Human connections

Let's face it: We can't relate to a zombie apocalypse. Sure, if you've seen a zombie movie or two, you may find some connections between the movies, but what really makes this film ring so clearly to audiences is the real, human connections shared by the main characters. For example, Columbus first encounters a zombie by letting his hot neighbor come into his apartment, where she then proceeds to sleep on his shoulder. This notion--almost like a dream--for an attractive girl to literally come walking (or in this, running) into the room is something any girl-sheltered guy hopes for. Columbus even says he's always dreamed of brushing a girl's hair over her ear. Then for this dream girl to turn into a zombie not only scares the audience, but it's also a rather humorous notion. This scene is what Zombieland is all about: horror and comedy.

In fact, much of the decisions Columbus makes throughout the film are made because of his feelings for Wichita. He chooses to remain in the car instead of hopping out and driving to his home because he realizes the person he wants to stay with is Wichita. Columbus is an underdog; it's only natural that we root for him as he and Wichita share their pasts and almost kiss. Columbus then decides to go rescue Wichita, even though he can't ride a motorcycle. He finally changes rule number 17 from "Don't be a hero" to "Be a hero" as he saves Wichita and Little Rock from the attacking zombies. Zombieland succeeds as a film because at its heart, it's a love story and a story about humans sticking together.

Another interesting side note is the scene where Bill Murray makes his cameo. Fans have clamored for a Ghostbusters III ever since the second one released in 1989, but the film has been in production hell for years. These fans have been increasingly teased with two television shows and seven videogames, the newest of which released this year, making it the newest Ghostbusters film since 1993's The Real Ghostbusters for Game Boy. Interestingly enough, the project has been moving again, leading many fans to speculate that the latest videogame is being used to drum up interest in the upcoming film. This cameo of Bill Murray could also be a form of Columbia Pictures (the studio responsible for both Zombieland and the Ghostbusters films) advertising the long-awaited Ghostbusters III, to which Bill Murray recently has become attached to. This scene also serves as a bit of a joke: Since Bill Murray was killed in the film, there's no way that world can ever witness Ghostbusters III.

Shoot them in the brains, if you wanna live

Ahhh the relevance of the zombie apocalypse to today's society and such. Its just too tempting, and i absolutely must use the obvious "its a dog eat dog world" reference. The zombie apocalypse is an interesting way to express our societal woes. Zombies are humans functioning solely with their medulla oblongata (Alligators are ornery because of their medulla oblogata mama!) which is purely animalistic. When society decays that is also how people function. so portraying the world as place where everyone is animalistic and a few select fight against them is an example of how people fight against negativity in society in an attempt to survive in an inhospitable world. The normal characters in this movie show how the pack mentality of humans kicks in when our lives our threatened. this is why we have friends. because in a world where everyone is trying to eat your brain, its good to have a buddy with a shotgun ready to detach some spinal columns.

God Loves a Redneck

As Noah stated in one of our recent discussion's, zombie movies seem to be connected to the middle class and in particular their fear of social unrest. The line that stood out most in my mind during the movie was when Tallahassee and Columbus come upon the yellow H2 and when Columbus, following the rules of Zombieland, checks the back seat to find quite the cache of weapons. Upon this discovery Tallahassee exclaims "thank God for rednecks". While it is true that the possession of a weapon isn't limited to the redneck culture, oftentimes when we think of people who own large amounts of guns [because lets face it, not everyone has a Benelli Aggressor, Uzi and a few high powered rifles on hand) we often envision rednecks or people of an associated class. This line, then, justifies their, at times controversial, possession of these weapons. If it weren't for the gun laws that a portion of the middle class support then everyone would be in serious trouble. Instead of wasting zombie's with shotguns and Glock's then you'd better hope you were either Bruce Willis or Mickey Mantle.

