Reclaiming the Right to Be a Cowboy: Week 10 Lesson 1 Blog for Creative Writing and Film Studies

This blog addresses and reflects on the lesson that concluded the unit, Film Genres and National Cinemas last term. To tie everything up in a neat lasso, students enjoyed diving into the Western film genre, and the rugged world of the ‘Wild West’. From endearing movies like Elvis Presley’s very first film role in Love Me Tender (1956), to questionable comedy westerns like Three Amigos (1986), the students definitely got a solid glimpse at ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (both in the respect of the figure of speech, and the 1966 film specifically) of the Western genre. Through their group and individual analysis work, students were able to ponder the relevance and value of the genre in our modern world, where multiculturalism and representation matters more than it once did in the global film industry.

While there are certainly many fun tropes and iconic features of the Wild West such as showdowns at sunset, cowboy hats and spurs, and riding your stallion across the free and untamed frontier into the horizon, there are also harmful stereotypes and at times an insidious and disturbing longing for a time that only favoured and offered opportunities to white people (not unlike American “classics” like Gone With the Wind (1939) that dreams of the ‘antebellum’ south (and just how ‘great’ everything was before the Civil War, a war that almost half of Americans believe was caused by reasons other than slavery (i.e. state rights and the ‘Lost Cause’ theory), and a war that some still refer to as ‘The War of Northern Aggression’ (The Florida Times, 2017)). As modern audience members and filmmakers, we have the power to pick and choose from what cinema has already offered to continue representing in films today. Processes of selection and emphasis, where what is no longer appropriate is left behind has happened in the case of countless film remakes (for example Carrie (1976) and Carrie (2013) - a previous article on those films can be found here), and those movies were able to become something new and relevant, while maintaining key aesthetics and universal themes from the original.

The question of whether this can be done with the Western film genre is a tough one, considering its history. Can there be anything purely good to salvage from the western genre, or is the line between table manners and stable manners too thin here? Will keeping aspects of this genre alive bring with it the inherent history and legacy of racism? In a case study, we looked at the film Blazing Saddles (1974) and the music video for the 2019 hit song Old Town Road by Lil Nas X. Back in 2019 when I had this song on repeat, my Dad pointed out to me that the video directly references one of his favourite films of all time, Blazing Saddles; a comedy Western film about a town that is protected from evil by their new sheriff, Bart and his friend. The twist in this story however is that the new sheriff is black, and the town is deeply shocked by his arrival. In the context of the film, the town’s reluctance to accept a black sheriff is presented as small minded and unworldly, and Bart’s need to prove himself to these people is a secondary concern at best, as there are more pressing matters at hand. As Bart rides into the town, he is met with a silent crowd, and is then surrounded by guns pointed at him, which he hilariously evades with some basic reverse psychology. Despite being at odds with the norms and expectations of this town and more widely the cowboy film genre, Bart is a fantastically witty and loveable hero who triumphs on the silver screen alongside his co-star Gene Wilder.

Similarly, in a direct reference, Lil Nas X trots down the modern suburban street of Old Town Road. While he is met with silence as a cowboy in the suburbs happens to stick out like a sore thumb, the residents talk with him, and even join him in a street race (horse vs car), and find common ground. In this scenario however, the juxtaposition comes from Western culture coming to an urban and predominantly black neighbourhood. The silence is not a result of racism towards the rider like in Bart’s case, but out of shock as the Western genre is often reserved for white people in country settings. However, once all people involved are invited to share in each other’s culture, an exciting new fusion is born. Later in the music video, Lil Nas X teams up again with Billy Ray Cyrus, and they liven up a bingo hall. While they are certainly a fun team, it is a shame that the song’s success as well as his music video character’s survival in a white community space depended on Billy Ray's presence. Even at the very beginning of the video as they rested outside of the home of a white rancher and his daughter, Lil Nas X exclaims that “last time I was here, they weren’t too welcoming to outsiders.”, while Billy Ray answers with “you’re with me this time. Everything’s going to be alright”. This exchange happens as the rancher prepares to shoot at them. This conversation can be seen as a nod to the song’s history, as well as the ‘danger’ Lil Nas X may face from original haters and ‘more traditional’ country music fans. It is lesser known that when the song was first released, Lil Nas X was successful as an R&B artist, but received a lot of pushback from the country music community and the gatekeepers of the country music charts. However, upon re-releasing the track with Billy Ray, an already well established white male country singer at his side, the song became an overnight success (Molanphy, 2019). Upon listening, the song is neither just a country song or a rap song, but is undeniably both, however the pushback at the song for incorporating traditionally African American music styles in a country aesthetic is extremely telling of who guards the idea of ‘country music’ in America, and who owns the right to be a cowboy and enjoy ‘good ‘ol boy’ culture. Just yesterday, I came back across this excellent skit by Keygan Michael Key and Jordan Peele on the topic of country music being a lifeline for deeply cruel racism, and a medium that allows it to continue thriving.

