Badlands

“Well, I got some stuff to say. Guess I’m kind of lucky that way”(Kitt;Badlands)

With reference to the following quote “... as an influential ‘road movie’, Badlands is almost misnamed as the majority of the film is a departure from the staple road movie iconography of gas stations and diners.” (Ian-Malcolm Rijsdijk)  I will be discussing the ways in which Badlands both represents and challenges the road movie genre.

The Road-Movie most often described as a sub-genre of the Adventure and Western Genres, which generally focusses on the protagonist who is either going to a specific destination or is running away from a former place of familiarity,“the liberation of the road against the oppression of hegemonic norms”(Cohan and Hark;1;1997).The genre itself explores multiple American Ideas of the frontier, freedom, youth-rebellion, anti-authoritarianism and reinvention. The road enables the protagonist to develop for better or for worse, in the hope to break free from the past and enter the future with new reinvented conceptions. The road movie normally seeks to further embed certain ideologies and values of the society at hand. 

The themes which Badlands explores, is the same as that of other road movies. Yet instead of instilling the ideals and values of the dominant society, it creates an arena of irony and debate and questions the core of these notions. Kit and Holly’s restless and violent journey / murder spree, portrays the individualistic pioneer and frontiers man and the pure idea thereof. Who attempts to escape the constraints of an oppressive highly institutionalized society, which is contrasted by the accompaniment of Holly’s naive and romantic narration of what happened.

“He was handsomer than anybody that I’d ever met, he looked just like James Dean.”; “He wanted to die with me... I dreamt of being lost forever in his arms” (Holly; Badlands)

“...What remains is a chilling circularity reflecting a pessimism about society’s motivating values and underlying beliefs, not least because of the generic responsibility films themselves must bear for the maintenance, perpetuation and unquestioned reinforcement of these very same damaging, but persistent, American cultural myths and ideologies.”(Neil Campbell;50;2007)

Kit further strengthens the tension between what values he supposedly believes in, with what his actions dictate. After killing Holly’s father, he makes a recording in which he says that it is important to listen to parents, which is a direct contradiction to what he did not do, after being told by Holly’s father to leave Holly alone and or leave the house when he approached her father with a gun, and in the end killing him. He often makes statements that is embedded with what a “good citizen” should be doing, and at the same time “Kit resents restrictive controls and being ‘too much like others’ “ (Neil Campbell;46;2007) He’s a walking talking contradiction, or is he? In-fact Kit is but a hero of old cast in the world of new.

“Kit is not rebellious or anti-social, but ‘an Eisenhower conservative’ and a very conventional American Dreamer, if in extremis, troubled by the loss of moral direction in community and family whose individual action and ‘frontier spirit’ is his way of purging the world. Like frontiersman his gunplay suggests, Kit’s amoral actions resonate with classic, mythic American traits..” (Neil Campbell;45;2007)

A narrative similarity that Badlands shares with other road movies is that the protagonist might be against the norms of society at first “By my definition, the road movie is a vehicle for either one or a small group of individuals who seek to escape the world they are living in and set out towards redemption on the road.” (Sam North;2009;Hackwriters.com)  and through the decisive use of the Bildungsroman “A narrative where the protagonist experiences growth, spiritually, and mentally, throughout the story.”(Writinghood;10 literary terms;2009) where the character makes a conscious choice to enter society again. Although in Kit’s case it is him handing himself over to the police, where he gets processed by the system and is eventually executed. At the same time this conforms and goes against the conventional road movie. Yes, the character does go back to society and has a strong understanding and respect for the values and ideologies of the society, but it in turn makes a comment on whether the society in which this hero of old and his ideals will still be wanted.

“Though road films exalt rebellion over conformity Laderman notes that these films often give only the appearance of rebellion, as they were products of the Hollywood genre system.”(Gordon Alley-Young; vol. 9;issue 1; 2007)

From an aesthetic point of view, Badlands deviates from the conventional sense of what one would think a road movie would look like. Aesthetically you never really see much of the actual road (Tar), as you would think you would. I believe it breaks from the road and becomes a western as they are seen crossing the open plains and barren areas of land, not inhabited by civilization, just as the early-settlers crossed the land on horseback, Kit and Holly now as the youth cross it in their own way.  This as a theme, references back to the idea of reinvention of old ideas and progression of the Bildungsroman, not of the specific story, but more of a post-modern Bildungsroman looking at the development of the Road Movie genre as whole in it’s entirety.

