Post by rogerbuck on May 4, 2017 12:29:43 GMT
What I am about to say is a bit oxymoronic, given that this is a conservative forum and Irish movies now are thoroughly, thoroughly liberal.
But ... for some reason I am very interested in how Ireland projects herself out into the Anglosphere/wider world via movies. I'm interested in any thoughts at all from anyone on this topic ...
I will start with one thought of my own, which is that even thoroughly secular films regarding Ireland nonetheless feature Irish conservatism/Catholicism and make A DIFFERENT WORLD VISIBLE to the rest of the Anglosphere, even whilst sending out liberal messages.
Here is a paradoxical example of what I mean. Many, many years ago I was intrigued by the 1995 film about 50s Ireland called CIRCLE OF FRIENDS with Minnie Driver as a teenager.
The film is filled with sexual innuendo that would have shocked and disgusted 50s Ireland. And it has clear liberal propaganda that Ireland needed to be liberated from all her "sexual hangups".
But, paradoxically, there is also real affection for 50s Ireland present.
Now, this was one of the first Irish films I ever saw. And even though it did mock the Church, it also signalled the Church in subtle, surprising ways, especially surprising for British or American people like myself who had never been to Ireland.
One example: there is a scene, if I recall correctly, where Minnie Driver crosses herself with Holy Water - which is novel in itself in British/American scenes - but what made it more novel is that the Holy Water is in a stoop in her bedroom!
It signals a time when Irish teenagers actually had these in their rooms! And there is much else in the film like that.
The Anglosphere is not just the US and UK. Arguably the third most important distinctive cultural force within her is Ireland and I am interested in how Irishness is signalled to the rest of the English-speaking world via film.
Grateful for any more thoughts here ...
But ... for some reason I am very interested in how Ireland projects herself out into the Anglosphere/wider world via movies. I'm interested in any thoughts at all from anyone on this topic ...
I will start with one thought of my own, which is that even thoroughly secular films regarding Ireland nonetheless feature Irish conservatism/Catholicism and make A DIFFERENT WORLD VISIBLE to the rest of the Anglosphere, even whilst sending out liberal messages.
Here is a paradoxical example of what I mean. Many, many years ago I was intrigued by the 1995 film about 50s Ireland called CIRCLE OF FRIENDS with Minnie Driver as a teenager.
The film is filled with sexual innuendo that would have shocked and disgusted 50s Ireland. And it has clear liberal propaganda that Ireland needed to be liberated from all her "sexual hangups".
But, paradoxically, there is also real affection for 50s Ireland present.
Now, this was one of the first Irish films I ever saw. And even though it did mock the Church, it also signalled the Church in subtle, surprising ways, especially surprising for British or American people like myself who had never been to Ireland.
One example: there is a scene, if I recall correctly, where Minnie Driver crosses herself with Holy Water - which is novel in itself in British/American scenes - but what made it more novel is that the Holy Water is in a stoop in her bedroom!
It signals a time when Irish teenagers actually had these in their rooms! And there is much else in the film like that.
The Anglosphere is not just the US and UK. Arguably the third most important distinctive cultural force within her is Ireland and I am interested in how Irishness is signalled to the rest of the English-speaking world via film.
Grateful for any more thoughts here ...