On the drive home from the theater I was also reminded of another discussion of ours. I realized that while I had seen this movie in the theater, several of us would probably opt to watch it online. I too watch movies via unscrupulous websites but I enjoyed Zombieland to such a degree that I think I will buy the DVD. Maybe this is a possible definition of art. Maybe true art isn't defined by its longevity or universality but by whether or not I buy the DVD or just rip it off of Piratebay.

Trust

Even with all the gruesome and horrid looking zombies throughout the movie, I did not think of it as a scary movie at all. Instead of fearing what would pop out next, my attention was more focused on the characters’ personalities and how they interact with each other. An essential part of the movie comes when we see that Wichita and Little Rock first trick Tallahassee and Columbus in the supermarket. We can’t trust zombies but we can’t trust the normal people too? It goes to show that in a world where everyone’s fighting to survive, (much like in our own world where everyone’s competitive for a better job and thus “better life”) people have to learn to not give into temptations and be critical. It is not until after all the time they are (forced) to spend with each other on the road that the girls finally decide to trust the boys.
I think trust is something that people take for granted. It also seems to be the case that we give out our trust easily because we generally want to believe that others are good as well. However, when things get tough, trust suddenly becomes rare. What do you think?

Go on, break another one

The part of the movie that I think sums it best is the part when the four characters stop at a Indian Reservation gift-shop type store and just start breaking and shattering everything in the store. As Columbus said afterwards, "Sometimes Tallahassee is right, you gotta enjoy the little things...even if that means destroying a whole lot of little things." 

For me this scene symbolizes two main themes we see in the movie. First, the obvious connection I made was that this raging act of aggression was the characters' outlet to release their frustration with living in Zombieland: always on the run without a home, having to watch their backs constantly, the focus on survival...etc. Second, I also perceived the experience as a therapeutical bonding session between them. Somehow, by smashing all sorts of delicate glass structures, Tallahassee, Columbus, Wichita, and Little Rock were able to get over their animosity towards each other and experience something fun together. Afterwards we see 15 second clips of how they got along pretty comfortably in the car as if they had known each other forever. 

In recap, this scene symbolizes the struggles of Zombieland and ironically enough, the camaraderie of new friends made in Zombieland. For these four characters, the road trip brought them closer. So what would the definition of a road trip be for the movie Zombieland?

Home is Where You Make It

I have to say first off that while I don't like zombie movies, almost as a rule, this was an exception. I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie and was quite pleasantly surprised.
I found the significant moment in this film to be when Columbus decided to stay with Wichita and go to the park near Hollywood. He had the option to go to Columbus and see if it had truely been destroyed and whether his family was still alive but he decided to stay with this girl. Granted he and Tallahassee had been conned by Wichita and Little Rock twice already but there was something about her that appealed to him so much that he wanted to stay with her and go where she was going as opposed to going "home." This made me feel that Columbus had found what Tallahassee was looking for after his son had died. Something or someplace to call home. As he got to talk and get to know Wichita more he realized that she was the kind of girl that he could develop a relationship with and have that be his home, a "place" that gave him so much comfort and joy that he wanted to be there and no where else. Later in the film, Columbus voices over that these three people, who he had come together under such terrible circumstances, were the closest he had ever had to a real family. While not having a family to bring Christa home to, he seems to already be home with her.
Do you think that only under such adverse circumstances does a person adopt the idea of family and home in complete strangers? Is it something that grows out of desperation, loneliness or something else? Do you think that, while Columbus has always wanted to find the right girl, that he would have found it in such a sly and seemingly untrustworthy of a person as Wichita, if it hadn't been for the zombies?

