Last night was Pizza and a Movie night at our house. I think that Niki and I will have to institute that as a more common occurrence in our house. It was a lot of fun to eat some great greasy pizza and watch a movie.
The movie we watched was V for Vendetta. Now I realize that I am WAY behind in my movie watching, and that most people in the world have already given their two cents about what they thought. But this isn't everyone else's blog, it's mine, so I can do what I want. Now I'm not sure that I can recommend it (due to some graphic violence) but I thought it was a fantastic movie. It also leaves you in no doubt about how the Wachowski brothers (Makers of the Matrix) feel about the Bush government. For those of you who haven’t seen the movie the basic premise is that the world is full of terrorists and horrible dieses, and so the people give up their freedom for protection. The government then becomes a government of the sort you read about in Orwell’s 1984. Now the interesting thing is that in this movie the government is clearly supposed to be Right Wing Conservatives. Their motto is "Strength through Unity, Unity through Faith." They even have a "religious" commentator who is the "Voice of England" who supports the government (Pat Robertson perhaps??). But the Warchowski brothers don't leave it there. They also draw some pretty clear lines connecting this Right Wing government to the Nazi's. Taking homosexuals and others and running inhuman tests on them, breaking into houses and night to take people away, the Chancellor standing holding up his arm as an army marches past. And through all of it I sat there and thought to myself, you know their not that far off. It doesn't take that big of a j
ump for a government to go from good to bad. As soon as we start to allow fear to rule, and we ask people to take over for us we will always end up in trouble. This quote stuck in my mind after the movie,
"People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both." -Benjamin Franklin
With all the recent school shootings, wars around the world, mad cow, aids, etc. it is very easy for us to run to our government begging for safety, but it seems like the writer of V for Vendetta had a few thoughts about where that will get us.
So, what do you think? Have you seen the movie? What were your thoughts about it?
Last night was Pizza and a Movie night at our house. I think that Niki and I will have to institute that as a more common occurrence in our house. It was a lot of fun to eat some great greasy pizza and watch a movie. 
ump for a government to go from good to bad. As soon as we start to allow fear to rule, and we ask people to take over for us we will always end up in trouble. This quote stuck in my mind after the movie, 
7 comments:
I watched it with John in a small cafe in Antigua, Guatemala with a grandfather and grandson from Seattle, a little different setting, but still a great movie. It definitely makes you wonder how much governments (emphasis on U.S.) are manipulating people through fear and how much they actually believe to be dangerous.
so i didn't really read your post I'm just responding your comment on my blog. YES! I do have yoru wedding present and it's still gathering dust on my shelf. Between a variety of different moves and a crazy insane-o life it is priority 0 on my list but if you email me your mailing address at lilene1122@hotmail.com. There is a good chance I'll put in the mail before your second wedding anniversary :). Say hi to the wife for me.
Hey Nick, I totally agree, I think that I've talked about this before on my blog, but Manson had some interesting things on fear and it's role in our society. Thanks for your thoughts
Just a thought Nathan; Hitler was as left wing as they come.
Yeah, I know that Hitler was on the left side of things, but if you watch the movie, you can't miss the comparrison. I think the point that was trying to be made by the makers, is that sacrificing freedom, to either side, will lead you to the same place.
I wondered if this movie was not just thoughts on the Bush government but also on Christianity in general. Do people see us as manipulating people through fear?
To by honest, I hated V for Vendetta. But then, I also fell asleep three times as I watched it...
Post a Comment