Small annoyances, cultural edition

[gtyellowjacket]

In Miller's Crossing, I've always struggled with the ease with which Johnny Caspar turns on the Dane and whacks him, believing the word of the smart charismatic turncoat Tom Reagan. Is it because Tom doesn't confess when the Dane is choking him out? Is it because the Dane is gay and Johnny just can't trust him? The Dane has been loyal and "straight" with Johnny throughout but he tosses it all aside on Tom's word. Never have bought it.

I think it was because it seemed like the Dane was choking Tom to try to get him to shut up about the Dane betraying Caspar.

 

[Geisterfahrer]

Honestly, I didn't know the Dane was gay. I thought Mink was Bernie's lover, not the Dane's. I must have missed that, or maybe misremembered. Watched it a long time ago.

But anyway, I agree with you 100%. In fairness, Caspar was not a model of deliberative rationality, but it does stretch the imagination to think that he would side with the guy who just defected from the enemy and is thus obviously suspicious over his own loyal henchman.

I would place this in a larger category of "characters doing stupid things because the bad guys aren't allowed to win in Hollywood." Like the ending of the Jackal, which is probably the worst in this regard. Or for that matter, Vader throwing the Emperor down the tube with no resistance, and the Emperor just falls instead of using a force power. Or the final scene in Heat, which I think is a complete departure from and betrayal of De Niro's character and makes no sense except as a way of turning a bad guy victory into defeat.

Mink was both. You might remember the line "Mink is Eddie Dane's boy", Tom talking to Johnny Caspar. This scene makes it kinda sorta clear:



You're right though - "characters breaking character to serve the plot" basically. The Coen's movies are so tightly plotted usually, this is one where it slips.

 

[superrific]

Mink was both. You might remember the line "Mink is Eddie Dane's boy", Tom talking to Johnny Caspar. This scene makes it kinda sorta clear:

You're right though - "characters breaking character to serve the plot" basically. The Coen's movies are so tightly plotted usually, this is one where it slips.

Ha. Mink talks too quickly for me to easily understand and Gabriel Byrne mumbles too much. So I thought they were talking about who was whose cheating bookie. I thought by "Dane's boy" they meant that Mink fixed fights for the Dane. And Mink was double-timing in the sense that he was giving some tips to Bernie and costing the Dane some winnings.

 

[superrific]

Honestly the inclusion of Yoda in the prequels undermine his later appearance in The Empire Strikes Back.

They could've just left him alone, referred to him in passing, said he was on a vision quest or a mission. And this is all to say nothing of how he was actually handled - a martial artist entirely in tune with the universe who has had hundreds of years to hone his craft, and what we get is a cricket on meth with a glow stick.

Well, everything in the prequels undermines the originals so it just kind of goes with the territory, but you're absolutely correct.

In general, the prequels fetishized light saber choreography in the apparent belief that light sabers were what made Star Wars great. So more light sabers = better, right? And more light saber geometry = even better, right? But yes, Yoda was a mystic in the originals and not a warrior. In fact, doesn't he even make fun of warriors?

Here's a fun story for contrast, that I think is correct but not sure. In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the lead role of Bai was written for Jet Li. The character was supposed to have lots of intense fighting scenes -- you know, like the hero in every kung fu movie. But Jet Li pulled out, and they replaced him with Chow Yun Fat for the star power. Except Chow Yun Fat doesn't do kung fu. That's why we never see Bai do much fighting. When he does fight, he swings his sword three times and then just wins.

And that accidental development is actually what makes the film work. Bai is the undisputed master. He's above fighting. Nobody can even hang with him, because he can win the fight in a few seconds. It creates the contrast with Zhang Yiyi, whose character is extremely powerful but obviously undisciplined compared to Bai. Eventually she realizes that she needs more understanding of the spiritual side of kung fu and not just the mechanical, which is what is depicted, I think, in the final scene (I'm of the opinion that she doesn't die).

In any event, I think the film is stronger because Chow Yun Fat couldn't fight. Lucas did not learn that lesson.

 

[Zoo_View]

I kept worrying about that shit in the 50s when all the six shooters shot 80 times.

And, they “threw” the bullets from the pistols.

 

[Icky Mettle]

Honestly the inclusion of Yoda in the prequels undermine his later appearance in The Empire Strikes Back.

They could've just left him alone, referred to him in passing, said he was on a vision quest or a mission. And this is all to say nothing of how he was actually handled - a martial artist entirely in tune with the universe who has had hundreds of years to hone his craft, and what we get is a cricket on meth with a glow stick.

There are so many things about the prequels that undermined the original trilogy. Anakin creating C-3PO, Chewbacca and Yoda knowing each other and fighting alongside one another, Padme dying when Luke and Leia are born (when Leia said in ROTJ that she remembered her mother and described what she remembered), among other things.