“Fearing there’d be roadblocks on the highways, we took off across that area known as the Great Plains. Kit told me to enjoy the scenery, and I did.” (Holly; Badlands)

 Another note on how it breaks from the conventional conception of a road movie, is the movies use of multiple forms of transportation, such as the train, even though they don’t travel by it, they consider jumping onto it. The helicopter which Holly takes, also deviates from this idea, yet Kit’s reluctance to be caught by the authorities, may be a motivation for escape, but it could also be said that if Kit is the representation of old ideas. It can be seen that the reason why he escapes in a car he still holds these old ideas close and still refuses to conform to the modern world. At least only until the end when he gives in to the authorities, he boards a plane to on his way to his eventual execution.

Road Movies often follows their main characters getting lost or deviating from the original planned out route.  Holly’s inability to identify certain places and replacing them with made up names, clearly brings her need to be familiar with her surroundings across, yet Badlands deviates from a planned route as Kit travels in any direction, an example of this is when he spins a bottle to determine into which direction they should travel.

“We took off at sunset, on a line toward the mountains of Saskatchewan, for Kit a magical land beyond the reach of the law.” (Holly;Badlands)

“We could see the lights of Cheyenne, a city bigger and grander than I’d ever seen”(Holly;Badlands)

When we look at road movies, we cannot look at it without realizing that we are watching the ever-changing reflection of American culture. One of the themes that Badlands deals with, is the relationship between men and woman in society. Holly follows Kit throughout the entire movie, even though he killed her father and it would be wiser to report him to the police, the reason I believe she does this is because, she as a young girl finds it hard to survive in the society without a fatherly figure.

Kit automatically takes this role, when he kills her father. Holly rarely has a concise opinion as to how she feels about Kit. She sometimes wishes she could be with him forever and at other times wishes she could drown him in the river, because of his lack to provide for her adequately. This is an example of a stereotypical assumption, often made by movies of this kind.

“The film consciously examines wider ideologies of identity, gender and power that are fundamental, to the way in which these genres have operated in the construction of an American national imaginary.” (Neil Campbell;40;2007)

“ From the earliest days of American cinema, the road movie has been synoumous with American culture, the road movie has been synonymous with America culture and the image of America to the world.”(Sam North;2009;Hackwriters.com)

It might be said that, if the road is the means by which change can take place. That the road itself, might not change Kit, all that much in the movie, but in real life Badlands can be seen as the road or arena of debate, where a society can analyze ideologies and values, and through this process go on a journey of self-exploration on the road, without even leaving the cinema.

Bibliography:

• Rijsdijk, Ian-Malcolm. ‘Badlands’. In “Seeking the Other Shore: Myth and History in the Films of Terrence Malick, “ 64-99. PhD diss., University of Cape Town, 2007.
• Cohan, Steve & Ina Rae Hark (1997)  The Road Movie Book. London: Routledge. 
• Campbell, Neil. “The highway Kind: Badlands, Youth, Space and the Road.” In The cinema of Terrence Malick : Poetic Visions of America 2nd Edition, edited by Hannah Patterson, 40-51. London: Wallflower Press, 2007.
• Sam North (2009), Hackwriters.com. “An essay on the continuing fascination with the road in cinema”; “The irony of the road movie is the weak leave, but only the strong survive”.                http://www.hackwriters.com/roadone.htm
• Gordon Alley-Young (2007), “Book Review: Driving Visions: Exploring The Road Movie” ; Kingsborough Community College - City University of New York. an electronic Journal.              http://www.acjournal.org/holdings/vol9/summer/reviews/movie.html
• Writing Hood (2009); “ 10 Literary Terms and Devices: Bildungsroman”                                     http://writinghood.com/literature/10-literary-terms-and-devices/

Chinatown

In the following essay I will be exploring, what in my opinion sets Chinatown apart from classical noir and what elements does it pertain and try and bring across that Chinatown still pays tribute to classical noir by including specific stylistic elements.

Unlike classical Noir; Chinatown is in colour whereas as classical noir in my opinion makes use of Black and White film to accentuate low-key lighting. Chinatown does pay tribute to this style, by including Black and White photos at the very start of the film, but by using a photo, which is normally an item of nostalgia but more generally a representation of the past. By this simple action Chinatown tries to say that black and white was part of the past, but coulour film is the future. A pro-progressive comment.

Most Noir films play with the idea of contrast, whether it be a contrast in lighting, character personalities or the classical idea of good vs. evil.(In Chinatown this theme is portrayed with Freshwater vs. Saltwater). Chinatown does still retain most of these elements. In my opinion Characterizations in Chinatown differ from classical noir films and more specifically the detective, whom is no longer the selfless servant of the public, but more realistically is in the pursuit of wealth, as any other person in a Capitalist society.

