Review – Rose (DVD)

Rose (2012)
Genre: Urban Drama
Producer/Director: Kemal Yildirim
Writer: Stephen Loveless
Stars: Mike Mitchell, Helen Clifford, Patrick Regis

The feature film Rose is a giant step forward for the British filmmaker, Kemal Yildirim, whose 2008 short film Rose was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. The short version was a difficult but redemptive tale based on a true story. A promising film, it was well received by several charities and proactive groups. But the latest incarnation of Rose takes the story to a whole new level.

This suspenseful, sophisticated drama stars Helen Clifford as Rose who, to quote from the film, is “a worn out hooker with a habit.” An otherwise girl next door type who also starred in the previous adaptation, Clifford manages to look godawful through most of the footage (with a little help from talented makeup artists). And totally in sync with Rose‘s stepped up production values, her performance is far more powerful and nuanced than it was in 2008.

Rose falls into deep trouble when her callous pimp, Blondie, (Mike Mitchell) gets word that she’s been taking customers on the side—”freelancing.” Blondie is handsome, wears fine suits, and imports sex slaves from southeast Europe.

Mike Mitchell, who appeared in Gladiator and Braveheart, plays this creepy kingpin to a tee. As the resident crime lord and club owner in Hellville (a metaphorical underworld with a bit of a comic strip feel), Blondie is one bad dude. If anyone crosses him, chances are they’ll get a knife at their throat (or worse) within 48 hours. It’s that bad. And Rose is trapped.

Like many of the main characters in other Yildirim films, the traumatized Rose longs for release. And her angelic young daughter, Ellie, (marvelously played by Chelsea Alcock) reminds us that tenderness, beauty and hope are always possible, even amid the worst kinds of tawdriness, violence and neglect. Rose’s love relationship with Tony (Patrick Regis) also calls to mind the importance of caring. One of my favorite scenes is when the troubled Rose, Tony and Ellie are at the beach, and Ellie is entranced by the sight of a well-to-do couple and their contented child.

Tony, himself, is a favored goon and washed up boxer who fights in backrooms for the amusement of Blondie and his jaded inner circle (these scenes reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes). But Tony is an enforcer with a conscience, and doesn’t like what he sees—especially when Blondie decides to teach Rose a hard lesson for moonlighting.

Regis’ compelling performance as the tough but puppy-eyed Tony is another nice surprise in Rose. After seeing how Blondie hurts Rose and, later, getting thrashed in another backroom brawl, Tony’s not going to kiss up to Blondie any longer. And so the film heads into its gripping climax.

No review of Rose would be complete without tipping one’s hat to actors Eileen Daly (Yondra, a retired prostitute), Lucy White (Magdelena, a statuesque heavy) and Rami Hilmi (Baldo, a mindless stooge), along with several relative unknowns who add texture and intrigue to Rose’s life story.

The impressive cast is augmented by Rose‘s innovative cinematography and minimalist soundtrack. Altogether, Yildirim creates the haunting ambiance that audiences have come to expect from his movies. But this one is different. The director’s considerable talents and influences have fused into a laser-sharp focus. And it shows.

—MC

Sci-fi, Myth and Many Possible Worlds

Dr. No and other videos by MC via Flickr

Science fiction is still frowned on in some literary circles but that perception is quickly changing.

Back in high school, when writing about Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, I still bought into the notion that sci-fi is less worthy than the so-called classics.

Luckily I had an English teacher who saw things differently.

Mr. X, as I’ll call him, was a bit of an outsider with the rest of the English department. His eclectic  interests would have him critiquing the newspaper like a university professor might or, perhaps, telling us how to get a date with an absolute stranger.

I think the principal even had some auditor sit in his class to check him out. (This was the late 70s to early 80s and my memory is a bit fuzzy). I do know that he didn’t stay at that high school very long. But in retrospect, he proved to be far more influential than most other teachers.

One day Mr. X noticed that I had a copy of Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, and I made some joke about ice-nine. We then got onto Frank Herbert’s Dune, which he handily summed up with a glint in his eye. The idea of spice mining and subterranean sand worms seemed to point to something important, something just beyond my adolescent awareness.  Later, I learned about Carl Jung’s collective unconscious, but that wasn’t until age 19, when the river of my teens began to flow into the numinous sea of adulthood.

Over the years, not all of my teachers were quite as open-minded as Mr X. Some have been quite hostile to sci-fi, as if pedantic NeoMarxism or, perhaps, esoteric Old Testament studies represented the ultimate in intellectual activity.

Ouch.

Sci-fi and I go back a long way. Childhood summers at Georgian Bay afforded endless hours to read, surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. Austin Hall and Homer Eon Flint’s The Blind Spot, Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land and characters like Alfred Bester’s time-traveling Gully Foyle captured my imagination every bit as much as the natural beauty around me.

