The Foreign Policy of Rambo III

The popular arts like Hollywood films are widely consumed by the general public for entertainment and spectacle, but may receive little attention from cineastes and academic discourse. Vice versa is also commonplace as well. What some in the academy would refer to as low art are in some instances excellent historical documents and provide terrific cultural insights. Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) is considered a forgettable film. However, it also has great value as a cultural artifact of the cold war between the United States and Soviet Union.

An analysis of the depiction of the mujahideen in Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) shows how a culture sees friend or enemy, or good and evil is not so objective.

John Rambo(portrayed by Sylvester Stallone) is the titular character and protagonist of the Rambo franchise. Similar to Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky franchise, every sequel is more over the top than the last. Sometimes even becoming camp or self parody. By the third iteration in the Rambo franchise John Rambo has evolved from a disaffected Vietnam vet with PTSD to a cartoonish mix of 80’s action cliches and Reagan era propaganda.

In the first film in the Rambo franchise John Rambo fights American law enforcement. Rambo is harassed by a small town sheriff who will not let him pass through town or get a bite to eat because of Rambo’s shabby appearance. In the second film, Rambo travels to Vietnam to rescue American POWs. By the third installment in the franchise Rambo is taking on the Soviet army in Afghanistan.

The conflict between the U.S. and Soviet Union is one of the key reasons that Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) is a valuable historical artifact. From 1979 - 1989 the Soviet Union was bogged down in a Military quagmire in Afghanistan. (Department) From a western viewpoint this is analogous to the Soviet Union’s Vietnam. In 1979 the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to prop up an unpopular political regime. During their occupation of Afghanistan, the Soviet Union received heavy resistance from a guerrilla insurgency. These insurgents known as the mujahideen considered fighting the Soviets to not just be a defense of their homeland and countrymen but also a jihad or holy war.

In the third installment of the Rambo franchise the mujahideen can easily be described as valiant bedouin freedom fighters. The mujahideen in Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) are called, “Holy warriors” and are clearly depicted as noble freedom fighters. (rambo iii mujahideen holy warriors jihad Afghanistan, n.d.) During its initial theatrical release Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) was dedicated, “To the brave mujahideen fighters of Afghanistan.” After 9/11 the film dedication is now, “To the gallant people of Afghanistan.” (Rambo Wiki, n.d.) John Rambo’s allies against the Soviet’s in the third installment of the Rambo franchise are the mujahideen. This is why Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) is now sometimes jokingly referred to as the Rambo sequel when Rambo joins the Taliban. 1988’s freedom fighters are 2020’s terrorists.

Much like how disaster and science fiction films like Godzilla (Honda,1954, Japan) and Them! (Douglas, 1954, USA) reflected the anxiety of the nuclear age and the threat of nuclear annihilation. The villain in an action film can tell us about what ideologies or groups are deemed irredeemable or unadulterated evil by a culture. The depiction of the Soviets in Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) provides a similar reflection of the anxieties of 1980’s America. The evolution of the protagonist in the Rambo franchise from a seemingly homeless vietnam vet with PTSD to a cartoonish action hero over the course of three films reflects the re-emergence of republican politics in a post watergate America and the election of Ronald Regan.

Hollywood action films will at times employ antagonists that are little more than cannon fodder. These villainous characters have little to no interior life and are designed to not be empathized with. During and post-World War II Nazi’s are typically employed as antagonists when cannon fodder is needed in Hollywood action films. So much so that in George Lucas’s space opera Star Wars (Lucas, 1977, USA) the cannon fodder soldiers of the enemy are called storm troopers. An obvious reference to Nazi soldiers. From the 1950’s - 1980’s Soviet communists were often used as stock Hollywood antagonists and cannon fodder as well. In Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) scores of Soviet soldiers are killed by Rambo, but this is morally justified by the film because these soldiers are not depicted as real people with inner lives. Rather they are depicted as automatons of a godless totalitarian state. Their grizzly deaths are not supposed to engender empathy but rather stoke spectacle and excitement. The villians used as cannon fodder in Hollywood action films will reflect what ideologies the culture views as irredeemable and reprehensible. In the case of Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) the irredeemable evil is the Soviet Union.

The Hollywood action films of the 1980's, not unlike many popular genres, borrows from melodrama. Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) is very representative of the action genre in the 1980’s in terms of morality. There is little ambiguity between right and wrong, hero and villain. The antagonist has transgressed morally and ethically, so much so that the narrative needs to punish them by taking their lives. When mapping real life culture, politics, or history onto the moral framework of the Hollywood action genre of the 1980’s, one winds up with odd little historical artifacts like Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA). This film depicts as heros(the mujahadeen) people who in the present day we depict as evil terrorists. American pop culture's ability to think with nuance seems to not have evolved much since the 1980’s.