 The first scene of the movie may mislead one to think that the detective is selfless, for example he tells Curly “ I don’t want your last dime, what kind of a guy do you think I am?” (Mr. Gittes; Chinatown) This may act as a reference to the old idea of the detective, but it changes in the end, when he asks curly a favor to pay him back. The detective in contrast to classical noir, does not work on cases on his own, it subtracts from the old idea of the detective being the independent and self-capable masculine figure of society “I can’t do everything myself” (Mr. Gittes; Chinatown). The false mrs. Mulray further strengthens the idea that the once powerful figure cannot handle anything by himself  “Ofcourse not” (false mr. Mulray; Chinatown), by replying to his statement in such a specific manner, she implies that it is a commonly accepted idea.

I’m under the impression that classical noir did not normally feature people of colour or of other nationalities. And if so they were normally portrayed as the undesirable or evil characters of the story. In this respect Chinatown slightly moves away, but still portrays a sense within that specific society that these people’s views are not taken into account or are simply ignored, Chinatown moves away from the idea that they are evil by saying they are simply misunderstood and in truth if Mr.  Gittes would of listened to the gardener in the first place, he would of found the broken glasses in the pond and would of solved the case much quicker “salt water bad for glass”.

Film Noir has always taken a dark and sinister tone to their subject matter, but there is no other Noir Film that I’ve seen before , that delves deeper into social taboos than Chinatown. Things that no film maker would explore before, in fear of retribution from government and/or conservative society at large. Chinatown explores a common theme present within other noir films, more specifically  Violence but in my opinion pushes it to the extremes with the gruesome images of Mrs. Mulray who has been shot through the head at the end of the film and a extremely offensive scene of Mr. Gittes slapping Mrs. Mulray to get what he wants from her..  This to a certain extent challenges the conventions as to what can be shown on film and also makes the conservative audience of the time aware of things such as incest within their own society,  which they would previously have not been made aware of.

In the old noir films, the secretary was normally portrayed as the safe figure. She was masculinized and was no threat to the detectives moral obligations (not to have sex), Sex was normally constructed in such away that it served as a distraction and obstacle for the detective. In my opinion the secretary is quite sexed-up and may be a sexual threat to the detective, he does not try to keep to any moral code and does end up sleeping with his client “Mrs. Mulray: Hollis seems to to think your an innocent man. Mr Gittes: Oh I have been accused of allot of things, but never that” (Mrs. Mulray, Mr. Gittes; Chinatown)

The detective of the old’s dialogue and subject matter of dialogue differs from the classic noir detective. As we see Mr. Gittes not only speaking about the case, but he would sometimes makes highly crass and sexual jokes. “Hey, whats the matter with you, your screwing just like a Chinaman” (Mr. Gittes; Chinatown) This is normally not seen in other films before this.

Chinatown itself is a place of a mysterious past, no one really knows what happened there and most people in the film don’t want to know and it is this mysterious theme that Chinatown still retains in conjunction to the classical noir films “Forget it Jake it’s Chinatown” (Chinatown). Mr. Gittes often finds himself not being able to trust anyone in his life, he at one point even suspects Mr.s Mulray who in the end turns out to be the victim.

I think one of the key themes Chinatown moves away from that of classical noir. Is the constructed idea of the highly authoritative , highly-capable figure of society which is normally embodied by the detective. Chinatown demasculinates this heroic figure of the past to the more truthful role that men play in society. Jake Gittes never really solves the case, he only worsens the situation, he fails in almost everything he does, we never find out who killed the girl who acted as Mrs. Mulray. He can’t stand up for himself and when he does he fails miserably. He rightfully gets his nose cut open for being nosy, which counters the idea of him being brave or being a hero in any sense.

Chinatown has subtly made multiple references to the classical noir period, such as the venetian blinds, mystery, untrustworthiness, subjective view to the story, violence, good vs. evil. It might be said that Chinatown contrasts with the Classical Noir films in certain respects and in others one can’t really say, which gives you a sense of mystery in just exploring this notion. Maybe Chinatown is Neo-Noir, maybe not, nobody knows... Forget it, It’s Chinatown.

Filmography:

• Chinatown, Directed by Roman Polanski,a Paramount Picture, Copyright 1974 Long Road Productions.

New Media, New Journalists?

