Posted on 11/22/2013 4:27:13 AM PST by Truth29
Mission accomplished, and with the sequel, the gloves come off. “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is a muscular, engrossing, unexpectedly bleak epic of oppression and insurrection, directed with dramatic urgency and a skilled eye by Francis Lawrence (“Constantine,” “I Am Legend”). Set in the fascist future state of Panem, the movie takes pains to show its young mass audience what living under a totalitarian dictatorship might look and feel like. But the sharpest aspects of “Catching Fire” — the parts that sting — play as an allegory for today. Very few people will take in this spectacle of a society amusing itself to death, of “reality games” and the vapid media hysteria that surrounds them, and not draw a parallel to our own televised bread and circuses. At its best, “Catching Fire” is a blockbuster that bites the culture that made it.
(Excerpt) Read more at bostonglobe.com ...
Sadly true which is why conservatives feel unrepresented and betrayed all too often. Everything seems to boil down to power and control over a subjugated population and not about whatever official reason for a new program that is being proposed.
The Hunger Games is a retelling of the story of Theseus. With some of the less savory parts left out.
I’ve read through this thread with interest. I don’t think the political stance of the writer matters as much as the time in which the story was written. Science fiction tends to reflect the thoughts and worries of the time, and the popularity of the books reflects the worry that an all-powerful centralized government will reduce the United States into colorless districts that provide 100 percent of its productivity to a distant elite who rule with totalitarianism combined with bread and circuses.
In that sense, it’s about us. One of the only parts of the United States experiencing expansive economic growth is the capital. Otherwise, most of us are either going nowhere or going downhill. The story reflects the fears of where that will lead. The sullen resentment in District 12 sure as hell reflects a lot of what I hear around me from most everyone, right or left.
The story itself is Theseus, however, and in that respect it’s timeless. I found the book a little dopey, but I’m no longer a kid. I can see a kid latching onto the big government as dictator theme easily, though, so that’s good news. However, that was also the theme of the French Revolution and the Octoberists, so it’s not necessarily all good. It’s just a reflection of where we are now.
Personally, I liked Star Trek better.
Yeah...got to dumb down the concepts of Atlas Shrugged to an 8th grade reading level...to get anybody under 30 to read it...and understand it...
BTW...I read the trilogy and absolutely HATED the way the storyline ended in book three...
It was a great read up until that point...
Excellent oomments. I hope you get to see the film. It is thoroughly adult and a screaming warning message against an imperial capital and Presidency. See it in IMAX if you can.
I saw Catching Fire last night and it was great. So much better than expected. Surprisingly dark and angry and no sugarcoating of what happens when a society accepts tyranny for too long. I really can’t wait for the next one.
I don’t think Valerie Jarrett and George Soros will be pleased with this movie.
No they won’t and it is very easy to draw parallels between President Snowe and Obama as well as the wealthy decadence of the capital and the same in Washington, DC vs. the struggles of most of the rest of the US. Also, with the increasing militarization of the Federal agencies and local police forces using Federal funds, it is also easy to project that trend to the Regime forces used in the movie. Having now seen Catching Fire, I highly recommend it. It is a harsh, dark and hard hitting portrayal of tyranny in action and what a people must do to resist.
He volunteered to take the place of a human sacrifice. That's about it.
Believe as you like.
Q: You weave action, adventure, mythology, sci-fi, romance, and philosophy throughout
The Hunger Games. What influenced the creation of The Hunger Games?
A: A significant influence would have to be the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. The myth tells how in punishment for past deeds, Athens periodically had to send seven youths and seven maidens to Crete, where they were thrown in the Labyrinth and devoured by the
monstrous Minotaur. Even as a kid, I could appreciate how ruthless this was. Crete was sending a very clear
message: “Mess with us and we’ll do something worse than kill you. We’ll kill your children.”
And the thing is, it was allowed; the parents sat by powerless to stop it. Theseus, who was the son of the king, volunteered to go. I guess in her own way, Katniss is a futuristic Theseus. In keeping with the classical roots, I send my tributes into an updated version of the Roman
gladiator games, which entails a ruthless government forcing people to fight to the death as popular entertainment. The world of Panem, particularly the Capitol, is loaded with Roman references. Panem itself comes from the expression “Panem et Circenses” which translates into “Bread and Circuses.”
The audiences for both the Roman games and reality TV are almost characters in themselves.
They can respond with great enthusiasm or play a role in your elimination.
http://www.thehungergames.co.uk/download/a_conversation_with_suzanne_collins.pdf
Hi there Jimbo!
Saw the movie thursday at marathon. Great as were the books
Author Collins was very involved in the screenwriter of both movies n was satisfied they followed true to her story. You cannot on film capture all in any book in a reasonable time frme.
They are dark movies. Symbolism strong to me
Hi there Jimbo!
Saw the movie thursday at marathon. Great as were the books
Author Collins was very involved in the screenwriter of both movies n was satisfied they followed true to her story. You cannot on film capture all in any book in a reasonable time frme.
They are dark movies. Symbolism strong to me
The Hunger Games is not a conservative manifesto.
________________
It is not a conservative manifesto.
It is not a leftist manifesto.
It is a manifesto about the human spirit and liberty.
The author’s opinions aside, I still view it as a good story about resistance to tyranny. Frankly, I can see either side of our political aisle acting in the manner portrayed here - because they’re really no different from each other. The objective for both Dem and GOPe politicians is nothing short of power and control over the citizenry.
___________________
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Quite an endorsement...
Indeed, and quite accurate. Without revealing details, the end of Catching Fire is the set up for the beginning of the third movie.
If it were, you wouldn't be shrugging - you'd be ticking off the obvious parallels.
The problem is, the list of parallels is very short. There is only one parallel, and that one is vague.
So I get why she would say this. Her lawyer is worth what she's paying him.
Here's the problem:
Athens and Crete were separate countries - Athens was not a district of Crete. District 12 is just a district directly ruled by The Capitol.
Athens was the only country to sent children to Crete, children were not sent from various districts or countries. In THG various districts send "tributes."
The children were not sent to fight one another. they were sent to be eaten by a monster. In THG the children are forced to fight one another.
The children were not sent as retaliation for a rebellion against Crete. They were sent as a prize of a war that was initiated by Crete. In THG the children are sent as a punishment for rebellion against The Capitol.
Theseus was the son of a king, a ruler of society volunteering as an adventure. Katniss is a commoner who volunteers to save her sister. This is the closest parallel between the two.
Theseus kills the monster and rescues all of the children. Katniss participates in the killing and all except two die.
Theseus' victory means certain death for him if he is caught, so he and the children leave for Athens. Katniss' victory makes her a celebrity in The Capitol.
What about Battle Royale? In a postapocalyptic world (check) an authoritarian government takes a selection of its own children (check) and, as a plan to distract citizens and discourage rebellion (check) it places these children in a secluded area designated as a battleground (check).
The children must fight to the death (check) and their combat is monitored remotely (check) while they are supplied with different weapons and tools (check). The winner gets rewarded by the government (check).
Even though there is supposed to be only one survivor (check), two children survive (check) - a boy and a girl (check), and the boy is in love with the girl (check).
Which seems a more plausible source for THG?
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