Political Movie Review: Return Of The King

[RBHam]

My Precious--The Politics of Power and Selfishness
by Michael Arvey, OpEdNews.com

Excerpt:
If the value of art resides in its genius to clarify, The Lord of the Rings is a screen-wide magnifying glass, nonpareil with its timeless tale of earthly tensions. Is it mere coincidence that these films have entered the mass consciousness precisely at a moment when the U.S. is imperiled by dark forces from within?

President George Bush succors dark furies as he obeys the bidding of an oligarchic plutocracy composed of men, who like dark Sarumans, care naught for the world except as it provides a utility or romphouse through which they can enact their agendas of control. The Bush administration ralphs up all that is awful and sleazy about a technological society torn asunder from natural processes and the bounties of true fellowship, ensnaring life within a spidery Shelog's cocoon.

Corporate globalization reeks of Tolkien's orcs--ubiquitous and merciless in their onslaught against people, nations and nature. Writer Rolf Witzche in his article, "The Lord of the Rings Metaphors", points out that Tolkien might have crafted "orcs" from market "f(orces)," a name genealogy that makes perfect sense.

Witzche observes: "These orcs have destroyed countless business in America and around the world, some of which have served their nation for decades upon decades...In a world of legalized stealing only the robbers will likely survive. In the real world, entire nations are being destroyed by these market-orcs that are haunting the entire world." I find the rightwing's rank-and-file supporters much like the waves and waves of orcs spilling over Tolkien's fantasy world.

more...

http://www.opednews.com/arvey1203_return_of_the_king.htm

[Dems Will Win]

1. It is now Neo and Frodo vs. Ann Coulter to win the hearts of

the young and the new MILENNIAL GENERATION.

Who wins?

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. We will

by the way I enjoyed your post earlier in the day

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. We are the little hobbits my friends

we are and we shall win in the end,

We hold the ring of truth, and it is more powerful than the ring of power.

[cliss]

4. Interesting how things change.

when the first movie came out, people were marveling at how apropos the timing was of The Fellowship of the Ring. We were dealing with Al-Qaida and muslim extremists. Many articles came out comparing The Lord of the Rings with the Catholic faith. They said that Frodo and his friends were like the Christians, battling against the evil Muslims, namely the evil Orcs.

Even Middle Earth is a rendition of Western Europe. At the time, England was connected to Europe and the Shire was supposedly in England. Moving east, we can see Mordor. This would be where the Middle East is. So the comparisons are pretty strong.

Many people felt that this was a struggle for Good against Evil, or the centuries-long battle of Christianity against Islam.

Now, however, two years later I'm not so sure. I watched the Return of the King last week. All I could think of was our Bush as Sauron, and his cousin L. Paul Bremer as Saruman. He and his henchmen were doing their best to undermine, cheat and kill every last human. Why did I keep thinking of the Uruk-Hai warriors as Halliburton loyals.

Funny how just two years can make such a difference.

[bemildred]

5. I can't really get into this.

It's a good story, well done, but politically the whole
thing is pretty reactionary. You have a choice of a
evil totalitarian dictatorship and a good absolute monarch.

[karlschneider]

6. Heh. Well, I never was a Tolkien fan, but I'm reminded of 35 years ago,

when some of us would sit around smoking pot and thinking the notion of a benevolent dictator wouldn't be a bad thing. We failed to recognize the concept is oxymoronic. And now there seems to be a lot of people who aren't concerned about a malevolent one. Strange how idealism and fatalism can converge.

[bemildred]

8. It's the desire to be taken care of, a reluctance to grow up.

Understandable enough, but we forget not all parents are much
good at it, and nobody else can give you freedom, you have to take it.

[grok]

7. An Alternate take...

Here is an article that takes the position that LOTR actually actually adds fuel to the reactionary forces of the other side! Al Queda and Terrorism as Sauron and Mordor. It has it's points and not positively for the movie, though it is very enjoyable.

http://michiganimc.org/newswire/display/4139/index.php

a chomsky-like analysis..

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2003/04/22fellowship.html

Now if you want to see a REAL progressive take on LOTR.. take a look at this by indymedia.org..

http://www.indybay.org/news/2002/12/1553281.php

[karnac]

10. The "Chomsky-like analysis" is hilarious!

I just read the entire Chomsky-like review.

It is hilarious! The orcs are the good guys. hobbits are pot-induced killers, Gandalf is the instigator and puller of strings(ruler), Elves are elite,snobbish plutocrats.
Racial overtones to boot!.

It fits Chomsky's conspiratorial theories to a tee!

Read it. It's fun. Especially the second part.

[fjc]

11. Ditto that

Made for SNL.

[Selwynn]

9. Tolkien: "I hate allegory."

:)

[fjc]

12. Dumb stuff

I think there are some people who are simply unable to have fun at the movies, and these "analysts" are at the top of that list. This also helps explain to me why reviewers went so sour on Matrix Revolutions.

I recall the first time I saw the first Star Wars. There were protestors outside afterwards lamenting the glorification of violence. What a joke.

[Gin]

13. Maybe the trees will save us in the end.

gin