Xala: Best Not Spoken In English

I didn’t know what to expect; Third Cinema; I had never heard of it. But I was seriously impressed.  Xala interprets and represents a world, not forgotten, but unseen by most American moviegoers.  Representing the ideology of independence Third Cinema embraces the possibility of engaging the audience into awareness.  There Is a message here; that nothing is neutral, even a simple story.

Image courtesy of Googleimages.com

                Set in Senegal, Africa, Xala delivers an outstanding representation of what inflicts most societies, but in particular is represented by the culture that is presented.  There are some things in American mainstream cinema that are just not talked about, not popular with the masses, and then there is Xala, best not spoken in English, because it was spoken beautifully from the perspective of the people the story belongs to. The plot ranges from diverse reactions to polygamy, to uncovering the government corruption and the possible redemption of a man’s soul by accepting his place as an equal to the people he once shunned, and now offer the portal to his redemption.  It isn’t perfect, but that is the beauty of this cinematic art form.  It’s real, raw, and extremely blunt in expressing the story. 

Third Cinema is profuse with neocolonialism and the message that foreign capitalism is employed in the exploitation of the lesser for the more developed.  That’s hard to argue. Originating in the 1960’s, third cinema has endured and proliferated, offering a message that rejects the individual view of a single director and invites the viewer to an experience of a multiple kind; a collective view of the world it represents.  Xala expresses this beautifully; from the moment that the Socialist (Capitalist) character, Aboucader Beye emerges into the story.  A world distinctively divided by class, where privilege is presented in its ultimate expression of abuse as the character takes his third wife, we are allowed to see the outcome of the ultimate folly where one profits and many suffer in return.  Ultimate in power, Aboucader uses funds for social programs to fuel his attainment of what he deems to be status, but it is his undoing. This theme is common in Third Cinema movies as they tend to address issues of social and political power, through the use of realistic portrayals.  

                The lesson is clear; one cannot benefit at the profit of others.  Realistically portrayed, disabled, ignored and forgotten, the characters of the film progress toward their message; although not at the pace of everyone, because they don’t have the fortunate benefit of assistance or wheelchairs to assist their journey.  Yet the movie ends in the same room; same place for all; in equality.  Therein is the beauty of the Third Cinema tradition. It is engaging; presenting stories of oppression and revealing how those issues effect the society portrayed. There is no wondering about what the point of the story was when you walk away.  You feel changed.  One cannot help but decide where one stands from what is portrayed. It is an automatic reaction to anything that challenges, but the Third cinema tradition exemplifies this possibility for us without effort. Simply presenting a story from a cultural perspective of truth and causing us to face choice; whether or not we will notice the people the story belongs to.

Sources Cited:

"Neocolonialism." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neocolonialism>.

"The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema." Empire. Bauer Consumer Media, n.d. Web. 20 Nov 2010. <http://www.empireonline.com/features/100-greatest-world-cinema-films/default.asp?film=83>.

"Third Cinema." Film Reference. Avameg Inc., 2010. Web. 20 Nov 2010. <http://www.filmreference.com/encyclopedia/Romantic-Comedy-Yugoslavia/Third-Cinema.html>.

"Third Cinema." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Cinema>.

"Xala." Web. 20Nov 2010. <http://www.netflix.com/>.

Bollywood; the Making of a Good Masala

           Masala; an integral spice used in Indian cooking, is comprised of four basic ingredients; cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and black cardamom.  Sometimes Green Cardamom is added for a cooling flavor and the recipe can vary slightly for each cook.  Diverse, yet maintaining the base ingredients that lend its flavor to an unlimited number or culinary possibilities, Masala is not unlike Bollywood Cinema.

            Bollywood, a term coined in the early 1970’s contains distinctive elements to the storylines, also referred to as ‘Masala’.  Centered around two main characters, usually in love or about to be, the plot can vary.  Often opposed by either societal constructs or an actual villainous character the two Bollywood stars must work to resolve their dilemma.  Dance, music and drama are integrally inserted throughout the films as the story progresses toward its ultimate happy ending, usually not displaying physical consummation of their love by kissing, but by holding hands or emotional expression intertwined in musical performance.

Image Courtesy of GoogleImages.com

            One might think that the audience would become bored with such a simple approach to filmmaking, but they would be wrong.  Not unlike Hollywood’s classical Hollywood narrative form, used to engage viewers in identifying with protagonists in American films, Bollywood has found the recipe to connect with the Indian audience, regardless of religion or class.  Three hours of engaging dance and music in the darkness, served with snacks such as Kathi Rolls, similar to a sandwich wrap, and popcorn accompanied with a spice bar that includes spices such as cajun spice, chili chutney, cheese and pepper, Bollywood film engages viewers toward the ultimate happy ending, keeping the audience pleasantly fed, and maintaining attendance at the average of 2,860,000,000 tickets purchased a year.

