Klaatu barada Nico

[vilakins]

I forgot to say that when trixieleitz and I were sampling chocolate at the market before buying, a middle-aged tourist couple turned up and were both offered samples. The guy said indignantly in what sounded like a French accent, "I am not a woman!"

"Chocolate is for everyone," said Chocolate Man, a burly fellow with tattooed arms. We both agreed, possibly laughing at that point.

"No," said Stupid Tourist, adding proudly, "I do not drink wine either." Yeah, only hard liquor would be manly enough. Was he called Jarvique by any chance?


Last night trixieleitz chose The Day the Earth Stood Still from our DVDs. It's an excellent film with a very good female character (a rarity in old SF), but I can't help thinking that the deterrent at the end assumes that political leaders are sane. Besides, stamping out violence by threatening to blow your planet up if you're naughty doesn't seem a very thoughtful move. Knowing humans, they'll band together against the common insult, then come visiting with a bigger Gort, possibly called Gabor.

The costume designer was called Travilla! That's right, the famous one-eyed artist with the delicate touch, specialising in suede.

Comments

[redstarrobot.livejournal.com]

"No," said Stupid Tourist. "I do not drink wine either."

Good lord, can there be a Frenchman who doesn't drink wine? That's unpatriotic or something.

Yeah, only hard liquor would be manly enough.

I admit, I do feel a bit butch drinking Guinness. But I think it's having been surrounded by the early-century advertising more than the Guinness itself.

"Chocolate is for everyone," said Chocolate Man, a burly fellow with tattooed arms.

What a beautiful image.

The costume designer was called Travilla! That's right, the famous one-eyed artist with the delicate touch, specialising in suede.

Also a beautiful image! Ooh, must find a way to use that somehow.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Good lord, can there be a Frenchman who doesn't drink wine?

I know. It was so strange. He sounded French but he could have been something else, maybe New Caledonian or Quebecois or something? He certainly wasn't German or Scandinavian or Russian, who might consider liquor or beer a man's drink.

As for Travilla, he was William Travilla and worked on lots of films (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0871359/) including several Marilyn Monroe ones.

[imhilien.livejournal.com]

Someone turned down the chance to try chocolate (looks bemused). I wonder why he would think it would affect his 'manliness'?

Also, if a Frenchman doesn't drink wine then he isn't a true French person (grin). Or maybe he was a pod person or something.

Haven't seen the DVD you mentioned but I've heard it's good...

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The film was made in 1951 and it has very good SFX for the era, excellent characters, and an interesting plot. They have some special features including how they made the earth stand still which I have yet to watch.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

And yeah, chocolate and wine are probably too decadent for a Hard Man to indulge in. He might go soft.

[kerravonsen]

LOL at the chocolate incident!

It's been a while since I've seen "The Day The Earth Stood Still"...
Besides, stamping out violence by threatening to blow your planet up if you're naughty doesn't seem a very thoughtful move.

Indeed. Violence begets violence. Unfortunately, the opposite solution, love and redemption and sacrifice, is much harder and costs more.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

There was some love (of the friendship kind) and sacrifice, but they don't work on the sort of insane fanatics who'd start a nuclear war anyway.

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

"Jarvique!" Heh. :)

I've never thought the end of The Day the Earth Stood Still assumed the leaders of Earth were sane. I found it rather chillingly ambiguous, myself. One definitely gets the impression that the aliens aren't bluffing, you know? And I don't know if it was the intent of the movie or not, but it's quite possible to read the aliens and their robots (or the robots and their aliens?) as either benevolent parental-figures that the Earth desperately needs in order to force us to shape up, or as immoral bullies who've set themselves up as the galaxy's police force and see nothing wrong with a little genocide if it makes them feel more secure. (And, hmm, now I'm suddenly thinking of the new BSG's cylons, whose thinking, as far as we're privy to it, seems to have been along much the same lines: humans are nasty and warlike and needed killn' for the galaxy's good.)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I assumed the first reading was the one intended, but I can't help but think of the second one.

Gort is actually quite cylon-like when he opens his helmet and you see a tracking light. I wonder if they were based on him.

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Considering the context of the time in which it was made, I'm sure that, if either, it was intended as the former.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Yes, me too. Society has changed since then, but it's still a brilliant film.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

The guy said indignantly in what sounded like a French accent, "I am not a woman!"

Quel wally!

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Absolument!

[neneithel.livejournal.com]

I agree with Jarvique! Chocolate is only for women. Any men in possession of chocolate can send it to me and I will dispose of it in a way that ensures it will not impair their manliness at all.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Oh, excellent response! I'm sure that's why his wife doesn't mind his attitude. All the chocolate washed down with red wine probably helps her live with him.

[snowgrouse.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Jarvique has just made me spill gravy all over myself laughing...8-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

The only proper response to idiots like that!

[lizamanynames.livejournal.com]

The guy said indignantly in what sounded like a French accent, "I am not a woman!"

Which reminds me of a snippet of Monty Python.

[Link Man] What is the opinion of the man in the street on this issue?

[French Girl] I am not a man you silly billy!

[Man sitting on roof] I'm not in the street you fairy!

[Man standing in Road] Well as a man in the street, I think that WAAAAAAAAGH! *gets run over by a car*

And by the sound of his attitude, your rude tourist was very possibly Quebequois.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

That's what trixieleitz thought too.

Hah! I remember that sketch. :-D