пятница, 14 апреля 2017 г.

Aftermath (2017)

I would like for someone to say that they're sorry for killing my family

A long time ago, I have read in an encyclopedia the following passage: «No, not every file is better than death». As I grew older, I have encountered in cinema and literature the numerous examples of this phrase. This film also prover the truthfulness of this phrase.

Roman Melnik is an ordinary man, who lost his wife and child in a plane crash. The tragedy happened while air traffic controller Jake Bonanos was on duty. The air traffic controller confessed his guilt and it still haunts him. Despite that, Roman is not satisfied by formal complaints…



A lot of people like to talk about quick and painless death. If you judge by this standards, the plane crash is not so bad. Nevertheless, the quick death does not tone down the grief of relatives and other close people.

The stereotypical killer is not a monster. In reality, the most murderers are merely ordinary people. The ordinary people are mostly presented in negligent cases. Jake Bonanos is just one of those normal and ordinary men.



The modern society got so used to death and violence, so almost every death, with a few exceptions, is ignored by the society. Even such «untypical» death as a plane crash brings out only formal apology in a form of cash payment and VIP flyer status.

Most of the people have encountered the extreme psychic pressure. The heroes encountered even worse fate – spiritual death. Roman and Jake are just merely the bodies, who lost all will to live. They are trying to regain the will to live and continue to live, but will they succeed?



Cinema and literature created an illusion that revenge is a mean to regain spiritual well-being. One of the actors, who got his part in popularization of this stereotype, is Arnold Schwarzenegger. But reality is far apart from fiction – revenge will not bring back the loved ones and, in most cases, will not regain you spiritual well-being. In «Aftermath», Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a superhero, he is an ordinary man, who is sentenced to a life sentence in his internal psychological prison.

«Aftermath» is a film about ordinary people, who are trying to live on. The film does not show the heroes or bravado, but everyone could meet or become Roman or Jake.




Watch this film, maybe it will produce a genuine emotional response.

The Entertainer (1960)

Why should I care?

An interesting episode was depicted in the second part of Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain. In the mid-1950s, a young playwright John Osborne wrote «Look Back in Anger». The play was very successful, but Lawrence Olivier was not too impressed. Afterwards, Arthur Miller visited London and asked Olivier to accompany him to the theater.

After the play, Arthur Miller and Lawrence Olivier went backstage to meet a young playwright. There, astonished Miller saw how Olivier begged Osborne to write something for him. The Great Baron Lawrence Olivier begging some boy! Nonsense! Nevertheless, «The Entertainer» stepped out on the London stage and the shortly thereafter, the film was made.



Great Britain finished the Second World War as a formal winner, but lost its imperial power. Before the 8th of May, 1945 there was the British Empire, but after that there was only Great Britain. For a while, the British ruling class tried to behave like Empire, but the Suez Crisis destroyed all illusions.

«The Entertainer» starts in the first days of the Suez Crisis, The author shows a grey and tired Britain, whose habitants has lost the faith in a future of their country. The more successful are dreaming of immigration, the less successful are trying to speculate on the remains of the Imperial Glory. The film is set in some crisis-struck coastal British town.



«The Entertainer» shows not-so-good adventures of Archie Rice – a fifty-year old music hall artist, who has been avoiding the income tax man for twenty years. Son of a music hall legend, Archie presents a primitive show, which quickly loses its popularity. One day he got the chance – he seduced a young girl, whose wealthy parents are ready to bankroll his new show…

As I have written before, the author portrayed Britain in decline. That is why, the decay of music hall is one of the main themes. Music hall was one of the characteristics of the Edwardian Era – the peak of British glory and power. In the mid-1950s, music hall, along with Britain, was in decline.



Whatever you tell about Margaret Thatcher reforms, her reelection in 1983 was guaranteed by victory in the Falklands War, which gave back the imperial pride to the British. The Suez Crisis also began on a high note. Archie Rice Show is again popular, his father got an invitation for comeback, son of Archie – sergeant in the British Army, - will be soon home.

Despite all of the bravado, in 2017 we know the final of the Suez Crisis. In the first time for many centuries, Britain was subdued by another Empire. The fall would affect every hero of the film. The post-Suez Britain became a satellite of the US. The new values dominated everything, including music hall.



Truly, why should I care, it I lost already.


Watch this films, maybe it will make you think.