In the following essay, by using a collection of Facebook and Twitter updates. I will consider how members of the public in South Africa used social networking sites to respond to the events in Hout Bay on 21 September 2010. In conjunction to this, I will consider the activities of reworking, linking and remixing media tell us about new processes of agenda setting and ‘gatewatching’. Lastly I will be exploring, how should we view the role of this ‘networked public’ given South Africa’s unequal distribution of internet access.

One of the first things that I notice about the status updates and tweets is that, information is often reworked into the person’s own words, but validity is often proven by these gatewatchers by referencing/linking the information back to reliable news sources such as Commercial Networks, sometimes references are made to amateurs but even the amateurs when the link path is followed also references commercial networks to substantiate their work. 

Esa Alexander check out slideshow http://multimedia.timeslive.co.za/photos/2010/09/fifteen-metro-cops-injured-in-hout-bay/ multimedia.timeslive.co.za Violence broke out in Hangberg, as angry residents fought back authorities for dismantling their illegal dwellings. Photographer Esa Alexander was there to Fifteen metro cops injured in Hout Bay | Times LIVE Multimedia.

#pigswatters RT @News24: 15 metro cops hurt in Hout Bay http://n24.cm/ccSJRy

The way that news is reworked and redistributed by civilians through social networking platforms, in my opinion changes the way agenda’s are set. Whereas before social networking or social reporting was done on such a grand scale, agenda’s would be set by large media companies and/or governments. This might still be the case but it is much harder to control what the public will accept as the dominant agenda, as it will be discussed,disputed and or reworked by the online social networkers. Which subtracts from the idea that commercial news media has over-all control over the dominant agenda of the country.

There would also not be a wide variety of agendas in circulation, now with the arrival of citizen journalism subscribers are no longer people that you don’t know, they are most probably your friends and family, which makes the relationship between the informant/journalist and audience much more personal and subjective than that with commercial news media and their audience. And by using new media as their platform of information distribution, audiences are now capable of interacting directly to the writer or informer, by commenting on the subject. Which often evolves into a discussion platform, by which anyone on the network has the ability to discuss their personal views on what is happening   (knowledge commons).

Before Social Networked News Reporting, Newspapers were actively selecting what news, was fit for the public interest. Now the public have the opportunity to select what news they would like to know more about. Which moves away from commercial news media, where news is more broadly defined and often based on a general idea of public interest. News broadcast over social networking platforms, by citizens have often been focused on what happens locally and targets niche opinions and or interests within that network.

 Because everyone can participate in the gathering and reporting on news in social networks, it give audiences the opportunity to query about a specific topic and recieve multiple awnsers from different sources, that sometimes correspond with each other, which could be used as method to determine vadility of reports. For example the majority corresponding views can be seen as the most valid news report. The only problem that I find in the tweets and updates by citizens about the hout bay incident are more than often subjective views and not facts “ im glad ppl are protesting in hout bay” 
(Mariapodesta/twitter)

@BiancadaSilva23 What's going on in Hout Bay? 

@Cape_Royale knew Hout Bay was brewing http://bit.ly/beVAGP via 

@News24

@CapeTown there's a lot of violence in the suburb of Hout Bay

’Apartheid-style’ Hout Bay removals slammed: #South Africa Angy #Hangberg residents put up a formidable figh... http://tinyurl.com/2cea54f

As mentioned above the use of social networks to broadcast news by citizens changes the way in which citizens interact with news stories. A reaction to news broadcast on social networks is often public discussion, which in my opinion creates a common room, where all who have access to social media, are able to comment and express their opinions. The common room is a progressive democratic platform, where the public can become highly mobilized and well informed about what is happening in their surrounding areas and beyond. It may be that Social Networking Platforms may mobilize the public, but I have also noted that in certain cases that certain issues are discussed within the online realm and nothing is done outside of the discussion about the problem.

The question arrises, “how should we view the role of this ‘networked public’ given South Africa’s unequal distribution of internet access?”  As South Africa’s internet penetration is still very small and even if infrastructure is set in place, there is also the question whether the public are computer literate enough to use the social networking recourses for citizen journalism. Currently we can view the networked public as a very small minority of the country, who can afford to have internet access, who can read and write, who have the right skills to use computers and use the internet. In ideal circumstances online citizen journalism would be a great democratic forum for information and participation.  Presently it is merely a niche news platform for the educated and middle and upper class minorities of South Africa. 

As the country progresses we might see the day when citizen journalism is seen as a reliable and valid method of news and information sourcing. For now, it is best that they  reference or substantiate their arguments with commercial networks reports and sources, until that day my studies in media will still mean something.

Bibliography

• Facebook Twitter Hout Bay. Pdf , University of Cape Town 2010, Film and Media Department.