With this in mind however, the image of the cowboy has come a long way. In music, the cowboy does not need to exist only within the confines of Nashville expectations. Cowboys can appear in pop videos and concerts for queer and queer coded artists. Who doesn’t love the cowboy from YMCA (1978) by Village People? Following suit, I remember going to Troy Sivan’s 2019 concert, where everyone in the audience was invited to dress in cowboy style, and while walking into a room of real cowboys can be like walking into the lion’s den of racist and homophobic people, the concert hall was an explosion of colour, sequins, celebration and acceptance, where the price of involvement was a few dollars spent on a cute hat from Party City. Cowboy culture and Western style has also been seen flourishing in “non-westerner” music spaces. In class, we watched the music videos for Permission to Dance (2021) by BTS and That That (2022) by PSY and SUGA. It is not that long ago where Asian people dressed in cowboy style may be considered a mismatch as they are non-westerners dressed in Western style (this was an ongoing joke in the American sitcom Fresh Off the Boat (2015-2020), where the father Louis ran a cowboy themed restaurant called The Cattleman’s Ranch Steakhouse, and it is supposedly less authentic and culturally appropriated due to his ownership and his race). In these two videos however, students highlighted the fact that there was no violence of the Wild West, and that a multitude of cultures were represented. Cowboy culture in these music videos is all about inclusion and getting people up and dancing, rather than it being only accessible to a particular cultural group.

In this respect, That That and Permission to Dance are highly popular and loved examples of the western genre living on without the hate that was instrumental in its initial creation. That being said, it is however important to view older western films mindfully, and to watch them with a critical lens, especially in regards to their portrayal (or complete lack thereof) of cultures other than that of white Americans.

References:

Comedy Central Asia. (2020). “Is This Country Song Racist? | Key & Peele”, online video, viewed on 25/4/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiPP2e1HFb0

HYBE Labels. (2021). “BTS (방탄소년단) 'Permission to Dance' Official MV”, online video, viewed on 25/4/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuklIb9d3fI

Lil Nas X. (2019). “Lil Nas X - Old Town Road (Official Movie) ft. Billy Ray Cyrus”, online video, viewed on 25/4/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Ov5jzm3j8

Molanphy, C. (2019). “The “Old Town Road” Controversy Reveals Problems Beyond Just Race”. https://chris.molanphy.com/the-old-town-road-controversy-reveals-problems-beyond-just-race/, accessed on 25/4/23

Officialpsy. (2022). “PSY - 'That That (prod. & feat. SUGA of BTS)' MV”, online video, viewed on 25/4/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dJyRm2jJ-U

RJMproductionz. (2009). “Blazing Saddles- Welcome Sheriff”, online video, viewed on 25/4/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQrrqf-YamA

The Florida Times Associated Press. (2017). “How is the Civil War taught in school? Depends on where you live.”. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/nation-world/2017/08/22/how-civil-war-taught-school-depends-where-you-live/15766977007/, accessed on 25/4/23

Wick, C. (2020). “Doused in Blood: Carrie (1976) vs. Carrie (2013)”, https://iamchelseawick.wixsite.com/mysite/post/carrie-1976-vs-carrie-2013, accessed on 25/4/23

Escaping The Island of Captain Calamari: Week 9 Lesson 2 Blog for Creative Writing and Film Studies

In Friday's lesson within the unit, Film Genres and National Cinemas, students enjoyed the lesson that I had been ‘on the edge of my seat level’ excited to teach. Together, we wound back the clock to the 1920s to investigate the distinctive and dramatic film genre that is German Expressionism. As a film studies grad and aficionado, I knew for a fact that no introduction to film studies course was complete without having a look at German Expressionism, and silent film, both being respectfully hard to sell in this day and age. However, following on from many weeks of facilitating the learning of my dedicated students and their genuine inquiry into a wide range of film genres from different contexts, I was absolutely delighted to see that this built a strong foundation for a deep and meaty lesson. Students critically considered the historical factors that led to the creation of this genre, as well as how the style continues to live on in much loved films and visual aesthetics around the world.

