Stating the obvious

I know i'm frequently far behind my peers in reaching conclusions, but blogging has me at the point where I'll post stuff anyway because dammit, I'm excited be it, and screw everyone else.

I've noticed as I've grown into adulthood how much modern cinema (and tv too, but i'm talking about film here) is influenced by current events... for example, Robert Ludlum wrote the original Bourne series in the 80's as a cold-war thriller. Turning around in the late 90's to make a movie, it didn't make much sense to set it in the cold war because they didn't want to do a period piece. It wasn't historically accurate, so it was actually helpful to update the background for modern audience.

I'm only now realizing how far back this goes. I just finished watching "Chan in London," a disturbingly non-PC movie about Charlie Chan, a Chinese detective played by a westerner in heavy make-up for a series of movies in the 30's. This particular movie was set in pre WWII London, and I realized about half-way through how much of an effect this had. The people making this movie were 15 years removed from WWI, and had no idea that another, more horrific, campaign was coming. I've seen several British series either made during or set against the active periods of one of the WW's, and they have a whole different flavor from that of movies made in the aftermath, which might realize the atrocities that could happen but don't believe they could ever happen again.

Good lord, I think i'm turning into a neocon. I should walk out into the street and shoot myself in the head right now.