ON FILM (A RANT)

A medium, which could be described as the convergence of multiple forms of media into one highly saturated power outlet. To effectively understand the awesome power of film one must understand each individual characteristic and gain a mastery of each of these individual sectors, in brief: Music, Art, Written Word, Theatre, Technology, Motion, Life. Yet an individual understanding of these are not enough, it is the understanding of each individual component and the manner in which they compliment and contrast each other that truly makes for great appreciation of Film. A great filmmaker, is one who has a comprehensive understanding of each individual medium and is able to bring them together in perfect harmony.

“Film is but the battle ground of every media, each in constant motion, always competing with each other, and in collection the creation of true beauty and Art.” James Honiball

On the subject matter of film:

I honestly believe that the subject matter should not be forced, I personally believe it must have come from a pure moment of creativity. Whether it be a reflection of the ‘real’ world or a fictional world, so be it. One thing that I wish to highlight is that film has the innate ability of creating a ‘what if’ world. It enables us as a society to see multiple outcomes of a specific ideology or action, without having to go through it in real life. All projected on a screen for the world to see and judge.

I do not agree with the dumbing down of audiences, I believe in the upliftment of the human-mind, by challenging its norms, constructs and beliefs. I want you to think, that is all.

On crappy attitudes within the industry:

I’m tired of people thinking so much of themselves, because they are filmmakers. Your just a person like any other. An ego may be healthy, but arrogance is just sickening! Films are not made by individuals, but are made in a collective understanding of specialized individuals. “ You are a special snowflake, just like everyone else” Fight Club

I urge everyone within the film industry of South Africa, to put your vices and egoistical-problems aside and for once work toward the greater good of film in South Africa. I urge you to invite young filmmakers, students and people who are just interested in the process of film making, and treat them with respect, as your example will be followed. Action must be taken, you are loosing the next generation of filmmakers. I have had the great opportunity to have had worked with some of these talented minds.

Film Education and Watchdog Societies:

Some truly think that a director sits on a high-chair screaming at people, just this general conception proves the lack of understanding of filmmaking. ENOUGH SAID.

I’m tired of seeing professionals breaking the most fundamental conventions of filmmaking. I’m tired of having to watch badly written,shot,directed,acted: soap operas, shows, movies and advertisements, when will we as a the film industry come together and decide on what is acceptable and what is not, when will we put our feet down and say no to shit ?!? You might not think that this is of extreme importance, but your reputation hangs in the balance. And as we all well know, perceptions can me more destructive than reality itself is.

This being said, there but a few that take the time and help others on their way to film enlightenment, for this I applaud you! (Visual Impact, to name but one entity)


You will be hearing from me again. :)

By James Honiball

BLOOD SHALL FLOW FROM MY PEN

In the following essay I will be analyzing an opinion piece written by Deputy Minister of Transport, Jermy Cronin and in doing so, I will apply certain theoretical media concepts. In conjunction with this, I will also analyze opinion pieces whom have responded to his specific piece.

In my opinion, I have found that Jermy Cronin’s argument that a Media Tribunal should be put in place, in truth makes no point, as to what the Media Tribunal should deal with. As soon as he highlights a supposed, under researched fault with the Media, he renders his own statement meaningless, with the statement “ again, it is not properly a matter for the proposed tribunal.” (Cronin;Umsebenzi-Online;2010). He in turn makes no real point as to why a media tribunal should be put in place.
He implies that Journalists who make use of bad-sources and under researched stories, in his opinion should be brought to a tribunal, as he believes that self-regulation within the media has not succeeded, yet this being said, he has not done any of this either in his own work.

Reg Rumney from the online mail and Guardian, argues against Cronin’s statement that self regulation has failed within the media:

Surely that newspapers run apologies, sometimes spontaneously and without the intervention of the Ombudsman, means that self-regulation is working? (Rumney;Mail and Guardian; 2010)

In my personal opinion I think that there is a more sinister, power hungry reason, behind the media tribunal. I am also against the idea of a state controlled tribunal, as I strongly believe that the media should be independent from any political ideologies, in turn enabling it to report in the most objective and most progressive way possible, without having to broadcast the agendas of a political party.