America’s relationship to Afghanistan on a micro level and the geo-political landscape on a macro level has greatly evolved in the 30 years since the theatrical release of Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA). In juxtaposition to the atheism and communism of the Soviet Union the mujahideen fighters in 1980’s Afghanistan received empathy from  

western audiences. Similar to the rebels in Star Wars (Lucas, 1977, USA) Rambo’s mujahedeen allies in Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) can be described as ragtag rebels battling a technologically superior autocratic empire.

Fictional stories are the lie that tells the truth. Observing both archetypes and stereotypes used in fictional stories can tell us a lot about a culture. This dynamic makes Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) particularly interesting when analyzing the antagonists and Rambo’s allies. The evil despicable Soviets and the brave noble mujahadeen. While one dimensional depictions are laughable in their inaccuracy they are invaluable in learning how a culture views groups and peoples. Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) may not be a great primer in geopolitics, but it can certainly tell you how during the 1980’s American pop culture viewed itself, the Soviet Union, and Afghanistan.

High art is considered art that provides the consumer some sort of insight or perspective while low art is considered a trivial entertainment or distraction. (Fisher) Thankfully film scholarship is not limited to these divisions. Oftentimes what is considered high art is primarily consumed by an elite strata of class and academia. Due to the greater cultural ubiquity of what is considered by some to be low art, low art can be a valuable tool in understanding history and culture. Studying mass consumed art can tell one much more about a culture than studying a piece of art that is consumed by a limited segment of a society. Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) creates an interesting historical document. This is due to the depiction of the Mujahideen in Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) juxtaposed to contemporary depictions of Afghanistan. Despite once being considered a trifle (Maslin, 1988) Rambo III (McDonald, 1988, USA) now begs the contemporary viewer to think critically about how history and pop culture views heroes and villains.

Works Cited

Carroll, A. (2018, May 26). Goodbye American Foreign Policy! Rambo 3 At 30. Retrieved from

Head Stuff: https://www.headstuff.org/entertainment/film/rambo-3-anniversary/ Department, U. S. (n.d.). Office Of The Historian. Retrieved from The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. Response, 1978–1980: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1977-1980/soviet-invasion-afghanistan Fisher, J. A. (n.d.). High Art Versus Low Art. Retrieved from https://spot.colorado.edu/~jafisher/OnLine%20papers/High%20Low%20Art%20Ch%20 4 6.pdf Hinson, H. (1988, may 25). 'Rambo III'. Retrieved from The Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/ramboiiirhinson_a0c8ef.htm Lucas, G. (Director). (1977). Star Wars [Motion Picture]. MacDonald, P. (Director). (1988). Rambo III [Motion Picture]. Maslin, J. (1988, May 25). Reviews/Film; Stallone's 'Rambo III,' Globe-Trotting Cowboy For the 80's Audience. Retrieved from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/25/movies/reviews-film-stallone-s-rambo-iii-globe- trotting-cowboy-for-the-80-s-audience.html rambo iii mujahideen holy warriors jihad afganistan. (n.d.). Retrieved from YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqWjJdXKIXA Rambo Wiki. (n.d.). Retrieved from Fandom: https://rambo.fandom.com/wiki/Rambo_III Stallone, S. (2018, November 13). Rambo III 4K BONUS :INTERVIEW With Sylvester Stallone. Taylor, A. (2014, August 4). The Soviet War in Afghanistan, 1979 - 1989. Retrieved from The Atlantic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/08/the-soviet-war-in-afghanistan- 1979-1989/100786/

Cint Eastwood Brings Sully In For a Smooth Landing

A basic screenwriting tip is to start your screenplay on a special day. Clint Eastwood’s latest film “Sully” certainly does that.

“Sully” begins on January 15, 2009, the day a US Airways Flight 1549 was forced to make an emergency water landing on the Hudson River.

The film is set during the subsequent inquiry held by the National Transportation Safety Board into the forced landing.

Flashbacks are used heavily to depict important contextual events relevant to these hearings. The forced water landing along with important events in Captain ‘Sully’ Sullenberger’s flying career are primarily depicted through flashbacks and dream sequences.

“Sully” begins with the miraculous water landing that took place on the Hudson in January 2009. The film however, is truly about Sullenberger, the story’s title character and the captain of the fateful flight that resulted in the miraculous landing preserving the lives of all one hundred fifty five passengers on board.