I still watch a little bit of sci-fi TV and movies. Admittedly, sci-fi characters can sometimes come off a bit thin. But any weak character development is usually counterbalanced by an exceedingly rich cosmology. Where else can you time travel, walk through walls, battle cybernetic stooges, talk to aliens, juggle parallel universes and throw lightning bolts from your fingertips?

In contrast, the cosmologies of many so-called literary classics pale in comparison. Mystique aside, Shakespeare’s Macbeth (“Fair is foul, and foul is fair”),† Dante’s Inferno (which sent several Popes to hell) and Spenser’s The Faerie Queene seem almost banal when compared to the far-flung worlds of sci-fi.

And more recent TV shows like the Reimagined Battlestar Galactica make it increasingly difficult to say that sci-fi lacks character development. BSG is almost entirely about character development, be it human or Cylon.

Historically, a great deal of ancient mythologies more closely resemble sci-fi than do the bulk of Middle Ages and Renaissance literature (with notable exceptions). The Hindu god Siva, for instance, emits a burning death ray from his third eye, not unlike the phaser beams of Star Trek. And classical Greek myths tell of equally formidable powers, where weapon and tool technologies like Thor’s hammer and Athena’s shield take center stage.

Granted, neoclassical artists recast ancient Greek, Roman, Hebraic and Christian themes. But I think it’s fair to say that, on the whole, they were more interested in creating detailed masterpieces instead of developing the ancient cosmologies that they drew upon.

Did ancient mythology serve a similar psychosocial need as today’s sci-fi? The scholar of religion and myth, Joseph Campbell, thought so. He notes that the box office smash Star Wars follows the mythic cycle of the hero. George Lucas (Star Wars‘ creator) actually consulted with Campbell to ensure that the movie would resonate with established mythic patterns.

However, there are obvious differences between the ancients and civilized mankind. This is especially so when we consider the social and political involvement of the average citizen. In ancient Rome, for example, not paying homage to a deity might cost you your life. And 21st century technologies combined with our increasingly sophisticated thoughts have taken today’s sci-fi narratives to a whole new level.

Sci-fi arguably has another advantage over other art forms. Its apparent distance from everyday life allows for meaningful political critiques. Here, Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and the hideous Borg collective of Star Trek come to mind.

For some, sci-fi might seem like so much fodder for the geek squad. But no matter how hard one tries to stick their head in the sand, movies like Star Trek, Avatar and Super 8 still gross more at the box office than other, so-called ‘cultured’ films.

So what, exactly, is this telling us?

—MC

——

† The Tempest, however, reveals that Shakespeare can, in fact, deal with extremely subtle fantasy. But this isn’t surprising, considering that most consider him the best writer, ever.

Related articles

• Justin Timberlake talks about having Olivia Wilde play his mother in sci-fi movie ‘In Time’ (insidemovies.ew.com)
• Sci-Fi and Monster movies not in English (ask.metafilter.com)
• There’s a new list of the Top 100 Sci-fi/Fantasy books that you should check out (michaeledwardkelly.com)
• Duncan Jones meeting with WETA for third and possibly last sci-fi film (geektyrant.com)
• Page turning sci-fi for non-sci-fi buffs (ask.metafilter.com)
• First Details on Gareth Edwards’ Untitled Sci-Fi Project; Pitched as “A Robot STAR WARS” (collider.com)
• Duncan Jones Preparing Third Sci-Fi Film (filmophilia.com)
• Awesome Sci-Fi Inspired Orchestra Ads (mymodernmet.com)
• Feast Your Eyes on the Hunkiest Hotties of Sci-Fi (eonline.com)
• Intel uses sci-fi to understand possible tech uses (sfgate.com)

Super 8… Stupor 8?

Super 8mm film cartridge film. Kodak Eastman via Wikipedia

Yes, I saw it. And although I’m glad I did, Super 8 turned out to be a bit boring and disappointing.

The young actors were good, sometimes great (except for one who really didn’t cut it). And come to think of it, most of the adult lead actors were above average too. But oh, what cinematic cliches and obvious lead-ins to the many impending disasters.

(I’m keeping it general to avoid a spoiler).

I loved the TV show Alias. And the new Star Trek film wasn’t that bad either. But super-producer J. J. Abrams, IMHO, didn’t really come up with anything too memorable here.

The 70s scenes were unbelievable. Not good unbelievable. Just unbelievable. Sure they got the cars, clothes and hairstyles right. And that old electronic football game — I had one — looked and sounded just like the real thing. But the lingo was almost all 2011. (Also, Willow Tree figures were in the film, which weren’t around back then).

If you think I’m just being picky, well maybe I am. Or maybe this film is for the younger gen. To its credit, Super 8‘s special effects were impressive. And its treatment of young love was, well, adequate. But I found a complete lack of credibility in the plot line. I wasn’t expecting a comic book story. Had I known beforehand that all reasonable attempts to make this a convincing movie would be lacking, I might have enjoyed it more.

