these deliberations, fervidly expresses the desire for Charlie to acquiesce if it means the acquisition of everything Charlie has aspired to accomplish. He professes that, with his newfound physical fortitude, the family will be more than able to sustain in his absence, and the deprivation of Charlie’s company will likely not be permanent.
Willy declines even the opportunity for visitation, to which Charlie responds once again with his unequivocal rejection, and questions the origin of the resolute devotion and defensiveness that Charlie describes his family, knowing the restraint they impose on him. Willy conveys his exasperation and inability to rationalize the prioritization of familial bonds above individualism and the pursuit of personal success. Charlie relays the antithetical perspective, and believes that satiating the need to act in accordance with self-interest and the desire for accomplishment are important, yet not worth the sacrifice of love, physical communion with others, and external support. Willy replies that “family” and “support” are incompatible concepts.
Recalling the psychological distress underlying the flashback narratives Willy mournfully recounted, Charlie discerns the cause of Willy’s parental disdain to be his tempestuous relationship with his austere father, which inspires him to inquire once again if Willy ever learned the entire, comprehensive truth surrounding Wilbur’s perception of his son becoming a self-sustaining chocolatier.
Willy regards the repetition of this inquiry with impulsive vehemence and demands that the two Buckets leave his factory with haste.
Charlie replies that he refuses to leave Willy at this time, and inquires if he would prefer for the two Buckets to stay with him while the reads through these inherited documents. Willy’s sudden anger dissipates and he apprehensively assents to Charlie’s proposal, retrieving the files from a crooked, forgotten cabinet in the far corner of his office.
Willy reads with deliberate intensity and, as he persists, his face contorts in palpable distress while he flips through newspaper clippings of Slugworth’s new candies and the beginnings of multiple apologetic letters addressed to him from his father. Coming to the realization of the veracity of Wilbur’s affections towards him, Willy’s demeanor softens as he professes that, in denying Charlie access to his family, he would be stifling Charlie’s own creative process just as Wilbur once did to him.
Willy decides to avoid these same mistakes before he makes them and once again offers Charlie the factory with the understanding that the entire Bucket family will be in accompaniment. Charlie agrees with jovial rapidity, and all ends well.
Tim Burton’s natural propensity for the application of color in his films is in distinct emulation and reverential of the transition between Dorothy’s home in Kansas and her emergence into the land of Oz. Specifically, he employs de-saturated and often monochromatic neutral palettes to represent the mundanity or somber atmosphere of a location in contrast with the eventual adoption of a vivid, colorful veneer to signify hospitable vivaciousness and intrigue. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, however, this proclivity in direction is diluted by the frequent, staccato moments of color seen during the earlier, intentionally grounded moments of the film, particularly when showcasing stories of Willy’s past exploits as a chocolatier. Willy’s introductory scene was quite apparently selected as the transitional sequence delineating the dour nature of Charlie’s impoverished existence from the fascination of Willy’s fantastical factory, yet, this bizarre musical number with burning, melted puppets seemingly compromised this potential whimsical experience with its cynical, flippant subversion of the expected amazement. The film again attempts to instill this sense of wonderment in the characters and audience when Willy finally reveals the edible, verdant fields and chocolate river flowing through the inner chambers of his factory, however, this sensation is arguably tempered considering the sudden contrast and saturation in color was already utilized prior during the strange puppet number. A realization in totality of the true beauty evoked from Dorothy’s awakening in Oz would have presented the entire opening minutes focused on Charlie in these muted hues while savoring the reveal of color to the moment this quirky, dream-like world of Willy’s inner factory would be shown at last.
The predominant supplementary thematic conversation Tim seemingly intended to include to distinguish his version of the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory narrative from its film predecessor appears to be the relationship between creative exploits and familial influence. Condensed in one of the latter scenes of the film, Willy articulates the necessity for chocolatiers to have artistic freedom to follow their passions and liberation from the presumable encumbrance of family, which causes him to reject Charlie’s desire to bring his family along to the factory. The prospect of the discussion on this interrelation between having deference and adhering to familial responsibilities and demands in possible contest to the pursuit of one’s ideals is potentially fascinating and could have certainly elevated Tim’s version of this narrative through this differentiation from the original themes. However, upon retrospective analysis, Willy’s perception of the concept of familial interruption to creativity was not effectively established or informed through the flashback sequences and his own apparent relationship with Wilbur. Essentially, in defining Wilbur as a dentist with disdain for candy due to its corrosion of oral health, the somewhat humorous, ideological incompatibility between dentist and chocolatier commandeers and takes precedence in the audience’s collective attention. Willy is shown engaging in the analysis and design of candies as a child, yet the paramount source of argument with his father is the interest in a field which promotes and encourages insalubrious behaviors or demands in children, not the fact that this pursuit is inherently creative in nature. Therefore, Willy’s denial of Charlie’s family is a rather tenuous projection considering none of them are involved in an antithetical career nor have showcased ardent dismissal of candy creation as an art. I thought it consequentially apt to alter each of the flashback sequences to generate a more comprehensive rationale for why Willy is apprehensive of parents and inclined to assumed that monetary considerations and responsibilities will always take precedence at the expense of supporting artistic expression and dedication. A more realistic conversation, this nebulous discussion on prioritizing passion versus financial saliency is likely to find resonance with a fair number of individuals.
To persist in the instillation of thematic parallels and significance to Tim’s original work, assigning an almost compulsory behavior to sketch and design candies to Charlie further augments the established connection that Tim elected to generate between Charlie and Willy. Both characters will now engage in similar actions, solidifying their extant intrigue in the art of candy making and further proving that Charlie deserves to win the factory due to his expertise and desires in conjunction with his generosity and kindness. Additionally, there will be an invoked conversation appertaining to the concept of parental mistakes and the necessity of self-reflection to ensure that the negative messages or lessons inculcated by earlier generations are not repeated or propagated forward unwittingly in new contexts. Specifically, Charlie’s mother realizes the importance of demonstrating support and allowing her son time to develop or cultivate his vested interests, which directly contrasts the mentality of Wilbur who seeks to replicate his own father’s insistence in learning a lucrative skill from a young age. Wilbur repeats these mistakes, Charlie’s mother overcomes them. Willy himself adopts a pseudo-paternal role over Charlie, and initially insists that Charlie follow the same life trajectory that he did, without at first recognizing that Charlie’s oppositional wishes require the presence and support of his family at his side. In deviation from Wilbur, who came to his own realization after formally severing his relationship with his son, Willy is sufficiently malleable to immediately concede, allowing Charlie the inspiration he truly needs to flourish at the factory.
