Randall Munroe of xkcd makes an observation about female leads in movies:
WHY did I read the comments? WHY? WHY?
Gunn: Well, how horrible is this thing? Lorne: I haven't read the Book of Revelations lately, but if I was searching for adjectives, I'd probably start there.
'Hell Bound'
Buffista Movies 6: lies and videotape
A place to talk about movies--old and new, good and bad, high art and high cheese. It's the place to place your kittens on the award winners, gossip about upcoming fims and discuss DVD releases and extras. Spoiler policy: White font all plot-related discussion until a movie's been in wide release two weeks, and keep the major HSQ in white font until two weeks after the video/DVD release.
Dana - Apr 10, 2008 8:13:19 am PDT #4968 of 10000
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.
Hayden - Apr 10, 2008 8:13:44 am PDT #4969 of 10000
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
I think you and I probably disagree as to how much Herzog judges him though. I don't think he romanticizes him like a Don Quixote character (maybe like a Don Quixote where Sancho Panza is eaten by a bear).
Gotcha. I was trying to make him seem like a sub-Quixote with my qualifications, but I could have been more clear. I mean, I think the Quixote comparison works to some degree because both chose to address their perceived problem in a completely insane manner. But, yeah, Cervantes actually likes Quixote and I think Herzog didn't so much like Treadwell as he liked the mental place Treadwell went, where madness and inspiration drove him to make beautiful films from a perspective far outside the mainstream of society, although his all-too-human tendency to anthropomorphicize nature led to tragic results. Treadwell's not that different from the classic Herzog protagonist, really, and Treadwell's skill as a filmmaker works well with Herzog's tendency to appropriate documentary film into his movies.
Sean K - Apr 10, 2008 8:14:10 am PDT #4970 of 10000
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
I've been following his career since almost the beginning (I came to his work as a rabid -no pun intended - horror movie fan), and it has been amazing to watch.
Yeah, me too, Frank.
Polter-Cow - Apr 10, 2008 8:16:46 am PDT #4971 of 10000
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
WHY did I read the comments? WHY? WHY?
There's some good discussion in there! I must have skimmed over the bad parts.
Dana - Apr 10, 2008 8:18:46 am PDT #4972 of 10000
I'm terrifically busy with my ennui.
There's some good discussion in there!
And then there are the people who explain that women are just naturally less believable actors than men, or that sexism never plays a part in anything.
And then my head explodes, and it's just so messy.
Sean K - Apr 10, 2008 8:20:11 am PDT #4973 of 10000
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
And then there are the people who explain that women are just naturally less believable actors than men, or that sexism never plays a part in anything.
And then my head explodes, and it's just so messy.
I hate everybody.
Hayden - Apr 10, 2008 8:21:39 am PDT #4974 of 10000
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
That's why we need to go back to the Elizabethan theater model! So we can see Jeremy Irons playing Ophelia!
juliana - Apr 10, 2008 8:22:43 am PDT #4975 of 10000
I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I miss them all tonight…
I hate everybody.
passes Sean the Fernet and a cigarette
Yup.
So we can see Jeremy Irons playing Ophelia!
....
Okay, I kind of want to see that.
Jessica - Apr 10, 2008 8:30:04 am PDT #4976 of 10000
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset
Tying the two threads together, the main reason I find it hard to call myself a Cronenberg fan (apart from the fact that I just don't do gross-out horror) is that his female characters always make me cringe. There's always something that just makes me go "Um, okay, no."
Miracleman - Apr 10, 2008 8:33:26 am PDT #4977 of 10000
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020
I hate everybody.
passes Sean the Fernet and a cigarette
Hey! I was hating everybody WAY before Sean and nobody's ever given me Fernet and a cigarette!
My hatred for everybody deepens.