tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25871694529254852022024-02-08T04:45:39.361-08:00A Stranded VirginianGrig Tankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07181066672159101562noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2587169452925485202.post-11710319668442404532014-02-01T11:35:00.000-08:002014-02-01T11:35:21.370-08:00Breaking Bad=Broken ShowThe idea of dialectic art (teaching through the comparison of opposing views) is older than Abraham and fresher than <i>The Man of Steel</i>, and it's one of the reasons that shows like Rod Serling's <i>The Twilight Zone </i>became (and remain) so successful. Conflict makes a story worth following, but the message defines the conflict.<br />
<br />
That message is a major factor in the constant process of cultural evolution, so what happens when the message gets lost in special effects or mind-numbing atrocities? The <i>Transformers</i> movies and shows like <i>Prison Break </i>are examples of this. Labeouf's acting aside, any teaching that was supposed to take place in the first <i>Transformers</i> movie was drowned in waves of CG violence and Megan Fox glamour shots. Ask someone what the <i>appeal</i> of the movie was, and you'll get an instant response. I asked Emma what the <i>message</i> of the film was, and she said, "Cars turn into giant robots and beat up bad guys. So... I guess they're good?"<br />
<br />
Exactly. By teaching standards, the film failed.<br />
<br />
<i>Prison Break </i>suffers from a different affliction: literal overkill. Some of my old college roommates were intensely hooked into this show, but, from what I watched of it, it seemed like any teaching value <i>Prison Break</i> had was lost in the series' depiction of violence and overall corruption.<br />
<br />
If you're going to send a message, it helps not to hide it behind a giant robot or a dead body.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://troll.me/images/x-all-the-things/all-the-things-all-the-things-all-the-things-wait-what-were-we-talking-about.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://troll.me/images/x-all-the-things/all-the-things-all-the-things-all-the-things-wait-what-were-we-talking-about.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Grig Tankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07181066672159101562noreply@blogger.com5