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5 Thursday, July 25, 2013
‘Pacific Rim’ has the potential to be a modern-day cult classic At first glance, “Pacific Rim” may seem like a film with modest reviews and a big, bloated Hollywood budget. Yet underneath it all, the film has the potential to achieve cult classic status. By definition, a cult classic is a film, TV show or piece of music that despite initial reviews and sales, achieves an enduring and lasting success or following. In the case of “Pacific Rim,” it is likely the film will achieve cult classic status for a variety of reasons. With summer in full swing and Hollywood churning out new blockbuster films every week, it’s hard to pinpoint which movies will truly move the film medium in a ground-breaking direction. Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, “Pacific Rim” is one of those films. “Pacific Rim” follows a series of pilots that operate giant humanoid robots in the fight against giant monsters from the depths of the Pacific Ocean labeled “Kaiju,” the Japanese word for “strange creature.” The film combines stunning visuals along with a straightforward plot and diverse cast to
create a compassionate tone in the face of a great struggle. Drawing from multiple influences without directly paying homage to anyone in particular, “Pacific Rim” has the potential to become a cult classic. One of the reasons why “Pacific Rim” will likely be a cult classic is the fact that it has received only modest success in the box office. Filmed on a budget of $190 million, “Pacific Rim” arose from Del Toro’s desire to make a icolas mecha-genre film. As of Tuesday, the film has generated approximately $180 million in box office revenues, with $110 million coming from oveseas ticket sales. To be a cult classic, a film like “Pacific Rim” must have low or modest success, and it meets this criterion. While in the United States the mecha genre is limited to niche comics, mecha is a genre that is recognized throughout the world. Many fans of the mecha genre can appreciate Del Toro’s use of mecha to fight the Kaiju in grandiose battles, including Del Toro’s conventional
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use of categorizing the size of the monsters to convey the sense of urgency and tension in each action scene. Typically, fans of cult classics buy merchandise and contribute to film royalties. Fans of “Pacific Rim” will likely support the film in the same way. Main actors Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi share lead roles in the film, providing multiple interpretations for fans to relate to the main characters. Some fans connected odriguez with Kikuchi’s character, Mako, while others felt that her role was limited to only supporting Raleigh, Hunnam’s role in the film. Fans of cult classics, like “Pacific Rim,” often identify with relatable characters, like Mako and Raleigh. The idea of dressing up as film characters is also popular for fans of cult classics. Another feature of cult classic movies is their ability start intense debates among fans. In the case of “Pacific Rim,” some fans have debated that the film’s casting seemed
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stereotypical and borderline racist. Others, however, have said the film’s casting was diverse and unique. The film is not without its objective drawbacks. With weak plot narratives — such as fire explosions that occur underwater — and the way that characters discover the plot of the Kaiju, the loose ends in the storyline drive discussions for fiery debate. As a result, “Pacific Rim” has the potential to be a cult classic through its big budget, modest box office success. Because the film also pays homage to diehard fans of a the niche mecha genre, “Pacific Rim” futher improves its cult classic status. With a sequel possibly being green-lit, Del Toro may have the opportunity to expand on the rich world that he created in “Pacific Rim.” While it may not win an Oscar or Golden Globe, “Pacific Rim” will surely live on in the hearts and minds of its ever-growing worldwide fan-base. Nicolas Rodriguez is a senior political science major and an assistant opinions editor at the Daily 49er.
Rolling Stone’s cover of alleged Boston bomber is fair and justified Since it debuted on Nov. 9, 1967, celebrities from around the world have sought to be on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. From musicians like John Lennon to politicians like President Barack Obama, hundreds of important and unique people have appeared on the magazine’s cover over the years. Never shying away from controversy, Rolling Stone earned new critics last week after it decided to put suspected Boston bomber Dzhohkar Tsarnaev on its Aug. 1 cover. Critics of the cover included drug store-giant CVS and Boston’s mayor, Thomas Menino. Although many Americans have vocalized their distaste of the cover, their arguments against Rolling Stone have largely been ill-advised and completely baseless. With its First Amendment rights and reputable integrity, Rolling Stone should not have to defend itself against a wave of largely ignorant criticism. In short, their decision to put Tsarnaev on the cover was justified and necessary.
In a prepared statement, Menino accused Rolling Stone of feeding “into (an) obvious marketing strategy.” “Your ... cover rewards a terrorist with celebrity treatment,” Menino said. “It is ill-conceived, at best, and re-affirms a terrible message that destruction gains fame for killers and their ‘causes.’” It is clear, however, that Rolling Stone had no intention to use hane Tsarnaev as a way to boost sales. “The cover story ... falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone’s long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage,” the editors of Rolling Stone wrote. They continued by writing “the fact that Tsarnaev is young ... makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue.” By putting Tsarnaev on the cover, the Rolling Stone editors did not glorify his actions. They
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merely acknowledged that his story and image were front-page worthy. Nowhere in the feature article [“Jahar’s World”] did the author, Janet Reitman, advocate for violence or the bombing of innocent civilians. If the magazine did support Tsarnaev, however, a boycott would most likely be necessary. By putting him on the cover, Rolling Stone merely acted in accordance its previous groundewell with breaking stories. In the words of the author, the purpose of the article was to detail “how a popular, promising student was failed by his family, fell into radical Islam and became a monster.” In addition to Menino, companies like CVS have pulled the issue from its stores and said it “is the right decision out of respect for the victims of the [Boston] attack and their loved ones.” While the position of CVS can be understood, it is wrong nonetheless.
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Putting Tsarnaev’s image on the cover does not justify his actions or aim to strike fear into the hearts of Americans. If Rolling Stone was to mock the victims of the bombing, then a boycott out of respect would be necessary. Critics of the Tsarnaev cover are essentially calling for censorship. The only objectionable action from Rolling Stone was that it did not refer to Tsarnaev as an alleged bomber on the cover. Although the chances of Tsarnaev being convicted is near absolute, he is still, nonetheless, a suspect in the Boston bombing case. Although this cover will likely continue to divide Americans in the near future, its significance will be short-lived. Future news stories will surely take precedent, and the cover of an alleged bomber will inevitably be forgotten. Shane Newell is a junior journalism major and the opinions editor of the Daily 49er.
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