[Zeeb]

There's a new movie coming out by M. Night Shyamalan called "The Happening". It looks like it could be pretty good but he's a hit or miss director. I'll probably be suckered into a movie ticket.

M. Night Shyamalan : The Happening : In Theaters Friday the 13th, June 2008

There have been a number of movies,documentaries and even books with some aspect of the theme of society breaking down somehow--and there seems to be an increase. Sometimes its zombies(my personal favorite), sometimes its an infection, or something else that is unexplained like sudden blindness.

Some of the recent examples of this are:

The Resident Evil trilogy
28 days/weeks later
I Am Legend
The Happening
The entire "Night of the Living Dead" series of movies
The book "Blindness" by Jose Saramago
The book "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
"Life After People" (recent documentary about what happens to our structures after we mysteriously vanish)

What is it about the theme of societal breakdown that sells? Is everyone just sick of their neighbors and jobs?

[Dakar the Fourth]

Sign of the times? I suppose in the wake of the cold war this seems like the most likely apocalyptic scenario.

[paul w]

I don't know but I can't get enough of it. And I'm also the guy who liked Lady in the Water.

[peeb]

You sure this is new? I mean, this is a pretty well trod literary genre, isn't it? Day of the Triffids, anyone?

[Atomic Rooster]

The 'Bush Factor' + the Mayans + Climate Change + Paranoia + Sh!t Hitting the Fan = Armageddon Fun Stuffs.

[peeb]

The Mayans is actually pretty frightening.

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally Posted by paul w 

I don't know but I can't get enough of it. And I'm also the guy who liked Lady in the Water.

So you're the one!!11!1!

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by peeb 

You sure this is new? I mean, this is a pretty well trod literary genre, isn't it? Day of the Triffids, anyone?

You're right, this type of story has been around for awhile. However, there *seems* to be a huge increase in this theme -- almost to the point where it almost has become its own genre. I'm waiting for the "Sci Fi Social Disorder" section to appear at Blockbuster or something.

Oh, and I left off "The Mist" That kinda had the social breakdown thing going on too! Not sure how I feel about "The Mist" -- some parts were lame.

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Sign of the times? I suppose in the wake of the cold war this seems like the most likely apocalyptic scenario.

Good point, now that nuclear annihilation seems less likely perhaps this is filling the vaccuum. Sigh, I miss nuclear apocalypse movies. . .nothing like the burned out frames of skycrapers in major cities to make me nostalgic.

[Chongo]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

There's a new movie coming out by M. Night Shyamalan called "The Happening". It looks like it could be pretty good but he's a hit or miss director. I'll probably be suckered into a movie ticket.

M. Night Shyamalan : The Happening : In Theaters Friday the 13th, June 2008

There have been a number of movies,documentaries and even books with some aspect of the theme of society breaking down somehow--and there seems to be an increase. Sometimes its zombies(my personal favorite), sometimes its an infection, or something else that is unexplained like sudden blindness.

Some of the recent examples of this are:


The Resident Evil trilogy
28 days/weeks later
I Am Legend
The Happening
The entire "Night of the Living Dead" series of movies
The book "Blindness" by Jose Saramago
The book "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
"Life After People" (recent documentary about what happens to our structures after we mysteriously vanish)

What is it about the theme of societal breakdown that sells? Is everyone just sick of their neighbors and jobs?

the grand daddy of them all YouTube - Night Of The Living Dead (Full movie, it's fallen into public domain)
They're coming to get you Barbara!

[Uncle Skeleton]

Doomsday film - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe they are increasing. But they're not exactly a new development. I've always liked them...

Also in the same vein: List of dystopian films - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Uncle Skeleton 

Doomsday film - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maybe they are increasing. But they're not exactly a new development. I've always liked them...