“I am appealing to the many ANC members of influence, who know in their hearts that this campaign is not actually about so-called ‘brown-envelope’ or irresponsible journalism, to stand up and stop this reckless effort to undermine the freedoms of all South African citizens” (Du Preez as cited in Mail & Guardian online; Reg Rumney)

He also makes a point of placing negative attention on Journalists and one specific journalist unnamed in another article, which he merely assumes without any real source to be Business Day’s Peter Bruce, who publicly stated they the will not discuss the matter with the ANC’s secretary General on the grounds of principal. (Cronin;Umsebenzi-Online;2010). Cronin implies that the ANC is following the right procedures and that the actions of the media are but childish. It might be so that the ANC, has done the right thing to allow the media to discuss the issue openly. Yet as we all well know, that a Journalist was chased out of Luthuli House by the ANC youth-league leader Julius Malema not so long ago.,So in all honesty I completely understand why many journalists feel uncomfortable meeting with the ANC.

He makes use of sly tactics within his writing to create a sense of separation with those who are against the media tribunal, by bringing up recent disagreements, that have really no weight in the media tribunal bigger picture, and thus setting a negative agenda.

...If editorial “independence swings on profit maximization, then we will tend to get exactly what we are often getting. Trashy tabloids aimed at the working class, and acres of middle-class whingeing in what passes for serious journalism. In short, journalism that panders to the lowest common denominator in its target audience... (Cronin;Umsebenzi-Online;2010)

The statement that Cronin makes here has no legal grounds to stand on. As there is no law in place, defining what journalism should be and what Newspapers should base their content on. South Africa has one of the world’s most liberal constitutions and for such a law to exist it would be in direct violation of our constitutional right of Media Freedom

“You can’t increase state power over what may be published and still argue that your country has media freedom” (Guy Berger; Converse Column)

Ombudsman Joe Thloloe told SAPA that “Any system imposed from outside the press itself will be an imposition and in violation of the Constitution” (As cited in News 24)

He also negatively points out, that newspapers are aimed at the working class and middle class. I do not think that this is necessarily a bad thing, seeing that throughout the Apartheid era, newspapers aimed their content at an elite minority of people. Logic dictates that in a democracy, they should aim their content towards the majority of the people of the country and their interests, and most of us fall under the working and middle classes.

Cronin only later says that the media tribunal should not force the media to become docile lap-dogs (opposite of watch-dogs) for the ruling party (Cronin;Umsebenzi-Online;2010). I feel that his intention is quite clearly the exact opposite, to what he has already said before this statement. He goes on to say that he feels that individual journalists shouldn’t be fined for stories, as stories are often written in a collective of thought and thus the companies should be fined, the individual shouldn’t be negatively affected (Cronin;Umsebenzi-Online;2010).

Reg Rumney disagrees and stresses that the journalist will in-fact be effected negatively, as he knows from prior experience under the Apartheid regime, the pressure then put on journalists, not by the government but by the company, increases under these circumstances (Rumney;Mail and Guardian; 2010). This tactic only changes the order of how oppression and censorship is played out on the individual, it in a sense acts as a guise for what is really happening. As a indirect pressure from the ruling party.

An alternative proposed solution rather than a media tribunal, in my opinion makes for a better solution than the current solution, which is a media tribunal.

“Government and the ANC should be pressuring the media to jack up their own self-regulation to a point where justice an accountability can be seen in when the media get things wrong.

Government must realize that self-regulation is the only option. Anything else will be perceived to be censorship and subjugation of a free press. And perception, of course, is far more powerful than reality.”(Chris Moerdyk, Bizcommunity;2010)

Recent responses have interestingly taken a sarcastic note, in what I believe is an attempt from independant journalists to silence or lower the importance of the opposition’s voice, Adam Haupt uses this technique in response to Cronin’s opinion piece:

“If a media tribunal, an artists’s tribunal and an academics’ tribunal do not go far enough in securing the assurance that the ruling party seeks, then it can also set up a whistleblowers’ hotline so that defamatory remarks and actions can be reported swiftly and efficiently without fear of retribution from civil society.” (Adam Haupt;2010;Mail&Gaurdian)

I am completely against a media tribunal, even the idea thereof. I do not think that Jermy Cronin has in anyway convinced me that South Africa’s Media industry is in need of a Media Tribunal. It is unconstitutional and unethical and extremely vague. I lift my pen in the air and say to you: Blood shall flow from my pen, not my fellow journalist’s blood, but anyone who threatens my freedoms as a journalist, as South African, as Human being. I will write until the day I can write again, I will write you to your defeat.