Puppy love

The significant moment for me takes place when Tallahassee spills his feelings to the other main characters by revealing that his son was killed by zombies. Early on when we are introduced to Tallahassee, he says he had a puppy that was killed by the zombies, and laugh-out-loud ridiculous shots of Tallahassee pampering a cute puppy adorn the screen as Columbus imagines the rough, tough Tallahassee cuddling an animal. What's more, the audience isn't even tipped off that this moment is a significant one, other than the fact that in Columbus's narration, he says that Tallahassee hates zombies for some reason, even moreso than most normal people would hate zombies, in fact. And on top of that, the next scene shows Tallahassee's love for Twinkies. This scene is so ridiculous that the audience's attention shifts to the humorous idea of a badass with a Twinkie fetish. Furthermore, the scene that takes place before Tallahassee's big reveal is perhaps the funniest part of the whole movie, courtesy of Bill Effin' Murray. So when Tallahassee brings up his dead puppy again and says his puppy had his laugh and his voice, I couldn't help but laugh when I first saw this. But right when Columbus realizes that Tallahassee's "puppy" is actually a son, I realized I had been had. This moment suddenly makes the movie have a serious backbone. We as audience members now have a reason for all four main characters, with Tallahassee in particular, to survive. The scene reminds us how precious their old lifes were and how precious life is in general. So when Tallahassee bravely diverts the attention of the majority of the zombies at Pacific Playland, we want him to survive even moreso than just any normal human. Even badasses like Tallahassee have hearts and weaknesses (other than Twinkies).

This scene sharply contrasts the introduction to the film--were you expecting an emotional moment like this?

Unity

After watching Zombieland, I have to say that I hope I can sleep tonight, and the nights to come. Although it was meant to be a comedy, I couldn't help but to shield my eyes from the many bloody scenes. Nevertheless this movie has shown me that in times of struggle such as a major catastrophes, people tend to unite together despite their unwilling personalities. During the movie, four individuals group up to help each other to survive. They learn to adapt to each others charateristic personalities and work together. This is most evident during the end of the movie when the two girls attempt to reward their survival by creating the biggest attraction for zombies from all around. Honestly, I thought that they were smarter than that being that they managed to escape the grasp of so many zombies and outwit two men out of their belongings twice. At the beginning of the movie, everyone basically hates each other, yet as the movie slowly develops, you can pick up that the characters are slowly growing on each other. By the end of the movie, they become a "family". When given a comon cause, it is human nature to unite and help each other.


What were the producers trying to accomplish in creating the film? What did they do to make this movie stand out from the other zombie films, including the funny ones like Sean of the Dead?

Over the top

I'm honestly having a difficult time finding a way to relate this movie to life or an actual road trip. Yes there is an on the road scene, and yes there are plenty of iconic little moments (walking away from the bus onto bigger and better things for example) but it all just seems so outlandish. This movie almost seems as more of a glimpse into the lives of rockstars then anything else. Yes William "comes of age" along the way, but does he really? He is portrayed as a young brilliant loner the whole time, which would lead me to believe he was already "of age" because of his natural demeaner.

William suffers through his first glimpse at "love" and survives even though it is more terrible than most people's first glimpse ever was. I just can't find a way that this seems to really relate to a real person's life. It could be an extremely exageratted version of real life, sort of, except only exceptional people lead lives like William's, and most of us are not exceptional.

The spirit of rock n' roll

I absolutely loved watching Almost Famous. Yet when we were asked when the main character "comes of age," I came up with a blank. I thought about it and realized that he didn't really change personality or habits-wise by the end of the film. As we discussed in class, he still loves his mom (and never rebels against her), he still loves rock n' roll, and he still doesn't do drugs. He does lose his virginity, but that's the only scene we see of him having sex, and what's more, we actually don't see the actual act of having sex. The scene serves only as a major, almost magical moment in William's life where time stands still (both in his mind and in the eyes of the audience via slow-mo effects).

