Posted on 11/30/2013 2:34:46 PM PST by LS
When I saw "The Hunger Games," I was sure there was a strong anti-government message that seemed closely related to our current situation in the USA. The newest episode in the trilogy, "Catching Fire," sharpens that message even further.
Jennifer Lawrence is headed for a position as one of those generation-defining actresses, much the way Katherine Hepburn, Raquel Welch, and Meryl Streep were. I'm not talking acting talent, although it's pretty clear Jenny can act. I'm talking about the actress who most quickly comes to mind when you talk of the early 21st century. She delivers another excellent performance as Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant rebel who must feign love for Peeta Millark (Josh Hutcherson) so that they both can survive the Hunger Games. Episode 2, "Catching Fire," picks up not long after they have become "victors" in the games and now live, relatively speaking, a life of Riley in District 12. (Not to be confused with District, 9, which is where the aliens live).
For those unfamiliar with the general story, a rebellion against the "Capital District," or "CD," has resulted in the feds crushing the "districts." Each district is defined by what it produces---food, lumber, fish, coal/gas, and so on. However, the Capital District doesn't produce anything. It leeches off all the other districts, which have been brought into subjugation. Further, to teach the districts a lesson about rebellion, every year the feds have an "entertainment" called the Hunger Games in which two candidates are "reaped" from each district---always teens to young people---and they fight to the death until there is a single victor. At the end of "Hunger Games" (episode/book 1), Katniss and Peeta find poisonous berries that they threaten to take unless both are named victors, and President Snow (whose heart is entirely black), his back against the wall, has to allow them to live for propaganda purposes. But he doesn't like it!
By episode 2, Katniss is becoming a revolutionary symbol to the oppressed people of the districts (symbolized by the Mockinjay and a hand gesture that resembles that of the Boy Scouts accompanied by a short whistle). Snow, of course, can't tolerate this kind of challenge, so he arranges through a new Games Master Plutarch (!) Heavensby (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to have a "Quarter Quell," a special once-every-25-years reaping to be fought by only victors from the districts. That leaves as the District 12 candidates Katniss and either Peeta or Haymitch (Woody Harrelson). Predictably, Peeta ends up as Jenny's death date.
What is stunning is that the messages and symbolism of the series tracks extremely well with "Atlas Shrugged." Both books were written by women, with strong heroines as the central character. Both feature rebellion against the "Man." Toward the end of "Catching Fire," Katniss finds herself on the way to her own version of "Galt's Gulch," District 13 (which supposedly had been destroyed . . . but wasn't).
But more than "Atlas Shrugged," the message of the Hunger Games Trilogy is very much the D.C./government elites (not "the rich") vs. everyone else. As Heavensby tries to convince Snow not to kill Katniss but to subject her to the games again, he uses her pending wedding to Peeta as the bait. "Show executions and floggings," he says, then show Kaniss in her wedding gown. "Show executions. Show the wedding." In other words, show the Kardashians and show the seamy side of America and get the people agitated against the elites. . . .
Except, it isn't the elites that Heavensby is setting up, and it isn't "the rich" that the people in the districts hate but rather the D.C. "Capital District" elites. The "gubment." It is clear that the only people in the CD are those who don't do anything, while all of the people in the other districts---think "flyover country"---produce everything.
Perhaps the most striking message to me was the degree to which everyone conducted their own mini-rebellions against the CD. Effie Trinket, Katniss's "handler" for the games, played by Elizabeth Banks, surreptitiously refers to Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and herself as a team and makes them each gold, well, trinkets. Katniss's is a gold Mockingjay pin. Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), the dressmaker and stylist goes out of his way to take digs at Snow, making Katniss's "wedding gown" burn up to reveal a stunning blue Mockingjay dress. Even half of the combatants are participating in a plot to overthrow Snow and the Capital District.
Cinematically sound, "Catching Fire" has memorable and epic theme music by James Newton Howard. As a sequel, it surpasses by far Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and ranks IMHO with "The Empire Strikes Back" and "The Two Towers."
Oh, and did I mention that the primary reading audience of this was teenagers? It is just the message they need to be hearing right now. But the theatrical audience has crossed all boundaries, and the theater was as full of adults as teenagers and young people. (Analysis of ticket buyers confirms that the movie is reaching all age and demographic groups.) So if "Atlas Shrugged" the movie hasn't caught on as well as some of us would like, there is a film out there that speaks to the dangers of big government, the romance of resistance, and the value of standing up to "the Man." And, as the graffiti in the train tunnels says, "We are always outnumbered." Big deal. Get used to it.
