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Night of the Hunter is a really good Christian movie and probably the most profound cinematic statement on the religion. Christianity, Jesus, and God are taken as a given as good things. It never sees Atheism or lack of God as the enemy of Christ. Atheism is never really considered by the film. The enemy of Christianity is itself. The film tells a tale of two Christianities. There is Rachel who represents humanistic Christianity. She does not assume God's nature and she's prone to accepting a relative view of the Bible. It is the core value of taking care of the little in a cruel world that defines her faith. Powell is patriarchal Christianity. He is all about shaming others and keeping the little in line. Of course, it's all a mask for the fact that he himself is a monster. Night of the Hunter of course never feels like propaganda, and that's the difference between it and a lot of new Christian crap. There are great Christian artists whose faith is an engine for their work. And there are great non-Christian artists who can appropriate Christian ideas in interesting ways. The same is true with any religion. A film like Night of the Hunter works because its view point is thoughtful and nuanced. As much as Rachel and Powell verge more on being symbols than characters, they never feel like mouthpieces for an agenda. And in the end, despite being a huge Atheist, I think the moment when Rachel faces off against Powell and starts singing back to him, "Lean on Jesus..." might be one of the most badass things I've ever seen on film. The film does a good job of getting you to buy into everything Rachel represents. Stuff like Christmas with a Capital C or God Isn't Dead is propaganda, and it isn't even loving good propaganda. They're hissy fits at the notion that someone disagrees with them or maybe was a dick about how they disagreed with them or doesn't let them have their way 100% of the time. They come off as stilted and silly because they have to exaggerate their opposition into parodies. What's really hosed up is that as much as Night of the Hunter despises Powell, it understands him. Powell is a gross monster, but he's a fully realized human being. You get him. He comes off as more real than the strawman atheist they throw in these films. At least Heaven is for Real seems to be just simplistic reassurance about the fact that life goes on after death rather than trying to take part in any culture war.
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May 1, 2014 01:36
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-Donnie Darko -Mothra vs. Godzilla
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May 1, 2014 04:37
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Cemetry Gator posted:I think a big defining part about some forms of Christianity is this idea that God is going to take care of you. So if you're good, everything is good! There's no room for internal conflict in these stories, since basically, all the problems come from disobeying God, and once you get back with God, everything comes back around. So where do the problems have to come from? An outside source that's leading you away from God! The problems are all external, and thus easily dealt with. And if there are personal problems, they can all be sourced from one thing, like porn. Get rid of the porn, and everything is good. Nikos Kazantzakis posted:My prayer is not the whimpering of a beggar nor a confession of love. Nor is it the petty reckoning of a small tradesman: Give me and I shall give you. The movie is alright although I think Dafoe was a poor choice. I'd love someone to take another shot at it. It's a really weird and rich book.
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May 8, 2014 01:50
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I like a lot of it. There's something manic and uncomfortable about his preaching that I like. He really sells the idea of Jesus as radical. But I don't think he seems as vulnerable and approachable as I'd like. Part of what I love about the novel is that Jesus increasingly gets bolder as a prophet, but he is still this very insecure and frustrated guy in private. He really feels like this normal young man dealing with an impossible burden, and Dafoe just never feels that approachable and vulnerable in the film. The scene where he defends Magdaline is a good example. It's a good scene in terms of Jesus having presence and commanding people, but it also lacks the urgency to help Mary and what he gives up to save her. In this take on Jesus, Mary is the love of his life. And he's just cold throughout the scene. More than that, this event is portrayed as the beginning of his ascent as a prophet. To protect her, he has to give up any chance of ever being with her by beginning his ascent beyond the material world. It's a scene that's really made for film, but I don't think Dafoe really carries any of it. There's no real sense of doubt or passion. But I'll admit, it's hard for me not to project how I imagine the book onto the film.
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May 8, 2014 02:11
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