Bibliography:
• Jeremy Cronin; Do we need an independent media tribunal?;2010; Umsebenzi-online.
• Reg Rumney;Open Letter to Jeremy Cronin;2010; Mail and Gaurdian Online; 2010
http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/regrumney/2010/08/05/some-more-red-flags-on-the-media-tribunal/
• Joe Thloloe; News 24, Ombud warns agains media tribunal; 2010, reported by Sapa
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Ombud-warns-against-media-tribunal-20100730
• Chris Moerdyk, ANC’s Media Tribunal - watchdog with rabies; bizzcommunity.com;2010
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/15/50595.html
• Adam Haupt; Media Tribunal: Why Stop There?; Mail and Gaurdian Online; 2010
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-08-11-media-tribunal-why-stop-there

Innate Human Fears

So this is what I summed up from my Horror Lectures, If you want to scare people, here are a few key points to remember.

1.) The in-between or the undefined (Dichotomy). Example: Living Dead
2.)Normally man-made and later becomes a uncontrollable force of destruction.
3.)Always uglier than the societal conception of beauty.
4.)A threat to society and Authority.
5.)A sexual threat to woman.
6.)An outcast, marginalized figure rising to power.
7.)Sometimes more intelligent than humans.
8.)Against all laws of religion.
9.)Normally deformed and extremely large.
10.)Silent and Distanced.
11.)Unnatural.
12.)Sensitive, but has brutish strenght. (Dichotomy)
13.)Often based on Satan.
14.)Something that can not be understood.
15.We sometimes feel sympathy for the monster.
16.)The monster or villian, often has masochistic tendencies, which alerts us to the fact that if he can do that to himself, what will he do to me.

Final Thought:

We fear that which we created, but the fact that we might be replaced by them, we fear even more.

By James Honiball
JamesHoniball©2010

I’m off to see the wizard...the wonderful Salman ,the wonderful wizard of oz!

In the following essay I will be discussing the theme of escape and return in The Wizard of Oz, with reference to the quote “there’s no place like home” and the apparent contradiction that exist between the two themes, within the film. I will also express what Salman Rushdie thinks about this apparent contradiction in his review on the Wizard of Oz and will finally express my own view on the subject matter. Throughout the essay I will consider both the narrative and aesthetic qualities of the film.

The Wizard of Oz introduces Dorothea Gale (an orphan) who lives with her aunt and uncle in Kansas. The introduction to ‘the real world’ or that of Dorthea’s home is introduced in black and white film, although Salman Rushdie feels that it is rather multiple tones of grey than black and white, and implies in his review of the film that it represents depression and unhappiness of her life at home (Rushdie,2003: 435).

She decides to run away from home, because her aunt and uncle can’t prevent her beloved dog Toto from being euthanized. She finally decides to return home—from a writers perspective the story itself could end here— but a tornado appears and she can’t reach the storm shelter and takes refuge in her home where she is knocked out by a window. She later wakes up in her house, which is being carried away by a tornado.

To Rushdie, the tornado is but the culmination of the bleak world where Dorothea is from. To him the tornado represents the grey world being sucked up and in turn being unleashed against itself. He sees the role of the whirl-wind as something that rips that world apart (Rushdie, 2003: 435). From an aesthetic point and more specifically from a colour theory point-of-view, I can conceptually deduct that out of destruction of this dark world a new world is born, a world of Technicolor. The colour black when using pigment as the medium, is the accumulation of the pigments of the whole colour-spectrum (rgbworld.com,2010).

All the negative emotions are portrayed through the use of dark and negative colours and as Rushdie suggests that the film-makers have made use of shapes, to express the mood and emotions of the scenes and characters. Through the symbolic use of shapes the film-makers create a direct link between symmetry and being beautiful and good and in contrast the irregular shapes portray unattractiveness and evil.

He also adds that Bad characters are connected with irregular shapes and unsymmetrical forms, for example the wicked witch of the west, which disappears with a puff of smoke (Rushdie, 2003: 436).Whereas basic geometric shapes are associated with Dorothea’s home and safety (Rushdie, 2003: 436). Aesthetically the tornado as an ever changing shape can be seen as something that is deceitful and mysterious. The story depends on this mysterious interference with Dorothea’s normal world, as it is the only thing that opens the possibilities of where the story may lead to next.

Whilst the house is being flung through the air by the tornado, Dorothea looks out of her window and literally witnesses the transformation of the world to that of an unreal or fictional world, she specifically sees the character Miss Almira Gulch transform into the Wicked Witch of The West. This could also be a reference to a film audience, as film often reflects reality, where does one draw the line as to what is real. Her house eventually falls to the ground and she opens the door, as she enters the Land of Oz, the film gradually moves from Monochrome to Technicolor. This immediately contrasts the world where Dorothea is from to the world that she finds herself in now. Her first words in the Land of Oz strengthen the notion that the world she enters is not a world that she is familiar with “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore” (Wizard of Oz: 1939).

