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>.