blog好き

Feb 19 2003

Categories: commentary, life

1 Comment »

Senbei noted that:

“They want action. James Bond is probably the culture icon that best represents our culture.”

I agree. Nothing symbolizes American culture more than a British secret agent. How’s that for irony?

I think it’s more of proof that America is a melting pot. We take the best from other countries, boil them, and then completely Disney-ize the heck out of them so that they are no longer what originally existed. Bond is a great example in that he’s a British agent, but he’s an American hero who boozes and womanizes like an American.

Of course, the best example is Ghibli. Quite possibly the only animation studio in the world capable of producing Disney movies anymore. I mean the Disney movies that were good and made with something other than $ in mind– Snow White, Beauty and the Best, etc. Not Treasure Island or the numerous sequels– hey, look, it’s Peter Pan 2: Milking the Franchise!

Has Disney made anything recently that can challenge Spirted Away or even My Neighbors the Yamadas in terms of sheer emotional glee? So since they couldn’t manufacture it themselves, they bought it. During the Oscar nominations, it wasn’t Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away, it was Disney’s Spirited Away.

The same is done with stuff like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and countless other shows on TV. We take what others have done and pretend it’s our own. It’s not American military or economic might that will conquer the world– Disney imperialism has done it already. We don’t want you putting a military base in our country, but please open a theme park here.

Senbei also notes that:

“Thankfully, other (more interesting) cultures exist.”

95% of the stuff on Japanese TV is as bad (or worse) than on American TV. Most are filtered out because there is no point in translating a bad show, but there are still lapses. (Think Digimon.) Most of Japanese TV consists of dramas and weird variety shows. The dramas are generally over-acted and under-plot, and they kill even the most faithful of ideas. You’re Under Arrest Live Action anyone? They are also hiding places for failed or post-prime American stars. Mariah Carey and the Backstreet Boys are on Japanese TV more than American TV these days.

There are a lot of good stuff, but it gets drowned out. Great Teacher Onizuka is probably the greatest 12 hours of television anyone could watch. It’s like they took the premise of that show, added in a bunch of sex and violence, took out the heart and emotion, subbed the female lead with one with a larger bra size, and called it Boston Public over here because this is what Americans want. Or at least what we’re told to want.

Even in anime, there isn’t that much creativity. There’s magical girl, Pokemon, big robot, and loser ronin. When something good happens, most people don’t take notice because there’s no Gundam involved. While stuff like Gundam and Bebop get on American TV, what are the chances Utena or Haibane Renmei will ever make it?

Holy Bell notes that:

“Stuff like Lord of The Rings is a step in the right direction, but it’s going to be a long, long time before we see any serious deviation from the norm. Plus then, if Faust, Utena, and Haruko were the norm, what need would we have for video games and anime?”

My problem is that Lord of the Rings is not new. It’s been around since before my parents were born. There was a version made 20 years ago, but without splashy effects and loads of Internet hype, it didn’t even register on people’s radars. I think it’s time for everyone to be more creative. To keep pushing the boundaries instead of milking a cash cow. Sure, you could make the The Hobbit after milking the first three movies (I’m sure this is what they are going to do), but wouldn’t it also be a great opportunity to try something new?

As for culling ideas from games, it’s generally a bad idea. Super Mario anyone? Or how about Van Dame’s Street Fighter? I definitely do not want a Hollywood version of Guilty Gear. I can imagine the horrors– Elijah Wood as Bridget, Kevin Spacey as Eddie, Britney Spears as I-no, and Shaq as Potemkin. I only have dread for the upcoming Hollywood-produced House of the Dead and Grand Theft Auto movies. A game builds its plot (well, maybe not Xenogears) through interaction. There is no interaction between a person and the movie screen, it’s an one-way relationship.

It’s just a huge creative black hole in Hollywood, and I don’t even see why people are so pumped about movies like American Beauty or X-Men. It’s just the same thing with a new coat of special effect paint.