You may find this article interesting as regards Hunger Games being drawn as a Bush analogue: http://cnsnews.com/blog/lauren-thompson/propaganda-packed-hunger-games-dvd-written-frustration-bush-era
Bush entertained himself by having American children kill other American children on TV?
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I saw the same bunch of trailers and I was similarly disaffected. Why do they do that? After so much preview fantasy I am about fantasied out. Not sure I want to hang around for the main event...
Can’t a movie just be a movie?
It’s a movie. It’s not real.
Loved it. Enjoy!
It is a good time TM. I would watch it again.
Despite the dystopian setting it deals with subjects like loyalty, personal honor, self reliance, responsibility to others and self sacrifice.
It's too bad the first movie did not follow the book more closely. Although it was told from the girl (Katniss) perspective, she only survives because of the self sacrificing actions of the shrewd, humane and courageous baker's son (Peeta) who is her district counterpart
In the movie he's a wimp saved by the warrior-like Katniss, the book wasn't that way at all.
The subsequent books required too much suspension of disbelief for me, but my kids liked them and the new movie. I'll wait till its on TV
And Jennifer Lawrence although beautiful and talented is both too tall and too old to be a believable Katniss
> It’s a movie. It’s not real.
I don’t know. Sounds like it could almost be real when it’s described like this:
“For those unfamiliar with the general story, a rebellion against the “Capital District,” or “CD,” has resulted in the feds crushing the “districts.” Each district is defined by what it produces-—food, lumber, fish, coal/gas, and so on. However, the Capital District doesn’t produce anything. It leeches off all the other districts, which have been brought into subjugation”
Jennifer Lawrence is a remarkable young actress who has excelled in some pretty demanding roles. She has a great thing going. I just hope Hollywood doesn’t destroy her, as it destroys so many others. She seems unusually grounded so maybe the odds are in her favor.
I got the same message that you did.
However it has worried me that, as sensationally popular as the books and movies have been, especially among young people, I have seen very little comparison with contemporary politics--a comparison that is STRIKING to me!
What gives?
"Oh, and did I mention that the primary reading audience of this was teenagers? It is just the message they need to be hearing right now. But the theatrical audience has crossed all boundaries, and the theater was as full of adults as teenagers and young people. (Analysis of ticket buyers confirms that the movie is reaching all age and demographic groups.) So if "Atlas Shrugged" the movie hasn't caught on as well as some of us would like, there is a film out there that speaks to the dangers of big government, the romance of resistance, and the value of standing up to 'the Man.' "
You're right, LS, of course. I just hope the public gets the message.
Note the tagline I've been using for some time now.
Rollerball in reverse but the same, sort of. (Good review, tho)
Thanks for the ping. I haven’t seen this show, and I appreciate the review.
Anyhow, it's a minor point, but as an old fan of historical costume epics, the bloodier the better, I was interested in how the Hunger Games folks would get a new twist on what is, essentially, a gladiator flick. I think they succeed remarkably well.
The mental state of the gladiators is of interest. All of them, the reluctant participants as well as the professionals, seem to accept the reality of the arena without question. It is an utterly pagan attitude, all the more effective for being underplayed. Of course most would rather not be there, but they are very matter of fact about their fates. And some of them, the careers, are preening professionals eager to fight, even though death is the overwhelmingly likely outcome.
When last in Rome, our guide at the Coliseum said off-handedly that only about five percent of the professional gladiators survived the arena. That's not unlike the odds in HG/CF. And the rewards for those who survived, won their freedom, and went into the bodyguard business could be substantial. Many of the survivors, in fact, volunteered to go back into the arena as free men. The mental state is interesting.
At this stage of the game I'm not sure the difference is big enough to matter.
By way of example I give you Richard Nixon's EPA, Or GHW Bushes ADA.
“Bush entertained himself by having American children kill other American children on TV?”
Why ask me? Ask the author: http://cnsnews.com/blog/lauren-thompson/propaganda-packed-hunger-games-dvd-written-frustration-bush-era
I hope you are right. Some people just go where the money is. Look at DC/CD, or is it AC/DC? Mayhaps they all swing both ways.
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