During this lesson, students were able to successfully make connections between modern gothic aesthetics and styles, and iconic works within German Expressionism. As a lead in, students engaged in analytical pre-reading and excerpt viewing of Fritz Lang’s silent film sci-fi masterpiece, Metropolis (1927). Students were really interested in the bizarre storyline of the film, the conservative and controlling ‘false happy ending’ (the revolution that was set up to fail, ending with the Salem witch trials style execution of a robot scapegoat in female form, and with everyone getting right back to work, and following the “new leader”...who was conveniently the son of the old leader), and the exaggerated body language, costuming, and settings that made the actors look as though they were moving within an abstract painting. Through viewing a German Expressionism montage video, students were excited to see excerpts of classic films for the first time such as Nosferatu (1922) (the completely unauthorised copycat of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel Dracula), The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920), and From Morn to Midnight (1920). They were also delighted to see clips from some of Tim Burton’s finest flicks, such as Corpse Bride (2005), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), and Vincent (1982). In the discussion that followed, students were able to see that German Expressionism was not just a German thing, but a style that has stood strongly against the test of time. While the genre was born out of a time of hopelessness, and hyperinflation following Germany’s defeat in WWI, this stripped back, minimum cost but maximum avant garde style has continued to inspire filmmakers today. The most notable of these filmmakers would be Tim Burton, the director of countless darkly whimsical films, as well as a favourite in our class: the rather new and instant Netflix series hit, Wednesday (2022). In true German Expressionism style, iconic character Wednesday Addams (played by Jenna Ortega) re-emerges into the spotlight of modern pop culture, and is even asked by a classmate why she is in black and white like an old movie.

As a film lover, I am so happy to have passed on the enjoyment of films new and old to my students. Going into teaching this unit, I was wondering how the older and more obscure films would be received by my audience of 14 and 15 year olds. When I was flying back to Sydney from my stay in New York over the Christmas break, I watched The Incredible Weight of Massive Talent (2022) on the plane, and felt extremely called out. In this hilarious movie, Nicolas Cage plays a fictional version of himself, “Nick Cage”, and while also being washed up as an actor, he finds himself to be disconnected from his teenage daughter, Addy. In an odd attempt to bond, Nick watches some of his favourite movies with Addy, including The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (1920). When asked by her mother how the time with her father went, Addy said that they watched a weird movie called “The Island of Captain Calamari”. When he tried to defend his choice to his ex wife, she challenged him by asking why he was “...surprised that your teenage daughter didn't want to watch an insane 100 year old German film with you?” Despite being on a plane, I laughed out loud and took down the quotation for future reference, as it encapsulated not only the alienating power of cinema when it lacked context, but also how snobby film fans can be when they expect everyone to see and love the nuances they had already worked to unpack over time. Gladly, I did not have a “Nick Cage” moment, and I walked away from the classroom with so much fulfilment in response to seeing my students make valuable connections between films and aesthetics over time, and hearing comments like “so this is why Wednesday is so emo”.

References:

Dickson, C. (2016). “German Expressionism Montage”, online video, viewed on 2/4/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJhWBRhJJV8

Wick, C. (2020). “Corrupting Modernity in Metropolis”, https://iamchelseawick.wixsite.com/mysite/post/modernity-metropolis-fritz-lang?_sm_au_=iVVnqkqjPqj7QW378H41FK7TcWCJp, accessed on 2/4/23

O.G. Spider-Man - A Top Tier Action Hero: Week 8 Lesson 1 Blog for Creative Writing and Film Studies

In Wednesday's lesson within the unit, Film Genres and National Cinemas, students investigated action genre films, and their role and function in society. As a lead in, I couldn’t help myself but to have my students refer to the original Spider-Man film trilogy (2002, 2004, and 2007), and to do some research in regards to its importance as an action film staple. With plenty of thrills and ‘edge of your seat’ moments, these movies continue to deliver the full package to audiences worldwide, regardless of whether they are comic book fans or not (fun fact - Tobey Maguire never read a comic book (or wanted to), but took on the role of Peter Parker because he liked story according to the script).

