TROPIC THUNDER

             TROPIC THUNDER & COMEDY LIMITS IN 2023

Jack Black, Ben Stiller (Director, 2008), and Robert Downey Jr. from Tropic Thunder Poster

Tropic Thunder is a movie about making a movie, where a group of ego-driven actors join forces in a farcical, yet real, war film. Think a satire of The Expendables (dir. Stallone, 2010), which may be where Stallone got the idea for his franchise. Part of the allure of Tropic Thunder is Stiller's uncanny knack at using irony to point out our own personal flaws. If you laugh at the method acting, black-faced Downey Jr, or the horrible acting that embodies Simple Jack, then you are flawed, because those are off limits by societal decision. 

Simple Jack trailer as seen in the film Tropic Thunder

Making fun of race, ability, sexuality, religion, or any other sensitive issue should be prohibited to some. I would argue that without satire, we never understand where those limits are, or when they are being abused. Comedy is the SAFEST place to test this! We've all been in serious, heated discussions. They don't go over as well as a good action comedy. 

 Last week Ben Stiller brought this film back onto the radar with the following tweet:

I'd like to say there are two camps to this debate; those of us that are free speech purists, and those that get butt-hurt easily. Okay, so that's rude, but understanding the subjectivity of film viewing tells us there are millions of impressions of this movie. There are certainly a wide-range of opinions as to whether Tropic Thunder is offensive or not.

Robert Downey Jr in Blackface using the word "retard."

Just two of the controversial issues broached in Tropic Thunder

Still, just because I find THIS satirical approach to blackface funny (I don't think all blackface is funny), I don't find joy in the hurt feelings of others. It's funny because it's SO wrong. It's shocking and then Downey Jr. played it to a tee. He employed every stereotypical, tropey aspect of method acting,  ACTING like he was good enough to pull it off... lot of layers to that character actually. He was nominated for an Oscar, so the Academy acknowledged this. For me, this is the whole reason I agree with Stiller, he should not apologize. Can comedy go too far? I can only answer for me, and yes, there are times I have found comedic representations offensive. In this case, the portrayal pointed out the absurdity. As much as I hate the word "retard," the Simple Jack scenes would have fallen short without it and would have been less absurd, ensuring some would miss the point. Whether it's right or offensive or stupid, I still don't think it should be brought to its knees by "Cancel Culture." 

The best outcome from any of this is a cultural discussion about meanings and intent. Even better, make us really think about the Les Grossman character that is a total asshole and preys on others. I'm sorry that it took almost a decade after Tropic Thunder to actually catch up to Harvey Weinstein. 

Click here to read this Telegraph article by Robbie Collin

Tropic Thunder is comedic satire, which doesn't inherently protect it from controversy, but it sure opens the door to parody a lot of ridiculous aspects of the film industry. Would we accept an expose on the extreme egos of actors and the lines they may cross to remain famous? Well, they exist! It's a fact that documentary isn't going to draw the same audience as an action flick. Like the gawkers that hold up traffic staring at an accident, we would rather be shocked then simply informed. Tropic Thunder does this to make us ask, how far is too far? How ridiculous is too ridiculous? I mean, there's a movie called Cocaine Bear coming out next week! We will hear from animal rights activists. It will gross millions.

INTENT MATTERS! In their own words, hundreds of times, Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, and Etan Cohen have said they are proud of the film and the issues it raised. It was intentional and entertaining! That's exactly what I want from my art. They were asking us to think about how we value celebrity. We ARE the consumers of superstardom. We crave unique, thought provoking performances that are Oscar worthy. We want to see our favorite stars pushing boundaries and giving us something we've never seen before. We will stop buying tickets or streaming if we aren't impressed. And as I've just had 23 out of 24 students tell me Citizen Kane is quite assuredly NOT the greatest movie of all time, audiences are changing. That's what I think Tropic Thunder was asking and telling us at the same time.  At the absolute heart it was a funny action movie, as it was intended, with some scenes that would even make Michael Bay proud. 

Moviefone Interview

To be media literate is to understand the mediums you are consuming. Tropic Thunder is a piece of art entertainment that sought out to enthrall a contemporary audience while making them laugh. Maybe 15 years ago audiences were different than the current one that won't blockbust anything other than Superhero movies.  

To understand Tropic Thunder's intentions means you understand this film was trying to show you a line, and then like all good comedy, they attempted to push past it to make a point. It worked for me.

I give this film 💜💜💜💜💔 4 purple hearts and broken heart for anyone who was really hurt by it.

