Quote: (12-20-2014 09:05 PM)monster Wrote:
Quote: (12-20-2014 06:40 PM)Slim Shady Wrote:
^...And in Kubrick's Clockwork Orange Alex goes back to raping and ultraviolence, except this time with government backing. So is that movie not art?
That's not exactly how Clockwork ends - Kubrick never ended any movie with a definitive ending but always leaves it open to interpretation.
Kubrick also only ever portrayed dark themes with humor, which Black Mirror entirely lacks.
All right, it isn't cheerful, but there is a degree of humor, especially in context. The first episode is a satire of people who will abase themselves for TV popularity on shows like "Big Brother" or "I'm a Celebrity", as well as being the theme of the series-that people miss things staring at a screen while life goes on everywhere else.
"White Christmas" too has a certain wry humor-the guy is punished by having to listen to "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" for years.
Check out British radio around this time and tell me that's not a punishment.
If you've ever seen Brass Eye by Chris Morris (who Brooker worked with at some point) you see a similar trend. Making a satirical fake documentary about crime, drug use or paedophilia is not going to be laugh-out-loud funny, but it raised a laugh from me, as did Black Mirror.
It's satire, and incredibly bleak humor at that, but very well made.
See what you think (more Brooker work)
"Dead Set" is another Brooker creation about a zombie outbreak that coincides with the broadcast of "Big Brother"-no subtext there, huh?