V for Vengeance
Although I seldom view first-run movies, the advertised tagline of the movie V for Vendetta got my attention and my curiosity:
The story is fascinating. Originally told in a 10-issue comic series, it involves the reincarnation of Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Britain's Parliament on November 5th, 1605 to avenge persecution of Roman Catholics. Fawkes failed and was executed. The movie hero V wears a spooky, ever-smiling Guy Fawkes mask. The mask is never removed, thankfully, because sci-fi fans would recognize the actor, and the association with other movies would detract from the character V.
The film will no doubt be loved by libertarians, who will hope, as I do, that our lethargic citizenry will recognize that if we don't take back control of our government while it is still possible peacefully, then citizen "terrorism" will be the last, only, and justified resort.
Ayn Rand fans will note the dramatic similarity with "Atlas Shrugged" as heroes of both take control of government-run broadcast media to issue their challenge and promise of vengeance.
I enjoyed the movie, but the motives of V, plus the inclusion of the innocent girl Evie, complicate the issues considerably. Certainly, Evie is a mechanism to allow us to view V's personal side and to reveal his motivational background. Natalie Portman is impressive as complex little Evie, as is John Hurt as the hateful big-brother-like "manager" of government. I will have to see V several times, and it is one of those movies I think I will enjoy more each subsequent time.
I cannot resist this "voluble vision" of V:
Thomas Jefferson, as author of the Declaration of Independence, was one of the group we now call the Founding Fathers, but to the established British Empire, King and Parliament all, they were rebels and terrorists. Jefferson spoke many times to the subject of rebellion, and to need and justification for it.
People should not be afraid of their governments.Strongly put, but fear of a popular revolt is indeed a necessary foil to the bloating and corruption of governments. It's a minor point, but the film "V for Vendetta" is actually misnamed. A vendetta is a blood feud, but the movie's hero was extracting vengeance for brutal crimes committed against him by government. The movie has no shortage of blood... spurting, spraying and whirling around, as the hero, V, battles with blades against government guns.
Governments should be afraid of their people.
The story is fascinating. Originally told in a 10-issue comic series, it involves the reincarnation of Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up Britain's Parliament on November 5th, 1605 to avenge persecution of Roman Catholics. Fawkes failed and was executed. The movie hero V wears a spooky, ever-smiling Guy Fawkes mask. The mask is never removed, thankfully, because sci-fi fans would recognize the actor, and the association with other movies would detract from the character V.
The film will no doubt be loved by libertarians, who will hope, as I do, that our lethargic citizenry will recognize that if we don't take back control of our government while it is still possible peacefully, then citizen "terrorism" will be the last, only, and justified resort.
Ayn Rand fans will note the dramatic similarity with "Atlas Shrugged" as heroes of both take control of government-run broadcast media to issue their challenge and promise of vengeance.
I enjoyed the movie, but the motives of V, plus the inclusion of the innocent girl Evie, complicate the issues considerably. Certainly, Evie is a mechanism to allow us to view V's personal side and to reveal his motivational background. Natalie Portman is impressive as complex little Evie, as is John Hurt as the hateful big-brother-like "manager" of government. I will have to see V several times, and it is one of those movies I think I will enjoy more each subsequent time.
I cannot resist this "voluble vision" of V:
Vengeful victim, a virtuoso, valorous vandal in Van Dyke and vizard, valiantly and vigorously vies versus the vanguard of venomous vermin, giving voice to vox populi, and vaporizing Parliament.Like so many modern movies, V for Vendetta is filled with fast action to the point of making it fantasy rather than fiction. I hope that doesn't distract from the real lesson... that citizens must not just accept what "their" government does to them. The power we allow government to have will continually grow with our lack of attention, becoming more intrusive and oppressive. We ignore it at our own peril, until it becomes so dominating that only bloody revolt can have an effect. We in the United States have been traveling down that primrose path far too long, and the results are really starting to slap us in our collective face.
Thomas Jefferson, as author of the Declaration of Independence, was one of the group we now call the Founding Fathers, but to the established British Empire, King and Parliament all, they were rebels and terrorists. Jefferson spoke many times to the subject of rebellion, and to need and justification for it.
"Lethargy [is] the forerunner of death to the public liberty."
--Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787.
"The oppressed should rebel, and they will continue to rebel and raise disturbance until their civil rights are fully restored to them and all partial distinctions, exclusions and incapacitations are removed."
--Thomas Jefferson: Notes on Religion, 1776. Papers 1:548
"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms."
--Thomas Jefferson to William Stephens Smith, 1787. ME 6:373, Papers 12:356
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere."
--Thomas Jefferson to Abigail Adams, 1787.
posted by Robert Ronald Smith at 6:45 PM
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