While this isn’t one of Eastwood’s strongest films, that is less of slight against “Sully” but rather a statement of fact as to where the film stands within Clint Eastwood’s canon. “Sully” fits somewhere in the middle of the Academy Award winning filmmaker’s canon and is competent filmmaking with crisp pacing.

For a film that in many ways is procedural, the plot never gets bogged down. Because of the 96-minute runtime, “Sully” doesn’t suffer from having a thin story and of course the fact that most people are familiar with the story and its conclusion.

Tom Hanks plays the title role of Captain ‘Sully’ Sullenberger and his performance is bolstered by strong supporting performances from both Aaron Eckhart and Laura Linney. Eckhart plays first officer Jeffery Skiles and Linney plays Sully’s wife, Lorraine Sullenberger.

Eckhart’s portrayal of Jeff Skiles provides the audience a point of view character that voices the awe and admiration the viewer feels for Sullenberger. Linney’s portrayal provides exposition that adds depth and context to the hero pilot.

The forced water landing of US Airways flight 1549 is like the shark in “Jaws.” The audience is only given teases of it until nearly three quarters of the way through the film. The landings cinematic depiction and the subsequent rescue of the crew and passengers is well worth the wait and it certainly carries the film.

The New York City police and ferry crews are as inspirational as Sully, himself. Unfortunately the New York accents border on caricature.

“Sully” depicts the best of New York and how quickly New York’s denizens rally whenever disaster strikes. In a post-9/11 world, scenes like this have a particularly strong narrative weight.

Death is inevitable and entropy is a universal constant. However, sometimes there are special days. Sully is a film about one of those special days, one of those special days— where everybody lives.

If IMAX is available near you, seeing Sully in the larger format is worth it if not for the water landing alone.

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Nihilism

          Director Zack Snyder swings big with “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice”. Unfortunately he only lands a base hit.

         "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” is like receiving a bad Christmas gift from a loved one. You know they spent time and money trying to give you something awesome, so you try to put on a smile for them as to not hurt their feelings.
The only place one percent equals one hundred percent is the DC cinematic universe helmed by Zack Snyder. The dichotomy of Batman, The World’s Greatest Detective inability to do math yet “Dawn of Justice” also delivering the most dynamic Caped Crusader in terms of fight choreography and photography is a microcosm of the failings of this film.
There are moments that will make audiences smile and cheer during “Batman V Superman”. Unfortunately there is not enough of them in this 150 minute slog of a blockbuster.
There are some bright spots in the film like every time Wonder Woman graces the screen and when Batman dispenses with a warehouse full of criminals. However one expects more from a film with the resources Mr. Snyder had at his disposal.
What’s surprising is a film that tries so hard to fill every frame with gravitas does not have many moments that makes the viewer swell with emotion. One would expect the contrary from a film that
borrows so heavily from mythology and theology.
        Instead of embracing the modern mythology that are comic book super heroes Zack Snyder creates a nihilistic noirish world devoid of humor and joy. In this world the spectacle of super heroes does not illicit joy but rather fear and carnage.
Warner Brothers is hell bent on setting their universe apart from Marvel Studios tonally.

 “Batman V Superman” is so grim and serious it does not even have an end credit stinger despite movie goers’ coming to expect them at the conclusion of comic book movies.
Ironically the final scene before the credits would have actually been a great post credit stinger. Zack Snyder probably thought a post credit stinger would undermine the serious tone of his film. After all Zack Snyder is fond of saying, “This isn’t your daddy’s superman.”
“Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” and the Zack Snyder film “Watchmen” are both films that are so faithful to their comic book source material they bring entire panels to life. Despite their faithful adaptations both films do not achieve cinematically what the source material achieved in the world of literature.
Zack Snyder captures images beautifully but he can’t fully articulate the nuance of the literature. His shots are gorgeous but not as dense with meaning as the literature they are based on. It is all style and no substance.
Taking several comic book storylines and merging them into one plot was successful in director Chris Nolan’s “Batman” trilogy. Unfortunately this methodology did not work well for “Batman V Superman”.  The plot is bloated with too many plot threads and as a result none of them are served adequately.
“Batman V Superman” has been lavished with praise by fans at early screenings and shredded to pieces by most critics. Maybe the truth is somewhere in between?
It’s not the steaming dumpster fire that critics at the New Yorker and NPR hale it to be. But in the same breath it’s hard to call “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” a good movie.
Art should make you feel something whether you love it or hate it. “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice” commits perhaps the biggest sin in art. Its art you just don’t care about.