2½ stars outta 5.

—MC

Related articles

• Bruce Greenwood’s Super-Secret ‘Super 8′ Role (moviefone.com)
• Super 8 | Spielberg & Abrams (annemariedietz.wordpress.com)
• Ruminations on Super 8 (marieloughin.com)
• #Super8Secret CENTRAL – Read the Super 8 Review! Watch Clips! Dig on Interviews! (dreadcentral.com)
• Greg Grunberg appears in pal JJ Abrams’ ‘Super 8′ (pbpulse.com)
• Super 8 (27thstreet.wordpress.com)
• Motion Picture Purgatory: Super 8 (dreadcentral.com)
• Super 8 is Probably Not What You Expected. Is That a Good Thing? (thebrowntweedsociety.com)
• “Super 8″ (hoganreviews.wordpress.com)
• Review: Super 8 (brittanydarby.wordpress.com)
• Review of “Super 8″ Movie “فيلم “سوبر ٨ (buzfairy.com)
• Super 8 (2011) (splatteronfilm.wordpress.com)
• Super 8′s Weekend: Should J.J. Abrams Have Made Star Trek 2 First? (eonline.com)
• Greg Grunberg appears in pal JJ Abrams’ ‘Super 8′ (ctv.ca)
• “Super 8,” emotional logic, and rational logic (gointothestory.com)
• Melissa McCarthy and SUPER 8′s Ryan Lee join Judd Apatow comedy (geektyrant.com)
• Super 8…Super RAD! (cidstylefile.wordpress.com)
• Marshall Fine: The best films of 2011 – so far (huffingtonpost.com)

Hindus urge India & Tamil Nadu govts. to help preserve deteriorating temple art

A portion of a ruined Pallava palace in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, built around the 7th century A.D. via Wikipedia

Special to Earthpages.org

Hindus have expressed concern at the continuing deterioration of temple murals/inscriptions/carvings in Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that both India and Tamil Nadu governments should urgently come up with a joint project to preserve these priceless masterpieces of religious art for coming generations.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that these pieces of religious art, some dating back to 7^th century CE in the Pallava period, were parts of our rich heritage, provide valuable insights into our past, and should be passed on to our children and grand-children intact.

Exposure to sun, vulnerability to nature, water-seepage, fungus, vandalism, smoke, and plain ignorance and carelessness, etc., had caused havoc to these valuable and important symbols of our religion/culture. It was the moral duty of state and national governments to immediate take steps to prevent further damage to our rich heritage, Rajan Zed stressed.

Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

Related articles

• Sri Lanka: Tamil Eelam is the solution: Loyola opinion poll in Tamil Nadu (tamilnet.com)
• Sri Lanka: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister wants Delhi to change course (tamilnet.com)
• Sri Lanka: Eezham liberation is the geopolitical priority for Tamil Nadu: Thirumurukan (tamilnet.com)
• Joseph raises a legal point (hindu.com)
• Four hours of load shedding from tomorrow (hindu.com)
• A Well Reputed Automobile company in Tamil Nadu is looking Space for Rent. (chennai247.wordpress.com)
• Sri Lanka: Oil, canal and security cause call for retrieval of Kachcha-theevu (tamilnet.com)

Review – Secrets: The Director’s Cut (DVD)

Image courtesty Knight Productions

Title: Secrets: The Director’s Cut
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Production Company: Knight Productions

Last November I reviewed Kemal Yildirim’s film, Secrets (review is here). Now, with The Director’s Cut I’ve been scratching my head over what to say. The two movies are strangely similar but somehow miles apart.

The closest analogy I can come up with is a stereo signal. Have you ever listened to a favorite song through just one stereo channel, with the other one muted? That might sound okay to most listeners. But to anyone loving that song, something’s not quite right (Try it with Sgt. Peppers and you’ll see what I mean).

Also, I’m not the same guy who wrote about Secrets last November. My perspective on life has evolved during the past three months, so my resonance with the film has likewise shifted.

This review, then, is something of a completion, sort of like the yin-yang symbol. I’ve seen both sides and, today, am coming from a different angle. You can look over my first review (here) before going any further. Otherwise, what follows probably won’t make much sense.

So… The Director’s Cut.

Well, to begin, some longer scenes are clipped for faster pacing, others are deleted. On the whole, these edits are a good move. The original film was provocative, partly because it challenged some of my cultural expectations about filmmaking. I was able to shift gears and appreciate Secrets for what it is (just as I did, for instance, with Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey). But, again, The Director’s Cut moves faster. And since I’m to some extent a socially conditioned creature, this works better for me.

In addition, some new scenes – and snippets of scenes – are interspersed throughout The Director’s Cut, making this revamped Secrets feel a bit more fleshed out and humane than its predecessor.

Moving toward the close, a prominent part of the first film (where characters privately confess into a video cam) is completely axed. Quite a gutsy move, and an effective one.

