Post by klep on Jan 13, 2020 8:30:44 GMT -6
MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 1/13: Moana
MOVIES AT SEA WEEK!
For those of us accustomed to living on the land, with continental ground firmly beneath our feet, there is a tendency to look at the sea as a threatening thing. We enjoy our time at the beach, sure, and maybe even venture out to fish. But the idea of spending more time out on the blue feels unnatural. We have a tradition of fiction which reinforces this - Moby Dick, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, The Perfect Storm. Hell, we even have a deeply-ingrained cultural touchstone for the hubris of modern man based in a failed sea voyage (the Titanic). Those who do leave the safe shores in favor of the deep are often considered to be strange or touched in the head.
But imagine living a life on a small island, with the sea in all directions. Of a necessity, it provides you with much of your food, but also your entertainment. And if you want to go anywhere, you have to voyage out upon it. It becomes a part of your life - familiar and normal. You would naturally develop a greater affinity for it, particularly if your island was in waters that were warm and tranquil. The sea then may contain some danger, but also thrilling opportunity and endless potential.
In Moana we see both of these attitudes, but it clearly favors the latter. Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) is drawn to the sea, but her island society has somehow turned inward and away from it. Sure, they fish, but only in the shallow waters protected by the island's barrier reef. The opening song about life on the island contains the line "And no one leaves," and while the singers intend it as a testament to how perfect the island is, it sounds to Moana and the viewer more like the island is a prison.
But of course Moana does venture out, and while she runs into both perils and pleasures the sea almost never feels like a source of menace. Moana has a couple accidents, but never suffers any real peril at the hands of the sea - indeed the ocean itself is guiding and protecting her on her quest. She never has to worry about sunburn, or doldrums, or the rash of saltwater-soaked clothes drying on skin. And so her experience sailing is one that is filled with excitement and discovery - thrilling and enjoyable as she learns to ply the waves and indulge her curiosity.
But what makes Moana special is that Moana being drawn to the sea isn't her rebelling against a hidebound culture. Her people didn't just appear on the island; they are the descendants of an oceangoing culture that reveled in the joys of the water and exploration. At the end of her quest she returns to her island not to stay, but to lead her people back out onto the blue. In this way she becomes more than the independent-minded girl we've seen in most prior Disney films, she also represents the restoration of her people's birthright: the open sea.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 1/20: The Adventures of Prince Achmed
1920s WEEK!
For 1920s Week we'll be watching the very first animated feature film in Lotte Reiniger's The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Be sure to join us on Monday for our discussion of the birth of feature-length animation in this fairy tale! The Adventures of Prince Achmed is available on the Criterion Channel and Fandor.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 1/14: Little Women (1994)
Next week the podcast starts tackling a comparison of two adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's famous novel. Up first will be Gillian Armstrong's 1994 adaptation. Join us Wednesday for our discussion of this film, available for rent in the usual places.
MOVIES AT SEA WEEK!
For those of us accustomed to living on the land, with continental ground firmly beneath our feet, there is a tendency to look at the sea as a threatening thing. We enjoy our time at the beach, sure, and maybe even venture out to fish. But the idea of spending more time out on the blue feels unnatural. We have a tradition of fiction which reinforces this - Moby Dick, Rime of the Ancient Mariner, The Perfect Storm. Hell, we even have a deeply-ingrained cultural touchstone for the hubris of modern man based in a failed sea voyage (the Titanic). Those who do leave the safe shores in favor of the deep are often considered to be strange or touched in the head.
But imagine living a life on a small island, with the sea in all directions. Of a necessity, it provides you with much of your food, but also your entertainment. And if you want to go anywhere, you have to voyage out upon it. It becomes a part of your life - familiar and normal. You would naturally develop a greater affinity for it, particularly if your island was in waters that were warm and tranquil. The sea then may contain some danger, but also thrilling opportunity and endless potential.
In Moana we see both of these attitudes, but it clearly favors the latter. Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) is drawn to the sea, but her island society has somehow turned inward and away from it. Sure, they fish, but only in the shallow waters protected by the island's barrier reef. The opening song about life on the island contains the line "And no one leaves," and while the singers intend it as a testament to how perfect the island is, it sounds to Moana and the viewer more like the island is a prison.
But of course Moana does venture out, and while she runs into both perils and pleasures the sea almost never feels like a source of menace. Moana has a couple accidents, but never suffers any real peril at the hands of the sea - indeed the ocean itself is guiding and protecting her on her quest. She never has to worry about sunburn, or doldrums, or the rash of saltwater-soaked clothes drying on skin. And so her experience sailing is one that is filled with excitement and discovery - thrilling and enjoyable as she learns to ply the waves and indulge her curiosity.
But what makes Moana special is that Moana being drawn to the sea isn't her rebelling against a hidebound culture. Her people didn't just appear on the island; they are the descendants of an oceangoing culture that reveled in the joys of the water and exploration. At the end of her quest she returns to her island not to stay, but to lead her people back out onto the blue. In this way she becomes more than the independent-minded girl we've seen in most prior Disney films, she also represents the restoration of her people's birthright: the open sea.
OUR NEXT MOVIE OF THE WEEK for 1/20: The Adventures of Prince Achmed
1920s WEEK!
For 1920s Week we'll be watching the very first animated feature film in Lotte Reiniger's The Adventures of Prince Achmed. Be sure to join us on Monday for our discussion of the birth of feature-length animation in this fairy tale! The Adventures of Prince Achmed is available on the Criterion Channel and Fandor.
NEXT PICTURE SHOW PODCAST for 1/14: Little Women (1994)
Next week the podcast starts tackling a comparison of two adaptations of Louisa May Alcott's famous novel. Up first will be Gillian Armstrong's 1994 adaptation. Join us Wednesday for our discussion of this film, available for rent in the usual places.