As I was watching the film today in class, I kept thinking about how I found myself wondering who were the good guys and who were the bad guys. At the beginning of the film I thought I knew who was on which side, but then I caught myself rooting for the bad? guys. I then decided that there wasn't going to be any really clear line between good and bad since I could relate to both groups. It also seemed as if there were sub groups working against themselves. Can someone please tell me if I am way off track or am I seeing the same thing as the rest of you? Am I the only person that is rooting for both sides at the same time or confused that I feel that way? I can't wait to see what happens at the end of the film. I want to know who is going to win, or is it going to be the same as the books have been? So, far I find myself thinking the same thing that people have been saying in the class discussion about there not being a clear good person or bad person, winner or loser in the story. The one difference I see in myself so far with the film is that I am cheering for everyone instead of no one. Maybe I am just that weird. I hope not.
Was anyone shocked by some of the things in the film? Not that I mean shocked in the way it might sound... I just found that since this film is older, and from a more modest (or so I think, anyways) time period in film, I was surprised that some things were included in the film. The lengthy nude scene where the three women were swimming and "playing" in the wine bin with the guys, for example. The amount of bloodshed and killing also seemed uncharacteristic for that time period.
I was also struck by the amount of Spanish that was used... and the foul mouth on the one guy. He was rude to that woman!
One funny commentary on the film:
I giggled to myself during the very first big shoot out scene, and thought that there should be a disclaimer posted at the end of the film, and then I decided to modify it after the train crashing into itself later on... The disclaimer should say: There were no small children, sickly dogs, or horses harmed during the filming of this movie. However, old people, Christians, and scorpions are fair game.
Actually, plenty of horses were harmed, to be honest. This film was made well before there was any concern for animal safety in filmmaking, so those horses are actually running over tripwires.
ReplyDeleteThis leads to an interesting question about Blood Meridian, actually. I would imagine that there are certainly times when some or all of you were rooting for the kid. Anyone care to point out where these moments occur?
I also found myself unclear of who the bad guys were. I think the exclusion of a clear line between good and evil was intentional. One, it shows that everyone has good and evil in them. It is not the person that is one or the other, rather it is the choices that that person makes that are good or evil. Two, the indistinction shows that both sides are struggling with finding their places in the moderning world.
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