My November review also says I couldn’t really identify with the characters. But for some reason, I was right “in there” this time around. Did I feel for the characters more because of the extensive editing, or was it more about me and my updated outlook?

I can’t be totally sure. And that’s okay. Because both versions of Secrets are all about ambiguity. The film’s twisting storyline leaves just as many questions as answers. And its character development takes place within a tight-knit circle of increasingly confused relationships, where friends become lovers and lovers friends.

The Directors Cut‘s portrays a curious mix of merrymaking, musing and mayhem. But among this, the timeless capacity for joy and sorrow stands out crystal clear. And this might be the keystone that connects this vibrant indie film to a larger audience.

–MC

Related Articles

• Review – Secrets (DVD) (epages.wordpress.com)

Review – Secrets (DVD)

Image courtesty kemalyildirim.com

Title: Secrets
Genre: Drama
Language: English
Production Company: Knight Productions

Secrets is all about relationships, ambiguity and the loss of innocence.

Something like Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), the film kicks off with a tight-knit group of buddies getting together to celebrate the passing of a close friend.

Except for the subplot of substance abuse, however, any similarity to that film pretty much ends here.

After confessing their innermost secrets to one another while camping at the waters edge and carousing in various indoor locations, the group’s unrestrained boozing and, especially, drug habits lead to an unfortunate unraveling.

The turning point occurs over a bad drug deal. Suddenly the innocent, soul searching found earlier in the film moves to something darker.

From the DVD liner notes we learn that Secrets was shot in 7 days with an improvised script. This gives the film freshness and spontaneity. And for me, anyhow, its laissez-faire production style confronted some of the cultural tropes that – God forbid – have burned deep neural pathways in my brain by virtue of my proximity to North American culture.

True, Canadians get a fair amount of European, Asian and other international TV and film. But the American Dream still lights up our CRT and Flat Screen TVs, working its way into our subconscious desires more than, perhaps, we wish to admit.

Like something out of a George Orwell novel, I see that elusive, ephemeral Dream flickering away every night as I take my evening walk. You don’t have to be a peeping Tom to see it. TVs just keep getting bigger and bigger, making it all so much easier to see the 21st-century Screen through so many Toronto living room windows.

Tron..?

So I had to pull back and readjust my expectations while watching this film. Not that I’m a stranger to international cinema. I’m not. I can handle subtitles just as well as anyone else. And I like taking imaginal trips without having to worry about the inherent dangers of flying.

By the same token, the overseas films that make it big here usually follow, to some degree, a commercially proven formula. And why not? After all, most people want to hit the jackpot–even if they claim otherwise with a false humility ironically mingled with an air of artistic superiority. In Western movie halls and DVD sales, making it big often means drawing on, to some extent, the Hollywood legacy (I know next to nothing about Chinese films, except for Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan…).

Sure, artistic styles have always been evolving, interpenetrating and expanding, and no doubt will continue to. As Heraclitus once put it, you can’t stand in the same river twice. But, having said that, there’s still a river to think about.

Ha. Okay. Now you get it.

Well, actually, maybe you don’t. Because the most powerful and surprising secret about Secrets is that it subtly undermines quite a few contemporary conventions.

Secrets is almost like a watercolor in motion. It’s got focus; but different approaches and ideas flow into one another, offering complexity and a touch of chaos without sacrificing overall coherence.

At first, I didn’t really connect with the characters in this film (although many of the same actors were quite absorbing in other Yildirim films). But after letting Secrets percolate for a while, the film simply wouldn’t let me go. Like other Yildirim productions, this one, too, got under my skin.

The phrase “thought-provoking” comes to mind. Along with “challenging.” Both are good things, as has been the lingering influence of Secrets.

–MC

(Review for Secrets: The Director’s Cut is here)

Related Articles

• Review – Rose (DVD) (epages.wordpress.com)
• Review – Shades of a Killer (DVD) (epages.wordpress.com)
• Elisabeth Moss Joins Lawrence Kasdan And Kevin Kline’s Reunion (cinemablend.com)
• Q&A: Jackie Chan (guardian.co.uk)

http://epages.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/review-%e2%80%93-secrets-the-directors-cut-dvd/

Review – Rose (DVD)

Knight Productions

Title: Rose (2008)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Production Company: Knight Productions

There’s something about a Kemal Yildirim film. Just what it is isn’t easy to put your finger on. But it’s certainly there. In spades.

His short film Rose is based on a true story and shot, in his own words, on a “miraculous” budget. This might contribute to the film feeling something like an early performance of Shakespeare, where the key actors apparently pulled together to get the most out of their modest resources.

Over the years, Shakespeare’s troupe got bigger budgets and more elaborate staging. And from watching Rose, one would expect a similar evolution with Yildirim’s work.