The influence of Montage Theory in Le Quattro Volte

          

           Le Quattro Volte (2010) is pure cinema. Since the birth of the motion picture the art form has continued to evolve to include or collaborate with other art forms and various crafts. Cinema is considered a visual storytelling medium but as the medium progressed and sound synchronization emerged literature (dialogue) became more influential in filmmaking. Modern day films often employ both literary and cinematic storytelling techniques. Le Quattro Volte (2010) is a film that is much more cinematic then literary.

                    When you strip all the elements that make up a film to its simplest most basic components you are left with a medium that is visual storytelling. The camera (its placement or movements) and everything within the frame often can be as informative as any exposition and many times more efficient and less clunky. Soviet filmmakers and film theorists like Kuleshov and Eisenstein considered montage an essential component of filmmaking.

          Le Quattro Volte (2010) does not employ montage in the strictest definition of the word but it does make great use of the ideas and principle of montage theory. Montage is an editing technique where shots (often times short in length) and or images are arranged together to convey a narrative or idea without using dialogue. Montage does not have to adhere to conventional editing techniques like continuity editing. Often times a musical score or soundtrack will accompany a montage. Besides conveying narrative, ideas, or themes a montage can be used to compress time like when a film depicts an athlete training or a prisoner preparing his escape.

          Le Quattro Volte (2010) is a narrative consisting of four chapters or

sequences. Each sequence depicts the life cycle. Despite not using any dialogue not only is the message and themes of each sequence clear so is the narrative of each chapter. Dialogue is not necessary in a film as evident by silent cinema. However unlike many silent films Le Quattro Volte (2010) does not even utilize title cards. This choice pushes the film further away from literary storytelling mediums like theater and grounds it more in visual or cinematic storytelling. All films are cinematic by definition put some emphasize the cinematic qualities more than others. For example a film with a stationary camera depicting two characters in a two shot talking is not as cinematic as a car chase or an extreme close up juxtaposed by a long shot.

          The more cinematic a film the more applicable montage theory becomes. “Separate shots of cinema film constitute cinematic material.” Is how Lev Kuleshov defined cinematic. The more a film is using images, editing, and everything within the frame as opposed to dialogue to communicate a narrative the more film theories regarding montage from the early years of Soviet cinema come to bear.

          Le Quattro Volte (2010) is dense with Catholic symbolism. We are literally observing a shepherd and his flock. This language is often used when describing

Christian congregations.  The ashes the shepherd drinks with water represents the blood of Christ drank at Holy Communion. Coal is the life blood of the community it heats homes and cooks food. By consuming ashes (very similar to the ashes made during the production of the coal later on in the film) he is engaging in communion. Instead of drinking Jesus’ blood he is consuming the ashes (the life blood of the community). All of this is communicated by the carful arrangement of shots and imagery displaying the strengths of montage theory when it is employed in modern day filmmaking.

                    A scene following the goat herder’s funeral depicting the birth of a baby goat is a strong of visual storytelling in Le Quattro Volte (2010). The scene opens with a fade in of a two shot capturing the birth of a goat. The viewer latterly sees the kid emerge from the mother goat. The prolonged black slug following the interment in a mausoleum of the deceased goat herder followed by a fade into the birth of a goat is jarring but also evident of montage theory in action. With no dialogue these three shots edited together make it very clear this narrative examining the life cycle and the connections living beings share. The birth scene forces the viewer to experience both the beauty and struggle of new life.

          The elements of cinematic visual storytelling in the birth scene do not end there. The camera is placed low to shoot the goats straight on. This is not typical since most four legged mammals are close to the ground cameras typically shoot them from a high angle similar to the perspective a pet owner would have looking down at their doggie or kitty. This use of visual grammar communicates to the audience these animals are not just set dressing they are principle characters in the narrative. We should not look down on them but rather look them in the eye and connect with them.

          During the course of the scene shots that have the kid more prominent the frame then the mother or in some cases kid is only principle in the frame. This communicates that baby goat not the mother is the protagonist we will follow in this chapter. Again this is using the visual grammar of film to communicate information to the audience. Communicating narrative to the audience in this manner as opposed to exposition is another example of montage theory DNA that can be found in Le Quattro Volte (2010).

          Filmmaking is a collaborative art form that can use a myriad of tools to communicate a narrative, idea, or emotion. The theory of the complete film seeks to examine all these elements like sound and color photography that come together to make something grander as a whole then the elements could be alone. However montage theory is the best film theory to utilize when we examine visual storytelling and the roots of cinematic grammar.