Image courtesy of GoogleImages.com

                Bollywood is definitely onto the Masala for success; and just as Bollywood has copied Hollywood plotlines in movies such as Bride and Prejudice; a remake of the Jane Austen Adaptation Pride and Prejudice, Hollywood has begun to incorporate some Bollywood elements into their films. A recent adaption of Bollywood in American cinema can be seen in the film Mama Mia, where the plotline revolves around a girl and her mother, both striving to find happiness with the one they love.  Dance and song intertwine in their journey of self discovery and the conquering of societal expectations that happily resolve at the end of the film in very Bollywood flavor. Although I would have to say that Bollywood does it better.

Courtesy of GoogleImages.com

              The cross between the 1950’s musical and the choreographed dancing plotline of the Bollywood industry portrayed in Mama Mia just doesn’t quite carry the impact of a typical Bollywood film.  While the characters do struggle against social constructs regarding unwed motherhood and fatherless childrearing, the film seemed to lack the vibrant cultural essence that is portrayed in so many Bollywood films.  Although I liked the film and it did contain the cultural reference to the cult music of ABBA, the actors and actresses are American and the film is set in Greece, so the cultural significance of the story seems lost to the viewer, unlike in Bollywood films where it plays a central role in the cinematic theme.  The ‘Masala’ mix just isn’t quite right.    
            However, just like the spice Masala, Bollywood combines the complimentary flavors needed to carry the flavor of the film through, to the standard three hour finish line.  Vibrant, elaborate costumes waft across the screen presenting carefully choreographed and rehearsed musical performances, often incorporating traditional folk dances and lending a distinction to Bollywood film that is a hard act to follow. So while the plots may stay consistent, and the basic elements of the Bollywood ‘Masala” are repeatedly followed, Bollywood filmmakers and movie watchers have discovered that the possibilities are endless.  

Courtesy of GoogleImages.com

Sources Cited:

"Bollywood." Wikipedia, 11192010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bollywood>.

"Bollywood Star Aishwarya Rai Real Life Photos." Bollywood Star. EzineMark.com, 10262010. Web. 20Nov 2010. <http://entertainment.ezinemark.com/bollywood-star-aishwarya-rai-real-life-photos-bollywood-star-16c2b32178f.html>.

" A Brief History of Bollywood Sex and Romance." IFC 06242009: n. pag. Web. 20 Nov 2010. <http://www.ifc.com/news/2009/06/bollywood-sex.php>.

Singh, Sidd. "Bollywood Basics for the Uninitiated: Masala Movies80." HubPages, 2010. Web. 20 Nov 2010. <http://hubpages.com/hub/Bollywood-Basics-for-the-Uninitiated-Masala-Movies>.

"Movie Munchies." Big Cinemas. ance MediaWorks Ltd. , 2010. Web. 20 Nov 2010. <http://www.bigcinemas.com/in/moviemunchies.asp>.

"Cinema attendance (most recent) by country ." Media Statistics. NationMaster.com, 2010. Web. 20 Nov 2010. <http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/med_cin_att-media-cinema-attendance>.

Benshof, Harry, and Sean Griffin. America on Film; Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sesxuality at the Movies. Second. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2009. 52. Print.

The Natalie Test

  

      Women in film; we want to see them; need them, but what roles do they get to portray?  Female roles are generally typecast by their gender, placed in categories of character that support a leading protagonist, usually male, in conveying the message and content of the cinematic story.  The Bechdel Test, “used to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are” makes this point for us.


       
           The Bechdel test states that in order to pass the test a movie “has to have at least two women in it, who talk to each other, about something besides a man.”  Surely it can’t be that hard to find movies that do this? Or can it? I decided to put the Bechdel test to the test.  Rifling through my shelves of DVD’s I rummaged through titles, placing the ones that failed behind me on the ground.  Minutes later I sat surrounded and held one movie in my hand, Alien, staring Sigourney Weaver as the female protagonist.  Vindicated that I owned a film that passed the Bechdel test, I wondered if the film would pass a more stringent one.  So I devised The Natalie Test.

Courtesy of Googleimages.com

            The Natalie Test is composed of three parts; (1) is the protagonist female, (2) who does not sacrifice herself, commit suicide, or otherwise die in the film, (3) and does she rescue a male character. Ready to tabulate my results I began sorting, carefully placing the ones that passed in a pile in front of me. Several minutes later, I sat once again surrounded by videos that did not pass.  Discouraged, I decided to take a break and watch the film Alien. 