Rocky V: An Essay on Motivation, Self-Worth, and Family
Originally intended to serve as the culmination of the indelible and beloved Rocky franchise, the fifth installment received notable distinction as the most ubiquitously disdained entry, predominantly attributed to its purported inadequacy in imparting a deserved sense of ceremonious finality to the series and delivering a satisfactory “Rocky” film overall. These pervasive sentiments, which have persistently plagued the film since its initial release thirty years ago, are certainly explicable, as the underlying narrative structure, themes, and tone that constitute Rocky V are rather incongruous with the expected, established formula categorical to the preceding four films. As evidenced by the vast preponderance of parodies and references in popular culture to its memorable training montages and climatic fights, the franchise has truly attained collective preeminence for the inspirational overtones intrinsic to its story arcs. Essentially, cathartic triumph, whether physical or emotional, is shown to be achievable through developing the solidity of will, perseverance, and inner confidence, no matter the seemingly insuperable barriers that a personal journey inevitably incurs. Rocky V, however, deviates rather profoundly from these motivational narratives and, apart from the existence of some minor uplifting reconciliations and a tepid final victory, the overarching atmosphere is comparatively dour and austere. With respect to the “Tommy” plotline and its dominant focus, Rocky V is more redolent of a classical, dramatic tragedy that explores the tremulous foundations and gradual, ineluctable dissolution of an innately insalubrious and incompatible pseudo-familial relationship. Conceptually, centralizing a film’s narrative around the expatiation of these themes can be effective and compelling, though perhaps, for the supposed final entry in a lauded series, employing experimentation in the encompassing writing style would not be entirely recommended. There are, additionally, numerous flaws in the execution and pacing of this darker story which muddle the perspicuity, cohesion, and poignancy in the conveyance of these inherently intriguing ideas and characterizations. However, I still do believe there to be merits in Rocky V’s aberrance, and it’s most certainly possible, at least through the framework of my own personal perspectives and interpretations, to synthesize a relatively comprehensive anatomization of the fascinating psychological themes and discussions that I could perceive suffused throughout the film.
The concept of motivation, or the process of translating an amalgam of stimuli into externalized, reactive behaviors, has mostly been represented in the Rocky series with the depth and verisimilitude that such an innately faceted topic tends to necessitate. As a generalization when evaluating character motivation, the form and weight of each inciting incident or thought, as well as the length of deliberation and the nature of the eventual response, is exceptionally individualized and often illuminating with respect to the personality, past experiences, current state of emotional turbulence, philosophy, personal faults, anxieties, etc. of the subjected character. For instance, Rocky III demonstrates the validity of pursuing personal accomplishment for your own sake, yet, also depicts the frailty in self-assurance and susceptibility to vociferous public opinions which often contribute to this lowered self-perception and the consequential desire to prove this capacity to achieve in the first place. There can certainly be such complexity and humanity to be distilled from the meticulous portrayal of incentives and internal rationale, especially considering that a person’s motivations are rarely in perfect adherence with the dichotomous designations of “altruistic” or “narcissistic” in their source and intention. Additionally, the presence of possible moral ambiguity and the prominence of individual flaws and fears existing within a character’s motivations can potentially breed sympathy or equivocation on the defensibility or judiciousness of their resultant behavior. At the very least, elucidating the true depth to motivational factors can provide some understanding of the origination and underlying personal cause or rationale for a particular action taken, even if the logic is warped and the action is still deemed excessive or unjustifiable. These aforementioned, compelling discussions appertaining to complex motivations are actually quite applicable to Rocky V, not only to the antagonistic Tommy Gunn, but to Rocky and his somewhat culpable thoughts and behaviors as well.
Imparting the framework of motivational analysis to Rocky in the context of his interactions with Tommy can be quite revealing of the foundational circumstances and expectations which predicated Rocky’s persistent dedication and the eventual ruination of their fraught relationship. The film itself is first initiated by the emergence and introduction of two core predicaments foisted upon Rocky whose influence precipitates and underlies the successive events constituting the remainder of the plot’s arc; specifically, the sudden, precipitous decline of his family into a state of penury and the seemingly indefinite termination of his professional career as a boxer. Though it’s possible to interpret the inclusion of Rocky’s financial straits as a bit of a contrivance to evocatively emulate the setting and grounded tenor of Rocky I, this particular development also incurs stressors unique to Rocky himself that transcend the more apparent, tangible issues inherent to impecuniosity. Given Rocky’s exceptional notoriety and visibility in the collective consciousness, news of his financial transgressions becomes readily and fervently promulgated, arguably supplanting celebrations of his legacy upon his retirement and corroding the respect he and his family had accrued. As mentioned during the prior discussion on motivation, susceptibility and the internalization of public perceptions seems to be a pervasive issue for Rocky throughout the franchise, which makes his consequential emotional condition at this point particularly precarious and vulnerable. Compounding these reverberant and vulturous voices intruding into the current torrent of his life’s tribulations, the helplessness of his position born from the unanticipated cessation of his career is arguably the more overwhelming and propagating of the two instigators Rocky is subjected to at the beginning of the film. To further elaborate, Rocky has categorically demonstrated difficulty when confronting the prospect of retirement and adapting to the mundanities of life beyond the stimulating, yet deleterious and brutal, physicality which is concomitant with the experience of professional boxing. Rocky’s few previous attempts earlier in the franchise to abdicate his acquired title were quite transiently underwent as, inevitably, some incipient circumstance would impart a profoundly personal or emotional motivation for reinstatement that his tenuous convictions could not suppress. Augmenting the notable significance of these frequent discussions on retirement, the underlying compunction incentivizing many of Apollo Creed’s various behaviors throughout his entire arc are also representational of this aforementioned thematic struggle to reconcile circumspect protestations of an aging, wearied body with the seemingly instinctual impulse to accept new challenges and continuously prove oneself in the ring. Apollo’s obdurate reluctance to heed his own evident, physical limitations became fatal in Rocky IV, the recognition of which could have potentially contributed to Rocky’s improved and protracted commitment to his prosaic life within the context of this intended final entry.
Overall, given these fighters’ fervent hesitancy to permanently concede their lauded statuses, it can be ascertained that the external reception and innate capability to perform as a professional boxer are inextricably entwined with their sense of self-worth and general conceptualization of personal identity. The sudden, foisted deprivation of the paramount or perhaps sole source of inner value resultantly incurs immeasurable psychological distress, especially without the existence of some substantive, alternate, and stable place from which to once again derive this currently diminished internal esteem. Upon evaluation of the quality in the portrayal of Rocky’s complex and discordant interiority at the onset of Rocky V, it can be argued that the potency of this intriguing parallel and thematic consistency between him and Apollo could have been more explicitly shown to further deepen the acerbic considerations violently swirling in Rocky’s mind. Nevertheless, Rocky V presents a logical extrapolation of the latent character flaws and their associated tribulations that Rocky has confronted throughout his encompassing arc, which, in conjunction with the inauspicious caprices of fate, have rendered him susceptible to voraciously and uncritically believing the assumed solutions offered the moment Tommy Gunn entered his life.