Upon thinking about all of this, I realized what keeps Almost Famous relevant today: the spirit of rock n' roll. When Noah called on us to freely associate words that come to mind when thinking of "rock n' roll," none of those words are really what we as audience members take away from the film. When we were questioned to detail how William changed, the discussion was pretty thin. For me, this was because I fully realized just how swept away with this film I was--I told myself I loved it once I finished watching it, but I couldn't answer questions about it. This is very similar to the feeling one feels when listening to rock n' roll, a feeling that kick-starts William to become a rock n' roll journalist. When you listen to rock n' roll (or whatever your favorite kind of music, for that matter), you can't help but feel swept away by it. Should a critic come by and call out your song for its lack of musical proficiencies, it's just human nature to be either insulted, dumbfounded, or both. The characters of Almost Famous are all affected by rock n' roll in some fashion or another; it's only natural for the audience to be affected by it, too. A timeless movie is a movie that takes the audience to another world. It's a film that sweeps the audience away. You don't ask questions. You just go. And that's just what any famous rockstar (or any other industry success story would say--I view much of this film as an analogy for the film industry, for example) would tell any aspiring rockstar. This film still rings true today because it captures the free spirit of rock n' roll.

I actually haven't seen all too many films about rock n' roll in general to compare this film to those. Can you think of any rock n' roll films that create the same viewing sensation as Almost Famous, or is this really something that makes Almost Famous stand out for its fellow films?

Stay True

One major issue in Almost Famous that is still relevant to today is the constant struggle between external pressures and staying true to oneself. We see several instances of this issue throughout the movie. William must decide whether he should simply portray the band as “cool” or elucidate the true events of his experience. Russell suggests that he has the option of leaving the band based on his superior talent. The band as a whole is a representation of this struggle, finding themselves at the crossroads of remaining independent or giving in to commercial interests. This issue is something that people deal with everyday. Throughout my life, and particularly in college, I realize how important it is to know who I am as person whenever I am forced to make a tough decision or deal with hard times. Most of the time, staying true to yourself is the best option, even though it may not be immediately evident. Take William's experience for example. When he decided to tell the truth about Stillwater, his story was called a fake and all his work seemed to be in vain. Eventually, Russell realized that he needed to make things right and things seem to work out in the end. However, if the movie had not ended this way, (if Russell had not corrected his lie) it is difficult to say whether or not giving in to the external pressures may have been the better option for him.

Would you rather give in to society's demands instead of staying true to yourself, especially when giving in seems all the more appealing?

Parental Control

I think a relevant aspect to today in Almost Famous is the mother's controling demeanor towards her children. The daughter eventually reaches the point to rebell against her mother and leave the house when she turned 18 to become a stewardess. Meanwhile the mothers still wants to have a great deal of control over William as she constantly says to him "Don't do drugs", even embarrasing him in front of his peers at one point. Although William is thrown into a completely new environment when he goes on tour with Stillwater, his innocence and purity never seems to go astray (even if he would like to think otherwise when talking to Penny Lane). There comes a fine line as a parent to be protective of your children to ensure their safety, yet give them the freedom to make their own choices and learn from their mistakes. We see the negative effect that the over controling mother had on her daughter (making the decision to move out). William never rebelled against his mother once he had freedom while on tour with Stillwater. It seems like his mother was a bit more lenient on him than his sister which allowed him to repect his mother more. As a result, William was able to come of age in a manner that wasn't rebellous like his sister due to less contraints while on tour with Stillwater.

Do you think it's harder to be a parent in this day in age rather then during the 70's?

The Industry of Cool

I found Lester Bangs’ advice to William especially significant to this film. From the start of the movie he pretty much explains exactly what is to come: “They’ll buy you drinks, you’ll meet girls, they’ll try to fly you places for free…I know. It sounds great. But they are not your friends.” Much later he even tells him that “friendship is the booze they feed you”. Of course, naïve old William gets caught up in the whole road trip and ends up getting hurt. (As some of my peers noted, a big part of this movie does have to do with his coming of age story.) The “they” Bangs had warned him about, and that did, indeed, screw him over are the rock n’ rollers. Lester blames this sad misfortune on “the industry of cool”. The band members of Stillwater (and all stars in general) eventually get so caught up with trying to make millions, fitting in, and dominating society that they put everything that really matters aside. (In this case, they sacrifice their passion for music and Russell even throws Penny away.) Jeff says earlier on that “rock and roll is a lifestyle and a way of thinking…and its not about the money and popularity…but it’s a voice that says “Here I am…and fuck you if you can’t understand me.”” Unfortunately, as we watch them rise to stardom, this mindset is entirely compromised.