Dorothea has entered a world different from the one she is from, it expresses the human need to escape unfavourable circumstances and the Land of Oz is the perfect getaway, it can be seen as the opposite of Kansas. The need of escape is attended to by the ruby slippers which create the means to travel between Oz and Kansas at ease.

After accidentally killing the wicked witch of the east, she is praised by the town’s folk as a hero and is granted the wicked witch’s magical slippers. The narrative of her being praised as the town’s hero, contradicts Dorothea’s role in Kansas, where she is not a hero but a mere orphan.

Rushdie interestingly points out that after moving from inside her house out to the Land of Oz, she will not be portrayed in any interior until she reaches the Emerald City. This thus in turn conveys her vulnerability on her quest to get back home, as she is not protected for most of her journey (Rushdie, 2003: 440).

The spiralling start of the yellow brick-road is religiously followed by Dorothea, as this implies that she still reacts out of instinct to shapes that she is familiar with. It can also symbolically suggest that, the start of the spiral is the starting point of a complex journey; it also serves as an inter-textual reference to the tornado. The tornado is unpredictable but moves in the form of a spiral, it may imply that the journey that she is about to embark on is that of unpredictability and mystery. A feeling that the story is not a single story but a story constructed out of multiple stories, is also strengthen by the theme of the tornado and the start of the yellow brick road.

She meets three other characters who will accompany her throughout her journey to the Emerald City, namely: the Scarecrow—who wants a brain, the Tin Man—who wants a heart and the Cowardly Lion—who wants courage, all of which leave the places they are familiar with to journey to a world unknown to them, to find qualities they believe they lack. They will only later find out that the qualities they thought they lacked could not be given to them, as they already had these qualities to begin with.

The Land of Oz, is everything that Kansas is not, from an aesthetic point-of-view the Land of Oz has a multitude of colours whereas Kansas is but only shades of grey. Oz is constructed out of numerous different and/or complex shapes whereas Kansas is constructed only of basic shapes. From the perspective of Narrative, the characters of Oz are more helpful to Dorothea than that of the characters in Kansas. Her Aunt and Uncle did not try and help save Toto from Miss Almira Gulch who has received a sheriffs order to take Toto.

To Salman Rushdie a strong contradiction exists between escape and return. He believes that the Land of Oz is much better than that of Kansas and he does not understand why Dorothea chooses to go back home, as a viewer I agree. But I would argue that Dorothea already decided in Kansas that she wanted to return home and the only contradiction that I can see that exists between escape and return is when the Glinda reveals to her that she could have left Oz at any time that she wished. From the very start of the journey she wanted to go home but thought she couldn’t and was forced to embark on her long journey to the Wizard of Oz, which only ended with empty promises, only to learn that she had the power to go home all along.

This once again narratively ties in with the qualities that Tin Man, Scarecrow and The Cowardly Lion wanted, but found out that they already had the qualities they desired, from the start. Salman Rushdie expresses his frustration at Glinda who reveals that Dorothea could have gone home at any point she wanted, because he thinks this renders the journey pointless. I disagree by saying that it only strengthens the theme that the journey was not about going home but a journey of self-exploration. I believe if it were not for this journey, Dorothea would not have grown.

As a viewer the contradiction exists between escape and return, as the Land of Oz’s visual and narrative use, as it is more pleasing and is more desired than that of the visual and narrative structure of Kansas. In the mind of Dorothea the Land of Oz is too detached from that of what she is familiar with, even though to the viewer the Land of Oz is more desirable than Kansas. Dorothea realizes that Oz is a land of new opportunity and of magic, but she endures until the end to get back home, as it is familiar to her. It is quite apparent that she sees home as a place of familiarity and safety.

I agree with Salman Rushdie who states that the notion that “there’s no place like home” only implies that once we have left our childhood homes we realize that their truly is no other place we can call home. Unless we create our own homes, which will never be the homes that we were raised in. He creates a direct link between Oz and the world we enter when we leave our childhood homes (Rushdie,2003: 447). With this notion in mind we can look at Dorothea’s journey through the Land of Oz as merely a journey of growing up and the Land of Oz could be seen as a representation of the process that needs to be taken to grow up.

Bibliography:

• Rushdi,S. “The Wizard of Oz” in BFI Classics, Volume1, edited by H.Buscombe and R. London: BFI Publishing (2003),433-452.
• © 2010 RGB World, Inc, ” Understanding Color”,.http://www.rgbworld.com/color.php
• The Wizard of Oz directed by Victor Fleming, First released in 1939.

By James Honiball

JamesHoniball©2010