Persisting beyond these aforementioned foundational constituents predicating Rocky’s somewhat fragile mentality at the beginning of the fifth film, it seems appropriate to analyze and disentangle the latticed threads of disparate motivational factors which underlie the ardency in Rocky’s dedication to Tommy throughout the duration of their relationship. It should be preliminarily established that the predominant focus of this evaluation of Rocky’s incentives will appertain to his slightly more self-centric considerations, however, this is not intended to suggest perfidiousness on Rocky’s part nor compromise the legitimacy of his investment in elevating Tommy’s status out of the genuine kindness and altruistic desire to help others. Instead, this anatomization is purposed to elucidate the extremely diminutive and subtle, yet undeniable presence of self-interest subconsciously influencing certain, desperate decisions and behaviors. In essence, it appears to be a rather natural propensity of former athletes to adopt a proximal role to their previous profession, typically in the form of a commentator, coach, or mentor; however, despite accepting this tangential position provided by his relations with Tommy, Rocky anomalously and without intent finds mentorship insufficient to satiate the stagnancy and emptiness categorizing his current existence. To abate the apparent, instinctual perturbation of being relegated to an indirect, non-participant status, Rocky’s beleaguered mind unwittingly seeks to quell this internal dissonance and elects to live vicariously through Tommy’s success in the ring, thereby solidifying his reliance on Tommy for self-worth and transcending his investment in Tommy’s career from explicable dedication into an insalubrious level of fixation. This imbalanced dynamic fosters unreciprocated dependency, whereby Rocky’s life is dominated by perseverations and obsessive focus on Tommy’s training and future in order to imbue himself with the concomitant sense of respect and fulfillment boxing had always created for him. The psychologically damaging protraction of this state of interrelations with Tommy predictably erodes Rocky’s attentiveness to his true family and the nascent tribulations that adjustment to unfamiliar life circumstances has accrued for them. As a paramount source of external influence across the entire series, and to whom Rocky exudes immense reverence, Adrian once again serves as the lurid, guiding light of reason and support to dissipate the turbid mire of fear, uncertainty, and anguish clouding Rocky’s muddled mind and elucidate the realities and consequences incurred from his obsessions, thereby illuminating the path towards self-realization and change. However, in general, the journey towards attaining sustained betterment is oft sinuous, incremental, and occasionally regressive, fraught with unanticipated challenges which hasten or impede the turbulent fluidity of this forward momentum.
Rocky V is rather commendable, therefore, as its conveyance of these subtle, grounded intricacies and difficulties of self-actualization are beautifully encapsulated in its narrative arc, for instance, during the scene where Rocky watches Tommy’s title bout from afar in his home. Despite having apparently severed his professional and personal relationship with Tommy by that point and translated some of his vested devotion back towards his family, the tether to Tommy and his performance remains firmly affixed, brilliantly represented in the film through intersplicing images of Tommy’s movement during the fight with Rocky’s subconscious replication of these actions in an accurate pantomime against his punching bag. Through the paralleled simultaneity of their fight choreography, Rocky V effectively, through visual means, portrays the intensely emotional and impelling vicariousness that Rocky experiences every time he watches Tommy in the ring. It seems the concern this behavior inspires in his family is generally emulated by the audience, who can more clearly understand from viewing this pitiable display the extent of the suffering that the deprivation of boxing in Rocky’s life has caused him and the reduced, compromised state this desperation has led him to. Tommy has been unwittingly anointed the primary determinant of Rocky’s contentment and self-satisfaction, garnering him immeasurable control over Rocky’s behaviors and emotions as dictated by this sequence, which made the dissolution of their relationship, at least from Rocky’s perspective, inconclusive, incomplete, and possibly reconcilable due to the detrimental mental dissonance accepting Tommy’s irrevocable rejection would cause.
The manner in which the culminating events of Rocky V are contextualized in the film seems to imply the desire for establishing moral certitude in the audience with respect to their conception of the last, brutal confrontation between Rocky and Tommy. Essentially, it appears somewhat evident that the intention was for their street fight to be representational of the immutable conflict between denoted protagonist and antagonist, which, in this case, is depicted as analogous to the battle between the warring ideals of magnanimity versus selfishness, whereby the tolerant mentor is pitted against his own former, obstreperous, conniving, and thankless protégé. This seeming decision rendered many audience impressions, distilled from this oppositional characterization of Rocky and Tommy, corroborative of the perceived unequivocal “villainy” of Tommy in this context despite the arguable reductive nature of this encompassing perspective and the depth and ethical complexity defining their interrelations prior to their separation. Granted, the execution and presentation of the writing for these two could have afforded emboldened conversations of the extant ambiguity inherent to the motivations, fallibility, and culpability of each person leading to their eventual physical confrontation. Though perhaps Tommy is arguably more at fault given the entirety of his callous and truculent actions, the collapse of his relationship with Rocky was essentially an inevitability due to the innate incompatibility of their disparate expectations and desires regarding the mentorship itself.
Explicating the inner conventions, idiosyncratic proclivities, and incitements that comprise Rocky and predicate his behaviors reveals that the paramount, overarching thematic element intrinsic to his identity is the need to experience the profundity of familial love. Facilitating the nascency and development of interpersonal relations is, apart from attaining personal victories in the ring, the most prevalent and significant narrative thread of the Rocky franchise. This want for generosity, honesty, and sincerity without duplicity or preconception in all connections permeates even the professional sphere, as Rocky’s relationship with his trainer Mickey becomes almost paternal and, as encompassed during a flashback scene in Rocky V in one of the most moving and poignant sequences across the entirety of the six Rocky films, the love they shared is clearly palpable and transcendent. Therefore, it is a rather logical attenuation to presume that Rocky would seek replication of this emotional dynamic in the mentor relationship he fosters with any of his proteges, of whom Tommy came first. He projects these expectations and hopes onto Tommy, asking for a level of intimacy that Tommy was never quite capable of harboring for any pseudo-paternal figure in his life. Conversely, the tumultuous past abuse Tommy suffered instills in him a hermetic seal against the percolation of emotional attachment, motivating him to categorize his connection to Rocky as primarily professional and readily severable should a better opportunity arise. At least with respect to this disunity in the conceptualization of the nature and fervor of the relationship between a trainer and their student, neither Rocky nor Tommy articulated their intentions for their subsequent interactions, allowing their already bifurcated values to further split apart in time, creating a capacious divide and eventually causing this brittle foundation to waver and surrender to the external pressure keeping them together.
To preface the following exploration into the intricate rationalization and detailed motivations spurring the character of Tommy Gunn, it should be stated that the process of anatomization does not equate exculpation, nor it is an attempt to derive an argument for the defensibility of his enumerated actions throughout the film. Instead, such analyses are intended to employ the reservation of judgment in order to form an amoral, neutral understanding of his reasoning to be assiduously evaluated and presented. Firstly, it appears that the thematic discussion pertaining to the role and pertinent influence of family on the mental construction of personal identity and the inspiration for future behavior can also be perceived as a prominent instigator from Tommy as well as Rocky. However, the emotional impact and significance of family manifests antithetically for Tommy than it does for Rocky, and the ensnaring tendrils of residual trauma grasp Tommy’s mind and hinders the potential, salubrious formation of any new pseudo-familial relationships, especially with an older, male figure. Suffering verbal and physical abuse at the hands of his father is evidently an unresolved, propagating issue for Tommy that proves preventative in the establishment of any slightly imbalanced dynamic in which his position would be somewhat subservient or requires the relinquishment of control to a more dominant person for their subsequent exhibition and application. Mentor relationships can be categorized as such, considering the trainer is granted responsibilities concomitant with this position of guidance and advice, oft synthesized from the gradual acquisition of pertinent experience and knowledge, which the protégé is expected to be deferential towards. The initial interrelations between Tommy and Rocky are sufficiently amiable as their mutual desires are in alignment and symbiotic, namely, to accrue or dispense boxing acumen for the pursuit and accomplishment of continued growth and success in the ring. Dissension readily amounts, however, unveiling this translucent pall of placidity overhanging their truly tenuous connection, when Rocky attempts to exert his necessary, modest control to make logistical and managerial decisions regarding Tommy’s trajectory as a boxer, specifically, foisting responsibility and humility upon him and trying to imbue the proper ability, maturity, and skill to handle the visibility and stress of rapid ascension through the ranks. Tommy’s response is rather emulative of the puerility and contumaciousness oft associated with youth, and, despite the sagacity and generosity of Rocky’s designs for Tommy, Tommy solely perceived of these actions as domineering and purposeless outside of stymying his ability to combat higher-tiered fighters.
