Astral Facts, December 2013
Interdisciplinary Polygamy: It’s not just Entertainment
Astral: (Theosophy) Consisting of, belonging to, or designating, a kind of supersensible substance alleged to be next above the tangible world in refinement; as, astral spirits; astral bodies of persons; astral current.
Interdisciplinary Polygamy: It’s not just Entertainment
Entertainment opportunities become one area of interest during the annual holiday season, especially with the days so short and the nights so long. Students relieved of the burdens of late night cramming for finals have time to unwind, not realizing the similar feelings of those on the other side of the desk and behind the whiteboards.
While busily preparing behind the scenes for the next influx coming after the New Year, faculty, staff, and administrators also may actively seek the comfort of the distractions offered by the entertainment industry.
Of course, this extends beyond the academic community, and for more than just the students and their families. Even though this is heralded as the time to focus on the joy and peace of the season, ironically, it seems doing so becomes more and more stressful each year.
Hollywood and its extended outposts are well aware of this, with movie passes suspended to encourage us all to pay full price for the delectable offerings of the season –> hobbits with new plot twists and romantic entanglements, Hermione as a more acceptable “adult” alternative to Hannah Montana’s influence, catching the fire of the Hunger Games, etc. Many of us read the reviews and usually go to the ones of our personal preference in spite of bad reviews and consider other choices based on good reviews – from our peers as well as the “experts” (who are usually wrong in panning our preferences).
However, it’s not just the “new” selections that merit our attention, for some of the overlooked past selections deserve recognition. This is further enhanced by our not needing to fight the crowds getting to and from the theaters, thanks to the wonders of Netflix and the DVDs at the local library, Redboxes, used book stores, and even quaint video rental counters in a few grocery stores.
These “oldies” may not have been a financial “big hit” at the box office for those fixated on the revenue stream, but they offer interesting insight to the Humanities Scientists who notice how the “marriage” of the disciplines of history, politics, and the humanities can create healthy and insightful relationships.
This was brought home to me recently when my wife and I took my personal holidays for a sort of “working vacation” off campus at the WorldMark resort facility (the site formerly known as “TrendWest”) up at Birch Bay. While there, we received coupons for two DVD “rentals.” Our choices turned out much better than we expected (even though the number of explosions per minute were far below my usual “escape” minimums).
Thus, in the spirit of the season, here’s a short review and recommendation of each:
The Conspirator (2011)
Most of us regard the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln to have been done by John Wilkes Booth, who was [unwittingly?] helped by Dr. Samuel Mudd. However, the “conspiracy” was more wide-spread, for an attempt that evening was also made on the Secretary of State, William Seward, and another was planned for the Vice President Andrew Johnson as well. As it turned out, many of the participants were associated with the son of Mary Surratt, a southerner who owned a boarding house where some of the planning was suspected to have taken place. Mary Surratt was arrested as a co-conspirator. A union war hero with a promising legal career was appointed as the defense attorney. The film covers the situation of the lawyer’s sense of justice during the trial, held by a military tribune, as he is expected to confirm his client’s guilt. Directed by Robert Redford, it addresses serious issues of prejudice and public opinion while standing up for one’s principles. It is certainly relevant to current issues. Here’s the trailer:
Emperor (2012)
Fast-forwarding from 1865 to 1945, this film also deals with issues of prejudice and public opinion while standing up for principles. It tells the story of the challenges faced by Gen Douglas MacArthur and his staff in Japan during the aftermath of WWII. The primary issue had to do with determining the responsibility of Emperor Hirohito and whether or not he should be tried as a war criminal. Again, the officer appointed to handle the situation becomes the central figure in resolving conflicts of personal views and public responsibility. Certainly, it is relevant to current issues. Here’s the trailer:
Shortly after our return to “normal” life, my wife and I happened to watch a film on TMC (Turner Movie Classics), which also presented an interesting marriage of history, politics, and humanities. Although the previous two were based on real characters in real situations, the next film is a "what if" that reflects actual activities by unknown and unheralded individuals.
This Land is Mine (1943)
Starring Charles Laughton, this was filmed during WWII and is set in a “fictional” European country, but the association to Vichy France is quite obvious. Although it begins as obvious “propaganda” in support of resistance to German fascism, the story goes far beyond that. In this film Laughton plays the part of a meek “schoolmaster” living with a very domineering mother. Eight years after his role as the domineering Capt. Bligh opposite Clark Gable’s Fletcher Christian in Mutiny on the Bounty, Laughton is very convincing as the type who is disrespected by his students and not taken seriously as a suitor by the love of his life. In a poignant scene he instructs his boys to tear out the pages of their textbooks because the mayor and city council have agreed with the German Commandant that the curriculum needs to be altered to fit the “new world vision” that will bring happiness to all. Again, the conflicts of personal conscience and public responsibility have clear relevance to current issues. Here is an interesting scene:
Thus, these three all present “astral facts” regarding issues of personal conscience, public responsibilities, shared governance, peace on earth, goodwill to humankind, and joy to all, aspects which sometimes we forget about as we “celebrate” during this holiday season. Nonetheless, the marriage of interdisciplinary studies can reveal a lot of how today’s events link the present to the past and the future. The rest is history.
Walter Lowe
Astral Facts is a somewhat regular presentation of Humanities Science, produced in the bowels of the Humanities Science offices during the academic year.
Astral Facts is a somewhat regular presentation of Humanities Science, produced in the bowels of the Humanities Science offices during the academic year.
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