Also in the same vein: List of dystopian films - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ah, excellent link! However, I would have to say there is even more of a distinction between a "Doomsday" movie(in which social breakdown is merely a side of effect of total destruction) and a story that studies the process of social breakdown and focuses on people and collapse of organized government and society.

I am hoping for social collapse by 4pm today, in which case I will leave work early.

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Chongo 

You forgot the grand daddy of them all YouTube - Night Of The Living Dead (Full movie, it's fallen into public domain)
They're coming to get you Barbara!

I also forgot "Shaun of the Dead" Though I'm not sure that one counts, since society reasserted itself in the end and the zombies simply found their place and started working at retail establishments.

[peeb]

I love the opening of SofTD where everyone on their way to work already look like zombies!

[peeb]

What about societal breakdown as a good thing, not a dystopia?

[Dakar the Fourth]

Didn't that pic start a ruckus in a thread a long time ago?

[peeb]

I don't know - I didn't see it...

[Dakar the Fourth]

Well, sit back and relax, and we'll see if I'm crazy.

[peeb]

What do you mean by 'ruckus'? I think it's kind of cool! I particularly like the Ikea style 'how to' lines.

[Zeeb]

An office revolution would be cool and running around naked certainly has its appeal. But it needs to extend beyond that to encompass all of society in a scenario which would leave few survivors but minimal damage to structures or resources. That way, we could live in Ben Affleck's house and eat canned food!

[King Bob On The Cob]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

An office revolution would be cool and running around naked certainly has its appeal. But it needs to extend beyond that to encompass all of society in a scenario which would leave few survivors but minimal damage to structures or resources. That way, we could live in Ben Affleck's house and eat canned food!

So... like a zombie plague?

[peeb]

What other utoipan end of society as we know it stories are there - anyone here read Cloud Atlas?

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by King Bob On The Cob 

So... like a zombie plague?

A zombie plague would certainly have its advantages. In most movies, people become zombies or infected feral humans(ala 28 days later) very quickly. Fast enough so that an organized effort to contain them would not be effective and the general population would be dead or zombified before they had the chance to raid grocery stores and Apple stores. Assuming we survived, this would make it relatively easy to then pick over the food left over in the grocery stores and get brand new computers which we would run with generators. The cons would be extreme zombie violence for a time before they starved to death after they ate everyone.

A viral infection (in which we would be immune of course) would likely not be fast enough to prevent food hording and so afterward we would need to go house to house and gather supplies. However, there would likely be less violence and it would be easier to avoid. A bit of rioting perhaps in front of ill-conceived quarantine areas which would quickly fall apart. We could then carry our food, computers and guns in a huge truck to Ben Afflecks house and stay there until we learned to hunt.

What about you?

[Mithras]

Hmm, good point. I hadn't considered the "all the iPhones you can grab" upside to a zombie outbreak.

[Kerrigan]

One word, one syllable: Zunes.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

An office revolution would be cool and running around naked certainly has its appeal. But it needs to extend beyond that to encompass all of society in a scenario which would leave few survivors but minimal damage to structures or resources. That way, we could live in Ben Affleck's house and eat canned food!

Lame! I'm not going to deal with a major revolution just so I can move a couple blocks down the street!

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by nonhuman 

Lame! I'm not going to deal with a major revolution just so I can move a couple blocks down the street!

Pfft! Fine, you'll just have to become a zombie then or get eaten your choice. You live a couple blocks from Ben Affleck? Are you Matt Damon? Yer house is lame.

[nonhuman]

No I'm not Matt Damon, and no my house isn't lame.

[design219]

I have it on good authority that Matt Damon is not a human, so I think you are a big fibber.

Fibber!

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by design219 

I have it on good authority that Matt Damon is not a human, so I think you are a big fibber.

Fibber!

Thank you, I thought he was lying! The only person who would say his house is not lame compared to Ben Afflecks' is Matt Damon.

Whatever, the zombies will get you too Matt!

