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New Wes Anderson Film: The Darjeeling Limited


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Does any director of any race or culture know how to properly deal with other races or cultures? Should they? How could they? Examples?

 

I was being flippant. I don't agree with the article.

 

The author of the article finds it offensive Anderson would use India and the people of India as a backdrop for the story of three white men. I guess the story of three white men must only be set amongst white people. If that's the case, maybe Wes should have made the brothers take a train trip through Connecticut instead. He could have named the film "Metro-North." Three brothers bond among drunken Wall-Streeters commuting to Fairfield County.

 

What is the "proper" way to deal with race/other cultures? I don't know. Is there a proper way? Who deems it so? That's my problem with the article. It seems way too PC for me. It seems to want to deprive the director of their own personal experience and outlook for the sake of some "proper" attitude. As long as hate is not being spewed or promoted against a certain group, I will forgive Wes (and other similarly targeted white directors) their racial/cultural naivete.

 

I've read articles where, because of the lack of black characters, Woody Allen's films have been made to be "The Birth of a Nation." I mean, come on.

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I was being flippant. I don't agree with the article.

 

The author of the article finds it offensive Anderson would use India and the people of India as a backdrop for the story of three white men. I guess the story of three white men must only be set amongst white people. If that's the case, maybe Wes should have made the brothers take a train trip through Connecticut instead. He could have named the film "Metro-North." Three brothers bond among drunken Wall-Streeters commuting to Fairfield County.

 

What is the "proper" way to deal with race/other cultures? I don't know. Is there a proper way? Who deems it so? That's my problem with the article. It seems way too PC for me. It seems to want to deprive the director of their own personal experience and outlook for the sake of some "proper" attitude. As long as hate is not being spewed or promoted against a certain group, I will forgive Wes (and other similarly targeted white directors) their racial/cultural naivete.

 

I've read articles where, because of the lack of black characters, Woody Allen's films have been made to be "The Birth of a Nation." I mean, come on.

 

I didn't mean to come off as if I were challenging anything you said. Like you, I challenge the entire notion that any culture can "properly deal with" other cultures.

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I didn't mean to come off as if I were challenging anything you said. Like you, I challenge the entire notion that any culture can "properly deal with" other cultures.

 

Right on. I didn't take offense or take your post as a personal affront or whatever.

 

My point is not so much that it is impossible for one culture to properly deal with another culture, my point is, who can say if such a portrayal is proper? The writer says Anderson "mishandles race." I disagree. Films are personal creations. If Anderson's film is an honest representation of his view of India/the people of India, I feel he handled race properly. A director can't be all things to all people. He can only express his own personal view. If this view is seen by some to be narrow, so be it.

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:lol

 

But are you surprised that skiing has two 'i's?

No. I think it makes sense to do that, or it would look too much like a one-syllable word.

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What is the "proper" way to deal with race/other cultures? I don't know. Is there a proper way? Who deems it so?

johnny_pate_shaft_in_africa.jpg

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Finally saw this - instantly one of my favorite Wes Anderson flicks. I loved it all. Sweet Lime. Peacock feathers. Mom. The wounds on Francis' head. The flashback sequence. Dad's stuff. Man. What a piece of work!

I think one of the things that I really enjoyed was that it didn't look art-directed to death (even if it might have been).

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You see, they weren't just letting go of their suitcase baggage; they also got rid/dealt with their emotional baggage.

 

You'll probably get it on the next watch through.

 

P.S. I liked this one.

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Watched it for the first time over the weekend and really liked it. Very well done, moved at a nice pace, acting was excellent, plot was fresh, and it didn't go too far with the quirkiness. Excellent flick.

 

I caught on to the baggage inuendo at the end, too. That was the only part I felt was poorly done.

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Finally, FINALLY saw this movie tonight, I need help though. It features the Rolling Stone's song "Play With Fire", what other movie or TV show or trailer or something features this song? It was driving us crazy, while watching the movie we all knew the song, however none of us are big stone's fans so we feel we learned the song through some a famous movie scene? Any thoughts?

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Finally, FINALLY saw this movie tonight, I need help though. It features the Rolling Stone's song "Play With Fire", what other movie or TV show or trailer or something features this song? It was driving us crazy, while watching the movie we all knew the song, however none of us are big stone's fans so we feel we learned the song through some a famous movie scene? Any thoughts?

Lil Wayne

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No, I wish it was though, the more I think of it I think its from a movie or tv show

 

Wikipedia has this:

 

"Play with Fire" was featured in the 2007 film The Darjeeling Limited, directed by Wes Anderson; it also appears on the soundtrack album.

 

In the second season of The Wire, in an attempt to sound like he is not from Baltimore when infiltrating an illegal brothel, Detective Jimmy McNulty affects an English accent and plans to claim to be from Stepney and Knightsbridge (as well as Mersey), London suburbs metonymic of squalor and chic respectively in "Play with Fire".

 

In July 2008 "Play With Fire" became the subject of a lawsuit when ABKCO Music Inc., which owns the rights to the Rolling Stones' early catalogue, filed a suit against Lil Wayne, asserting that the rapper's song "Playing With Fire" is based on the Rolling Stones' song.

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I gave this movie a mixed review on my silly little blog when it was in theaters. Seeing it again months later I felt a little more affection for it. The thing is with this movie (maybe all Anderson movies) if you can't emotionally relate to some of the characters he still gets you 80% of the way to awesome with his production design alone (so ornate and distinctive).

 

That said, the social psychology of the brothers, mother etc. felt more interesting to me the second time.

 

We'll see how "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" turns out.

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The Wire is the only thing I can think of that had a Play With Fire mention, but I am pretty sure the song itself isn't actually in the episode , is it possible you're thinking of "I am Waiting" another Stones song from that era that's kind of similar, which was in Rushmore?

 

I still watch Darjeeling every couple of months, it is probably the one I probably enjoy watching the most. Tenenbaums is probably my favorite over all, though I love all five of his movies, but it can be a bit emotionally draining to watch. I am looking forward to Mr. Fox quite a bit and hearing Jarvis Cocker's contributions to the soundtrack.

 

--Mike.

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