Also like a Shakespearean play, Rose’s direction gazes from an almost mystical, mind’s eye. That is, Yildirim’s films can deal with the harshest of topics with unruffled focus and calm compassion. This rare perspective arguably takes Rose to a spiritual plane, even though the film deals with some of the rough and disturbing aspects of contemporary society.

The film features Helen Clifford, a pretty 20-something actor who convincingly portrays the distressed character of Rose. Rose could be your little sister, daughter or niece. She’s a “nice girl” who’s made some very bad choices, finding herself tragically hooked on junk.

To make matters worse, Rose doesn’t have a lot of money to fuel her addiction. Her struggle for inner and outer peace is brought out by Clifford’s promising performance and by a solid supporting cast. Add to that the director’s unique way of getting to the point without lapsing into sheer vulgarity, and Rose comes out a winner.

Without giving away the details, suffice it to say that the opening and closing scenes involve light—first in darkness and last, shining through a cross.

Rose is a pleasant surprise, to be sure. And for a film that deals with such difficult subject matter, that’s quite an achievement.

Extras include some extensive behind the scenes footage, a five minute promo, a photo gallery, along with trailers for additional Knight Productions.

—MC

Review – The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter (DVD)

Title: The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter
Genre: Harry Potter, Fantasy, Adventure
Production Company: Reality Films

Harry Potter has stirred up much controversy. The bestselling children’s fantasy books have delighted literary critics, won countless awards, raised eyebrows from Christian groups, and made their author, J. K. Rowland, a billionaire.

Academics in Cultural Studies, Religion and Mythology have also found within the books a veritable treasure chest of ideas for scholarly analysis.

Contributing to this development, The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter features Dr. Geo Athena Trevarthen of the University of Edinburgh, who brings to her investigation of the Harry Potter series a practical and academic expertise in Celtic Shamanism.

Dr. Trevarthen’s breakdown of the novels draws from a variety of perspectives, from Jungian and transpersonal psychology to the, perhaps, deeper disciplines of ritual magic, alchemy, wizardry and cross-cultural shamanism.

Her exposition is sprinkled with quotes from the Harry Potter novels, along with pithy sayings from leading figures like Joseph Campbell and Mahatma Gandhi.

The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter suggests that the runaway success of the Harry Potter series is, in part, due to its filling a void in contemporary Western culture. This Occidental void has to do with the sense of mystery, magic and, as Rudolf Otto (and later Carl Jung) put it, an encounter with the numinous.

Dr. Trevarthen shows how the protagonist, Harry, aptly fits the bill for the archetypal image of the hero, as expressed in countless fairy tales, folklore, myths and world religions that, despite their differences, also exhibit key similarities.

Filmed in and around Edinburgh, where Dr. Trevarthen lives and works, this film is not only smart but also visually pleasing. Punctuating the commentary are scenes of Dr. Trevarthen reading under a tree in the lush, Scottish countryside, or perhaps brandishing a sword in the ritual manner of a legendary European knight or, to evoke another cultural framework, a medieval Samurai. The film also includes indoor scenes of Dr. Trevarthen in full ritual attire, speaking, singing and positioning a wand in ways keeping with her magico-religious beliefs and practices.

On the topic of magic, some Christians cherry pick the Old Testament to argue that the Bible offers no saving distinction between white and black magic, and that all magic is evil. In actual fact, however, divination (as one form of magic) is alternately prohibited and condoned in different parts of the Old Testament. Meanwhile, other Christian thinkers say there’s a general move away from divination to revelation and a sheer trust in God, this being most apparent in the New Testament.

To those who say that magic is altogether sinful, Dr. Trevarthen clearly disagrees, proposing that magical power, itself, is morally neutral. Drawing on the analogy of electrical power, she says that magical power can be used for good or ill. Accordingly, she believes that white magic and its apparent corollary of profound self knowledge (i.e. gnosis) are useful tools for personal and collective development.

What distinguishes Dr. Trevarthen from some of the more gnarly gnostics, however, is her willingness to engage with Christians in intelligent discourse, as made obvious by her active participation in interdisciplinary conferences and colloquia. And her emphasis on the importance of love, especially in the early childhood years, brings her into close contact with contemporary psychology and, we could say, the underlying thread of all world religions–along with those individuals who simply have their heart in the right place.

But to return to Harry, it seems his incredible journey speaks to anyone finding him- or herself dealing with an initial transition from, and subsequent balancing act between, secular and sacred realities. As Dr. Trevarthen observes, Harry is both regular and special. He suffers and loses much but is repaid more than he could have ever imagined. As such, Harry represents those who truly live rather than just talk about the spiritual life.

Overall, The Seekers Guide to Harry Potter challenges the worldly wise (humorously called “Muggles” in the novels) by not reducing the imagination to biochemistry and neurology but seeing it as evidence for the indwelling of the spirit. Seekers interested in the meeting of fantasy literature and contemporary religious movements should find this DVD an extremely worthwhile part of their collection.