The offers and quixotic promises promoted by George Washington Duke are demonstrably the most ethically and unambiguously malicious in intent, and his characterization as the predominant antagonist and duplicitous manipulator should not have been quite as understated as he appears in the film itself. Regardless, Duke is representative of the truly insouciant, dismissive father figure who capitulates to every whim of his child and earns their affections through shallow means for their own sake, which, in Tommy’s case, would be the elevation in status wrought by expediting his path towards the championship and affording him the pecuniary benefits, access to woman, and celebrity status that Rocky had been so careful to purposely deprive him of for rational reasons. Tommy’s narrative arc and descension amidst his pugnacious anger and blame are therefore quite tragic from a dramatic standpoint, and his journey could serve as a moralistic warning against the misappropriation of love and trust. Out of the panging, empty need for support and affection, Tommy gravitated towards the individual who knew how to provide the most basic, yet ostentatious form of love, “materialism”, without veracity to his care, while consequentially, he rejects the sole person who desired to foster a true, reciprocal, genuine relationship without the need for such crass manipulation, even if minor conflicts or tumult would occasionally arise. Left in anguish with a besmirched reputation and constant, negative comparisons to the man he was publicly excoriated for abandoning, Tommy synthesized his distress and blame of Rocky into pure disdain for his former trainer, and, just as in the past when the assault of his father terminated his debilitating abuse, and just as Rocky himself taught him to do, he faced his presumed opponent, the paternal figure he believed had destroyed him yet again, and fought.
Of the criticisms levied against Rocky V, the claim that the film lacks a sense of appropriate, ceremonious finality to culminate the entire, comprehensive franchise has certain veracity from a few, various frameworks of perspective. Apart from quelling the prospective ostentation of a formal match within the ring for the last time, the numerous flaws and pernicious propensities constituting Rocky’s character arc throughout the series as a whole were not sufficiently contended with or abated by the moment the Rocky V’s credits rolled. As previously expounded upon, the dissolution of his career subjected Rocky to a mental state fraught with frailty and emotional susceptibility, which, in essence, lingers on as an ephemeral shadow imprinted into his mind. Though it is certainly possible that Rocky distilled an impactful moral lesson from the impetuosity of his resolute dependency on Tommy, the residual issue of where to derive this sense of identity and inner worth seems to remain. Without the retrospective existence of Rocky Balboa (VI) to culminate this arc by showcasing Rocky’s improved acclimation to life largely without boxing and the true satiating finality of his career in a single, last fight, Rocky V tantalizes its audience with protracted, remaining questions of whether adaptation is actually possible for the boxer, or if nothing but complete corporal failure and physical deterioration would be enough to terminate his reliance on boxing at last. Retroactively, however, the existence of sequel films, especially Creed, attenuate the thematic patterns present in the earlier entries and effectively capitalize off the aforementioned characterizations and unresolved narrative threads or set-ups that Rocky V intriguingly inspired, but never sufficiently paid off.
With respect to the foundational plot and enveloping conversations concerning the nature of the relationship between trainer and protégé, Creed is rather emulative of the structure and pertinent developments which define Rocky V. These enumerative parallels establish a familiar, yet antithetical comparison to the events of Rocky V, beginning with the acquired mental fortitude and general contentment comprising the current daily existence of the former champion. Rocky has demonstrably attained some satisfaction in his life as a restaurateur, and the once insuperable compulsion to stand beside or within the ring has, gradually over time, diminished and was dispelled. There are beautiful and subtle inclusions in Creed that signify the beheld glory of these previous days as a fighter, which Rocky still evidently perceives with seeming wistful remembrance as he regales stories of his bouts to any patron who desires re-visitation of the exhilarating years gone by. More revealing of Rocky’s conceptualization of his past in light of his present, he relays to Adonis Creed a rather existentialist approach to considerations of his own mortality, recognizing the demise of his physical prowess and the emergence of new fighters to supersede the legacy of boxers long since passed. He appears desirous of simply relinquishing control to fate and letting go without contest, which arguably implies that remnants of this aforementioned mentality, whereby respectability and sense of self are partially derived from external perception and performance in the ring, still manifests as depressive self-conception and worthlessness, compounded by the loss of the most important element of life to him- familial love. In a moment converse to the relations between Rocky and Tommy, Adonis adopts the supportive role once donned by Adrian and convinces Rocky to fight for the sake of his own survival while Adonis, as his deferential student, fights to earn individualism and a personal victory of his own. Regardless of these extant somber considerations and understandable melancholy for the past, the relatively calm, laminar fluidity of Rocky’s current life extinguishes the formerly incendiary nature of established normalcy and allows relaxation into the regimented pace and quiet flow of prosaic existence. Rocky’s comparative mental stability at this point tempers the prior necessity of fostering external dependency, which affords the ability to explore new relationships without precipitating the obsessive need for another’s acceptance or success. There is an imperative distinction between “want” and “need”, which represents the nebulous tenuity of the line dividing respectable interest and insalubrious fixation. Consequently, existing in a comparatively healthy state imposes beneficial clarity to accept new opportunities with the discernment necessary to objectively ascertain the level of true compatibility and the mutuality of achieving betterment for all parties involved. In summation, Rocky’s ability to form a practical and salubrious mentorship is dependent on both the stability of his encompassing circumstances and the underlying reciprocity in expectations that define the connection to his chosen student.
The encapsulating narrative arc delineating the journey of Adonis from dissatisfied amateur fighter to professional boxer is exceptionally redolent of the experiences Rocky endures within the scope of his first film. As a result, Adonis also demonstrates a paramount propensity to establish an adoptive family of sorts to provide support, advice, direction, and encourage humility in his path towards personal accomplishment. “Practically Family” is the phrase he uses to categorize his relations to Rocky, a man he knows only through the legacy he shares with Adonis’s father, Apollo. Despite the ardency and security Adonis assumes towards his renascent connection to Rocky, Rocky himself is written in a manner which retains consistency with his past characterization and the lessons likely accrued from the events of Rocky V, leading to his initial hesitancy and austerity when classifying his relations with Adonis. It is Rocky, not Adonis, who staunchly and impulsively defines their relationship as strictly professional instead of familial, which is evidently derived from a residual, developed protective mechanism intended to garner stoicism and prevent the replication of his excessive, misappropriated love for someone who would take advantage of his trust and dedication. Adonis’s warmth and deferential attitude proves ameliorative of his hardened façade of frigidity, shattering Rocky’s brittle armor and opening up his heart once more to the prospect of finding family, as Adonis refers to him following his satisfying title bout, and love in a new, young protégé. These somewhat subversive instances of transient conflict in their interactions are infrequent, yet normal attributes of any relationship regardless of its apparent solidity, though the specific conversations presented and distributed throughout the film seemingly adopt their form and subject matter in reference, and thus giving further credence, to the foundational psychological tribulations Rocky endured and learned from in Rocky V.
