(no subject)

[shadowkat]

1. THIS is a fascinating essay on John Ford, John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, and the Western...it also talks about masculainity. Ford comes across, as they all do, as rather complicated and fascinating people.

I'd read all of it. It's not what you expect. Surprised me.

Thanks to selenak for the link.

2. Lando: Do anything exciting this weekend?
Me: No not really, binge-watched television, took walks, slept in...
Lando: Binge-watched CNN -
Me: No, I don't watch the news. I don't want to know what is happening. There's nothing I can do about it. So why torture myself. If they want to kill each other, they can do it without me knowing about it.
Lando: Well, I'd like a month prior warning, before they decide to go to war with Korea. Because if that creep is going to destroy us, I want to call my mortgage company, curse them out, inform them I'm not sending them any more money, etc. (Pause). Of course, after I do that, they'll probably negotiate a peace settlement or something.

Lando has been watching too much CNN. I did watch too much television, but on netflix. And am sort of burned out. Binged Stranger Things S2 and Longmire. Longmire is quite good, sort of neo-western mystery series. With a hero in his 50s, which is a welcome change of pace. Could have done without the pairing of Walt and Vic though...she seems a bit young for him.

3. Either my allergies are killing me or I came down with a cold. Don't know which. Feel miserable.
Keep coughing and am having issues breathing. Dang it.

Comments

[yourlibrarian]

Thanks for the link to the Ford article, I agree it was interesting. This part in particular was familiar:

You may not be shocked to discover that it was Ford who had the effeminate walk. His grandson said that Ford was “aware of his own sensitivity and almost ashamed of it,” that he “surrounded himself with John Wayne, Ward Bond, and those people because they represented the way he wanted to be.”

It reminded me strongly of the way Eric Kripke behaved around and talked about Bob Singer, not to mention his own insecurities about masculinity that played out in the way he talked about and wanted to present the world of the Winchesters.

Ford started in silent pictures and made dozens of them—and even in his talking pictures, it was as if speech itself were inauthentic, a contamination of the possibilities of action, and therefore of virility. So he hired an actor for whom speaking was a burden.

That was an interesting speculation as well.

[shadowkat]

I thought so too. The director's own insecurities about how they are perceived by others heavily influenced their casting choices and work.

It reminded me strongly of the way Eric Kripke behaved around and talked about Bob Singer, not to mention his own insecurities about masculinity that played out in the way he talked about and wanted to present the world of the Winchesters.

Interesting what you said about Eric Kripke, I've seen two or three of his series...and all seem to take place in a Western macho trope, or noir macho trope. Both noir and western tropes have an exaggerated masculinity to them.

Contrast with Joss Whedon who has similar issues -- you look at his work over time, and how he cast female and male roles, and his man-crushes on Nathan Fillion, David Boreanze, and the guy who played the male lead in Dollhouse. Also how he wrote Xander Harris and William the Bloody. I mention Whedon, because he studied Western Cinema and horror tropes heavily. Specifically Ford. Yet, Whedon shows this same masculinity as somewhat toxic. Note how each of these male leads are anti-heroes and toxic to those around them.

And Kevin Smith who did the Scream Films, and Vampire Diaries...who seems to go the opposite direction. Often depicting the macho as toxic in his films as well...