Test of the Emergency Broadcasting System

So I saw _Kong_ with mixed feelings
this weekend.
I was completely captivated with the story line,
with the particular film Jackson shot in,
with the incredible sensitivity of the acting,
all until the natives of Skull Island.

[Warning: Spoilers Beyond this Point]

What was Jackson thinking?!?
The "natives" were so utterly offensive--
so over the top (which my partner liked to point out
may be the emphasis)--
what dignified actor could submit to that type of
casting in 2005?
And I think of the politics of New Zealand and
Australia--particularly in regards to the Aboriginies--
perhaps I've simply studied from a Post-Colonial
framework for too long--
within the diegisis of his own film,
producers ask Jack Black's character
if he would capture any "boobie-shots, the people
love native boobie shots," this characterization
of the Hollywood pricks at that time
seemed depicted quite acurately--
in this way, Jackson certainly
works a post-colonialism discourse into the the film--
which is precisely why I can't understand the island--
all of the "eye-rolling" ect . . .

The effect made me uncomfortable . . . angry . . .
I'm not sure what happened here (and I realize
this post is half-*ssed and not coherant),
but I will have to give it more thought.

[The _Heart of Darkness_ allusions further
complicate my reading of this film . . .]

Further. this has been the only film in ages
to irk my "logistic" sensibilities.
On the one paw, sure what's so logical
about an island of giants and a silverback gorilla
who climbs the Empire State Building?
Got it.
But, on the other paw,
some how the tone of the film implied
a set of _Kong_ logistics that Jackson breaks
without system; particularly:

1) capturing a bat's leg to fly to safety
2) Jimmy using a machine gun to ward off
the insects from his friend
3) Ann not grabing a coat in the middle of NY winter
when going to face Kong
4) Kong not leaving an impact crater
from his fall at the end.

I know! Riduculous points to be irked at--I know!
These are artistic choices! Who cares? What's up my butt?
Yes, these four points are utterly insignificant--
but they bothered me to no end (and normally
people who bring up these tidbits bug me--o the
irony).
For instance, I love the fact that Jackson simply
ignored the question of transporting Kong back to NY.
He handled that splendidly.
But Ann was freezing on top of the Empire State Building,
and that's all I could think about.
We're talking hypothermia.

But I liked the flick. I guess.
The iceskating in Central Park
was lovely . . . Ann's background in comedy
was a nice touch . . . the bar/cage imagery suggesting
that the true savages were those
who seek to destroy nature for profit was good . . .

Ho hum.

I also watched _Manchurian Candidate_ last night.
Excellent film. And I so believed _everything_.
Seriously.
Bush has been hardwired by Halliburton--it's so obvious now.
Thank you Johnathan Demme for reviving Frankenheimer's
prohetic vision--now that we all know, what to do?

On a side note, Meryle Streep's clothing was to die for.
She looked so young and powerful.
Streep and Kong? Yes, that would be interesting.


If I had children,
I probably would have watched the Rankin/Bass _Rudolf_.
Can you imagine?
Especially the part where the Donners want to go look
for Rudolf and the Narrator-Snowman says,

"Naturally Mrs. Donner wanted to go look for Rudolf too,
but Donner said, 'No!'--That's man's work!"

My entire family would spit chocolate milk from their noses,
and turn to me in barking laughter--
"That's man work!" They would gleefully mock.
Then we'd spend the entire evening
making _Mystery Science Theater 3000_-esque jokes.



Oh! And the partner and I had another huge row.
Then we went for Chinese.

My fortune said:
"Great adversary leads to truth."

His fortune read:
"Someone beautiful is with you tonight.
Confide in them."

Except for the lack of pronoun agreement,
I thought the fortunes might have meant something . . .