While Russell is on acid the truth of what he really thinks of himself comes out. He is a “golden god”. Do you think most stars really picture themselves this way?

"Hold me closer tiny dancer"

The significant moment in the film is, in my opinion, a combination of several scenes starting with the t-shirt mess up and ending with a group sing-along. The excitement the band had over their new t-shirts quickly vanishes and is replaced by bitter resentment when they realize that Russell is the center of attention once again. As William witnesses this verbal altercation, he begins to see the underlying hatred surrounding the seemingly enviable life of Stillwater. He then accompanies Russell on a night of partying where William must take on the role of the mature adult just to keep Russell safe from himself. In the scene following Russell's drunken escapades with the common folk, you can practically taste the tension on the tour bus. Then, one by one, they join Elton John in the singing of "Tiny Dancer". All of the animosity swirling around them seems to miraculously disappear and everyone is reminded of the reason why they're there; music. These events play a significant role in William's development from inexperienced, green boy to a more mature, realistic young man. As he becomes exposed to sex, drugs, and alcohol, William's eyes are opened to the ups and downs of the lives of the famous and he learns that things are not always as fabulous as they seem.
What kind of audience does this film appeal to the most?

Stardome vs. Reality

I think a critical scene in the movie is when the band Stillwater gets caught in an electrical storm while on their flight. It is here where the movie changes its course from the carefree and rootlessness lifestyle that rock music has brought to the band while on tour, to the harsh reality of whats beneath the superficial lifestyle of the bandmembers. While spirling down towards presumably death, the band members come out and reveal what's been going on behind the scenes. Russell learns that Jeff has for quite a long time now been having a deep and passionate affair with his girlfriend. These dark secretes have been hidden by the energy and popularity the rock n roll lifestyle has given them while on tour. William meanwhile gets to attest to the harsh reality of the rock n roll lifestyle. I think the road is a means for both a reality to the members of Stillwater and also to William, as he had been sheltered his whole life by his protective mother. While being on tour with the band, William gets to look past the "image" of rock n roll and realizes that being a fan and having passion for music is just as important as the fame and celebrity aspect of it.

We clearly see that throughout the movie William the enemy is pure and innocent. What effect does this carry over to the mad lifestyle on tour that the members of Stillwater live?

Coming of Age

The pivotal moment in this movie was the scene where Russell gambles away Penny Lane in a game of poker. This event has a powerful impact on William, as it reveals to him how the real world works. At the beginning of the movie, we see that William is an innocent and timid individual. He seems to be extremely mature when it comes to writing and knowledge about rock and roll, yet lacks a certain understanding of the people who surround him. Whenever he sees Russell gamble Penny away, it seems like something clicks inside him to where he suddenly becomes more assertive and mature. His changed personality is the result of both his love for Penny and his frustration in Russell's actions. It seems to be the first time in his life that he has been experienced such strong emotions. Thus, I think the point of the movie was to show a character's coming of age and loss of innocence along the course of a rock tour. William's character is an example of how experiencing something firsthand rather than just knowing about it can be entirely life changing.

Penny Lane seems to fit Kerouac's definition of a "mad" individual. What are the the effects of her actions on the point of the movie?

Cliches

This movie was relevant to today because men suck. They have always sucked, and will always continue to suck. Every single man in this movie is a jackass in one way or another except the one that seemed to be a type of "father figure" to the women. This movie almost gives one an idea of how certain types of men should be dealt with. You don't sleep with criminals, you should leave your jerk of a husband, and abusive men are never worth your time. And heck yes i would love to throw a jerk of cop in the trunk of his car and blow up a nasty trucker's vehicle. The movie is relevant because it portrays women escaping from lives that are unsatisfying to them. It also shows how when someone is hurt enough times they will flip and find an inner strength that allows them to do thing that no one would ever expect from them. While i do believe the "types" of men were very much exagerrated, this was a 130 minute movie and things need to be exageratted to be undersood.

