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SaberDance
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 07-May-2004 00:00
Posts: 837
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 Posted: 31-Jan-2006 18:00 Post subject: "Social Commentary" and the Movies |
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All right, folks, I've been reliving my youth and enjoying a little spoofy Sci-Fi here and there. Robocop, Starship Troopers, TimeCop, and a couple others.
OK. Robocop is good, and some of the mid-80s culture cracks are spot on and humerous. The other two movies, though, frankly suck.
While we're talking about Paul Verhoven, Showgirls also...well, I'm trying to stay away from double entendres in this post.
However, among the diehard fans of these movies (and discounting the ones who thing of them them as great unintentional humor) they are defended on the artistic grounds "But it's social commentary." Which usually translates as:
"It's about the terrible way in which burgious fools like you live, but you're too stupid to realize it and have to have it explained to you by the intelligencia like me."
So, my question is: Like Patriotism and Scoundrels, is "Social Commentary" the last refuge of poor directors and people with no taste?
[side note] Paul Verhoven gets a lot of slack from me because he recognized Showgirls for the flop it was. He still hasn't appologized for Starship Troopers, though...
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Kraken
Federated Suns
Marshal
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 2755
Location: United States
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| Posted: 01-Feb-2006 08:11 Post subject: RE: "Social Commentary" and the Movies |
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I wouldn't mind social commentary pieces if it weren't for the fact that some of these Holywood types keep forgetting that everyone has the right *not* to go see their films.
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"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat." -Edgar Allen Poe"I knew there was something special about you, but I never realized you were really a cat." Wolfwood to a random cat (Trigun)
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ICER
Clan Hell's Horses
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1663
Location: United States
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| Posted: 01-Feb-2006 09:32 Post subject: RE: "Social Commentary" and the Movies |
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Paul Verhoeven may be a arrogant as hell. In his defense, he is from the Netherlands. which (I have discovered anyway) to be arrogant by nature. And I do agree with you. let's take a look at his (American) flim success
Flesh & Blood (1985) modrate success
RoboCop (1987) hit
Total Recall (1990) moderate success
Basic Instinct (1992) hit (thank you Sharron)
Showgirls (1995) Flop (but damn if Elizabeth doesn't look hot)
Starship Troopers (1997) Flop
Hollow Man (2000) Flop
Hmmmm, 2 hits, 2 moderate success, and 3 flops. not to good.
I really don't care for his work. A little bit to much gore for my taste. But they guy does have a great sense of humor. when fliming 'Starship Troopers' Dina Meyers Dared him and the cinematographer Jost Vacano to shoot the co-ed shower scene nude with the actors. Which they did. And got it in one take
So, he's arrogant, gory, and all in all not a good director. But I can forgive that for a guy who can laugh at himself.
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Raven!
Clan Snow Raven
Galaxy Commander
Joined: 04-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1326
Location: United States
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| Posted: 02-Feb-2006 08:30 Post subject: RE: "Social Commentary" and the Movies |
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Oh I don't go see a ton of films that people say are socially powerful or whatever. I have no time and no interest, and never feel preasured to go see them.
Raven!
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Slythis
Federated Suns
Colonel
Joined: 09-Aug-2002 00:00
Posts: 712
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| Posted: 03-Feb-2006 02:32 Post subject: RE: "Social Commentary" and the Movies |
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Quote:
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On 2006-01-31 18:00, SaberDance wrote:
So, my question is: Like Patriotism and Scoundrels, is "Social Commentary" the last refuge of poor directors and people with no taste? |
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Yes and no, if done in the right manner social commentary can create great and moving work but Sci-Fi just isn't the genre to do it, Comedy is probly most effective (The Simpsons and Family Guy being the two greatest examples) though other Genres work fine (Fight Club and American History X are social commentary, even if Fight Club oozes Hypocrisy)
[ This Message was edited by: Slythis on 2006-02-03 02:32 ]
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