            Alien starring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, the female protagonist, begins in space.  A mission to a mining planet, where the crew answers a communication sent from a planet containing a mining operation.  Obeying orders from the corporation they work for, the crew lands on the planet damaging their ship in the process.  Stranded the crew attempts to mend their ship, survive the harsh conditions of the planet and its alien inhabitants and return to earth, but everything goes wrong.  While the alien’s multiply and kill the crew one by one, Ripley’s character begins to emerge, taking the lead in the survival and rescue role of the film.

            Carefully watching, I began to put Alien to The Natalie test.  Is the protagonist female?  Yes hands down.  Does she not sacrifice herself, commit suicide or otherwise die in the film? Again a resounding yes! Does the character rescue a male? Maybe.  This question was harder to answer.  Ripley rescues her male shipmates constantly throughout the film as they are hunted and attempt to invade the freakishly dangerous alien creature that threatens to destroy them.  As the film progresses the plot thickens as Ripley discovers that the science officer Ash is conspiring with the corporation they work for to retrieve the alien and bring it to earth. But does she really rescue anyone and is it a male?

            There is no doubt Ripley’s intent is to survive, but it is also to rescue humanity from the danger of the alien life form that would destroy earth if it were to be taken there; placing Ripley firmly into a mother like role for the human population on earth.  While the concept is a form of rescue, it does not pass the Natalie test, because the test is meant to decisively discern whether a female protagonist can rescue a man without placing her into a sacrificial role.  While there are men in human population, the character cannot pass The Natalie Test unless in competition with other surviving males; the female as the rescuer.

Sadly, I watch as the crew members die, leaving Ripley as the only survivor of the greedy holocaust set upon the crew by corporation’s greed.  The female protagonist has survived, but not saved a man; or has she?  The final scene shows Ripley entering her stasis chamber in preparation to return to earth and bringing the cat, who she rescued, in with her.  The cat‘s name is Jones and I would like to think he is male, but being that everyone is referred to by their last name, one cannot be sure. And so Alien must be put in the questionable list of films for The Natalie Test. Perhaps society is not ready to view a female protagonist that saves a man, but I think that is misguided.  I for one am ready, and next time I buy a ticket, purchase a DVD  or spend two hours of my life watching a film, I am not going to settle for idea that the only thing a woman is capable of rescuing is a cat.

Sources cited:

"Action film." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Action_film>.

"Alien (film)." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)>.

"Bechdel Test Movie List." The Bechdel Test. N.p., 2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. http://bechdeltest.com/.

The Other Monster

Monsters are everywhere!  Just ask a small child who has to turn off the light and crawl into the covers in a darkened room with an open closet door.  Morphing in a child’s mind as it matures; the monster becomes more complex, inevitably imbuing frightening personality traits with complex motives. The personality develops, reasoning dominates and new psychological need is created; the need to face the animus.  In comes the horror film.

Psychologically humans need to face what they fear in order for those fears not to control their rational behavior; they need to feel safe.  Like a small child in the darkness, we draw a veil of protection between ourselves and our fears as we view the horror film through the filter of the cinematic screen. Horrific characters play out their roles, frightening and confronting the viewer with fear and then safely retreating, leaving the viewer’s sense of survival and strength intact.  So why would we be afraid of something we know is not real? Let’s ask Shaun of the Dead.

Courtesy of Googleimages.com

The movie begins with Shaun shuffling himself into consciousness, barely awake from his night’s sleep; a visual metaphor of what is to come.  Surrounded by a best friend, who does barely more than consume beer and play video games, a girlfriend who is frantic to see some form of psychological growth from him, a mother who won’t face reality and a stepfather who criticizes his poor performance in life, the stage is set.  As the zombie phenomenon begins, Shaun barely notices.  People on the buses sit, staring forward, disconnected and displaying dead pan expressions as they head to their soulless jobs.  Others wait in line at the grocery store, ignoring one another, the cashier mindlessly scanning Shaun’s groceries as though he weren’t even there.  There isn’t much difference between the society he is used to mingling amongst and the zombies that are beginning to take over his world.  Day in, day out, Shaun goes through the motions of life, never achieving anything and remaining emotionally detached from the stagnation of his existence. 