Rocky V, in its aberrance as an entry in the compendium of Rocky films, employs deeply riveting and resonant psychological and interpersonal dramatic themes that are, by nature, a bit grim and heavy especially without the existence of some comparably uplifting culmination which has been categorical to the series overall. The somewhat dour atmosphere renders the film anomalous and less apt to be enjoyed by those seeking a more rapidly-paced, inspirational narrative depicting the efficacy of perseverance, conviction, and support in the ardent pursuit of personal accomplishment. However, Rocky V harbors moments of touching poignancy from the intricate, grounded complexity and visualization of its character personalities and interrelations. Though the performances and generalized writing quality could have been improved to bring greater cohesion and verisimilitude to the conceptual depth and veritable accuracy of the subject matter and themes it discusses, the presentation of these tribulations still maintains the potential to evoke a sense of understanding or empathy given their immutable commonality and pervasiveness across a diversity of populations and personal experiences. To enumerate; the portrayal of trials in the re-invention of self, the salubrious determination of inner worth, finding respect in impecuniosity, reconciling past abuse or trauma and moving forward in a manner unencumbered by residual preconceptions or subconscious, negative assumptions, and establishing reciprocity and compatibility in expectations and intentions for a new relationship. Rocky V also realistically depicts the unfortunate frequency of regression in the arduous path delineating self-betterment and the misappropriation of love and trust which is oft concomitant with desperate impetuosity and obsessive need to satiate some current deprivation. Creed finally culminates these incipient arcs and allows Rocky to grow and find peace, contentment, and familial love with the right people at last.
No matter the irrevocable legacy of its noticeable flaws and mired execution of its brilliant themes, Rocky V is a complex piece of character study that, especially due to the elevation in quality and purpose imbued by the retroactive existence of Creed, deserves to be seen and enjoyed as a worthy entry in the lauded Rocky franchise.
Uncut Gems
Uncut Gems is a humanizing, yet uncompromisingly honest depiction of how gambling or any addictive, risk-taking propensity can potently manifest and corrosively permeate every facet and every passing moment of an individual’s life. It therefore does seem as if the imperturbable tension and freneticism present in the film’s dialogue and pacing were intentionally imposed upon the audience in order to replicate the sensation of frantic inconstancy and anxiety which characterize the speculative lifestyle of a gambler. After all, in an odd way, the overarching experience of watching a film, especially a thriller, arguably shares some metaphorical similarities with certain forms of gambling; like a passive observer sat beside an animated participant in an ongoing game of cards, the audience, privy to the hand their protagonist has been dealt, apprehensively views each move that character makes, betting upon their eventual success and investing, emotionally, in the outcome of their endeavors. In essence, the Safdies effectively capitalized off of this intrinsic relationship established between an audience and their given protagonist in order to cultivate a more pronounced sense of understanding and pity for the interminable stress Howard endures throughout the film, even if his impetuosity, self-centrism, and general disreputability as a person are underlying contributors to the origination or protraction of his tribulations. Conceptually, it somewhat seems as if films helmed by characters who are intentionally defined by their innate moral ambiguity and persistent acts of mounting depravity, such as Uncut Gems or Joker, will elicit subconscious deliberations in the audience concerning the extent to which their individual sympathies will continue to defend or justify the compounded behaviors of these aforementioned protagonists as their rationality progressively devolves. For a subject of introspection and discussion, I think it’s rather fascinating to attempt to personally ascertain the specific moment in these sorts of narratives which serve as the point of transcendence beyond this arbitrary, nebulous boundary of ethical permissibility, whereby even the initial empathy for the character can no longer temper the severity of their subsequent actions or decisions.
With respect to Howard, I found there to be a perceptible junction in the story that irrevocably demonstrated the true depth and profundity of his compulsive gambling proclivities through a single, impulsive decision. Essentially, the structure of Howard’s narrative arc was seemingly contingent upon the reclamation of his gem and the consequential attainment of sufficient funds to finally placate the truculent loan sharks who ruthlessly and threateningly pursued him throughout the film. And yet, when the opportunity to bring about a satisfactory resolution to the overarching predicament plaguing him arises, he inexplicably and selfishly rejects it, once again capitulating to his destructive obsessions. In other, more categorical thrillers, the meeting between Howard and the loan sharks to transfer the money would likely represent the immediate dissipation of the prolonged tension overhanging the film, as the primary conflict would ostensibly be concluded. Uncut Gems, however, as a character study anatomizing the devastation wrought by a dominant, unmitigated gambling addiction, succeeded in its intent by showcasing the cyclic behavioral patterns of individuals who thrive on statistical speculation and subjecting themselves to the unpredictable caprices of chance. To these sorts of people, the innate risk of testing the tenuity of the line dividing financial solvency and complete bankruptcy provides an addictive thrill incapable of being replicated through merely leading an average existence. As a result, no form of stability or success will ever be enough.
I did find the film’s actual culmination a bit ceremonious contextually, though it was arguably necessary from a moralistic standpoint to disallow Howard from attaining happiness and success at the end of the movie as a result of his destructive endeavors, and instead conclusively reiterate how deeply pernicious it is to sustain such a naturally tempestuous and unstable lifestyle. A brilliantly written, constructed, and performed film overall.
The Dark Knight Rises
After having watched The Dark Knight Rises again through a more scrutinizing lens, I can state with some assuredness that the overall incoherence and commingling of incomplete, incompatible ideas throughout the plot have certainly rendered it rather inspiring for multiple angles of analysis. There were concepts which had potential intrigue if given sufficient focus and development, yet, were instead muddled beneath layers of distractingly discordant, complicated, and illogical elements that compromised the lucidity and strength of the nascent sociological discussions the film seemed desirous of cultivating. For me personally, the paramount example of a detrimental execution of a compelling narrative thread was the handling of Bane’s “revolution” and its ideological foundations, as well as the scope of its influence and adoption by the average Gotham citizen.
