Hmm, at this point it is a period piece. It struck a chord in its day because it captured pieces of teenage life and the culture of its time period that were relateable for many people. There are representative character archetypes that are timeless, and at its core it is a coming-of-age story that is always relevant, but the culture that it is set in is now the past and may not feel as relatable if you’re younger and/or not American.
If you are a movie enthusiast, it is worth watching because it has well-written characters, because it is a highly referenced piece, and because it is representative of its time period.
Thanks for your insight. I watched Ghost In The Shell this year as a part of my blast of the past viewings. I felt if I watched it closer to when it came out I would have had my mind blown. Now, I’m still impressed with what they came out with but I definitely can’t appreciate it in the same way.
I’ve also noticed how some older movies can feel quite sexist or abusive towards women. However I still like watching them regardless. I still like seeing what the zeitgeist was at the time. I think Breakfast Club has a lot of pop culture references to it as well and I enjoy catching up on those (albeit decades late).
There’s so many movies that pierce the cultural barrier lately (or it could be my lack of keeping up) so I enjoy seeing it. So I’ll keep what you said in mind! 🫡
On the topic of Ghost in the Shell (assuming you mean the original 1995 animated version, not the 2017 live action) I want to point out that it helped establish the cyberpunk genre, and was an inspiration for many works that came after (such as The Matrix). If the ideas presented in it didn’t feel so compelling to you, it is probably because you were already exposed to them through other media which drew from GitS originally. I think the animation still holds up well today, and the music is masterful.
I think it’s also important to understand that at the end of the movie, Motoko’s origin (human or artificial) is uncertain, and this is intentionally unresolvable. Without the ambiguity, the conflict between Motoko and the Puppet Master doesn’t matter, and the conversations they have don’t make sense. The story hinges around Motoko’s humanity.
Don’t watch the live action version, it completely misunderstands and abuses the source material.
I’ve also noticed how some older movies can feel quite sexist or abusive towards women.
This is certainly true, and I think it’s important to watch those examples in order to understand where we came from, and how we got to where we are today, and to help identify similar behaviors in the present. When you grow up with something it seems normal, but seeing the same thing in a less familiar context can break it loose from that perceived normalcy and make the problem more obvious. When you notice those problems in older media, take them as lessons.
It’s also worth noting that acting as a profession has long been a home for progressive thinking. I think this is because portraying different characters in a believable way requires the examination of human behavior. In order to play a bad, antisocial character on the stage you must observe and study bad, antisocial behavior. Acting becomes reflective of human society.
The point being that some (some, not all) of the examples of sexism or abusiveness that you’re referring to are intentionally so. That behavior was not included in the plot by accident. Writers and actors put them into their stories as a commentary on the social norms of the time when the work was made. Portraying them for an audience made the problem visible, it held a mirror up to society, it made people talk about it, it forced people to address it in some manner rather than continue to ignore it. If it seems less relevant in the present, that is because society became aware of itself, and the behavior changed.
Hmm, at this point it is a period piece. It struck a chord in its day because it captured pieces of teenage life and the culture of its time period that were relateable for many people. There are representative character archetypes that are timeless, and at its core it is a coming-of-age story that is always relevant, but the culture that it is set in is now the past and may not feel as relatable if you’re younger and/or not American.
If you are a movie enthusiast, it is worth watching because it has well-written characters, because it is a highly referenced piece, and because it is representative of its time period.
The soundtrack is pretty great also.
“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” might be the best '80s song ever, complete with the band (Simple Minds) originally hating the song.
Thanks for your insight. I watched Ghost In The Shell this year as a part of my blast of the past viewings. I felt if I watched it closer to when it came out I would have had my mind blown. Now, I’m still impressed with what they came out with but I definitely can’t appreciate it in the same way.
I’ve also noticed how some older movies can feel quite sexist or abusive towards women. However I still like watching them regardless. I still like seeing what the zeitgeist was at the time. I think Breakfast Club has a lot of pop culture references to it as well and I enjoy catching up on those (albeit decades late). There’s so many movies that pierce the cultural barrier lately (or it could be my lack of keeping up) so I enjoy seeing it. So I’ll keep what you said in mind! 🫡
You’re welcome.
On the topic of Ghost in the Shell (assuming you mean the original 1995 animated version, not the 2017 live action) I want to point out that it helped establish the cyberpunk genre, and was an inspiration for many works that came after (such as The Matrix). If the ideas presented in it didn’t feel so compelling to you, it is probably because you were already exposed to them through other media which drew from GitS originally. I think the animation still holds up well today, and the music is masterful.
I think it’s also important to understand that at the end of the movie, Motoko’s origin (human or artificial) is uncertain, and this is intentionally unresolvable. Without the ambiguity, the conflict between Motoko and the Puppet Master doesn’t matter, and the conversations they have don’t make sense. The story hinges around Motoko’s humanity.
Don’t watch the live action version, it completely misunderstands and abuses the source material.
This is certainly true, and I think it’s important to watch those examples in order to understand where we came from, and how we got to where we are today, and to help identify similar behaviors in the present. When you grow up with something it seems normal, but seeing the same thing in a less familiar context can break it loose from that perceived normalcy and make the problem more obvious. When you notice those problems in older media, take them as lessons.
It’s also worth noting that acting as a profession has long been a home for progressive thinking. I think this is because portraying different characters in a believable way requires the examination of human behavior. In order to play a bad, antisocial character on the stage you must observe and study bad, antisocial behavior. Acting becomes reflective of human society.
The point being that some (some, not all) of the examples of sexism or abusiveness that you’re referring to are intentionally so. That behavior was not included in the plot by accident. Writers and actors put them into their stories as a commentary on the social norms of the time when the work was made. Portraying them for an audience made the problem visible, it held a mirror up to society, it made people talk about it, it forced people to address it in some manner rather than continue to ignore it. If it seems less relevant in the present, that is because society became aware of itself, and the behavior changed.
2017 gits is just RoboCop with an Asian skin.
Which cultural elements have gone?
Big hair, muscle cars, oversized sweaters, hair bands, etc.