Courtesy of Googleimages.com

As zombies begin to multiply, Shaun is drawn comically into the conflict. First flinging sacrificial records in an attempt to randomly stop the oncoming approach of a zombie that has busted into his yard, Shaun soon realizes that he needs to apply more effort in order to subdue the undead, or he’ll become one of them. Out of desperation and realization, Shaun picks up a bat and begins to bash the heads of the oncoming dead, effectively eliminating the threat one by one. At this point his character begins to change.  Once an aimless, goalless individual, Shaun begins to take control in an effort to survive. 

The zombies are proliferate, eating their way through the world and unbalancing the human population, until there are only a few aware groups of humans left.  Shaun, leading his friends through the mad, decaying world of zombies toward safety brings them to the destination of the local pub. Not a well thought out plan, but nevertheless it is action.  The pub, in the past, has represented his stagnant choices in life, but is now transformed by his conscious choice to use its existence as a tool in surviving. Zombies now threaten to encroach and surround them in one last stand of survival and the tension begins to climax.  We don’t want to see Shaun eaten alive, slowly ripped apart and watching as his consciousness is dismembered and destroyed; we want to see him survive.  To walk away, keep his individuality and move forward in life, but we know this is threatened and so we are afraid.

Holding our breath, we watch the zombie-other on the screen and will our energy to Shaun so that he might kill it.  The Other monster, the one we deem separate from ourselves is the enemy; mad, decayed, rotting, hunting.  Alive on the screen, its dead zombie-like form perpetrates madness as we defeat our repressed fears.  Relieved when Shaun survives and steps forward into his future we can relax; for now we know we will not disappear into the lifeless existence that threatened Shaun’s world. Facing our animus we vanquish our fear, reestablish our conscious dominance of superiority and reassure ourselves that the fear of a lifeless existence is not real.

Silly isn’t it? To be afraid of the dark; afraid of what is not real.  Or is it? The Other is real and it lives because its home is within us; carrying our fears and demons for us so we can function normally.  So the next time you want to get know someone; know what they’re really like, don’t ask them what their interests are.  Ask them what they fear.

Sources cited:

“Other.”  Wikipedia, 11/5/2010.  Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Othering >.

“Psychological Horror.” Wikipedia, 11/5/2010. Web. <http://wikipedia.org/wiki/psychological_horror>.

“The Psychological Affect of Movies on Mental Health.” Association for Natural Psychology. N.p., 2010. Web. 9 Nov 2010. <http://www.winmentalhealth.com/movies_psychological.php>.

Walters, Ph.D., Glenn, D. " Understanding the Popular Appeal of Horror Cinema: An Integrated-Interactive Model ." Journal of Media Psychology 9.2 (2004): n. pag. Web. 5 Nov 2010. <http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/sfischo/horrormoviesRev2>.

Wanted: A Good Femme Fatale

The femme fatale is a dangerous illusion; completely different depending on who is conjuring the image.  Endowed with presence, she does not hide in the shadows, but places herself firmly into stream of energy, manipulating her projection depending on who her victim is and what she needs them to do for her.  She is never truly herself; never truly seen by those who are seduced and ultimately relinquish their power in order to taste even a portion of what she represents.

Cinema portrays the femme fatale as lethal by not by her own force.  She is lethal to her subject because she lures them, manipulates them, and often gets them to do her bidding.  Like a poisonous net, she canvases those around her pinpointing who needs to die and getting the one she seduces with her divinity to do her work for her. She is the ultimate conspirator and manipulator; and she is wanted.

Image courtesy of Google.com

Wanted, staring Angelina Jolie as Fox, a tough but beautiful manipulator casts the femme fatale in a modern portrayal of the old stereotype.  The film begins as the main character, Wesley Gibson, discovers he is the son of an assassin who works for a mysterious organization called The Fraternity.  Wesley, passive by nature, initially cringes from the possibility that he could become a part of the super-hero like society and one of the greatest assassins alive like his father.  The fraternity presents him with a choice, drops money into his bank account and waits.  Wesley returns to the office he works at, surrounded by his best friend who cheats with his girlfriend, the bully boss and the countless internet searches he conducts using his name to verify that indeed he is a loser. Completely dissatisfied with his life, it doesn’t take long for Wesley to snap, parts of his abilities bring on stress when they are not used, and he delves himself into the underground world of the Fraternity.  This is where Fox comes in.

Image Courtesy of Google.com

Fox, appropriately named in emphasis of her role, assists in Wesley’s training, using several brainwashing tactics in order to rebuild his personality.  Visually situated during his brutal experiences, she stands in sight where he can see her at all times, watching and becoming his constant in a world that is very unstable.  Her consistent presence is a subtle clue to what role she will play later, that she will gain his trust and then will use it to manipulate him; very femme fatale.  The warehouse, a dark setting for the dark subject matter is appropriately symbolic of the choices he must make.    