The incendiary language Bane employs to instigate the dissolution of structure and order in Gotham, in conjunction with general inferences of pervasive corruption amongst the elite, is seemingly referential to historical revolutions and their aftermaths, particularly that of the French against the estate system in the late eighteenth century. However, anatomizing the nature and fervid escalation of a revolution necessitates first establishing the background context of the dismal circumstances or tribulations which predicated the virulent propagation of rebelliousness in the populace and defined the enumerated issues they intended to have redressed through their actions. Though still a flawed representation of a burgeoning revolt, Joker was able to more effectively explore the underlying rationale to its protests by entrenching the arc of its protagonist within the crumbling, oppressive societal structure that deprived its citizens of security, welfare, health services, and financial solvency, eventually leading to their insurgency. Conversely, The Dark Knight Rises doesn’t appear to explicitly or visually depict any incipient discontent amongst Gotham residents, and, in consideration of the eight years of apparently declining criminality and instability, their possible allegiance to Bane is a bit questionable. Selena heavily implies the existence of profound income stratification and corruption when slow dancing with Bruce, though this is somewhat expository and minor for a narrative distinctly concerned with the collective attitudes, behaviors, and morality permeating the city’s inhabitants. I also thought it wasn’t particularly clear the extent to which average citizens were incited by Bane’s orations or his measures to tarnish the trustworthiness and reputation of their government officials. If the film had taken place immediately following the events of The Dark Knight, then societal volatility would be more explicable, and the sudden reveal that their sole, noble defender, Harvey Dent, was a murderer could easily shatter the brittle, precarious stability which was melded from Harvey’s unblemished legacy after the Joker’s capture. With eight years of efficiently eliminating violent criminals from the streets, the memory of Harvey himself is outlived by the results of the policies he left behind. Even with the assumption that the average citizen was impelled by Bane’s professions of “giving the city back” to them, there still remains the evident problem of over-simplification, or the presumed homogeneity to the character of a revolution, which ignores the disparate ideals, motivations, and level of personal restraint that are categorical to any large-scale movement of people. Essentially, I couldn’t ascertain if some individuals started rioting and ransacking simply for the fun of it, because they desired to exact targeted revenge on a certain wealthy person, or if they truly believed in Bane as a leader capable of disrupting the established social order. Rebellions can be internally fractious, and I wish I could’ve seen Gotham’s population fragment and disperse their loyalties, especially once Bane’s authoritarian phase grows progressively more punishing and radical.
With respect to the themes and symbolism that were disseminated throughout the film, it seemed that the interconnection between the antithetical concepts of hope and despair predominantly characterized the relationship and contrasting ideologies of Batman and Bane. Bane’s methods of exacting torment are intrinsically concerned with presenting a tantalizing possibility of hope before unceremoniously extinguishing the chances of its attainment. He believes that true despair is solely born from the subversion of hope, which manifests as the torturous protraction of his victims’ lives before they “have his permission to die”. For example, Bruce is left to watch his city capitulate to Bane while the opportunity for escape looms just overhead, and Gotham itself is naively convinced that its destruction is avoidable and rests in the hands of an average citizen while, in actuality, its demise is ineluctable. Batman is representational of the opposite; he is a symbol of hope emerging from the shadow of despair, metaphorically portrayed through his ascension out of the laden darkness in the depths of the pit towards the light of redemption and liberation. While the foundational establishment of these parallels between the primary protagonist and antagonist is conceptually fascinating, the execution is again somewhat weakened by the truncated development and limited percolation of these themes across all facets of the narrative. In particular, both Bane and Batman’s roles as offerers of hope could have been further incorporated into their respective interactions with the struggling residents of Gotham. For instance, with Batman gone and Harvey’s memory in tatters, Bane could have been more thoroughly invested in adopting the persona of a charismatic leader dedicated to manipulating Gotham into ceding power to him before eventually breaking their spirits with the reveal of his cataclysmic intentions. In contrast to the Joker who used fear and chaos to wrest control of the city and its “soul” from Batman, Bane perhaps should have been more clearly shown to initially supplant Batman as the common citizens’ salvation. To retain consistency with The Dark Knight, the primary contingent of Gotham’s “spirit”, helmed by Blake, should have eventually proven itself loyal to upholding the legacy of Batman through its adoption of his moral incorruptibility and true, unwavering devotion to its own protection. However, in the actual film, with Bane being relegated to Miranda’s pawn and the battle for Gotham seemingly restricted to a confrontation between Bane’s mercenaries and the police, the philosophical implications of the persuasive resonance Bane’s platform had with the public at large are, consequently, never fully addressed. Though Bane’s influence is formally expunged and Batman is lauded as Gotham’s true savior, the underlying inequities and torrent of disaffection which first rendered people susceptible to Bane’s promises would likely still remain as attenuated, unresolved issues after Gotham elastically reconstitutes its earlier, stratified power structure.
The city of Gotham and its general population are often personified in Batman’s universe, imbued with distinctive identities and subjected to psychological and external stressors which necessitate a defined arc of growth and change in order to tenaciously overcome. The Dark Knight Rises posed numerous potential ethical questions on the diverse character of a revolution and the inextricable correlation between income disparity and crime; however, unfortunately, none of these ideas appear to be completely developed nor unified into an overarching message with logical and thematic consistency.
Joker
I can definitely attest that trying to disentangle the discordant thoughts and emotions Joker inspires is an incredibly difficult task to undertake. Multiple viewings are needed to more assiduously parse the intricacies in the film’s portrayal of the Joker, its themes, and the political undercurrent influencing the character of Gotham and its populace. There are numerous applicable frameworks through which this film and its impact can be analyzed, which is undoubtedly a testament both to its quality and complexity as well as the irrevocable significance of movies in general as a medium capable of anatomizing humanity itself as the subject of discourse.
With respect to the controversy, it seems that the intrinsic conversation pertains to the extent of the responsibility imparted upon filmmakers and writers to consider the cultural climate into which their work will be incorporated and contextualized, and to ensure the perspicuous conveyance of their actually intended message or themes. From one perspective, the innate subjectivity of art renders it malleable to the projected interpretations and meanings each individual imposes upon it, and what we personally distill from a piece remains the prerogative of the audience to determine for ourselves, no matter the original desires of the creators. Every written work therefore has the potential to be distorted and extruded into an unrecognizable form that can somehow inspire or justify unconscionable actions, such as Charles Manson’s obsession with The Beatles’ White Album, which is an entirely unpredictable consequence that the writers should not be held accountable for. However, artistic mediums don’t exist in a vacuum, and instead are both reflective and constituent elements of their encompassing society. For example, collectively, films are somewhat of sociological artifacts, often depicting and affirming the permissible values and attitudes that were pervasive within a culture during the time period in which they were produced. They have the capacity to profoundly influence opinions and perspectives for better or worse, which is in part why expanding diversity and proper representation in storytelling is so exceedingly important and a fair litmus test for societal paradigm shifts.
To relate this back to the specific example of Joker in particular, it seems that an exceptional amount of tact and delicacy must be employed with the presentation of topics that have resounding resonance with sensitive current issues, especially when electing to convey these elements through an uncompromisingly realistic, grim, and visceral lens. I personally think the film was able to carefully and purposefully navigate the precarious situations and mentalities that it intended to expound upon, with perhaps the sole exception of a few moments comprising its ending.
