From: Alan Olsen <alano@teleport.com>
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 04:49:42 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Attitudes toward the government...
Message-ID: <2.2.32.19960212083541.0090ee90@mail.teleport.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


At 11:43 PM 2/11/96 -0800, Timothy C. May wrote:
>Jim Ray wrote:
>
>>"Americans hate the IRS, and if the only way they can get rid of it
>> is to elect somebody who is communicating directly with the Planet
>> Xorgon, then so be it." -- Dave Barry [on Steve Forbes]. 2/9/96
>
>Not just this, but another data point about the current sentiment about
>Washington: In a movie theater today there was a preview of the upcoming
>movie "Independence Day," showing a flying saucer hovering over the White
>House, then destroying it. The audience cheered and clapped.
>
>I'm not sure this would've happened in, say, the early 1950s.

I have seen similar responses when watching Washington D.C. get partially
destroyed in _Earth V.S. the Flying Saucers_.  Watching Ray Harryhousen
destroy the capitol and the washington monument is the best part of the movie.

>(However, like the early 1950s, the producers of this upatriotic drivel may
>have to answer to the House Un-American Activities Committee, to explain
>their Indecent portrayal.)

I expect it to be an "US V.S. Them" movie.  Lots of patriotism and the like
will be there.  (The title says alot about the film.)  It will hype the need
to be prepared for a "menace".  The message will be reinforced with a heavy
dosage of special effects and jingoism.  Standard hollywood fare.  I doubt
if we will see anything approching mild subversion form Hollywood anytime soon.

>(P.S. "Broken Arrow" was a fun flick. Sort of like "Fail Safe " on "Speed.")

Sounds like you spent your day doing the same thing i did...  It was quite
worthwhile.  (But then, John Woo films usually are.)  I also found
_Hardboiled_ subtitled and letterboxed a few days ago.  Another great Woo film.

OBCypherpunks noise:  I am amazed I have not yet seen a mention of the
animated Spy V.S. Spy cartoons running on Mad TV.  One of the best parts of
the show.  (Except for the Triple XXX files from the last episode.)


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