tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post4194792941030216105..comments2021-09-12T14:25:06.225-04:00Comments on Pennies in a Jar: Some Thoughts on Brüno (Spoilers Ahead)Nels P. Highberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17998283755242261031noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-50988902144167893662009-07-24T14:15:06.970-04:002009-07-24T14:15:06.970-04:00I watched the movie yesterday in a Brussels cinema...I watched the movie yesterday in a Brussels cinema, with a sizeable gay representation in the crowd. The reaction from the audience was one of horrified titilation and incredulity, but always with full sympathy for the Bruno character, mixed with some pity for the Mexican chair people. When the movie ended, there was loud applause, something that never happens here.<br /><br />I like your argument that this movie was about exposing the gulf between straight and gay men, and all the ways we men (straight and gay) exhibit that gulf.<br /><br />It was not a movie I was looking forward to. Cohen's work is always painful to watch, often very predictable and always, since the start of his Ali G Show, designed to unmask through offence. But it was surprisingly easier to watch than Borat, and the old Ali G stuff.<br /><br />In short: Bruno is an instant classic, one of the best movies of this century so far, and a powerful social statement as well as a horrid, horrid comedy.Pieter Hintjenshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14420256135656470367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-60138111924406831572009-07-16T22:02:09.278-04:002009-07-16T22:02:09.278-04:00Somehow I missed the European documentary thing. ...Somehow I missed the European documentary thing. I know that was the deal with Borat, but not Bruno. Hmm, thanks for the heads up.bdegenarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616611448733705353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-65628660722084293352009-07-16T21:25:53.279-04:002009-07-16T21:25:53.279-04:00Bill, the camera was often in plain view because p...Bill, the camera was often in plain view because participants were told that this was for a European documentary. So, now that I think about it, maybe that makes it harder to think this was all a joke? They trusted why the camera was there? But even if they thought it was for a documentary, I think they could still question what was happening if it felt unreal to them.Nels P. Highberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17998283755242261031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-81473848330559422672009-07-16T20:48:32.924-04:002009-07-16T20:48:32.924-04:00Thanks for posting your thoughts on the film...you...Thanks for posting your thoughts on the film...you've definitely given me a new and compelling pov. Just saw it today and was sure that the majority of scenes were pre-arranged. How could they not be? But maybe you're right that the film's all about exposing what many straight people are quick to think. Although there were some scenes (the hunting trip) where I'm not sure where they were hiding the camera.bdegenarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10616611448733705353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-27384454426025549552009-07-14T22:08:56.457-04:002009-07-14T22:08:56.457-04:00oh, and I want to revise what I said earlier. I do...oh, and I want to revise what I said earlier. I do think there is a fear of this happening in other states, in addition to the knowledge. I too quickly dismissed the fear aspect. I don't <i>know</i> what's all going on. Part of it is definitely fear or suspicion.Michael Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13238625481857584857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-90992191729193418592009-07-14T22:07:45.800-04:002009-07-14T22:07:45.800-04:00haha, after I posted my comment, I thought it migh...haha, after I posted my comment, I thought it might be read as defensive. I didn't take your post as directed at me at all. No worries. :)<br /><br />You're right, it would be challenging to show/reveal bigotry in all places.Michael Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13238625481857584857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-77648900062001325752009-07-14T20:39:27.014-04:002009-07-14T20:39:27.014-04:00Michael, I want to be clear that nothing I said wa...Michael, I want to be clear that nothing I said was directed at you. Your post just got me thinking about these things. I think <i>Borat</i> really did empahsize that he was talking about the South, what with the constant focus on the map of where he was driving, which made it clear that he was talking about a particular place in a way that this one didn't.<br /><br />And you're right that it would be great to see something that digs at urban centers, but I think we won't see it because of many reasons, including what I said about the fact that protestors would be out in those places. The bigots have to hide a bit more since they know they will be confronted more directly, but that's true in the South, too. I can't see something like Straight Dave happening in Houston. Twenty years ago, we were quite attuned to what was happening in the metro area and often on top of things. And that was just with phone trees and word of mouth, so I'm betting it would be more intense now.<br /><br />That would be the challenge, to show bigotry in all places.Nels P. Highberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17998283755242261031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-20455963462201454682009-07-14T12:06:49.198-04:002009-07-14T12:06:49.198-04:00Great post, Nels. I did "enjoy" the reac...Great post, Nels. I did "enjoy" the reactions by people at the Sraight Dave event. I thought: this is how ridiculous heterosexual insistence ("pride") is! I kind of wanted to see something more done at the this point—though I'm not sure what I wanted out of the scene. But it was funny.<br /><br />Related to regionalism and your pondering: "I wonder if one reason why people are so eager to criticize the film for portraying the South in a certain way do so because of a fear, conscious or unconscious, that the same things could happen in their own state."<br /><br />For me, it isn't a fear that this stuff happens in my own state(s), it's the knowledge that it does. It's that time after time homophobia is presented as rural, Southern, and backward, and it'd be nice if urban centers weren't portrayed consistently as more progressive and safe. I guess it's less of a critique of the film than a fatigue of the larger cultural assumptions. I was particularly attuned to it when I wrote about that because I saw it with a friend from Texas.Michael Farishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13238625481857584857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-90861459216183901552009-07-14T09:43:32.575-04:002009-07-14T09:43:32.575-04:00Joanna, considering the amount of porn featuring w...Joanna, considering the amount of porn featuring women having sex with women that is aimed at straight men, I'd say that male homosexuality is considered a much, much stronger threat. Lesbians are hot!Nels P. Highberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17998283755242261031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-14474401684353150242009-07-14T08:48:18.585-04:002009-07-14T08:48:18.585-04:00I have heard of the ex-gay ministries, but it occu...I have heard of the ex-gay ministries, but it occurs to me that they seem to be more about "straightening out" gay men. Are they equally concerned with lesbians, or is male homosexuality so much more threatening to that population?JMKHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13294160430686864948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615167884712379815.post-42255528512798826982009-07-14T08:39:13.845-04:002009-07-14T08:39:13.845-04:00The psychic guy doesn't freak, but he does clo...The psychic guy doesn't freak, but he does close his eyes. But I do agree, it's not as extreme as Ron Paul or the hunters freaking out.Kait W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/14444489050806749601noreply@blogger.com