jonj

jonj

Contributing writer for The Artifice.

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    Latest Articles

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    Did the movie 'It' premiere at the perfect time in today's zeitgeist?

    The recent Andy Muschetti film 'It' (adapted from the titular Stephen King novel) has been a monstrous success (pardon the pun). Is it the 1980s setting and vibe that connects with adults and kids today? Is it the links it shares with thematic elements of the wildly successful Stranger Things (a show gleefully inspired by Stephen King)? What has made this horror film such a hit?

    • I think this makes for a compelling discussion. Having seeing both 'IT' and 'Stranger Things', the 80's horror aesthetic and visual is very much so trending right now. I think Stranger Things has pioneered modern pop culture by reviving this style in mainstream television/film. – AdilYoosuf 7 years ago
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    • I think a great point to add to this is the nostalgic aspect of such revivals of the 80s settings, which are appealing to the demographic of movie goers and TV viewers that grew up during this period. I think also that the desire to throw back to this period is akin to most nostalgia media in that it allows for a greater sense of connection to occur between the viewer and the product. An interesting discussion to have. – SaraiMW 7 years ago
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    • Amidst a string of 80s nostalgia driven tripe (with the occasional good one), I cannot think of a better time to release an It movie that is not only true to the book, but also a great movie on its own merits. It was exactly what we needed in this current uninspired, wash-rinse-repeat market. – AGMacdonald 7 years ago
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    • I belief the success of 'It' stems from its source material. Stephen King is a bit of a unicorn in the adaptation world - movie renditions of his books rarely flop. You might explore the reasons behind this. For example, Stephen King spares no detail when it comes to character development. Perhaps the wealth of personality he provides in his novels helps the films adapt themselves (so to speak). And if character development is a contributor to the success of 'It', what does that say about other, lackluster recent releases? Is Hollywood lapsing into one-dimensionality? At least when it comes to developing characters? And our we, as viewers, beginning to notice that lack? Interesting topic! – Jude Romines 7 years ago
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    Latest Comments

    jonj

    Loved the breadth of films covered, presents a solid comparison of the representation of sexuality and how it does or doesn’t construct the characters of a film.

    Based on all this, I’d say there’s two big forces in shaping how sex in film can succeed and that’s 1) does it contribute to character development in some way and 2) how is that development represented on screen. This requires the strength of a great writer, the talents and understanding of a great performer and the delicacy of a great director.

    Sex in Cinema: Poetry vs. Pornography (Explicit Content)
    jonj

    I would make the argument that TV is beginning to make strides in overall representation of couples from different backgrounds. Whether it’s an episode of Black Mirror (the San Junipero episode centering on a black and white woman falling love) or on a mass hit like the Walking Dead where an asian man and white woman get married.

    TV has the capacity and sheer number of programs to really disrupt negative stereotypes regarding couples of different backgrounds. The length of a season on a Television show provides a great platform for a viewer to really understand the couple and see the relationship for what it really is, simply people connecting.

    This is where film can take a hit because of the time constraint. The right director/producer/studio needs to be behind the wheel in order to land the relationship in the right way (as the target window is smaller) but unfortunately that isn’t always the case.

    Miscegenation On Screen, Why So Disparate?
    jonj

    Great points, and very intriguing ideas raised, although I would make the argument that in terms of narrative structure, most video games play out more like a season of a TV program (with many elements of Cinema).

    Sometimes chapters (or episodes) will be defined and sometimes not, but throughout the course of certain games you are given such an ample amount of time with the characters, that the actual length of time playing/watching equates to a season of TV (8+ hours).

    This only points to the merit of a video game’s narrative potential, which you really make a great case for in your article.

    Cinematic Games: Video Games and the Shadow of Cinema