 

CITIZEN KANE

Why It's Still The Greatest Movie

💜💜💜💜💜

Sled Scene from Citizen Kane

This iconic scene; when we see young Charles truly happy for arguably the last time. The scene that sets up a life time of accumulation trying to fill the void that came from lack of family and love. Charles Foster Kane was happy sliding down that hill. We never see him filled with that kind of joy again. The age old question of whether money can buy happiness is answered. No, it certainly can not, nor can it buy love. As young Charles slides down the hill almost coming through the window, the audience sees the ultimate decision taking place that will change the trajectory of his life forever. Both parts of this scene equally important: Seeing Charles happy and the torturous decision his parents are making. Equally important and equally visible is everything in the entire frame of the shot. Without a split screen, the viewer is watching two actions happening at once, one in the background the other in the fore. It's one of the first times we see the deep focus technique that will change the way directors move through scenes in movies from that point forward.

Examples of Deep Focus

For taking one of the oldest adage's in story telling and making it brilliantly different, I believe Citizen Kane (Dir. 1941 Welles) is still the most remarkable film. The syuzhit narrative is vital to Kane's reception by the audience. Because the reporter uncovers the information out of chronological order, our emotions bounce all over the place. The pity evoked at the same time many feel true disdain for Kane, is awesome, and due to this narrative technique. I can't imagine character emotions before Kane ever dripping off the screen the way they did in Kane. The narrative and camera told us how to feel. The combined techniques amplified their individual effects.

Viewers can feel the dissolution of the Kane marriage through camera work

Twisting this antiheroic love story on its side is not the only reason Kane should still be considered the greatest movie ever. For the first time in film history, cinematography proved a 2-dimensional medium could FEEL 3-dimensional. Director of Photography, Gregg Toland was a genius behind the camera and he understood lenses as a science. It was also his humble, quiet teaching after production hours that allowed Welles to take credit for the masterpiece that became the greatest. Every single shot in the movie is a masterpiece, as if it were orchestrated like notes in a symphony. It proves cinema is undeniably an art form that uses many nuanced techniques to achieve its messaging. 

Gregg Toland (1904- 1948)

Finally, the cajones of Welles himself, to go after the greatest Tycoon of his time in spoofing the life of William Randolph Hearst, cracks me up every time I think of it. Hearst attempted to black list Welles for the film. Not necessarily well received at the box office, Hearst made sure only bad or no reviews made it into his monopoly of newspapers. Still, it was nominated for nine academy awards only to win one for best screen play. Was Hearst's sentiment influential within an academy that depended on his papers for press? The preeminance in Kane was obvious. How could it not win more, best cinematography at the least? It wasn't until Kane aired on television in the 50's that film scholars and critics began to look at the movie through a deeper more analytic lens. Its true influence was chronicled.

Comedy Central ~ Drunk History on Hearst & Welles :)

Many students ask me if I've been brainwashed to think Kane is the best because industry leaders have been saying it for so long. Haven't I seen Avengers!!!? It's a great question and my response is perhaps argumentum ad populum is taking place. Still, just saying it doesn't make the cinematography awesome, it truly is incredible for anyone to see, even by today's standards.

Like I respect Mohammad Ali as the best, Alice Paul or Sandra Day O'Connor as original badasses, others may not agree. There are definitely better movies than those made by Alice Guy Blache, 100 years ago, but it is her firstness, plus greatness, and almost perfection, that combine to equal 'the best.' In an age where GOAT's are determined precisely, statistically, and change often, being perfectly awesome and first is a better calculator for me. There's a bravery in it, that those who follow don't have to have. That is part of the reason I say Citizen Kane is the best. For the first time in cinema history all of the stars aligned; a daring, innovative narrative, jaw-dropping cinematography, masterful editing, gorgeous and disturbing chiaroscuro lighting, and uncanny acting performances that you really believed, all came together like a strike of lightning. I respect Kane's position as the first of the thousands of films that would try to emulate its excellence. Many have come close to matching the greatness of Kane, some have surpassed it in ways, but none have matched the synergy of mastering all the amazing cinematic techniques and innovations that made up the 1941 classic.

Chiaroscura in Kane

Students also ask me 'if I think it's the best, shouldn't it be my favorite movie'? I don't think so. Whether it's my favorite doesn't change that Citizen Kane was the first to do so much right in one film. Like many other mediums, technologies, or historical advancements, it gets to keep the title of 'best' for its historical significance as well as its prodigiousness. That's the reason I feel passionately that film students should see this movie and understand what it did, is, and does, even if some are bored by it. My job is to help you see the significance. I DO love Avengers! I hope my students can see there are aspects of Avengers that wouldn't exist without Kane. 

And whether it's my favorite or not, if I'm rolling through the channels on the TV (if we actually do that anymore) and Citizen Kane does happen to be on, you can bet I'm stopping and quit assuredly seeing something I've never caught before. And I've seen it dozens of times. The ONLY other movie I can say that about is Airplane:) I'm pretty certain the Zucker brothers took a page out of the Kane playbook for their scenic design, which is exactly the point I'm making. Kane is the greatest until another film break's every boundary in cinema history, all in one feature...then thousands of films copy and millions of people talk about it for decades and decades after its release. 

I give this film: 💜💜💜💜💜  Five Purple Hearts out of Five Purple Hearts!

~Lady Guinevere