V for Vendetta

[unionworks]

On AMC this afternoon at 5. I am an Occupy supporter but haven't seen the movie yet. Guess now maybe I will understand the Guy Fawkes masks...

[SidDithers]

1. The Guy Fawkes masks at protests were started by Anonymous and Project Chanology...nt

Sid

[unionworks]

2. Thanks Sid

I'm willing to bet the movie is interesting.

[southernyankeebelle]

3. It was very good. I think you'll enjoy it.

[graywarrior]

4. you are going to LOVE it!

[white_wolf]

5. You should read the comic book.

It's a lot more radical than the movie. The movie was still good, but it was liberalism V conservatism, whereas the book was anarchism v fascism.

[unionworks]

7. I didn't know

There was a comic book! Thanks I'll definitely checkit out!

[white_wolf]

11. This where we must disagree.

I"d much prefer Kroptin's anarchy to what we have now, which is what I think Alan Moore subscribes too, unless he is an anarcho-capitalist, in which case fuck that!

[joshcryer]

16. Anarchists are democrats (lower case D).

All anarchists believe in democracy.

[white_wolf]

17. Well except for the anarcho-capitalists

they seem closer to warlordists or something.

[joshcryer]

18. That's why we call them "anarcho"-capitalists.

They're not anarchists.

(Note: I think there's a reality where they could be, ie, every single individual on the planet owns exactly equally amount of resources and every single individual all knows not to accept a contract relationship in which they are stolen from; but such a reality is preposterous fantasy land.)

[starroute]

29. Alan Moore on V for Vendetta and the rise of Anonymous

Alan Moore's style of writing is typically subtle and seemingly meandering -- so I advise reading this full opinion piece by him. But these are the most excerptable paragraphs.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16968689

9 February 2012

If there truly was government unease about the mask and its associations back in the 1980s, these concerns had evidently evaporated by the first decade of the 21st century, when the movie industry apparently decided to re-imagine the original narrative as some sort of parable about the post-9/11 rise of American neo-conservatives, in which the words "fascism" or "anarchy" were nowhere mentioned.

When the film was made during the peak period of anti-terrorist legislation the golden touch of Hollywood was, it seemed, sufficiently persuasive for the authorities to permit a massed horde of extras dressed as the nation's most famous terrorist to cavort riotously in Parliament Square.

I don't think one need subscribe to any quasi-mystical theories about how the conceptual world of ideas can affect the substantial world of everyday existence in order to agree that, in retrospect, this could be seen as practically begging for it. ...

As for the ideas tentatively proposed in that dystopian fantasy thirty years ago, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that whatever usefulness they afford modern radicalism is very satisfying. In terms of a wildly uninformed guess at our political future, it feels something like V for validation.

[2pooped2pop]

6. It is a bit strange at times

and V does get long winded from time to time. But you will understand what the masks mean.

We love this movie. I don't watch movies more than once without a long span of years between but I think I will watch this for the third time. (actually it took the first two times watching to really get it)

V speaks for me, you might say.

[unionworks]

9. I'll be watching

If I like it I'll rent itto watch a second time

[Mira]

30. For me it took at least 5 times watching to get my fill of it.

Some of those times I took the phone off the hook and sat really close to the TV. I was obsessed with it.

Then I read the graphic novel.

By now you have seen it, and I think you have a clue.

[unionworks]

31. No doubt

It will take more than one viewing. Not to mention on t.v. it was cut for both time and content. The commercials had me pulling my hair out.

[2pooped2pop]

15. lol

that is what my V 12inch figure says.

[gulliver]

12. The Guy Fawkes mask is not an Occupy thing.

I haven't seen any consensus decisions from the Occupy groups that embrace the mask. Ergo, it is not Occupy. It's just kind of creepy—threatening yet shallow.

The mask is the only reason "V for Vendetta" hasn't vanished down the memory hole, by the way. It's like "Friday the 13th" or "Scream" or a zillion other "mask" movies. It's a waste of time. Check out "Matewan."

[jsmirman]

13. I don't know - I thought it was pretty excellently insidious

there were aspects of it - considering the time it was released and what was going on in the world - where I watched it in the theater thinking, "wow, they're going there..."

The concept of a government intentionally poisoning its own citizens in an effort to seize and enjoy the prerogatives of cracking down on terrorism that was simply a government plot - I found it pretty radical.

And the story of the crackdown spun out of control, in steps, was well told, in my opinion. I thought it was about much more than just the masks.

[2pooped2pop]

14. Lots of occupiers do wear the mask.

Especially on Halloween and Nov 5, of course. It's not an official Occupy item but is sure enjoyed by Occupy.

The part in the movie where the all the people wear the mask, where they all finally stand together...that is very Occupy.

We met a young man, (several actually) wearing the mask in Strawberry Fields of Cental Park at 12:30 am to be led through the park to a meeting during our visit to Zuccotti Park. It was very Occupy then. lol

[unionworks]

26. Remember, remember

...the 5th of November!

[Chuuku Davis]

19. I disagree

It is about the overthrow of a tyrannical government

[unionworks]

22. then we saw

Two different movies.

[Ohio Dem]

20. Well, did you like it?

I just watched it again, thanks to your thread.

[unionworks]

23. I'm glad I got to see it

And I have no problem understanding how the movie could be related to Occupy. The Benny Hill scene made me bust out laughing. Other parts brought tears, from first hand experience. I will have to see it a few more time, the commercials were a bitch. And it was probably cutfor time.

[LadyHawkAZ]

21. Thanks for the heads-up!

By an utter miracle, I got hold of the remote control just as the movie started. LOVED it.

[unionworks]

24. I loved it too

I can only hope that some in the general public who got to see it tonight perhaps got some sort of understanding.

[unionworks]

28. I am haunted now

I keep hearing that version of "cry me a river" in my head now...

[Goblinmonger]

25. Read the Graphic Novel. 5,000 times better.

There is a reason Allen Moore took his name off the film. A great dystopian British novel was turned into an American "I hate Republicans" film. Don't get me wrong; I loved the film when I saw it. Then I read the graphic novel and saw the light.

[unionworks]

27. thanks

My local library has a very good collection of graphic novels.I'll probably find it there.

[backscatter712]

32. One of my favorite movies!

And Goblinmonger's right - the graphic novel that the movie's based on is even better!