Comments on: Philosophical movies

By: Mike Huben

Mike Huben — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 12:11:32 +0000

M: insanity versus responsibility Black Robe: contrast of Indian and Christian mysticism Harakiri: the meaning of honor Little Murders: why care? The Meaning Of Life: the title song is terrrific The Lathe Of Heaven: dream and causality Dark Star: have you tried phenomenology?

By: dan

dan — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 10:50:50 +0000

If we’re going to talk about the Matrix and philosophy, then I’ve always thought it was most interesting in terms’ of Kierkegaard’s Fear and Trembling (Neo as Knight of Faith in the first film). Other movies to add to these excellent lists: Sling Blade: ethics in general, but as a critique/treatment of Kant in particular (the main character’s evolution into a being who recognizes moral laws leads him to violate them for consequentialist reasons). Blade Runner (directors cut): for so many reasons (identity, existentialism, updating of Homeric themes) and, if we include TV: STNG: Darmok. Theories of language, intercultural communication, Todorov. Virtually any episode of the Decalogue.

By: epist

epist — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 04:26:11 +0000

Let me second both Dr. Strangelove and La Jetee. I showed both to my Phil Lit class last semester, and both went over well. In fact, the reaction to Strangelove kind of frightened me. I had seen it shown in my undergrad (in the 80s) and I had shown it myself in the 90s, and both times it went over flat. The kids saw it as some distant, 50s thing, and didn’t even giggle. This year I showed it again, and they laughed like it was an Adam Sandler vehicle. The only thing I can think to explain it is that the film makes much more sense as a satire if you actually worry that your government might be a bunch of incompetent psychopaths with the power to destroy the world. shudder And I can’t believe no-one has yet recommended Being John Malchovich. Phil mind, and funny as hell to boot.

By: Something Polish

Something Polish — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 03:11:31 +0000

Brazil.

By: Something Polish

Something Polish — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 02:05:29 +0000

Oh, and Night Shift (the one with TV’s The Fonz, not the Big Steve King one). Obviously.

By: Something Polish

Something Polish — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 02:03:42 +0000

Repo Man.

By: Violet

Violet — Fri, 18 Jun 2004 00:02:53 +0000

I’d add THE STUNT MAN to this list. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081568/ This film addresses predestination, free will, and subjectivity along the same lines as the Truman Show, but in the form of an entertaining action flick. Great performance by Peter O’Toole as an unhinged film director with a God complex.

By: Ophelia Benson

Ophelia Benson — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 22:24:47 +0000

Big. I think that’s a rilly deep movie. Especially the bit at FAO Schwartz where Hanks and the boss play a tune on the floor piano by dancing back and forth on the keys. I suppose everyone heard the segment on ‘Front Row’ a couple of weeks ago in which Julian Baggini told us about Nietzsche in the movies?

By: Cobb

Cobb — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 21:06:02 +0000

Do The Right Thing Koyannisqatsi The Handmaid’s Tale Iron Monkey

By: David Salmanson

David Salmanson — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 20:12:48 +0000

South Park The Movie (also the TV show). Nature of good and evil, where does evil come from, the sacrafice of the individual vs. the group, and most importantly, although it is to parody crappy Broadway musicals, is it right? Le Resistance lives on! Also Buffy the movie but not the TV show which was way to self-concious about the whole philosophy thing to be useful for this discussion. OK the musical episode was cool and would work, but that’s it. Unless teenage years understood as coming out story is philosophy in which case the seasons up through high school graduation count.

By: mike

mike — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 19:49:00 +0000

1. The Purple Rose of Cairo—good old art vs reality, each informing the other… 2. (Don’t laugh) Star Trek: First Contact—life-affirming technological advance vs soul-destroying, if seductive, technological imperialism…hard to find the two in one place. 3. Blow-up—what is reality, anyway?

By: st_vis

st_vis — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 18:52:44 +0000

Mindwalk. Without a doubt it outshines everything else on the list for me. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100151/

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 18:27:46 +0000

Chuck: Thanks for the tip. We’re (my on-air partner John Perry and I) are always looking for movies with philosophical content. We have a sometimes segment on our show, Philosophy Talk, called “Philosophy Talk goes to the Movies.” We seem to prefer doing first-run movies. I’m not sure that’s essential, but it makes it harder to find good fodder, so we do it rarely. Anyway, thanks for the tip.

By: novalis

novalis — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 18:04:24 +0000

Seth Edenbaum writes: it’s fun but by and large, crap Ted Sturgeon points out: “90% of everything is crud”. The point isn’t the crap, it’s the good stuff.

By: David

David — Thu, 17 Jun 2004 17:58:38 +0000

One of Cavell’s former students, William Rothman, has written a bit of criticism (with philosophical references?) on five Alfred Hitchcock films—The Lodger, Murder!, The Thirty-Nine Steps, Shadow of a Doubt, and Psycho—in his Hitchcock: The Murderous Gaze (Harvard University Press, 1982), 371 pp.