Transcript Document 7265218

Connections and Disconnections
among the Younger Generations
in Postmodern Cities
Eldorado, “Rescue,”
“Crates of Stars”
&
Last Night
Outline
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Young generations (e.g. Gen-X) &
Postmodern City
Common Themes in the four texts
Eldorado: Loneliness & Dis/connections
youngsters
“Rescue”: Camera world and Suicide
“Crates of Stars”: Drifting Stars
Last Night: Ways of Facing the End
Definition of Generations
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Silent Generation (age 54-71):
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hard working, economically conscience, and trusting
of the government. Very optimistic about the future
and held a strong set of moral obligations.
Boomer Generation (from 1946 –1964, age 3653), a strong set of ideals and traditions, politically
conservative and active and fairly socially liberal.
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Gen-X (age 15-35);
Millenial Generation (14 and younger):
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materialistic, selfish, and disrespectful.
very aware of the world and very technologically
literate.
trying to grow-up too fast,
have no good role models to look towards. (source)
X generation
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Douglas Coupland's 1991 book Generation X.
born between 1964 and 1974
white, upper-middle class, college-educated,
located near urban centers, and lives primarily
on the coasts. Generation X-ers are hip, ironic,
lack motivation and suffer ennui.
(source)
X generation
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We've been called the ``Twentysomething
Generation,'' following in the footsteps of the
thirtysomethings who came before us. Also, the
``Me Generation.'' ``The Lost Generation.'' The
``Generation Without a Conscience.'' Or,
`Yuppies With a Conscience But Without Fat
Paychecks.'' Quite frankly, at the moment I think
we're too much in the midst of it all to define
ourselves. (source)
Other stereotypes of
generations X, Y, Z . . .
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TV/PC generation;
slot-machine generation (for instant satisfaction);
Imagistic thinking and random association (無厘
頭) –like MTV, lack of commitment or critical
distance
All of the above are partial truths or just a myth
(reference:
http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost/specials/genx.overvw2.html )
Postmodern City
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Rapid and excessive technologization;
Anti – modernization/rationalization;
boundary-breaking; green city, etc.
Image society –camera + TV screen;
Information society
metropolis on the move
Common Themes
1. The characters’
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Disaffection; Lack of commitment
Instabilities (jobs, income,emotional trauma, etc.)
Immersion in media and camera world.
2. Fragmentary plots with chance encounters (also in
"When the Day Breaks“, In the Skin of a Lion, "En Passant,”
“Desperanto.“)
3. Human Connections made possible by urban systems:
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Transportation: bus, car, gas, people walking,
roller-blading
Telephones;
TV and radio;
Cables and wires of all sorts
Public spaces: grocery stores, supermarket, park and cemeteries.
Edorado (1995)
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Director: Charles Binamé began his film career
as an assistant director at the National Film
Board in 1971, and later moved on to direct
documentaries for television.
Direct Cinema style: natural lighting,
improvisational dialogue, shouldered camera.
On Eldorado’s style: "A film a chaotic, just like
life and that's what is stimulating. In the midst of
this chaos, there is a raw truth which emerges
and captures our attention.”
The Younger Generations in
Postmodern Cities
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". . . we do have this perception of a generation
that's lost, frightened, with no future. I asked
myself, how do they live, are they much different
from what I was like at their age, what are their
options?”
Biname, director of Eldorado
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Question: What are the youngsters’s problems?
What is the “raw truth” in Eldorado? (clip 14)
The apparently strong and weak
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Roxan – active in
helping others; with
traumatic past,
harmed by the ones
she helps
Lloyd – shock-jock, but
can only talk; does
not know how to
commit himself.
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Rita--traumatic past,
drug-dealing, stealing,
cannot touch others or be
touched;
Loulou--discontented;
bored
Marc – a musician who
works in a liquor store,
hurt by Lou Lou, find
help/refuge in sex shop
or video games
Henriette -- want to know
how to connect, sexually
or otherwise.
Questions:
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Is the ending trite or weak?
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How are the characters connected with or
disconnected from each other?