Wesley completes his training, but cannot commit to killing the first subject.  Fox then tells him a story, of how she watched her father brutally murdered in front of her and was branded by the criminal who did it.  Fox relates that after she joined the fraternity she found out that the person who had done it was not killed by the fraternity, because someone did not have the strength to pull the trigger. This is the interesting part; it really did happen.  Fox reveals the scar on her neck where she was branded as a child as she walks away and Wesley is motivated.  Wesley, previously fighting his ethical and moral dilemma of killing another human being instantly grasps onto what her intimate revelation offers; the chance to protect her, the chance to not be weak and passive and the opportunity to prove to himself that he is not a loser.

Fox, now having secured Wesley’s loyalty, will work with him toward the ultimate goal of killing the man who killed Wesley’s father, which is why she was sent to recruit him in the first place.  So while she plays the role of the Femme Fatale in some aspects, her gain is not necessarily what one might think.  Fox doesn’t want money; she wants someone dead for emotional gratification, because to her they represent the person who killed her father, by not pulling the trigger.  Fox is disconnected from herself, which becomes clear when Wesley asks her during their pursuit if she ever thinks of doing things normally; living like normal people.  Her stare is vacant, almost as if she doesn’t understand why he would ask the question and then her expression hardens as she answers that never thinks about it.  Fox manipulates Wesley by becoming sexually involved with him, Lures him into a dangerous situation to do her bidding yet remains emotionally unattached.  The Femme Fatale dominatrix never gets attached.
Eventually the seams of the story rip open and Wesley discovers, much to late, that he has been set up to kill his own father.  As Fox stands over him ready to shoot, he asks her why and she reasons  it was because his name came up."   Successful in her mission of manipulation she will now destroy her lured tool to once again make herself safe.   While I sympathize with the character it is obvious that her pain has turned to revengeful hatred and her involvement with Wesley was to use him as a means to an end. 

Usually not killing firsthand, the Femme Fatale delegates her chosen someone to do her dirty work.  Fox had to delegate Wesley, because no one else had the ability to complete the task. Perhaps the Femme fatale has been reinvented, adjusted to the role of a feminist femme fatale; a strong character, motivated with complexity.  I think that is what is needed for modern society and women to continue buying into the role and make it valid for our current world.  This point is also emphasized at the end of the movie, where the character, true to her ideals realizes her mistake and kills all those who will not honor the code, saving Wesley and sacrificing herself.  As in the classic portrayal of the femme fatale of Double Indemnity, the femme fatale dies after realizing that they can feel differently, that they love the character they have betrayed, but usually too late to change the ending.  

And that leaves questions.  So what is it the femme fatale represents that no man can resist?  Is the femme fatale outdated and will the audience fall for it again and again, even though we are a modern, liberated society?  I think she will always be craved, always be Wanted; because she represents dark, raw, yet glamorous power and everyone wants that.

Sources Cited:

"Dominatrix." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominatrix>.

Double Indemnity. Dir. Billy Wilder." Universal Studios: 1944, DVD.

"Femme Fatale." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femme_fatale>.

Hermyn, Helle. "What Makes a Femme Fatale?." Suite101.com, 02/02/2010. Web. 26 Oct 2010. <http://www.suite101.com/content/what-makes-a-femme-fatale-a200658>.

"Wanted (2008) Film." Wikopedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanted_(2008_film)>.

"Dominatrix." Wikipedia, 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominatrix>.

Clueless: A Gender Non-Defined!

Women are soft, quiet, gentle and non-aggressive.  If you watch a lot of modern films they are also clueless.  The stereotype of gender in films is as prevalent today as it was over 50 years ago in the film Some Like It Hot.  While I admit that Marilyn Monroe had draw, she could bat an eyelash and insinuate herself into a chair like no other, her roles were demeaning.  Her power lie in the ability to draw and to encourage the opposite sex in continuing determined stubbornness of its view of self and who she was, therefore reinforcing gender rules and making everyone feel safe.

Typically most women portrayed in cinema fall neatly into categories; black widow, virgin-whore, Femme Fatale, or just plain clueless:  yet men are granted something entirely different.  Male protagonists lead, rule with a never ending mercy, protect those who cannot protect themselves (usually women and children), or they are sensitive, briefly displaying emotion in a manner that somehow reinforces their masculinity, because they aren’t afraid to reveal their character can conveniently contribute to the hegemonic patriarchy often situated in cinematic film.