I’ve always adored narratives that are predominantly centralized on exposing the complex interiority of an individual’s mind and the philosophies, experiences, and neurological dispositions that predicate the motivations and behaviors they exhibit. In particular, I find it compelling when these attributes are entrenched in an ethically nebulous atmosphere whereby the story avoids explicitly contextualizing the character as an indisputably righteous or heroic protagonist and instead aims to portray the events of their arc in an amoral, unbiased manner to allow the audience to confront the categorical ambiguities overshadowing a person’s life and decide how they wish to feel about this individual for themselves. In this sense, Joker succeeds at representing the pitiable, inescapable depravity that pursues Arthur and the mounting volatility which results in his fits and the sudden dispensation of violent retribution. The severity of his mental illness and its direct correlation to the constancy of his victimization, delusional expectations, and inability to properly control or channel his emotional responses to external stressors were, from my limited understanding of this somber subject, rather accurately depicted. Consequently, the film’s tone seemed primarily depressive and hopeless in consideration of the unfortunate reality of society’s treatment and perception of the mentally ill, especially in the early nineteen-eighties, and the desperation wrought by living amidst a system willing to discard and abandon its own citizens, leaving them alone to contend with poverty and ostracizing stigma through whatever pernicious means they can rely on. For Arthur, this eventually becomes exacting murderous revenge. Joaquin Phoenix’s nuanced and meticulously constructed embodiment of Arthur was able to showcase, through the idiosyncrasies and physicality of his performance, the precise differentiation between Arthur’s responses to emotional triggers throughout the duration of his journey. When confronted by a challenging or anxiety-inducing circumstance, Arthur’s frail frame would be wracked with irrepressible laughter, which seemed to serve as a conduit to externally release the neurological distress that he was unable to reconcile and suppress inside his mind. However, in the latter parts of the film, his condition mostly ceases, and instead of being rendered rigid and breathless from the experience of murder, for instance, after he kills the men on the subway, he dances. Dancing replaces painful laughter as Arthur’s physical manifestation of his inner emotional state, which, in its calm fluidity, can be interpreted as demonstrating the sensation of peace and control that brutal punishment has afforded him where passivity and resignation could not.
Concerning the overall culmination of the film, I did feel as though the brilliant subtlety previously characterizing the incremental development and execution of Arthur’s arc was somewhat supplanted in the end by a more strident and overt enumeration of his beliefs about the society that had always derided him. As a taciturn man, Arthur’s mental state and motivations were visually represented and implicitly understood throughout the film, and he never really articulated his thoughts on what he recently endured, nor seemed to unify these incidents into an encompassing statement on the current status of income inequality, corruption, stigma against the mentally ill, or incipient public dissension. His story exists concurrently and is inextricably intertwined with the stability of Gotham itself, yet, his conception of his experiences is extraordinarily apolitical and almost entirely self-concerned. For instance, his fixation on Thomas Wayne wasn’t spurred by some ideological hatred of a man symbolic for the pecuniary and systemic issues eroding Gotham’s fragile structure, but rather a personal desire to speak to the man he initially believed to be his father. In consideration of this, the expression of frigid composure that Arthur dons while on TV and the pronounced lucidity with which he dramatically excoriates society for its depravity seems like quite the departure from the distant, socially insulated, and almost dissociative state he was previously mired in. I suppose that the identity of Joker could represent the personified encapsulation of the liberating and affirming joviality, clarity, dominance, and deference he experiences after committing murder, which could partially explain the profound escalation in his political awareness and confidence in the righteousness of his sanguinary exaction of justice.
Following the incendiary events in the TV studio, the film continues to crescendo the scale and ferocity of the virulent disaffection overtaking Gotham, culminating in the burning of the city and idealization of Joker. These scenes in particular were a little bothersome to me from a thematic standpoint, specifically in their characterization of the rioters and the interrelation between these anguished, ignored contingents of Gotham’s populace and Joker himself. Essentially, though it’s rather fitting to have Joker serve as the instigator of chaos, and both arson and violence can be concomitant with protests, I thought that it somewhat compromised the sympathy for their legitimate, reasonable grievances to solely showcase the excessive devolution of the social movement that, realistically, would have found support amongst average, peaceful working-class citizens, the same citizens that Batman usually defends and ardently believes in moralistically. Additionally, to relate back to the aforementioned discussion on cultural responsibility, I can see where people would take issue with the film’s overarching message on the basis of its treatment of Joker’s legacy. Personal manifestoes of mass killers have expounded on their supposed worthlessness and isolation, which incentivizes them to seek means of attaining recognition and to be noticed, understood, remembered, and lauded. Joker could be interpreted as confirming the veracity of this mentality, considering Arthur solidifies his will and sense of purpose through inflicting brutal revenge, is subsequently glorified for his murders, and finally receives the adoring audience he always aspired to have. Apparently, according to the director, it’s possible to view these arguably problematic scenes as delusions of grandeur that are simply manifestations of Arthur’s impotent dreams and degrading mental stability, given his established propensity to project and truly believe his own fantasies. Though discussions pertaining to the intentional open-endedness of the writing are surely intriguing and enjoyable to partake in, I do think that most casual audiences might perceive these events as straightforward and literal, without meticulously searching for potential evidence that could suggest otherwise. From a completely personal perspective, a stronger indication or even the definitive confirmation of the falsity in these scenes could have still served the narrative by having the image of Joker become a symbol, paralleling Batman in a way, that inspires only certain suggestible minds to continue his supposedly politically-motivated atrocities against the rich while Arthur himself is primarily condemned for his actions and left to the confines of Arkham where he formally retreats into the comforting persona of Joker.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film for its depth and the harrowing reality of its explored themes. In a sense, it affirms why there exists such a cultural and generational fascination with the character of the Joker, and how, through his numerous incarnations and their respective philosophies, he remains a reflection of the darker facets of humanity and the tantalizing prospect of forgoing the fallibility and restraints of conventional social order to jovially pursue one’s own agenda or self-interest.
A Clockwork Orange as an Adaptation
As a personal fan of the novel and its adaptation, I still always felt there were a few elements of Alex’s mentality and perception of his society discussed in the complete version of the book that weren’t as fully or explicitly translated into the film, though, overall, I do prefer the movie’s ending.
More specifically, following Alex’s first encounter with Mr. Deltoid, he expounds upon his sheer enjoyment of what his government has deemed performative “badness”. Alex’s revealed philosophy is exceptionally telling in this scene, as he seems to somewhat imply that the designation of his brand of turpitude as a punishable infraction is conceptually comparable to the repression of self or one’s individualism at the hands of those in control. According to him, morality is essentially decided by a corrupt, authoritarian leadership who allows certain people to act in pursuit of their own self-interest or desires as long as those behaviors are in adherence with the enumerated laws imposed by an innately oppressive, inequitable system of governance. In a sense, it appears Alex is questioning why these so called “good” individuals can choose to do what they like while he cannot. Thematically, this thought process certainly contributes to the overarching conversation on choice, personal freedom, and who has the right to determine the standards and enforcement of ethicality in a society. After all, authoritarianism unavoidably establishes regulations, definitions of criminality, and punishments for deviance that are injudicious and cruel, which lead to cycles of unrest, violence, prison overcrowding, and the further revocation of rights. The government proceeds to blame societal ills on some intangible, devilish source of “evil” and ignores its own culpability in breeding discord amongst its populace. From this perspective, Alex actually has a bit of veracity to his reasoning and justifications.
However, in consideration of the original ending whereby Alex essentially “grows out” of his years of insolence and assumes his future sons will follow the same trajectory towards eventual adulthood, it almost seems as though Anthony Burgess believes or hopes that youthful degeneracy and contumacious behaviors are natural, transient phases of growth that are independent of the general state of lawlessness in a society or its apathy towards the proper cultivation of young, malleable minds. All forms and gradations of criminality, through this lens of analysis, can therefore be redeemable purely through the passage of time. As a conclusion to a novel seemingly desirous of exploring the complexities and ambiguities integral to the discussion on the causes and treatment of violence and contravention, this scenario is arguably a little simplistic and thematically inconsistent with the narrative threads demonstrated earlier on.
