So, The Interview. My first opinion was: gotta be a marketing ploy. Second opinion: I have to see it cuz Freedom and America. Third: How does this affect the rest of the world? It occurs to me that though I believe in artistic freedom, I also believe in social responsibility. Im conflicted. (if you dont plan to read to the end, just dont read at all, Im going in a few directions here!) The Great Dictator (1941) In 1941, Chaplin was among the filmmakers subpoenaed by a Senate subcommittee investigating pro-war propaganda in Hollywood films. At the height of World War II, Chaplin withdrew the film from circulation, knowing that the international situation lampooned in the film would now be hard to laugh at. After the war, Chaplin stated that if he had known of the true horrors of the concentration camps, he never would have made The Great Dictator. Art is powerful. Regardless if its absurd, hilarious, or stupid, the way art impacts the world around us is important to the history of the Human Race. Just a thought going through my head. You see, whenever North Korea gets paranoid and releases threats out into the world, it’s not some joke. According to the IISS, North Korea happens to be the world’s largest military organization in the world, controlling 1,106,000 active and 8,389,000 reserve and paramilitary troops. Not only does the South have to start getting ready with its own military in defense whenever the North threatens the South*(see edit for detail), there is also always a huge drop in foreign investments in South Korea’s economy as a result, due to fears that the money they’ve put in might not make a profit because of a potentially devastating war. South Korea was once one of the poorest nation-states in the world because it was trying to recover from Japanese occupation and the Soviet/US proxy war that happened directly after that. Today it’s one of the world’s financial leaders and a big player in the global economy (the popularity of Korean Pop media [hallyu] and the soft-power role it plays in South Korean diplomatic relations is proof of that). The South’s ultra-conservative government is terrified of losing that status, and will stop at nothing to keep things the way they are. (*edit: South Korea has a military conscription policy which applies to all males aged 18 - 35, for a length of service ranging from a minimum of 21 months and up to 36 months, depending on the branch of the military. This means that many of our relatives and friends who are currently serving their mandatory service could possibly be involved in an armed conflict if situations escalated into an aggressive atmosphere that breaks the tensions on the border between the North and South.) Should I support a film that makes money by parodying the struggles of real people, in this case - North Koreans and North Korean refugees? And may have disastrous implications for South Korean citizens? A quote from a stranger Im a huge fan of people not watching distasteful Asian slurs that mock real horrifying struggles of peoples lives. But on the other side: “The Interview” could become “a very real challenge to the ruling regime’s legitimacy.” Would The Interview have a positive affect on the citizens of North Korea? Or will it infuriate the oppressed citizens for its mocking nature? I guess only history will tell. In the meantime, Im damn confused. The weight of its possible impact on the struggle of thousands of humans should not rest on my hitting play, but sometimes Art is just that powerful. Your thoughts and opinions are welcomed! Because the two sides of the coin are so conflicting and confusing, and Rogan & Franco are so adorable. Have we started calling them Roco or Frangan yet?
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 01:21:11 +0000
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