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This was a movie which alleviated my stress when I left. Seriously. I was bit stressed all day raising money for dance marathon- a day before the marathon! So I was a bit wary about seeing this movie that I heard I was controversial- to say the least. I thought it would elevate my stress level! But I kid you not- when I left I had a giant smile on my face.
Don’t get me wrong.. there were times when I was like, “Oh my God!” As one person said as they exited the movie ,” One third of the time, I cried…Another one third of the time I was horrified, and one third of the time I was.. (I didn’t catch what he said).” I was a little shocked at how much violence was in the movie- or rather how some of the characters easily killed others. I was also shocked at how much blood was in the movie. Don’t get me wrong, it was all fake blood which was easily discernible because of the outlandish way the blood volcanoed out of people and how red it was. But it was still a little neck-jerking at times. I was also a little surprised at first when the n word was used and over time I felt a little like-ouch- when I heard it. But I didn’t feel that it was too controversial because we are viewing a period film and if anything it makes the Whites look bad for viewing equal humans in an unequal way. In my humble opinion, I don’t think it makes Blacks look badly- although I am not sure it is easy for many African Americans to witness on the screen how easy it is for Whites to use that word. I am sure it brings flashbacks and negative memories for many.
It also was a “boy” movie in a way (I realize that this isn’t the most feminist way to phrase this..). But I felt that sometimes people who like to see a lot of mock violence, and gore usually go to see the action film genre. And those movies often attract those of the adolescent male species. And by looking at the audience around I can easily say that many of them were well-males.
Now I would really like to address a few of my main reasons why I liked the movie:
#1 I loved Christoph Waltz’s character (Dr. Shultz)-My god what a character. This was a character who was an outsider and seemed to go by his own rules of morality. He used to be a dentist- a role that is often esteemed in society. However, he switches careers to be that of a bounty hunter. It seemed like he didn’t believe in killing people for no reason. That it was wrong to do so. He was also very polite and friendly. But he also had a thirst to annoy people or be hostile to people from the confines of not technically being wrong. For instance, in one of the scenes he is in a saloon with his Django, the bartender runs out in horror of seeing a Black and White person together, and gets the sheriff. The sheriff runs out and gets the marshal. The marshal brings everyone to the town square- and of course everyone has their guns pointed at the saloon. The marshal asks Django and Dr. Shultz to bring themselves out with their hands up in the air without weapons. Dr. Shulz announces as he leaves the saloon, “We are indeed coming up with our hands up and we are unarmed. “ But in his outstretched hand he holds a note of bounty to capture the sheriff, who was going by another name and was a criminal.
The marshal who prides himself in being right and in his capture of Dr. Shultz , has to yield his “high horse” and concede that Dr. Shultz is technically right. I truly believe Dr. Shultz gets a kick from his ability to be “in the right place.” In a way, he wins these battles and he relishes it. He also likes that he can kill people- within the confines of the law! He is still killing- and doesn’t seem to have a moral problem with this- as long as there is proper way to get away killing people.
But I love how this outsider takes a likening to Django. I think he likes how Django is a man of a law- that is a married man. Something which I think Dr. Shultz might be nervous to do. And Dr. Shultz could have stayed out of helping Django since he is a bit of an outsider of society who wanders around killing people legitimately for money. Yet, for whatever reason, perhaps his liking of Django he decides to help him get Brunhilda. Some might say that it was the cultural connection to Brunhilda’s German upbringing and her name of the famous German fable, that attracted him.. but I don’t think that was it. In sum, Dr. Shultz was intriguing and that combined with his suave manners, polite diction was amazing.
#2 I loved, loved so much of the acting in this movie. I thought every character did a good job. The actress who portrayed Sheba was in a minor role, and she played Monsieur’s Candy possible mistress; but she did an impeccable job of portraying that. The actor who played Monsieur’s Candy’s friend who was put to law school by Monsieur Candy’s father also played the chuckling slightly subservient character well. Of course I loved Christoph Waltz’s acting- after all his talent made that character alive. But another actor I thought did an excellent job and unlike Christoph didn’t get as much accolades or awards to back up his acting is Leonardo Dicaprio. Leo portrayed a character whose mentality truly kept the institution of slavery up. But he also was a suave character who could charm easily. I also love how he had three rings on his fingers and always held his cigarette at an interesting angle. But when he was mad, like he could blow up like a firecracker! I though perhaps his urbaneness and his cruel ways came well together.. especially when he brought up the skull of Ben ( the slave who raised him) and how he pointed at every different part of Ben’s skull and tells some “scientific story of submission and a slave’s tendency to not fight is rooted in 3 dents in the section of the skull related to submission ( which by the way is ridiculously false..) “ Truly an excellent acting job!
The one major complaint that I had was seeing the portrayal of women in this movie. Brunhilda doesn’t say much, but mostly goes through suffering, at other times looks pretty, and at other times faints. A maid on an earlier plantation named Bettina seems to act doll like. A few of the other maids wear stiff tutu liked skirts and one has a huge bow in the middle of her head- so the women even look doll-like! Even Monsieur Candy’s sister just smiles and looks dumb. Perhaps what I said earlier about how this movie is a boy’s movie, can now have duality in that meaning!
But other than that, it was amazing!