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In this session we talk Elysium and Neil Blomkamp.
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Elysium (2013)
Released in the summer 2013, Elysium is director Neil Blomkamp’s second U.S. cinema offering and it looks to wow with it’s visual style and extreme violence, while attempting to inform on class warfare, health care and other social issues present in the here and now. While we mostly enjoyed the movie, we did feel that the narrative was a bit disjointed at times, particularly during the romantic flashbacks. That being said, if you have yet to see the movie, we certainly recommend it. Take a look below for a few insightful links to better help frame the film for you… We’ve also included the scene where Kruger gets his face blown off and reconstructed. It’s pretty graphic but will give you a great example of how Blomkamp employs a very raw sentiment behind his violence. Enjoy!
Useful Links:
Elysium Wiki
Elysium Theatrical Trailer (Youtube)
See Kruger’s Face blown off and put back together (Youtube)
Twitter Spotlight – Cliff Bleszinski
Cliff Bleszinski is the name behind the Gears of War franchise as well as the Unreal Engine… so gamers definitely owe him for countless hours of enjoyment spent in front of their televisions. Aside from that, Bleszinski is very active on twitter and constantly provides great insight and humor. If you are not currently following him, we suggest you do so. Not only will he entertain you, but he might just provoke some interesting thought as well. Bleszinski is our second twitter spotlight in the Diabolical Penthouse… for his fan interaction and profound insight, we salute him.
Useful Links:
Cliff Bleszinski on Twitter
Neil Blomkamp
Much like Paul Verhoeven, director Neil Blomkamp also grew up in war torn surroundings; specifically Johannesburg, South Africa. Blomkamp himself admits that Johannesburg is a powder keg of sorts as violence and death are an every day occurrence. Growing up in these surroundings certainly helped inform his view of violence and class warfare- two topics he seems to repeatedly reach back to in his films. Both Verhoeven and Blomkamp approach violence in a much more visceral fashion due to their backgrounds and provide a great counter perspective in American Cinema. Is all violence created equal? Certainly not, but having a contrast of opinions, visual style and ideas is always a great thing. Check the links below for more insight into Neil Blomkamp as well our previous session where we discussed Paul Verhoeven and his style of cinematic violence.
Useful Links:
Neil Blomkamp Wiki
Wired.com interview with Blomkamp (2013)
Indiwire review of Elysium (2013)
30 Mintues of Diabolical: Session 017 – Paul Verhoeven
Diabolical Artists
Music Provided By:
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