Extras include Dr. Trevarthen discussing beliefs about the four traditional elements of earth, air, fire and water and their correspondence to magical implements.

–MC

Related Articles

• ‘Harry Potter’ 3 & 4 Blu-ray giveaway (popwatch.ew.com)
• ‘Harry Potter’ author JK Rowling wins Danish award (omg.yahoo.com)
• New ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ TV Spots (screenrant.com)
• DVD: Contest: Win Harry Potter Ultimate Edition DVDs for Prisoner Of Azkaban and Goblet Of Fire (avclub.com)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ‘epic’ trailer blasts anything that moves (joystiq.com)
• The Harry Potter books, each outlined as a poster-sized comic [Concept Art] (io9.com)
• Projects ” Creations ” Harry Potter Drawing (cutoutandkeep.net)
• “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I soundtrack cover art revealed” and related posts (snitchseeker.com)
• ‘Harry Potter’ Ticket Presale Begins. Will You Buy Your Tix Early? (jsyk.com)
• Harry Potter author wins Danish literature prize (thestar.com)

The Romantic Idealization of American Indians in Early American Literature

Uncas, chief of the Mohegan tribe, executes Miantonomoh of the Narragansett tribe after a battle in (what is now) Norwich, Connecticut, United States in 1643 via Wikipedia

by Mary Arnold

One of the major controversies in the acquisition and development of America as an independent nation was the dilemma concerning the people who were already here. As a Christian people, it would have been sinful for our founders to just ‘take’ the land from other peoples. Therefore, the settlers and the succeeding generations began romanticizing the Indians, depicting them as either noble children of nature in need of civilization and Christianity or as ferocious, demonic savages in need of extermination. Neither view exhibited the reality of the Native Americans. From the earliest American writings, this image of the Indian, either as inherently noble or inherently evil, has persisted in our culture to the present. In Columbus’ letter regarding his first voyage to the Americas, he describes a virtual Garden of Eden. While he does not describe the natives he encounters in great detail, it is safe to assume that he did not find them to be menacing or ferocious savages based on the content of his letter. Columbus states that he “sent two men inland to learn if there were a king or great cities” and that the men traveled for three days and “found an infinity of small hamlets and people without number” (Norton 26). Surely Columbus would not have sent two men among the Indians if he had any indication that the Indians would not be peaceful and welcoming.

However, in his letter to Ferdinand and Isabella, Columbus’ view of the natives has changed. In pleading his plight to his sovereigns, Columbus says he is in “daily expectation of death” and “encompassed about by a million savages, full of cruelty” (Norton 28). These contrary and romanticized depictions of the Native Americans would be picked up and even expanded on by later American writers.

William Bradford carried on peaceful and friendly relations with the Indians that lived where they set up Plymouth Plantation. The Pilgrims made a treaty with the chief Massasoit which continued “24 years” (Norton 86). Additionally, Bradford transfers romantic qualities to Squanto, an Indian who had been captured and taken to England. Bradford says of Squanto that there are “scarce any left alive besides himself” which instigates the “vanishing Indian” myth that Cooper later uses for his narrative (Norton 87). Bradford also idealizes Squanto by referring to him as a “special instrument sent of God for [the Pilgrims] good” (Norton 87). The writings of John Smith further emphasize the ambiguous feelings of the Europeans towards the Indians. When he and his men were in danger of starving to death, Smith describes how God “changed the hearts of the savages” so as to provide food for the Europeans (Norton 45). The indication here is clear: that the Indians are ‘savage’ by nature but all that is needed to make them good people is Christianity. When Smith is later taken hostage by Powhatan and his tribe, he narrates how he was “kindly feasted and well used” (Norton 49). But despite this, Smith remains fearful of
the Indians, no matter how much he tries to make himself sound bold and unafraid. The fact that he is afraid of the Indians and their personal nature is seen through Smith’s description of the Indians in langauge and imagery that is horrifying. He depicts them as “devils,” “fiends,” having a “hellish voice” and entertaining him with “strange and fearful conjurations” (Norton 50). Smith is definitely romanticizing the Indians by making them seem as if they are demons from Hell.

These three romantic idealizations of the Indian (noble warrior, bloodthirsty savage, and vanishing Indian) converge in James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans. As the title suggests, the tribe of the Mohicans has been so very diminished that only two remain, Chingachgook and his son Uncas. This exhibits the “vanishing Indian” mythology. The tribes of Indians that are the central focus in Cooper’s narrative are the Mohicans (Delawares) and the Iroquois (Mohawks). These tribes are depicted in the characters of Chingachgook and Uncas (Mohicans), and Magua, who even though was born a Huron, has became a member of the Iroquois federation. According to Cooper, both of these tribes are vanishing due to the “inroads of civilization” (Cooper 6). Chingachgook tells Hawkeye when his son Uncas dies “there will no longer be any of the blood of the Sagamores” because Uncas is the last of the pure blood Mohicans (Cooper33). As for the Six Nations of the Iroquois, Cooper tells the reader in a footnote that:

“There are remnants of all these people still living on lands secured to them by the state; but they are daily disappearing, either by deaths or by removals to scenes more congenial to their habits. In a short time there will be no remains of these extraordinary people, in those regions in which they dwelt for centuries” (Cooper 20).