So why are the sexes divided into separate camps?  Why does one need to have force and conviction, while the other behaves passive and receptive? I believe it comes down to balance.  There must be an equal dynamic to a story for the movie to flow.  Film Noir, one example of the balance for power, does a very good job of incorporating the conflicting ideology of sexual behavior into a believable storyline, because as we know, no sex is clueless, just misinformed.

Clueless: A film about a girl who seems oblivious to anyone or anything except herself is a perfect example of how cinema portrays the virgin-clueless uninformed.  A recent portrayal of an old novel by Jane Austen, Clueless draws on the inherent predictability of the sexes to point out the folly of one girl and her redemption through love.  The character, Cher, a completely self absorbed and uninformed teen follows a path to discovery.  Finding her own fate in attempting to revamp and reconcile her friends’ existence and sets out on a journey that will eventually reveal she has a lot to learn. 

                Her mother dead from a freak liposuction accident, Cher is raised by her father, an attorney who has taught her there is nothing in life that is not negotiable.  Cher demonstrates this in one scene of the film where she negotiates her grade on a test back from the grave to an astounding A.  So while the Scarlett Letter starring Demi Moore as Hester Prynne revealed women have the resilience and structure to withstand a social bitter wind, Cher has proven, with enough determination and stubbornness the other team will eventually lose steam and back down.  Negotiation?  Perhaps; or possibly a display of aggressive attributes usually attributed to men. 

Driven by the need to insert herself into what she thinks will make her happy, she attempts to reinvent her identity as a social savior.  Prepping her friend on social do’s and don’ts she inserts a lost soul of high school into the cool crowd and begins to feel extremely proud of her accomplishments until it all goes wrong.

Typical of the cinematic storylines, Cher discovers that it is indeed she who is lost and needs to be saved.  So the once determined, single minded girl now has her mind set on a man; never mind that it is her step-brother Josh!  Josh, a somewhat passive, modern teen is tolerant of Cher and mildly fond of her despite what his intellectual brain tells him.  This is typical of the Hollywood narrative form portrayed in so many films.  The protagonist, usually a man, saves the day by entering the film and reducing the female’s dilemma, which is usually whether she will attain the man she wants and therefore happiness, by saying yes to her.  I thought that was the woman’s role?   Perhaps things are not as clear as they seem.

White patriarchal capitalism is heavily encoded within films, where the hero rises above circumstance and emerges a winner in an unjust world; he is aided and assisted by a willing female.  The female protagonist in this film is displayed as seeking a spiritual station above her current awareness; which isn’t very high.  Aided by her chosen companion Josh, Cher proceeds to mature and develop both intellectually and spiritually to the point of almost evolving.  So while she is the one on an adventure, he will be there to support and nurture her inherently needed growth.   

                The story ends in grand closure as the girl gets the guy, while not necessarily rising in society as much as her own opinion of herself. Acknowledged by the one she seeks, Cher finds the approval she has been seeking and therefore reinforcing that she is okay after all.  So where is the balance?    Perhaps the balance lies in the dynamics of mutually exchanged possibility within a storyline.  Perhaps gender roles are not defined by sex, but by passive and aggressive pairings, whether male or female.  But the question must be answered; did Cher find worth independently or because someone else sees it in her, even if temporarily?  And if so, what happens when they change their mind?  While making impressive strides in films such as Boys Don’t Cry and The Adventures of Priscilla; Queen of the Desert in representing the complexity of gender identity, cinema still has a long way to go as the general population will not see those films and remain clueless.

Sources Cited:

Benshoff, Harry, and Sean Griffin. America On Film; Representing Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality at the Movies. Second. Chichester, West Sussex: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2009. 8, 24-25, 289. Print.

Hip Hip Hurray For Horatio Gattaca

Imagine a world where a strand of hair, a flake of skin or a drop of blood will determine your future; welcome to Gattaca.  The movie begins with a visual metaphor.  Cells fall like flakes of snow, blue lit particles emanate from the one who was not meant to be born; not meant to succeed; not meant to triumph.  Meet Jerome, a man suspended in play by the eloquence of his societal structure and its commanding restrictions.  Except that he is not Jerome; he is someone entirely different. A "borrowed Ladder"  he is one who defies what he is and what he is projected to do or become.  Refusing to believe that he cannot succeed on the basis of his class.  A Horatio who borrows a ladder (DNA) to elevate his status to normal, Jerome will overcome the obstacles set before him.  Of course there is some cheating involved, but with rules that are impenetrable, sometimes defiance is the only option.