This movie seemed unsatifying to me. I felt all the men were portrayed too shallowly. What would you do to the characters to give more depth?

Independence of woman

At the beginning of Thelma and Louise, we get the feeling that Thelma is a stay at home wife secluded from the world around her. After calling Louise on the phone at her work, Thelma decides to make a decision of her own to leave Darryl without confronting him. Up until this point, Darryl had control over Thelma's life, and it is at this moment where she decides to be bold and make a decision for herself. Although she is not leaving him for good, Thelma proves that she is not completely reliant of Darryl in life and can make decisions for herself (we see how important this is to Thelma later in the movie when she say's she has "crossed over"). This is relavent to today as far as the move that women have made in society. No longer are men solely the breadwinners of the family. Women are making a strong stand in society, competing with men in the job market. More and more women are providing for themselves, thus crossing over from the once dependency of men, into a strong independent being suitable for making decisions for their own good.

Gender Stereotypes

I think the way the film portrays and challenges common stereotypes translates to 2009. At first, Thelma and Louise each seem to embody different female stereotypes; Thelma as the typical housewife dependent on her husband and Louise as a working, self-reliant woman. Towards the end of the movie, the women become increasingly comfortable with their newfound freedom and take the role of aggressors from the men. The men as a whole are seen in a negative light. We have the arrogant husband, macho rapist who thinks he's God's gift to women, sexist truck driver, and the boyfriend who is scared of commitment. To a certain extent, these stereotypes can easily be seen in society today.

Like the men, are there instances where women are portrayed negatively? Also, would the movie have completely lost it's meaning if instead of driving off a cliff at the end, it was just a three foot drop?

Rape in Thelma and Louise

The scene where Harlan attempts to rape Thelma has strong relevance to today. The issue of rape is something that is addressed multiple times in the movie and is a factor that strongly influences the main character's actions. At the end of the movie when Hal asks, “How many times are these women going to get screwed over?” I have a feeling that he was referring to both of their encounters with rape. Today, we hear stories on the news about rape all the time. As college students, we often hear about the dangers of rape at parties. Yet, I feel that the issue of rape is something to which society is becoming slowly desensitized. Take for example, Kobe Bryant. The celebrated sports star was just a few years ago accused of rape. It is most likely that he was not guilty of rape, but it makes me wonder how many cases go dismissed in which the victim actually was telling the truth. Furthermore, popular youtube videos such as Derrick Comedy's “Bro Rape” make a joke of the issue of rape. It is even common nowadays to hear someone say they were “raped” by a test they took or even an online video game. Thus, Thelma and Louise presents the issue of rape as a definite problem in society. While this message still speaks to today, it should speak even louder than it does.

Is the issue of rape still important today, or has it been overshadowed since the time this movie was made?

Strong Women...Strong Obstacles

What really sticks about about Thelma and Louise is that the two titular characters are strong women who, by the end of the film, prove that they don't need men to make their own decisions. This notion of strong women rings true today, as more women are becoming more active in politics. Hillary Clinton, for example, ran for President during last year's campaign. However, women are still seeking to break their stereotypes. Men such as the truck driver and Darryl still exist--men who view women as inferior, inane, and infantile.

Call me what you will, but I'm a huge fan of Survivor. This season has possibly the biggest villain in the show's history. His name? Russell.



Seen in the video is his formation of what he calls "The Dumbass Girl Alliance." He approaches three different women on day one and tells them all that they should form a secret alliance with him. To their faces, he comes across as an honest person, but to the camera, he reveals that he's just playing them. In his mind, these women are gullible. Later on in the same episode, Russell continues to forge fake alliances with all the women on the tribe. As of this post, two women have confronted Russell, calling him out for his lies. The result? Both women were voted off the tribe. Russell is controlling the women: The ones who don't have a clue don't know anything's wrong at all, and the ones who do have a clue get the axe.

