The Pervert's Guide to Ideology

Director Sophie Fiennes (who's also the sister of actor Ralph Fiennes) did this very interesting documentary with Slavoj Zizek, who is a philosopher and psychoanalyst.

He uses clips from a number of interesting films to illustrate different concepts related to ideologies including  films like They Live, Jaws, Titanic, A Clockwork Orange, Taxi Driver, Full Metal Jacket, Brazil and The Sound of Music.

He talks about how many different groups with different ideologies have used Beethoven's Ode to Joy:


He also talks about Nazism and relates it to Heavy Metal German rock group Rammstein.

Overall I found this film interesting, thought-provoking and even sometimes amusing. I enjoyed the way Zizek sometimes found himself on what seemed to be the sets of some of the films he discussed.

Here are some quotes from this film:

"I already am eating, from the trashcan, all the time.The name of this trashcan is ideology. The material force of ideology makes me not see what I am effectively eating. It's not only our reality which enslaves us. The tragedy of our predicament, when we are within ideology, is that when we think that we escape it into our dreams, at that point we are within ideology."---Zizek

"The basic insight of psychoanalysis is to distinguish between enjoyment and simple pleasures. They are not the same. Enjoyment is precisely enjoyment in disturbed pleasure. Even enjoyment in pain. And this excessive factor disturbs the apparently simple relationship between duty and pleasures. This is also a space where ideology up to, and especially religious ideology operates. This brings me to maybe my favorite example, the great classical Hollywood film The Sound of Music."---Zizek

"My psychoanalytic friends are telling me that typically today patients who come to the analyst to resolve their problems feel guilty not because of excessive pleasures, not because they indulged in pleasures which go against their sense of duty or morality or whatever. On the contrary, they feel guilty for not enjoying enough. For not being able to enjoy."---Zizek

"Every violent acting out is a sign that there is something you are not able to put into words. Even the most brutal violence is the enacting of a certain symbolic deadlock."---Zizek

"On the other hand, it's interesting to note that Fidel Castro, who loved the film (Jaws), once said that, for him, it was obvious that Jaws is a kind of leftist Marxist film and that the shark is a metaphor for brutal big capital exploiting ordinary Americans."---Zizek

"Is is precisely if there is God that everything is permitted to those who not only believe in God, but who perceive themselves as instruments, direct instruments of the divine will. If you posit or perceive or legitimize yourself  as a direct instrument of the divine will, then of course, all narrow, petty moral considerations disappear. How can you even think in such narrow terms when you are a direct instrument of God?"---Zizek

"But in a radically atheist universe, you are not only responsible for doing your duty, You are also responsible for deciding what is your duty."---Zizek


Here are a few scenes:

Here's the official trailer:

Leaves of Grass: a great little American indie film

Here's my personal disclaimer: By recommending this film I'm not promoting or damning the use of marijuana. But I wanted to review it since the recent change to marijuana laws and because I enjoyed it.

I just think it's a great little indie film written by Tim Blake Nelson who hails from Oklahoma where he story also mostly takes place.  BTW, he also stars in it as Bolger. What a relief it is to watch a film that takes place somewhere beyond the usual places I see in so many American-made films!

Ed Norton really is quite brilliant as an actor and he's up for the challenge to play twin brothers who are like opposite sides of the coin. Billy is a successful Philosophy professor and author who left his Okie roots to find his way in the world beyond.  His twin Brady is a successful pot-grower. Though Brady is on the shady side of the law, he still has principles that he's willing to stick up for.

Billy is called back to Oklahoma for the death of his brother. Or is he? I don't want to say much more about the plot because it'll ruin the experience for anyone who wants to watch it.

I do want to share more freely about some of the great characters. Susan Sarandon is their hippie mother who used to be an English teacher. Richard Dreyfuss is great as Pug, the Jewish gangster. I really had to look at him twice to recognize him. He's mean but he's also somewhat of a philosopher himself. As a love-interest for Billy, Keri Russell is Janet who also writes poetry and is a champion noodler (watch the film to learn more about that!) Lucy DeVito has a great little role as a student who has the hots for her professor. By the way, she's the daughter of actors Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman.

Mystery, action, romance and the age-old theme of sibling rivalry are what make this a fun and thought-provoking film to watch.

Here are a few scenes from the film:

Brady shares his own philosophy.

Billy's student compromises his position.

Bolger defends Billy.

Brady's Pot Farm.

Billy gets to know Janet.

Bolger and Brady visit the synagogue.

The dentist goes gun-shopping.