What I learned from Independence Day
So Fox Movie Channel is showing Independence Day over and over this weekend.
1997. I had to take an upper-division course to graduate. ANY upper-division course. So I found that during the summer session, the visual arts department had an upper division film course on fantasy and sci-fi. Bingo - I couldn't think of an easier class.
It ended up being a great course. The professor showed an odd assortment of films - from the Dead Zone, Hitchcock's Marnie, I Married a Monster, X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes, the Charles Laughton version of The Island of Dr. Moreau, even the musical, Pennies from Heaven.
At that first lecture, the professor told us that because it was the big sci-fi movie of the summer, the first movie assignment was to watch Independence Day. Then he asked, "Has anyone seen it already?"
I raised my hand weakly. I'd gone to the 10pm sneak preview screening the night before. But apparently I was the only one.
So the professor, very excited that someone had already seen it, asked me excitedly, "What did you think? Was it good?"
What was I supposed to say? This is an upper division film course! I couldn't tell him the truth - that the movie succeeds despite itself. That the film is awful and I was acutely aware that it was bad, but I couldn't help but have a good time. It was a turn your brain off and hope you don't choke on your popcorn as you enjoy the silly fun. That it's the Citizen Kane of movies with a dog leaping away from giant special-effects fireballs.
I could feel the professor looking at me. The entire class was looking at me. I had to give an answer. So I muttered, "Um... it was okay?"
The professor looked disappointed. That was the best I could do. In an upper division film course. I had my chance to expound on the theme, the film-making, the mise-en-scene - all the stuff that film professors love. It was my chance to make myself the class genius. The one in the class who knew more about film than all the others put together.
Instead, I looked like a complete idiot.
After that first class, some guy came over to me and said, "Could the thing that saved humanity from the aliens been any more phallic?" I laughed and responded, "Hey - maybe that shape was what allowed a Macintosh Powerbook to infect an advanced alien civilization with a virus?"
Then it hit me. There were PLENTY of other people who'd been to the sneak preview the night before. I was the only one STUPID enough to raise my hand. The next week, the professor had seen the movie and gave a half hour lecture about how terrible it was. I wanted to crawl under my desk and hide.
So what did I learn from Independence Day? Well, for a while I thought it was that the nail that stands up inevitably gets hammered down. But alas, that lesson didn't take.
What I really learned is that I have a soft spot for dogs leaping away from giant special-effects fireballs.
Good dog.
1997. I had to take an upper-division course to graduate. ANY upper-division course. So I found that during the summer session, the visual arts department had an upper division film course on fantasy and sci-fi. Bingo - I couldn't think of an easier class.
It ended up being a great course. The professor showed an odd assortment of films - from the Dead Zone, Hitchcock's Marnie, I Married a Monster, X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes, the Charles Laughton version of The Island of Dr. Moreau, even the musical, Pennies from Heaven.
At that first lecture, the professor told us that because it was the big sci-fi movie of the summer, the first movie assignment was to watch Independence Day. Then he asked, "Has anyone seen it already?"
I raised my hand weakly. I'd gone to the 10pm sneak preview screening the night before. But apparently I was the only one.
So the professor, very excited that someone had already seen it, asked me excitedly, "What did you think? Was it good?"
What was I supposed to say? This is an upper division film course! I couldn't tell him the truth - that the movie succeeds despite itself. That the film is awful and I was acutely aware that it was bad, but I couldn't help but have a good time. It was a turn your brain off and hope you don't choke on your popcorn as you enjoy the silly fun. That it's the Citizen Kane of movies with a dog leaping away from giant special-effects fireballs.
I could feel the professor looking at me. The entire class was looking at me. I had to give an answer. So I muttered, "Um... it was okay?"
The professor looked disappointed. That was the best I could do. In an upper division film course. I had my chance to expound on the theme, the film-making, the mise-en-scene - all the stuff that film professors love. It was my chance to make myself the class genius. The one in the class who knew more about film than all the others put together.
Instead, I looked like a complete idiot.
After that first class, some guy came over to me and said, "Could the thing that saved humanity from the aliens been any more phallic?" I laughed and responded, "Hey - maybe that shape was what allowed a Macintosh Powerbook to infect an advanced alien civilization with a virus?"
Then it hit me. There were PLENTY of other people who'd been to the sneak preview the night before. I was the only one STUPID enough to raise my hand. The next week, the professor had seen the movie and gave a half hour lecture about how terrible it was. I wanted to crawl under my desk and hide.
So what did I learn from Independence Day? Well, for a while I thought it was that the nail that stands up inevitably gets hammered down. But alas, that lesson didn't take.
What I really learned is that I have a soft spot for dogs leaping away from giant special-effects fireballs.
Good dog.
posted by Eugene at 9:59 PM
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