To The Max:6: Unslavoury Stuff: The Doom Draws Nearer
Don't
You
Seriously
Trouble
Over
Peoples
Innate
Animosity.
Now
You
Seriously
Trouble
Over
Peoples
Innate
Animosity.
Now
DYSTOPIAN EARTH.
Everything
Advances
Rates of
Thermal
Heating.
Ck 21/ 05 / '15
Ever since the film " Blade Runner " (1982) Science Fiction has seemed to veer towards a dystopian view of Earth society and culture. Vertical cities; crowded streets; noise; law enforcements and the rise of robotic surveillance are all commonly shown to paint a bleak picture of future life.
Parallel to the above dystopian vision are the post- apocalyptic films, in which, due to a nuclear disaster or other world catastrophe, surviving humanity has fragmented into nomadic scavenger groups fighting to gain food supplies and keep a grip on their lives. Enter in 1979; into this scenario "Mad Max " starring Mel Gibson, as an angry cop chasing a biker group across the Australian Outback. This very successful low budget film ($5m ) went on to spawn two further "Max" incarnations ending in 1985's "Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome " All these films were directed or co-directed by George Miller, with Mel Gibson in the lead role.
Jump forward thirty years and we reach "Mad Max: Fury Road," still directed by George, now 70 years old and starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron ( Furiosa).
Fury Road
Last Wednesday (20/5 ) d. and I went to see this film.
In reviewing it, I am reminded of the words of Ian Paice, lead singer with ' Deep Purple ' who, when asked on stage in Japan how he wanted the sound, he replied " Everything Louder Than Everything Else."
This film, 'mad as frogs' is in reality, a two hour car chase, which left this viewer drained and as one person said " It was like being run over by a truck, standing up and then being run over again."
The film, whose story didn't join the dots up, involved Max and Furiosa escaping from the Citadel, where the cowering population are being deprived of water and tyrannised by a figure wearing a horned mask and breathing apparatus, sounding like a demented Darth Vader . They escape in a heavily armoured oil tanker (war rig) across the ' wastelands' and are consequently relentlessly pursued by a horde of 'wariors' riding all manner of customised vehicles and armed by multiple guns and weapons.
In a world with limited energy and natural resources , it seemed crazy to behave like lunatic petrol-heads and raise over the desert scape burning fuel carelessly .
Perhaps, I am being too critical about this film, which in the main, has been very well received .
So what are the good points:
1 - they say all films reflect the current society and I am pleased to note that feminism is alive and well in this picture. Indeed Charlize Theron takes the plaudits, as a 'bad-ass ' girl who drives the rig and shows a determination , not only to evade capture, but also not to submit to any form of male domination. Moreover, the film also shows older, more mature ladies riding motor bikes and also similarly disposed ' not to get caught-out again.' Thus the film begins to show the evolving world of maternalism versus the gradually receding paternalistic approach. A good thing.
2- Most of the chase scenes take place over the wonderful Namibian Desert.
There is something oddly eternal about deserts, where rocks, sand and wind combine to create sculptures of great presence and beauty.
More than anything else the desert symbolises the futile nature of much of our life; the relentless pursuit of greed and goods, competitive aggression all to little purpose; whilst the desert , merely smiles at night and waits for the sun to wake it up and then start afresh each morning.
This is Charles Wade, he lived at Snowshill Manor. More about him next week.
Enjoy the week ahead and Bank Holiday.
See you on the cusp of June.
Cheerio for now,
Ck.
Parallel to the above dystopian vision are the post- apocalyptic films, in which, due to a nuclear disaster or other world catastrophe, surviving humanity has fragmented into nomadic scavenger groups fighting to gain food supplies and keep a grip on their lives. Enter in 1979; into this scenario "Mad Max " starring Mel Gibson, as an angry cop chasing a biker group across the Australian Outback. This very successful low budget film ($5m ) went on to spawn two further "Max" incarnations ending in 1985's "Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome " All these films were directed or co-directed by George Miller, with Mel Gibson in the lead role.
Jump forward thirty years and we reach "Mad Max: Fury Road," still directed by George, now 70 years old and starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron ( Furiosa).
Fury Road
Last Wednesday (20/5 ) d. and I went to see this film.
In reviewing it, I am reminded of the words of Ian Paice, lead singer with ' Deep Purple ' who, when asked on stage in Japan how he wanted the sound, he replied " Everything Louder Than Everything Else."
This film, 'mad as frogs' is in reality, a two hour car chase, which left this viewer drained and as one person said " It was like being run over by a truck, standing up and then being run over again."
The film, whose story didn't join the dots up, involved Max and Furiosa escaping from the Citadel, where the cowering population are being deprived of water and tyrannised by a figure wearing a horned mask and breathing apparatus, sounding like a demented Darth Vader . They escape in a heavily armoured oil tanker (war rig) across the ' wastelands' and are consequently relentlessly pursued by a horde of 'wariors' riding all manner of customised vehicles and armed by multiple guns and weapons.
In a world with limited energy and natural resources , it seemed crazy to behave like lunatic petrol-heads and raise over the desert scape burning fuel carelessly .
Perhaps, I am being too critical about this film, which in the main, has been very well received .
So what are the good points:
1 - they say all films reflect the current society and I am pleased to note that feminism is alive and well in this picture. Indeed Charlize Theron takes the plaudits, as a 'bad-ass ' girl who drives the rig and shows a determination , not only to evade capture, but also not to submit to any form of male domination. Moreover, the film also shows older, more mature ladies riding motor bikes and also similarly disposed ' not to get caught-out again.' Thus the film begins to show the evolving world of maternalism versus the gradually receding paternalistic approach. A good thing.
2- Most of the chase scenes take place over the wonderful Namibian Desert.
There is something oddly eternal about deserts, where rocks, sand and wind combine to create sculptures of great presence and beauty.
More than anything else the desert symbolises the futile nature of much of our life; the relentless pursuit of greed and goods, competitive aggression all to little purpose; whilst the desert , merely smiles at night and waits for the sun to wake it up and then start afresh each morning.
***1/2
MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmX
As I predicted, Newcastle's fate goes down to the last game this Sunday (24 /5) home to West Ham.
They are two points ahead of Hull, home to Manchester United. Either Hull or Newcastle will be relegated. In many ways, Newcastle deserves relegation, having fallen so far, so quickly, from a relative safe position in the league. But if they do fall, can they return next year to the Premier League? We shall wait and see.
Meantime, spare a thought for Swindon and Norwich, two of my teams for which I predicted promotion success . They both appear at Wembley this weekend in play-off finals.
Swindon play Preston on Sunday: Norwich play M'boro on Monday.
Good luck to both.
MmmmmmmmmmmmmmmX
This is Charles Wade, he lived at Snowshill Manor. More about him next week.
Enjoy the week ahead and Bank Holiday.
See you on the cusp of June.
Cheerio for now,
Ck.
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please feel free to comment and point out faults.
glad to have you aboard .
Curlykale.