Image Courtesy of Google.com

Meet Vincent; a man born and conceived in natural circumstances, considered a “God Child” and an abnormality in the world he lives in.  His world is one of striving perfection, where children are engineered to inhibit the undesirable traits or enhance genetically placed ones the parents want.  Where was Gattaca when my hips were being formed?  Because of his deemed genetic inferiority Vincent is treated differently, not unlike many people in the world today.  A genetic mutant of the unnatural world he lives in, he is considered inferior and so his future is also dictated to a place of inferiority. 

Not unlike civilization in the present there are laws.  Genism, a law not taken seriously in Vincent’s world, is supposed to protect the genetically natural members of society but doesn’t.  In fact the society is divided so severely that the class distinction between the "valid's" of Gattaca and "invalids" becomes un-breachable.  A harsh visual representation of social stratification.  The film portrays this easily by simply dressing the Valid's much better than the Invalid's; communicating not only their economic status, but an overall inferiority in appearance.  The film contains ddistinctive similarities of current society and Vincent’s world readily communicates the tremendous job of leaving subtle breadcrumbs for viewers to face their own shadow.  Yet Vincent is determined to change his stars and so the journey begins. 

The ladder's name is Jerome and Vincent will slide into his identity with ease.  The partners in identity crime are similar in many ways except for one; height.  This is where one truly leans to respect to protagonist of the film.  His legs sawed, re-sewn, he sets his sights for the stars; which are where they’ve been all along.  Jerome, the engineered born accomplice, has lost the use of his legs due to an athletic accident and will never walk again.  He will however live “almost forever”, which places him in a position of inferiority amongst his own class of people.  Their business relationship will allow them to each achieve what they want; Jerome a comfortable lifestyle and Vincent a chance to prove himself in the world that has rejected him as a possibility from the moment he was born. 

Vincent , named in inferiority from his brother Anton (Anton was the name he was meant to have been given, but Vincent's father faltered at birth because he was born with a heart defect), now becomes Jerome.  With a new identity and a new life, Jerome (Vincent) begins his journey to struggle amongst the upper classes, rising above his assigned position into the world of possibility.  Yet with all happy endings there is a snag.  The Director of the organization that funds the space programs where Jerome’s future lies is murdered, and what do they find but an invalid DNA sample. 

The very meaning of the word invalid is strikingly clear in the cinematic representation of what Vincent’s world is like.  Invalid means “an infirm or sickly person” or in a context of status “deficient in substance or cogency; weak.”  Clearly Vincent would be considered sub-human, weaker than the elite engineered, yet Jerome as an elevated member of society, would have all the privileges of the world afforded to him almost effortlessly.  For how hard can it be to submit a drop of blood, which is painlessly and unconsciously drawn to verify your superior right to exist and succeed?  This is made extremely clear when Jerome (Vincent) is shown during his interview for the position and has only to submit one drop of blood (Jerome’s donated sample), sealing his hiring at Gattaca.  Hereof is portrayed the Horatio Alger of the film. 

The Horatio Alger Myth is not hard to spot in this cinematic representation of the struggle of the society.  A world where class is divided starkly by the ignorant assumptions of human possibility, based on birth and assigned position, is challenged by the protagonist who will, with or without the help of an enabling female, overcome his assigned position in society and rise above his sentenced status to create a new existence for himself.  He is a man who will overcome his social and economic barriers, rising above his status and ultimately into a realm of those who seek to subdue him.

                Irene; the name evokes images of blond and so it is, arrives and becomes Jerome's (Vincent’s) companion in Gattica’s space program taking, a demure interest in him as he seeks to ultimately overcome his assigned status.  Throughout the film Jerome (Vincent) learns that although Irene was born into the upper class as a genetically engineered specimen, and she is beautiful, she was also born with a heart defect.  It is interesting to note that while they share the same genetic issue, Irene is accepted into the space program, whereas Vincent was never even allowed in the door because of his birth status.  Irene will never see a launch into deep space, but she will be afforded the privilege to a nearby one.  The disparity in equality is clear.    

As the investigation continues, the detectives, led by Vincent’s superior bother Anton, find his invalid cells and the hunt is on.  What is interesting is that they don’t even considering a glance at the upper class of Gattica, but scour the Invalids; who frankly, if they were actually guilty of murder, would be much smarter than to hang out where they could be caught! This is an interesting turn; where the investigation is drawn and suctioned toward the ending; literally.  The sterile environment of the film is outstanding; everything in its place, clean and uncluttered, including the emotions of the upper class.  Portrayed in a cool demeanor, there is little expression or laughing in the film, casting a dark theme across the screen as one watches the story unfold and the Vincent’s past haunt him like his shadow. 