Additionally, while there is some truth to this specific perception of crime and those who commit it, Alex’s characterization as a sadistic psychopath represents a distinctive exception. His intrinsic compulsion to inflict pain and draw blood categorizes him as someone who would likely pursue his sanguinary interests no matter how much he aged mentally and physically. Resultantly, Burgess’s final chapter appears quixotic and rather insensitive, as Alex’s particular crimes are ineffably severe, unforgivable, and inexcusable by simply referencing his lack of physiological development or even pointing to the shambles his current world is in. Therefore, though extremely dismal and pessimistic, Kubrick’s ending represents a more accurate depiction of a failing government’s attempt at rehabilitating a self-possessed, irredeemable, remorseless murderer through chemically induced and torturous means. To summarize, these various elements of commentary in the complete novel, which pertain to the intersection of criminality, personal freedom, youthful rebelliousness, and the morality of generating falsified “goodness” in a sadist, have slight issues in their underlying compatibility and cohesion.
However, despite the underlying consistency to the paramount themes and the interiority of Alex’s perverse conceptualization of his behaviors and treatment, the film also demonstrates a few notable faults which arguably dilute the clarity and severity of its mature subject matter. In particular, Kubrick occasionally employs sexually explicit imagery and exaggerated, bizarre directorial choices that tend to contrast and detract from the overall tone and significance of their encompassing scenes. The seeming needlessness and unexpectedly jarring nature of these moments are dominant in the visual medium of film, and consequently are more pronounced and memorable to the audience at the expense of the dialogue subtleties and the ancillary, purposeful imagery. To enumerate; the instance where Mr. Deltoid suddenly grabs Alex’s genitals during their first conversation about his deviant actions, Alex’s use of a phallic statue to kill the old woman, and the medical staff emerging half-nude from behind a curtain when Alex wakes from his coma. The pervasiveness of sexual profligacy in this fictional society is an intrinsic component serving to represent the virulent depravity and prioritization of self-gratification infecting its populace, however, the wanton or lawless exaction of one’s will could have been suggested through alternative means while still maintaining the overall striking aesthetic of the film.
To counterbalance my criticisms of a few stylistic decisions Kubrick made throughout A Clockwork Orange, there is a particular lens of analysis which lends credence to the adaptational and cinematographic quality of his dramatic choices. Essentially, the novel was able to capitalize off the natural propensity to identify and sympathize with the protagonist who narrates, and consequently portrays, the entirety of their experiences through the distorted filter of their personal biases and perceptions. In addition, Anthony Burgess intentionally implemented the rhythmic, slang language of Nadsat to euphemistically describe the execrable acts of violence Alex commits and effectively sanitize their sheer brutality through the whimsical, melodious phrasing and terminology Alex uses. A perfectly accurate adaptation depicting these same behaviors through the uncompromising realism captured in the language of film would be unbearably distressing to watch and would render Alex too unambiguously wicked to encourage any development of pity for what he endures in the latter portions of the film. Though Alex is undoubtedly a horrific, sadistic individual, and the film is still considered rather gratuitous even by the standards of today, Kubrick’s distinctive visuals and scene choreography can be seen as effective in their ability to somewhat mitigate the gravity of Alex’s deplorable proclivities. Though certain shots appear a bit inexplicable even from this particular interpretation, Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange remains a deferential adaptation and masterwork in the presentation and discussion of violence, criminality, and choice.
The Lion King (1994)
For my own personal experiences with The Lion King, I was assuredly struck as a child by the beauty of its visuals and, at an older age, the profundity imbued in its intimate, evocative moments. However, in retrospect, it was noticeably less memorable or impactful to me than some other movies of my childhood, such as The Brave Little Toaster, the short animated version of The Red Shoes, or Don Bluth’s films, that all arguably demonstrated greater darkness and somberness in their themes and underlying tone. Even from a relatively young age, without realizing it, I guess I weirdly preferred these sorts of heavier narratives. Therefore, I think the most significant issue I had with The Lion King was the silliness of Timon and Pumbaa, as I don’t particularly remember loving them or finding their style of humor incredibly funny. Consequently, my memory and predisposition led me to assume that these sequences of levity and irreverence were somewhat disruptive or incongruous with the established plot arc and tone. However, after recently spending a bit of time thinking about their purpose and thematic significance, I feel I can better ascertain the true necessity of their somewhat childish philosophy. On the basis of my perfunctory analysis, I saw only the more evident rationale for their inclusion in the movie, which seemed to be the roles of comic relief capable of tempering the sharpness of the depressive elements prevalent throughout the film’s duration.
In a way, though, the distracting vivaciousness and joviality provided by Timon and Pumbaa to lift the spirits of the movie’s young audience is analogous to the allaying effect their antics have on Simba. Since Simba is too young and emotionally immature to confront the devastating gravity of what he recently witnessed or reconcile the corrosive guilt and ignominy of his actions, Timon and Pumbaa’s playfulness is precisely what he needs at this fragile period in his life. Simba consequently protracting this lackadaisical, “Hakuna Matata” philosophy into adulthood and attempting to apply its precepts during his encounter with Nala could be demonstrating how potentially insalubrious it is to become so entrenched in this comforting, escapist mentality that you never grow emotionally and learn to properly face life’s various tribulations. I suppose I just never noticed what was possibly the intended message of having characters like Timon and Pumbaa raise Simba and shape his perspective on life and his place in the Kingdom’s hierarchy, which is completely antithetical to the lessons of Rafiki and Mufasa respectively.
I do still think the exploration of these relationships between Simba and the paramount parental or guiding figures in his life could have been a bit better or more clearly conveyed in the film. Personally, I might have preferred if the crass humor was toned down a little and, after Simba is reacquainted with the words and philosophy of his father and Rafiki, he decides to leave with Nala for Pride Rock, first sharing a poignant goodbye with Timon and Pumbaa. The stunningly touching scene in Inside Out where Joy is set free by Bing Bong perfectly encapsulates the sort of parting I would have envisioned for Simba and his childhood guardians. Bing Bong is essentially symbolic for youthfulness and immaturity, and though he was a friend to Riley during times when she needed him the most, his permanent disappearance allows for the forward momentum of Joy’s journey and reflects Riley’s nascent steps towards growing up physically and emotionally. Simba deciding to separate from Timon and Pumbaa, who have long since served their purpose in sheltering a young cub’s shattered mind, would also represent the ability to be unshackled from puerile proclivities and to finally handle the challenge of adult responsibilities. The scene where Rafiki states, “The king has returned”, and Simba is shown running away from the jungle towards his home and the seat of his power would, in this slightly different context, symbolically depict the alteration of his focus and his subsequent movement from a comforting place of avoidance and dissonance to his eventual goal of maturity and confrontation with his past.
In general, I find the most successful and memorable films for children to be emotionally accessible and comprehensible in their deceptive simplicity to a young age demographic, yet, when viewed through the lens of an adult, the true profundity and message of the story finally become perceptible.