films you've seen recently and would NOT recommend

[droid]

I think the only thing left to exploit in terminator is the dystopia. Its a good dystopia and has been let go to waste by irresponsible filmmaking.

 

[droid]

Also, Skynet as a misunderstood moral utilitarian simply trying to reduce the total amount of suffering in the world by taking the most rational course of action.

 

[droid]

Lets face it, if any of us were Skynet we'd do the same thing.

 

[Corpsey]

I like the idea of a Terminator film in which the Terminators/Skynet are the sympathetic protagonists. Show humans in their worst possible light so that we're baying for the Arnie clones to gun them down by the end.

Is it ever established in the Terminator canon what Skynet's attitude towards non-human species is? Maybe cows and dogs would be better off under a titanium fist?

 

[Mr. Tea]

I like the idea of a Terminator film in which the Terminators/Skynet are the sympathetic protagonists. Show humans in their worst possible light so that we're baying for the Arnie clones to gun them down by the end.

I heard some East European guy wrote a book that was basically The Lord Of The Rings from the 'bad guys' POV - Morder is an egalitarian workers' cooperative, the Elves are frightful racial supremacists, Gondor a warlike, imperialist state, and so on.

Probably should go in the 'radical fantasy' thread but it sounds like you've just described the sci-fi/cinematic analogue of it.

 

[baboon2004]

That LOTR rewrite sounds genius.

I thought Panic Room worked really well in this respect (presumably unintentionally). I was baying for the Jodie Foster character to die by about minute 8.

 

[droid]

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/...platinum-series-extended-edition-dvd-part-one

CHOMSKY: If we’re going to get into the socio-economic reasons why certain structures develop in certain cultures… it’s mainly geographical. We have Orcs in Mordor — trapped, with no mineral resources — hemmed in by the Ash Mountains, where the “free peoples” of Middle Earth can put a city, like Osgiliath, and effectively keep the border closed.

ZINN: Don’t forget the Black Gate. The Black Gate, which, as Tolkien points out, was built by Gondor. And now we jump to the Orcs chopping down the trees in Isengard.

CHOMSKY: A terrible thing the Orcs do here, isn’t it? They destroy nature. But again, what have we seen, time and time again?

ZINN: The Orcs have no resources. They’re desperate.

CHOMSKY: Desperate people driven to do desperate things.

ZINN: Desperate to compete with the economic powerhouses of Rohan and Gondor.

CHOMSKY: Who really knows their motive? Maybe this is a means to an end. And while that might not be the best philosophy in the world, it makes the race of Man in no way superior. They’re going to great lengths to hold onto their power. Two cultures locked in conflict over power, with one culture clearly suffering a great deal. I think sharing power and resources would have been the wisest approach, but Rohan and Gondor have shown no interest in doing so. Sometimes, revolution must be —

 

[Corpsey]

Off the back of the above I came across this doubtlessly famous essay by Michael Moorcock:

http://www.revolutionsf.com/article.php?id=953

He absolutely showers down on Tolkien and C.S. Lewis here, and I have to say he's quite persuasive.

 

[droid]

Dont really buy it. The overall point is fair but his analysis of Tolkien is pretty facile. Tea covered this recently somewhere.

 

[CrowleyHead]

Is there more naively bloodthirsty an obvious dweeb than Chomsky perchance? I love how this is a man who dreams of violent upheaval, but has the most punchable nerd face ever bore from a womb.

 

[trza]

Speaking of Chomsky and intellectual breakdowns of symbolism in classic fantasy literature...

I just caught the forgotten piece of the Sylvester Stallone eighties canon known as Over The Top. This might be the best movie ever made about arm wrestling with a classic synth pop soundtrack from Giorgio Moroder.

 

[droid]

Is there more naively bloodthirsty an obvious dweeb than Chomsky perchance? I love how this is a man who dreams of violent upheaval, but has the most punchable nerd face ever bore from a womb.

Er... not sure exactly how to put this without being insulting, but I think you should probably read some Chomsky.

 

[CrowleyHead]

Er... not sure exactly how to put this without being insulting, but I think you should probably read some Chomsky.

Yeah, your beloved nerd keeps fantasizing of revolution like that means people who deserve what they want get into power.

I don't need to read this guy.

 

[droid]

Yeah, your beloved nerd keeps fantasizing of revolution like that means people who deserve what they want get into power.

I don't need to read this guy.

'Bloodthirsty', 'violent upheaval', 'fantasizing of revolution'... there are valid criticisms of Chomsky, but none of these are even vaguely accurate.

I suggested you read him, if only to avoid making yourself look like such a twonk.

 

[CrowleyHead]

I have read Chomsky. I have gotten more politically/philosophically valid thoughts from backwash inside drinks of iced tea from that overgrown piece of cardigan lint.

Also, calling people a twonk because they find this bratty bourgeois nerd tiresome and stupid looks worse, because twonk isn't a real word. I know you're English but must you resort to these Roald Dahl-esque Zingbops and Zoodewhoop phraseology to try and recover from the fact that you're bewildered and confused?

 

[droid]

Chomsky has been relentlessly criticised on the left for consistently advising people to vote Democrat as a less worse alternative to the Republicans. Happens every election. Not once has he advocated a 'violent upheaval' or 'revolution' or any of the other nonsense you're peddling. This is evident from even the most superficial reading of his work.

Also.

twonk
nounBRITISHinformal
a stupid or foolish person.

Which I think is a fairly polite way of describing someone who's criticism of chomskers amounts to 'he looks like a dweeb and advocates violent revolution'.

 

[Mr. Tea]

droid..."English"??

 

[droid]

lol. I didnt even want to go there.

 

[CrowleyHead]

Hey, he used words that had me think of kids in the state who call recent episodes of Dr. Who 'ace', and I acted in blind fury.

Getting this thread on topic;

Tokyo Tribes by Sion Sono. I have now seen a Japanese Rap-Opera, and it was far from good. Phew.

 

[luka]

A field in England. Student film. Watched another of his once. That was a student film too. Ben Wheatley shit film maker