Disconnections:
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Marc and Lou Lou -- M cannot understand Lou
Lou, is not willing to be "mothered" by Lou Lou.
Henriette -
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sexual fantasies about Lloyd, (clips 18, 29)
silence from the shrink, rejecting him at the end,
moving away. (32)
connect with Rita, but misses her (clips 21; 26; 34 )
Rita – from her boyfriend, and everybody else.
(20; 36)
Roxan -- get the puppet back herself?
Rita misses the chance to make up.
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Connections
Rita and Lloyd - Rita's reckless moments: on the car,
shooting L with a water gun;
 miss the chance to comfort Rita once.
Image source
Raw truth
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Solitude, as conveyed by the cello. (clip 28)
“Crates of Stars”
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Theme: Friends drifting together and apart.
Language : use of hyphen, interesting
descriptions – e.g. pp. 75, 77, 78, 79
Style –an open-ended collage
No Past, No Future;
No Commitment
What does the title mean?
 stars: pp. 75; 77; 80; 83 – aspiring
youngsters looking for the glamorous.
 C’s Past – pp. 77; can’t go home 78;
 Future – each bound for different places:
Texas, Calgary, Halifax. The narrator --pp.
78, 82, 83
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Momentary Contacts
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Fun moments – avocado in microwave;
Rescue C out of the theatre.
The narrator –tries to be Christina’s friend,
but cannot offer sympathy pp. 81-82
“Rescue”: Camera and Suicide
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What role does the baseball cap and his
camera crew play? Are they a team of
“candid camera”?
Who is/are committing suicide? Why
does Milton rescue Teresa? Who is Ariel?
The poor youth exposed by/to the
camera
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Milton’s family in Mandy’s description
pp 274-75.
 Leonard, Connie, Mandy’s son, their mother.
Teresa – expose her life too. 277/80
Milton
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Resisting it pp. 274; 75
Self-conscious, equating camera with “the world” 276;
expected to be a hero. 278
Rejecting it (279-80). but still influenced by media
(278; 279)
Suicide and failure to connect
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The mother’s response to Milton’s
acknowledge of suicide 278-79;
Milton sees Ariel in Teresa; sympathy “no
life” 279
Milton’s lame persuasion:
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So young 277;
Feel lucky 280-81
Last Night (1999)
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Director: Don McKellar
invited by French production company Haut et
Court to contribute a film to their series 2000,
Seen By..., featuring ten films about the coming
of the new millenium from ten different countries
(Tsai Min-Liang‘s Hole 洞 included).
But as McKellar developed his story, he turns
end of a millenium into end of the world.
End of the World
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End of the World -- no reasons; no authorities in
charge of order; no resistance to it, completely
accepted by people;
Clues to what has happened:
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the absence of nightfall
people die one by one;
the government close down;
no bus, no stores opening;
The Various Responses
I. gathering:
 family gathering: Patrick's family having a
X'mas party; watching video.
 religious gathering: go on a canoe (Noah's
ark?); prayer group;
 party and final countdown: "where's the
party?"
The Various Responses (2)
II. do the “best/craziest”
thing in life:
 sexual adventures:
Craig
 piano concert
 Jogging;
 Party
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(clip 5)
III. Stay on the job till
the last minute:
 Teacher, Mrs. Carlson
(Genevieve Bujold )-visiting her students
(clip 4)
 TV anchor, Radio
host
 gas company boss
and secretary (clip 7)
The Various Responses (2)
IV. Losing grip:
 mob on the street:
killing, destroying
things, (clip 6)
 waiting for the bus -"what driver?“ (clip 3)
III. Staying Sanely
Unaccompanied:
Patrick
 Refusing to be with
his parents
 Turning down his
friend's offer
Questions
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How are the choices made by the characters
reflective of their selves and their raison d'être?
Patrick and Sandra seem to be opposite to each
other. Why are they attracted to each other?
Consider the following elements:
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Patrick's reason to be alone;
Sandra's reason for getting married, and
Sandra's way of facing the end of the world;
Patrick's responses to Sandra's dilemma.
How are the characters connected in this film?
And disconnected?