Bread and circuses
A few nights ago I saw a movie called “Good night and good luck”.
It was a superbly crafted movie. It told a story of a courageous journalist Edward R. Murrow standing up to the callous persecution unleashed by Senator Joseph McCarthy. The movie had a message about human rights, censorship, personal values, government manipulation. All the things that are just as valid today as they were fifty years ago. All the things that you would hope people cared about.
Well, there were only 4 people in the theatre, two of whom were me and my husband. I thought that maybe it was just a bad day. So I checked the stats at www.rottentomatoes.com, to find that despite tremendous reviews, the movie has grossed less than $30 million over the 19 weeks it has been released. By comparison King Kong has grossed over $215 million in 9 weeks. A giant ape roaming through the streets of New York clearly has a much greater appeal than somebody asking people to slow down and think.
“The people long eagerly for just two things. Bread and circuses,” said the Roman satiric poet Juvenal. I guess he was right. Too bad things hardly changed over these past two thousand years.
posted by vasilisa at 11:34 PM
3 Comments:
Caligula ruled over the greatest empire of his time through this very simple concept, Gladiators to help the people forget that things were a bit tough!
Good Night and Good Luck is an awesome movie. and your blog is good too! Keep it up!
The other day I was watching Simpsons and there was this one particular scene which I find relevant. There was a fair where all the comic book writers and Hollywood stars who played in movies about space set up small stands to sign autographs for their fans. And there was this one stand that no one approached for an autograph. Guess who was sitting at that stand “Neil Armstrong”!!! And when one off the staff members yells at the crowed “people, people this man has actually been to the moon!!” The reply was “WHO CARES”. Sad but true, that scene is not far from reality.
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