It's true that Russell's whole goal--as he said to the camera--of being on Survivor: Samoa is to simply lie, cheat, or anything else to win. He's out to prove how easy it is to win Survivor. Whether or not he actually looks down upon women in real life remains to be seen, but in the microcosm of the reality show, Russell represents the dominant male who looks down upon women. Men like this still exist today, as they did in Thelma and Louise.

Out of Control

I think the most important scene is the one in which Thelma pulls the gun out on the police officer, instructs Louise to take his gun, and locks him in the trunk. At this point in the movie things really start to snowball and get out of control, after this there is no going quietly. Thelma says that "Three days ago neither one of us would've ever pulled a stunt like this". But now they are wanted in two states and considered armed and dangerous. Thelma has definitely stepped out of her calm and passive self and become a lawless individual. If they would have called the police as soon as they shot that man things would've probably been alot better for them but since they started to run they only dug themselves in deeper. I like it when they decide to not get caught and keep going at the end. I think it turned out better for them that way. If you were in the same situation, would you call the police, or escape to Mexico?

Cannot go back

At the beginning of the movie, we see Thelma as the typical woman who gets suppressed from society and is made to stay at home and support her husband. We see that she was even scared to ask her husband about going on a road trip. Actually, the fact that she had to ask and not simply tell was already pretty absurd. Nonetheless, Thelma still ends up going on the trip with Louise and ends up doing several over-the-board "crimes" together. It seems that the more they committed crimes, the more likely they do it again. The one moment in the movie that I believe underlies the theme is when Thelma tells Louise that everything "crossed over" and that she cannot go back or else she couldn't live. Ever since this road trip, Thelma really has everything changed drastically for her. She hooks up with guys, makes a robbery, threatens a policeman, and even helps blow up a truck. She is basically forced to act this way because of her long-trapped wild character that is finally allowed to release when away from her prison at home. After experiencing this new self of hers, Thelma knows she does not want to be her reserved old self anymore or else she really couldn't live- which actually could foreshadow the end of the movie when she would rather suggest death than being captured. Being captured to her means being constrained once again.

Thelma made several "innocent" blunders throughout the movie- dancing with Harlan, losing the money...etc. Louise does not seem to have blamed her friend too much besides being quietly upset and trying to fix the problem. Does Louise represent the strong female character in the movie who is already halfway to her "freedom" and trying to lift Thelma out of her state of devastation? At the same time, does she represent who friends really are?

Women fighting back

After watching Thelma and Louise, I believe that the main point of the movie was to portray two women who were tired of their old lives and how society treated them that they rebelled and ran away. The scene at the beginning of the movie where Thelma first gets into the car with Louise and they talk about why they are leaving demonstrates how desperate they want to get away. Their temporary fun away from their unhappy lives quickly changes when Louis shoots a man. Now the two run for their lives as things slowly get worse and they end up making a drastic decision to continue running forever even if it means death. The point of the movie was also to show how women did not have a chance to defend themselves against the dog eat dog world. Many of the mistakes happened due to Thelma's naive careless nature which end up making the two run for their lives. Although they were internally happy with the results because as women they were finally able to stand up against men, Thelma and Louise were viewed as criminals due to their actions.


The main police officer in charge of catching Thelma and Louise was very lenient on them. At one point of the movie he even looks at a picture of a young girl and says "Happy Birthday little lady". What type of connection does he have with the two women?

Homosexuality & Racism

As depicted in the Diner scene when Wyatt, Billy and George try to make a stop to get something to eat, the issue of race and homosexuality is brought up at the table near by. This group of men who are presumably apart of the local community crack jokes amongst themselves directed at the image Billy and Wyatt illustrate. Although the civil rights movement has made substancial gains in today's society relating to race, we still have goups and organizations such as Black Entertainment Television, Nation Hispanic Institute, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to name a few. Clearly racism is not of the same magnitude that it once was, but it is still relevant to a degree in today's world.

