Red Dawn (33 years ago)
November 18th, 2017 at 6:54:03 PM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | This film, released in 1984 was somewhat shocking at the time because it implied that the Europeans would all leave NATO and sit out the next war. The seldom seen remake had the USA fighting the Chinese until someone remembered that the Chinese are the most numerous film fans in the world. They quickly changed the invading army to North Koreans, but the film was never released in China anyway. I do remember in 1984 that I was shocked at the idea that we would go to war without our European allies. Now it seems like a real possibility. |
November 18th, 2017 at 7:07:45 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
Not only that, the Chinese have a better sense of humor than most modern countries do. Ask any US diplomat where he would rather be sent and it will be China over anywhere in EU. The diplomats in EU are dour, gloomy, and have a very limited humor scale. The Chinese are open, often see multiple sides of everything, and can be very fun people to deal with. They aren't doom and gloom activists like so many in Europe are. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
November 18th, 2017 at 7:39:13 PM permalink | |
Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 | I liked the original. I saw it when it first came out so forgive me if me if I don't remember it that well. That said, I don't think the movie ever mentioned the larger picture of the war. It could be assumed that the USSR attacked Europe as well. Besides, the movie defied logic to begin with. You would think we had a military the size of the Podunk Iowa police department to be conquered so easily. Granted, the USSR had the advantage of surprise, but still. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
November 18th, 2017 at 7:46:51 PM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
Chinese history (or at least mythology) goes back 4000 years, near the Birth of Abraham. So for most of human civilization there has been a China. As opposed to Belgium which is 187 years old and was almost wiped out several times. Maybe it gives the Chinese a different sense of statesmanship, because they figure that one way or the other they will always be here. |
November 18th, 2017 at 9:24:19 PM permalink | |
Evenbob Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 146 Posts: 25010 |
I have heard people say they made lifelong friends while living in China. You hear the opposite about, say, Japan. You can live there for 10 years and have no friends and never feel welcome, even if you deal with the same Japanese every day. It's an entirely different culture than China. Or even VietNam. Which is also a friendly Asian country. If you take a risk, you may lose. If you never take a risk, you will always lose. |
November 18th, 2017 at 9:55:21 PM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 |
You are correct, the movie did concentrated on showing American teen partisans fighting like teenagers did in occupied territory in WWII. The story wasn't very concerned with the global politics, but there was one piece of dialogue that gave a minimal story. I always remembered the phrase about Europe, "They are sitting this one out". The Latino population in the USA went from 4.5% in 1970 to 6.4% in 1980, so the writers tapped into some of that fear. The Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2016, constitute 17.8%.
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November 18th, 2017 at 10:05:25 PM permalink | |
Wizard Administrator Member since: Oct 23, 2012 Threads: 239 Posts: 6095 | I forgot about that exchange. I recall at the time there was near 100% correlation between your liking of the movie and political orientation. Knowledge is Good -- Emil Faber |
November 19th, 2017 at 1:45:40 AM permalink | |
Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | None of it was really very believable. Third rate Cuban paratroopers landing in a high school playing field. No English language skills. No priority targets. No news bulletins of events elsewhere as warnings. It wasn't about geopolitical influence it was just enough to make things look a little more reasonable for events to be taking place in Jerkwater, USA. |
November 19th, 2017 at 3:35:22 AM permalink | |
Pacomartin Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 1068 Posts: 12569 | "The Day After" aired on television the year before At the time the movie came out, Konstantin Chernenko had succeeded Yuri Andropov has leader of the Soviet Union.
I don't remember that very well. I saw the movie as a simple WWII propaganda film that was updated to the present day using the standard bogeyman of the time. |
November 19th, 2017 at 4:32:43 AM permalink | |
AZDuffman Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 135 Posts: 18136 |
I think there still is the same correlation. IIRC it was on Siskel and Ebert that one of them was complaining that the first thing the Cubans did was go to the sheriff's office to get a list of registered guns. I still think one thing in both this and "Amerika" is true. Most of the USA will lie down to an invasion if they are allowed to keep their homes and live in relative comfort. A minority would even welcome invaders as liberators, at least at first. The President is a fink. |