Black and Blue

a week or so ago, black and blue was mentioned in a blog post by The Black Io Chronicles in a webcomic roundup. so, it’s good to get the ball rolling, and nice to see my work getting mentioned alongside other quality artists. and more than that, it got shared, and i enjoyed some hits. thanks!

onto a movie very much worth your time.

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?(1969)

set in the depression era of 1930’s USA, the movie focuses on Jane Fonda and the other participants of a dance marathon that lasts months. counted out by the hours, and going into the thousands of hours. with only small sleep breaks, the contestants shamble to big band music for $1500 dollars while months fall off the calendar. i have to say, the thing that surprised me most is how a 45 year old movie, set 90 years ago could still be so relevant. desperate people throwing away dignity, health, and self worth away for minor fame, and a barely life altering ammount of money. it smacks so much of reality television today, except with a real sense of danger as people wander a floor facing exhaustion and mental fatique. if anything, it just goes to show how we’ve always liked seeing strangers flail a little for our amusement.

the other thing i noticed is how much The Hunger Games seemed to borrow from it, or from the concept of these type of dance contests in general. far be it for me to slander another persons’ work, but the concept of patrons who supply people they like in a life or death struggle with minor advantages seemed like it was borrowed here.

then again, this movie didn’t invent schadenfreude either, so…..