          Often times to best understand something it is necessary to strip it down to its most basic components. How could one understand a car best? You could watch a car drive down the street or even ride in one, but would this give you the best understanding of how it works? Many components come together to make a car but the most essential part of the car is the motor and the best way to understand how a motor works is to disassemble it and put it back together. Film is no different. It may have a myriad of components but the most essential element is visual storytelling. Le Quattro Volte (2010) is a modern film that strives to be a pure cinematic experience and that is why montage theory is the best tool for an academic examination of the film.

Bibliography

 

Arnheim, Rudolf. "The Complete Film." In Film As Art. University of California Press, 1957.

Kuleshov, Lev. Kuleshov on Film:. University of California Press, 1975.

Stam, Robert. "The Soviet Montage Theory ." In Film Theory: An Introduction, by Robert Stam. Malden: Blackwell Publishing , 2000.

VHS Tapes, the Juke Box, and Other Tales from the Bunker: A review of 10 Cloverfield Lane

                Dan Trachtenberg’s impressively strong directorial debut “10 Cloverfield Lane” is a genre bending, gripping, psychological thriller.  Dan Trachtenberg has done what few directors have done. He has achieved both critical and box office success with his feature film debut.

                Dan Trachtenberg is not yet a household name but he is no stranger to fans of science fiction. He first rose to prominence with the short film “Portal: No Escape” based on the popular video game.

                Similar to Amblin Entertainment and Steven Spielberg in the 1980’s Bad Robot has used the name of the production company’s owner to market the film. Despite “10 Cloverfield Lane” being heavily marketed as producer J.J. Abrams’ film due to his name recognition this is one hundred percent a Dan Trachtenberg film. Due to commitments associated with directing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Mr. Abrams was largely unavailable during production and postproduction on “10 Cloverfield Lane”.

                The comparisons to Amblin Entertainment don’t stop with the marketing campaign. Trachtenberg is a self described Amblin kid citing the early Spielberg classics like “Jaws”, Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, and “Poltergeist” as some of his favorite and most influential movies. You can certainly see those influences in “10 Cloverfield Lane”.

                Like the shark in “Jaws” the threat of monsters attacking and the implication of their existence as opposed to seeing them are used to ratchet up the tension and help propel the plot. Trachtenberg uses strong interpersonal relationships to tell his narrative instead of stunts or effects.

               

          “10 Cloverfield Lane”is not a direct sequel to “Cloverfield” making its viewing not in any way necessary before seeing “10 Cloverfield Lane”. However fans of “Cloverfield” need not fret because they will leave the cinema satisfied too. In an interview with The Verge promoting “10 Cloverfield Lane” Mr. Trachtenberg said, “It’s a spiritual sequel to “Cloverfield”.”

                In the theatrical tradition of a chamber play the majority of “10 Cloverfield Lane” takes place in an underground bunker. Once inside the bunker the audience is immersed in a taught thriller. The practical sets and art design add to the atmosphere and texture of the world created in “10 Cloverfield Lane”.

                 The subterranean bunker exists eerily outside of time. The sets are dressed with details that create a nebulous time that is somewhere between lava lamps and VHS tapes. Despite the detailed and expert art-design the sets still look organic and lived in.

                The bunker is populated by Michelle played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Howard played by John Goodman, and Emmett played by John Gallagher Jr. The small cast and claustrophobic location allow for the tension and drama to build like a Hitchcock thriller. Is the danger from the threat of monsters outside the bunker or the all too human monsters within the bunker? Just like a Hitchcock thriller “10 Cloverfield Lane” keeps the audience guessing if its paranoia is warranted or not.

                John Goodman’s chilling portrayal of Howard and his characters dynamic with Michelle create a relationship that is frighteningly like an abusive parent child relationship. Howard thinks he is being loving and protective but his love is frightening and his protection could be lethal. In his performance there is no trace of the loveable Dan Conner. The role he made famous on the hit TV show “Roseanne”.

                                Mary Elizabeth Winstead does a lot of heavy lifting in this film. The role of Michelle requires her to play a myriad of different emotions not to mention she also appears in every scene.  

                “10 Cloverfield Lane” has a creative narrative structure. The narrative ellipse that takes place between Michelle’s car accident in the beginning of the film and her waking up in the bunker allows for the audience to discover things as Michelle does. Due to this narrative device when she is wrong or deceived so is the audience.  

                 “10 Cloverfield Lane” isn’t your typical Hollywood blockbuster. It is a film that is judicious in its use of CGI to great effect. Instead of relying on large elaborate stunts and CGI Dan Trachtenberg expertly uses art design and stellar acting to convey his story. Don’t let the threat of Cloverfield monsters attacking keep you trapped inside your bunker, go see “10 Cloverfield Lane”!