[Chongo]

YouTube-Zombies

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

There's a new movie coming out by M. Night Shyamalan called "The Happening". It looks like it could be pretty good but he's a hit or miss director.

Seriously, all his movies save for Sixth Sense (which wasn't even that original) have been absolute shyte.

[design219]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Seriously, all his movies save for Sixth Sense (which wasn't even that original) have been absolute shyte.

That's good to know. I've only seen the Sixth Sense. I don't like that kid actor, seems too ... I don't know. Just don't like him.

[Dakar the Fourth]

He was on the Jeff Foxworthy show, that's reason enough.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Originally Posted by peeb 

What do you mean by 'ruckus'? I think it's kind of cool! I particularly like the Ikea style 'how to' lines.

Since a few days have passed, I find it interesting that a pic, that got removed or edited the first time it got posted because of illustrated nudity (and spawned a nice flame-fest) got completely ignored on posting number two. Consistency people!

[paul w]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

Seriously, all his movies save for Sixth Sense (which wasn't even that original) have been absolute shyte.

Interesting how I absolutely disagree. Regardless of the weaknesses of his screenplays, he's such a talented director in setting mood and creating tension (and shoots beautifully) that I just tend to turn of my brain and enjoy the ride.

This film though, looks more promising from a story standpoint.

[peeb]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Since a few days have passed, I find it interesting that a pic, that got removed or edited the first time it got posted because of illustrated nudity (and spawned a nice flame-fest) got completely ignored on posting number two. Consistency people!

It never occurred to me that people would be upset by cartoon nudity. I thought you meant people were upset about it's political content.

[Dakar the Fourth]

I was being cryptic to not taint the reaction too much. If I remember the consensus, more people were outraged that someone might take offense to the cartoon nudity.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Ha! I found it. Entertaining read.

[peeb]

Well done Dakar - some predictable responses in there...

[Zeeb]

Wasn't last year the one in which Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake suffered their "wardrobe malfunction" at the superbowl? I think that made people a little sensitive for awhile--apparently its worn off. No matter, my computer screen doesn't face in a direction most people could see by casually walking by.

edit: I spoke too soon, it seems the image is gone.

[Dakar the Fourth]

Three superbowls ago, by my count.

[Zeeb]

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth 

Three superbowls ago, by my count.

Really? Crap, time is flying.

[peeb]

not for me.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by paul w 

Interesting how I absolutely disagree ... I just tend to turn of my brain.

You have to be catatonic to watch Shyamalan movies.

[Zeeb]

I have to admit "Lady in the Water" was pretty lame and hopefully the low point of his career. "Signs" and "The Village" were pretty good IMO. He's good at slowly building suspense and a creeping sense of belief and/or dread -- when he does it right.

[MacosNerd]

In general I've not found Shyamalan's movies to be gripping.The Village, Signs and Unbreakable were all pretty lame. I think the sixth sense was his major claim to fame and he's been unable to duplicate that same level of success.

The movie premise does look interesting but with Shyamalan's track record, I have my doubts

[- - e r i k - -]

Originally Posted by Zeeb 

"Signs" and "The Village" were pretty good IMO.

"Signs" were the most insipid, plot-hole filled movie ever. What a great idea to let a story about the invasion of the most stupid, non-threatening aliens ever be the background for a thinly veiled religious parable that will either bore the audience to death or laugh themselves silly over the sheer stupidity of the script.

[Atomic Rooster]

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - - 

"Signs" were the most insipid, plot-hole filled movie ever. What a great idea to let a story about the invasion of the most stupid, non-threatening aliens ever be the background for a thinly veiled religious parable that will either bore the audience to death or laugh themselves silly over the sheer stupidity of the script.

I could never figure out how they could travel light years thru space but couldn't break down a wooden door or boarded up window.

[- - e r i k - -]

Or that they decided to invade a planet which were made up out of mostly deadly poison (70%). Or that their "kryptonite" is one of the most abundant molecules in the universe.