Over the weekend, Laura and I went to Kendall theatre to check out an independent film, "Beasts of the Southern Wild". The trailer portrayed the film as a seemingly pseudo-fantasy world in which a very young girl learns to survive on her own away from her father, but set in the backdrop of a world where large ancient beasts emerge from the melting polar ice caps and roam the land, causing havoc and destruction.
Ultimately the movie focused much more closely on the relationship between the father and daughter, but the environmental and societal undertones were quite remarkable. As noted above, these beasts emerged from the melting ice -- a clear nod to global warming. However, more intriguing was the society and geography surrounding the father and daughter: they were members of an outcast population, primarily minority, living in squalor on the swamps of a South-facing delta lying just beyond massive levees protecting the rest of society, and feasting regularly on a bounty of crawfish and other sea goodies. Clearly, this was Katrina writ large. As an added bonus, this outcast society took great pride in their land and their culture of love, joy, and connection with one another and with nature, in stark contrast to the robotic and monotonous lives of the people behind the levees, who are content to "plug themselves into the wall" to stay alive rather than let nature take its course.
All in all, it was a fascinating film replete with symbolism and adventure. I came in expecting the whimsical journey of "Hugo" but instead was treated to a topsy-turvy ride with wild beasts grounded very firmly in modern reality.
Ultimately the movie focused much more closely on the relationship between the father and daughter, but the environmental and societal undertones were quite remarkable. As noted above, these beasts emerged from the melting ice -- a clear nod to global warming. However, more intriguing was the society and geography surrounding the father and daughter: they were members of an outcast population, primarily minority, living in squalor on the swamps of a South-facing delta lying just beyond massive levees protecting the rest of society, and feasting regularly on a bounty of crawfish and other sea goodies. Clearly, this was Katrina writ large. As an added bonus, this outcast society took great pride in their land and their culture of love, joy, and connection with one another and with nature, in stark contrast to the robotic and monotonous lives of the people behind the levees, who are content to "plug themselves into the wall" to stay alive rather than let nature take its course.
All in all, it was a fascinating film replete with symbolism and adventure. I came in expecting the whimsical journey of "Hugo" but instead was treated to a topsy-turvy ride with wild beasts grounded very firmly in modern reality.
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