Thus does Cooper romanticize the idea of the “vanishing Indian myth.” In his introduction to the first edition of his novel, Cooper describes the “native warriors of America” in the following manner: “In war, he is daring, boastful, cunning, ruthless, self-denying, and self-devoted; in peace, just, generous, hospitable, revengeful, superstitious, modest, and commonly chaste” (Cooper 5).

This type of description of Indians denies their individuality in human emotions and characteristics. As such, it romanticizes them by assigning them inviolable personality traits. Of the narrative’s three main Indian characters, Chingachgook and Uncas are idealized as the “noble warriors” and Magua is romanticized as the “bloodthirsty savage.” None of these characters are presented in a realistic, humanistic fashion. They are spoken of in langauge that portrays them as highly exalted or irretrievably degraded.

In his first appearance in the novel, Chingachgook is seen seated on a log, engaged in a debate with Hawkeye. Chingachgook uses “calm and expressive gestures” and the posture of his body to “heighten” the effect of his “earnest langauge” (Cooper 29). He has reached middle age, but has no “symptoms of decay” that would suggest a lessening of “his manhood” (Cooper 29). Furthermore, even though Chingachgook is habitually suspicious, he is “not only without guile” but is possessed of “sturdy honesty” (Cooper 30). These physical and mental traits provide us with the classic image of the strong and stoic Indian warrior, one who is brave and fearless when necessary but kind and calm also. Chingachgook’s son Uncas is idealized even more than his father is.

Uncas is “fearless”, “dignified,” “noble,” “proud,” “determined,” “brave,” and “constant” (Cooper 53). Even Alice, who is fearful of all Indians, says of Uncas that she “could sleep in peace with such a fearless and generous looking youth for her sentinel” (Cooper 53). And Duncan allows that Uncas is a “rare and brilliant instance of those natural qualities” existing in Indians (Cooper 53). This portrayal of Uncas
suggests that he is not like others of his tribe or race; that he is somehow exalted above the rest. Cooper plays up this exaltation of Uncas by revealing that he is descended from a noble chief (implying that Uncas’ blood is ‘royal’) later in the novel when Uncas is about to be burned at the stake (Cooper 309).

When Uncas is sentenced to death, his friends react in various ways: Duncan struggles to get free, Hawkeye anxiously looks around for a way to escape, and Cora throws herself at Tamenund’s feet to plead for mercy for Uncas (Cooper 309). Only Uncas remains calm and serene. He watches the preparations for the fire with a “steady eye” and does not resist when the other Indians come to seize him (Cooper 309). One gets the impression that if Uncas had not been spared by the discovery of his tortoise tattoo, he would have went to his death calmly without saying one word to save himself. This is a highly idealized portrait of a person, not so would we expect someone to act in this particular circumstance no matter how brave the person was.

At the opposite side of human nature, Cooper romanticizes the character of Magua as intrinsically evil and depraved. Other than being brave and fearless, Magua has no qualities that would be considered good as possessing. Magua is described as having the “characteristic stoicism” of his race, but his countenance exhibits a “sullen fierceness” (Cooper 17). Further Magua’s expression is “cunning,” “savage,” “repulsive,” and having an eye “which [glistens] like a fiery star” (Cooper 18). Alice is afraid of Magua, based on his physical appearance, and refers to him as a “spectre” inhabiting the woods (Cooper 20). Cora tends to give Magua the benefit of the doubt, even though she first looks upon him with “pity, admiration, and horror” (Cooper 19). Even Duncan, who says he knows Magua well and trusts him, tells Alice not to show any distrust or fear to Magua, or she may “invite the danger [she] appears to apprehend” (Cooper 21). This admonition to Alice displays Duncan’s tendency to equate Magua with some species of wild animal, which will attack when sensing fear.

The idealization of Indians in Last of the Mohicans exhibits the period’s ambivalence towards the first inhabitants of the Americas. The colonists tended to either romanticize them as children of God or nature, or as savage, brutal heathens. This attitude towards the Indians began with Columbus and, in some degree, still exists today.