At St Luke’s, it doesn’t take long for colleagues and students alike to discover that I love books, movies, anime, Elvis, and Tobey Maguire. Tobey is a wholesome and sweet person both on and off screen (and has been a vegan since the 90s!). Due to the Spider-Man films, and his iconic performances in movies like The Great Gatsby (2013), Brothers (2009), and most recently Babylon (2022) (where he was on screen for only about 10 minutes (I know because I watched it twice in the cinemas, and checked my watch), but made such a lasting and fabulously creepy impression on the audience!), he is one of my top favourite actors, and will always ‘be Spider-Man to me’. I certainly see this as a sort of generational question, like ‘who is Batman to you?’ Perhaps very soon, the next generation will refer to Robert Pattinson as their go to Batman, for his gritty and stripped back 2022 portrayal of the black-caped vigilante. When it comes to pinning down why Tobey Maguire’s portrayal of Peter Parker is the best, and why the original Spider-Man trilogy is exactly my cup of tea, as well as a fantastic example of an action film with a positive and ongoing message for society, I can certainly think of quite the laundry list of reasons. For this blog however, I will attempt to keep it brief and to the point by limiting those reasons to just TWO (I know!). Without further ado, here is some explanation in regards to what all the fuss is about when it comes to ‘OG’ (original) Peter Parker, and the first Spider-Man film trilogy.

1. Nobody’s Perfect

Okay, I may be slightly contradicting myself here…I mean, he IS perfect to me, but because of the ways he isn’t, as well as the ways he is. To clarify, Peter Parker as portrayed by Tobey Maguire is a complex individual. He is not the squeaky clean Captain America type, but rather a bit of an anti-hero. In the first film, Uncle Ben iconically states, “with great power comes great responsibility”, however Peter does not understand this concept right away. As a regular teenager who happens to be given ‘great power’ by accident, he was taken by surprise, and used these powers for his own gain, by entering a wrestling competition to win money for a car to impress Mary-Jane Watson. After using an unfair advantage to win the competition, Peter consciously stepped aside as an armed thief stole money from the event organiser out of spite. Karmically, this was to his detriment, as that very same thief was involved in the death of Uncle Ben, who had come to pick Peter up from ‘the library’. When Peter was faced by the death of a loved one who he felt responsible for, he jumped into a typical ‘action hero mentality’, where the bad guys must not only caught, but eliminated (think of this logic in conjunction with the film Taken (2008). Liam Neeson’s character fights to get his daughter back, but stops at nothing, including the fact that he needed to kill A LOT of people to reach her). After fighting to the death with the thief, Peter experienced no peace that was often thought to come with revenge, and struggled with his conscience.

This was a defining moment for him to become Spider-Man, as a more selfless and courageous life would make his Uncle proud. In this sense, this iteration of Peter Parker in his struggle to become a beacon of hope and moral goodness becomes a better hero to me, and a lot more real than some ‘Mr. Perfect’ ‘Captain Planet’ kind of character, who wouldn’t even dare to raise his voice at the bad guy.

1. He’s an Outsider

Now, I would be lying by omission if I didn’t share the fact that I have fantasised about waking up in the morning, and putting on my glasses, only to find that I could see better without them! Peter’s instant glow up is such a fun part of the film, and his surprise and delight in being able to have more confidence in his appearance is charming. Peter Parker was the kid at school who faded into the background, and just did his best not to get trampled under foot along the way. I think for many viewers, it is nice to see a hero who didn’t always look and act like ‘the chosen one’ or ‘golden child’, but had to rely on luck and then persistence to truly become the person he always wanted to be. This is especially admirable when you consider that the person Peter worked hard to be was a masked hero who protected complete strangers for the most part, at the expense of his personal life, including romantic prospects, career opportunities (“pizza time!”), friendships, and his higher education (something that was a big deal to an academic guy, with a true love for Science and learning). Even though Peter’s powers could definitely be used selfishly, as he learnt the hard way, he committed wholeheartedly to giving back the community, and wanted nothing in return. He didn’t even mind being on the run from the NYPD, or painted as some kind of freaky cosplay menace in The Daily Bugle, as long as he could continue to make a positive difference.

References:

Foster, T. (2019). “10 Things You Didn’t Know about Tobey Maguire”, https://tvovermind.com/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-tobey-maguire/, accessed on 23/3/23

Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2012). “SPIDER-MAN [2002] – Official Trailer (HD)”, online video, viewed on 23/3/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t06RUxPbp_c