The one man at the table was talking about Billy's hair, which brought about his phobia of homosexuality. This is very relevant in today's society as it is an issue at the state level for same-sex marriage. Many people don't agree that homosexuals should have the same legal rights which makes the issue relevant even today.

Explicit drug use is a common them throughout the movie. Do you think that drug use is a means to capture the freedom on the road by defying the laws set in place, or was it merely a way of life for so many at this time?

Don't Judge a Book by Its Cover

At the beginning of the movie Easy Rider the motorcyclists arrive at a motel only to be rudely denied a room. The owner of the motel probably took one look at them, didn’t like what he saw, and vowed to have nothing to do with that “scum”. Unfortunately, this kind of prejudgment and discrimination is still relevant in our day and age. People are prone to judge just about anything that is odd and/or stands out. For example, people who have tattoos/piercings, beggars, and even, certain ethnic groups. Although our society has come a long way in loosening up and broadening our scope of critique (we don’t judge motorcyclists TOO much anymore), we still have much to work on.


Question: The riders clearly represent freedom. While they are “on the road” at the end of the film they are shot and killed by two men who don’t like the look of them. Is this suggesting that even if we do break from it briefly, freedom is impossible to sustain/achieve due to our strict society?

Recklessness and Freedom

Scene 19 52:00-54:00

In this scene the three of them are just having a good time on the road. They are being reckless and doing stunts on their bikes and George just smoked his first joint. They are friendly to the people they pass and just enjoy the open road. George said later on that they represent freedom. "But talking about it and being it, thats two different things". Here they are living it. The whole trip is somewhat reckless and free, they do exactly what they want to do, whenever they want to, wherever they are. No restrictions are placed on them but getting to where they want to go.

Pulling In

At about 11 minutes into the movie when Fonda and Hopper are first sitting around the campfire Hopper remarks on Fonda's silence, stating "your pulling inside". I see this line as not only a central theme of the movie but one in the class as well. In class we discussed whether road trips are a communal or solitary action and we all had our different opinions. This line, I believe, shows just what this road trip is for Fonda. As for the theme of the movie in general, I would have to say that given line also illustrates the fact that all journeys are different. Also apparent in the way the two characters are portrayed. Hopper throughout the movie seems much more affected by his outside environment and always wanting to move along to the next place. Fonda on the other hand seems to take the environment and internalize it much better, he also seems more calm throughout the entire movie. Even still, the two men meet much different ends which further shows the difference in their journey; Hopper gets shot and while we see Fonda's motorcycle blow up we never actually see what happens to him.

On a side note did anyone notice the beginning scene where Fonda throws off his watch and possibly connect it to Flaming Iguanas? Just a thought.

Diner scene

The scene where Wyatt, Billy, George stop at a diner only to leave shortly after because of the town's open disdain for them strikes me as the turning point in the movie. The journey on the road was a carefree adventure up until this scene. Their encounter with narrow-minded bigotry instigates a downward spiral which results in the deaths of the main characters (well, I'm not sure if they actually died but I'm going to assume they did because my statement would be much less dramatic if I said "results in the serious injuries of the characters"). The whole point of their journey seemed to be to obtain the freedom to experience life however they so choose and this freedom is threatened by narrow-mindedness.

Forest Drive-By

For me, the defining part of the film comes when George Hanson is killed when the trio is asleep in the forest. Up until this part in the film, the main characters get from one destination to another with few bumps in the road--at least not major ones. The whole film until this point is very easy-going. Even when Billy and Wyatt wind up in jail, which one would normally find a terrible place to wind up, they soon meet George and soon after are allowed to leave. When George is killed, it illustrates just how much other people truly detest counterculturals such as Wyatt and Billy. This notion is illustrated in the diner scene prior, but one would never guess that those citizens would go so far as to commit murder. George's death also foreshadows the ending of the film, where Billy and Wyatt are shot, leaving them either dead or seriously wounded. After witnessing George's death, viewers fully understand how tense the world is at the time of the counterculture movement.