Sources

Norton Anthology of American Literature

The Last of the Mohicans

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article49286.html

Related Articles

• Last of the Mohicans: No 18 (guardian.co.uk)
• Considerations On Cherokee Indians Origins (brighthub.com)
• For and Against: Two Sides of the 1830s Indian Removal (prweb.com)
• Homes of the Cherokee Indians (brighthub.com)
• TV Review: Reel Injun on PBS (blogcritics.org)
• Art: Indian Conquest (time.com)
• Indians: New Flag Over Alcatraz (time.com)
• New Joint Venture Formed Between Tribal Financial Advisors and Cannery Casino Resorts (eon.businesswire.com)
• Wisconsin Law Initiates End of Native American Mascots in Schools (race.change.org)

‘Avatar’ also story of deep DNA within many Americans

By Steve Hammons

This article also appears at the author’s websites Joint Recon Study Group and Transcendent TV & Media, as well as American Chronicle. It first appeared at Earthpages.org on February 14, 2010. With the recent DVD release of Avatar, we thought it would be a good idea to post it again.

The blockbuster movie Avatar has triggered interesting discussions and perceptions by a wide range of observers and moviegoers.

However, have we missed some aspects of particularly relevant elements of the film?

There are millions of Americans who carry Native American Indian DNA with them. Yet, many of these people may consider themselves “white,” “black” or “brown.”

Might they also now be going through a transformation similar to some of the characters in Avatar?

James Cameron expands our views of other possibly-inhabited worlds and enhances our perspectives on planet Earth. In the movie, we see a people, the Na’vi, who are similar to Native American Indians.

Three of the main characters, particularly the character Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington), move their consciousness from their human bodies to hybrid, combined-DNA bodies similar to the Na’vi.

As they visit and live with the Na’vi, they come to appreciate and understand this unique culture, and eventually choose to help them defend their land.

Is Jake’s experience of living within a combined-DNA body similar to the many Americans who have mixed-ethnicity backgrounds – especially those with Native American Indians in their family trees?

WIDESPREAD CHEROKEE DNA

An especially relevant example of this situation is the history of the intermingling of Cherokee and early English, Scottish and Scots-Irish trappers, hunters and explorers in the Appalachian Mountain region, primarily during the 1700s.

The Cherokee culture and civilization had thrived for thousands of years in that mountain area that we now call northern Georgia and Alabama, up through North Carolina, Tennessee and the surrounding region.

The matriarchal society of the Cherokee allowed significant independence and freedom for women. And when lonely European men first made their way into Cherokee lands in the early 1700s, Cherokee women were free to develop relationships with them. Nature took its course and babies of mixed ethnicity were born.

As the decades passed, this mixing of ethnic groups present in the Appalachian region continued. By 1800, there were large numbers of mixed-ethnicity people living there.

By the time of the infamous “Trail of Tears” in 1838 – the round-up and forced march to Oklahoma of the remaining Appalachian Cherokee – there were several generations of this mixed-ethnicity population.

Many Cherokee and mixed-ethnicity people had already left the region in previous years. Having seen the writing on the wall, they left their ancestral homeland for places like Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and other areas to the west.

By doing so, they avoided the Trail of Tears, on which approximately 4,000 men, women and children died from hardship, cold, starvation and illness.

Those mixed-ethnicity people who could “pass as white” in the region around the Appalachian Mountains often did so. With Scottish or English names, these people found it wise to self-identify as white due to significant social and legal discrimination against Native American Indians such as the Cherokee.

Over later decades, as many generations of Americans intermarried, this genetic and cultural connection in large numbers of American families became just a family story that no one was quite sure about.

Today, millions of Americans have Cherokee or other Native American Indian DNA within them. Some know it. Some wonder about it. Some suspect it. And many have no idea about this element of themselves and within themselves.

EMERGING CONSCIOUSNESS

Current research in genetics and DNA is making great strides, some people say dangerously so. Much DNA has been mapped and we can identify certain genes which may contribute to physical characteristics or medical conditions.

We can send a sample of a swab from our cheek to DNA testing labs to obtain information about our ancient ancestry.

But there is much about the DNA within us that we do not understand. Much of it is unidentified and its roles are not entirely clear.

Some people wonder what part our DNA plays in our personality, perspectives and consciousness. And, could certain elements of deep DNA, such as ancient Native American Indian genetic background, emerge in our thinking and feeling in some way today?

Like Jake Sully in Avatar, many of us may be experiencing new kinds of viewpoints and feelings about life, Nature and spiritual awareness based on the Cherokee or other tribal DNA and ancient memories within us.

The millions of Americans today who have Cherokee, Native American Indian or other tribal backgrounds within them might be undergoing a transformation. The push and pull within these Americans might be a struggle between different kinds of viewpoints and feelings that have connections to ancient DNA and ancient consciousness.

In some ways, maybe this is also a struggle to not only identify and understand our ancient ancestors within us, but to also experience them here and now in our daily lives and challenges.

As we know, Cameron’s Avatar is not only a fantasy about the future of far-away moon like Pandora or the experiences of the Na’vi people, it is about Earth and the human race today.

Many Americans may be experiencing the confusing and conflicting feelings, challenging decision-making, emerging perspectives and transformation of consciousness that Jake Sully experienced in Avatar.