Anton; the superior brother as a superior genetic leads the investigation, yet his subordinate in ground control of the investigation, rakes the streets for Invalids.  As the hunt continues, the subordinate detective continues to follow hunches or leads that he thinks might be worthy; none of which initially lead to the killer.  A scene depicting Anton chastising his detective subordinate for rounding up Invalids on the street in order to find a DNA match of the killer, gives the overall message that indeed Anton is smarter than his non-genetically engineered assistant. The investigation reaches a dead end (portrayed visually by the wall that they line the invalid people who line up against for identification, reinforcing the rejection and humiliation of their status) and this is where Irene comes in.  Now interested in Jerome (Vincent), she assists him in escaping what raids do make it to the habitat of the upper classes.  Frightened, she runs with him and hides while the police pass them by.  As he reaches confession, Irene insists that he not say a word.  All just so she can kiss him!  I understand consummation, really I do, but come on; he’s beaten up a police officer (brutally) and you don’t know why.  This is hardly the time to make out and hope his intentions are pure! Suspecting what he is, Irene proceeds to confront him, but is retracts her questions enough to leave some doubt and her the ability to not face the truth.  Irene is drawn anyway.  Perhaps the attraction is simply too strong or perhaps she, having a defect of her own, finds it difficult to deny a man based on a physical fault. One hopes it is a little of both.

Image Courtesy of Google.com

As the detectives continue to sweep for genetic samples, they narrow in on Jerome’s (Vincent’s) existence.  Anton, finding something that belonged to his brother at one of the bars they raided, suspects that his brother is the one that killed the Director, and eventually asks Irene to show him to Jerome’s (Vincent’s) home when he fails to show up to work during one of their genetic sampling sprees.  Now cornered, Jerome must pretend to be himself, while Vincent hides downstairs.  Irene coolly enters the house, hiding her shock at discovering firsthand what Jerome should really look like and verifying what she had suspected all along. That in indeed, her new boyfriend is a "borrowed ladder".  Anton proceeds to question Jerome, who sits charmingly in his chair, having crawled up the stairs and positioned himself into a sitting position, and then begins to look around.  Everyone tenses as Anton descends the stairs, interestingly designed to resemble the spiral of DNA and his descent into the core of the investigation.  Just as Anton is about to turn enough to see what he shouldn’t (all the equipment used for their identity switch is stored downstairs), the phone rings.  The killer has been found; yet not by Anton’s hunches, but by his inferior detectives logical approach to investigation.  Don’t worry; I’m not going to tell.  No spoilers here.  Finding the identity of the killer, Anton halts his descent and races up the stairs to leave.

Image courtesy of Google.com

   Yet the race has just begun. Like in their childhood, Vincent and Anton will race into the ocean proving their genetic superiority, or disproving it; a game of chicken for the foolish!  Reminiscent of their competitive youth and societies’ insistence that the value of the individual be proved on a visual measurable scale they race, but Anton fails.  It must be noted here that the symbolism reflects far more than the competition of two brothers, but of the brotherhood of mankind (womankind).  Like an event in their childhood, Vincent must rescue his superior brother to challenge the concept of superiority amongst brothers and bring equality to their ego existence.  Both victims of their culture, they strive to prove themselves, only to arrive at equality.  This is what I like about the film.  The Horatio overcomes his status, but more importantly he brings awareness to a chosen few and a message to the audience, that we are all indeed equal.        

Cut to the chase.  Vincent, now vindicated by an upper class arrest of the murder can move on with his future.  His once, slightly suspicious girlfriend has agreed to wait until he rounds the sun in his shuttle (that is a very long time for one intimate moment) and the Horatio Alger Myth, where a man can overcome his inferior position, by hard work and ingenuity (along with the assistance of the ready female accomplice) strikes again.  Except, when this Horatio rises to success, he will not only elevate his status, but rise above the stars themselves.

Image Courtesy of Google Images.com

Sources Cited:



Benshoff, Harry, and Sean Griffin. American on Film: representing race, class, gender and sexuality at the movies.. Walden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2004. 163-168. Print.

“Gattaca." Wikipedia. 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gattaca>.

"Genetic Discrimination." Wikopedia, 2010. Web. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_discrimination.

Genetic Information Discrimination." U.S. Employment Equal Opportunity Commission. USEEOC, 2010. Web. 14 Oct 2010. http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/genetic.cfm.

"Horatio Alger Myth." Wikipedia. 2010. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horatio_Alger_myth>.

 "Invalid." Dictionary.com. 2010. Web. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/invalid>.

Kearl, Michael. "http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/strat.html." Explorations in Social Inequality. N.p., 2010. Web. 14 Oct 2010. <http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/strat.html>.