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[D.Lo]

this is literally the dumbest reply possible

you're saying that the facts don't matter

not only this, but he was actually *never* considered a hero, just a terrorist, and Guy Fawkes day is about celebrating the fact that he *didn't* blow Parliament up

by 'narratives take a life of your own' what you're basically saying is what the rest of us are saying, which is 'a bunch of teenagers saw V for Vendetta and think he was awesome now' except you're saying it approvingly, which is insane

He was explaining how SOME PEOPLE would consider him a hero, not making that argument himself.

 

[Shanadeus]

Guy Fawkes was part of a group that sought to remove the government by force during the Protestant Reformation; a period of Catholic repression. Fawkes himself was Catholic. He may not be considered a hero across Catholicism, or indeed a martyr as some figures that preceded him were, but his name is a reminder of the sectarian tensions that once gripped Western Europe, albeit a bitter one for Catholics in particular. If you'd like to know more, check out the link to the thread I posted earlier here.

Very informative.
What happened to your nick btw?

 

[Jeff Albertson]

Most people associate it more with V than with Fawkes, whom I doubt most know of.

In England pretty much everyone above 5 or 6 will know of Guy Fawkes and the 'remember remember' rhyme

 

[FloppyDelux]

I remember Natalie Portman's shaved head....but thats it..

 

[DKehoe]

5th of November is celebrating Guy Fawkes being stopped, not Guy Fawkes himself.
Although now its just an excuse for people to set of fireworks.

 

[Joel Was Right]

In addition to that question of whether Fawkes was a hero:

It's not uncommon to come across the suggestion that bonfire night is anti-Catholic, despite its lack of purpose in modern day. Originally, an effigy of the pope would be burned, not an effigy of Fawkes.

 

[Escape Goat]

Again? Or are you telling us you've been one hour off all week?

Why does no one go round asking for a penny for the guy anymore?

wat

 

[Captain_Spanky]

I’ll be turning my Sauron-esque gaze upon the utterly woeful V For Vendetta the 2006 atrocity written (but not directed by) the Wachowski brothers and directed by James McTeigue. However the film bears many of the brothers directorial hallmarks so I do wonder how closely they were involved.

So what is it that makes the film so bad? At a high level it’s failing conceptually, both as an adaption and as a unique work. While Moore’s Vendetta is a complex, adult take on a very simple idea (the benefits and detriments of anarchy and fascism to society) the film is a poorly disguised metaphor from the brain of a child. A particularly stupid child at that because what we have is not just a jab at the Bush administration that is so telegraphed even George Foreman could dodge it after drinking all the grease that his grills have ever drained, but one that is founded on the 9/11 conspiracy theories. I’m not even fucking kidding, the movie doesn’t even try to hide it. The basic supposition is then, that hopefully this film will rile people in to some sort of revolution but even now it stands as an out-dated cultural relic. Something to peer at and think “were people ever this stupid?”. Yes. Yes we were. So as an adaption it fails and as a unique artistic endeavour it fails. It will not be loved by fans of the original, nor will it be rediscovered fondly as its own piece. It’s trash of the highest order and yet it still has its fans.

“But who” I hear you ask “could possibly love such a thing?”. Well sadly there’s an entire group of people who live off of terrible catchphrase driven nuggets of mass market rebellion. I am of course talking about teenagers and those who never grew out of the basement. Teenagers fucking LOVE this film. Hell they love it so much that it took over that cess-pool of hormonal hatred 4chan. They wear the masks. They quote it. They even defend it. And why not, with the film ignoring one of the key points of the book (and even of itself!) it martyrs V, turning him in to a character, a symbol, a person. Now when the film is telling you on one hand that ideas are important to revolution, not people, and then you have the lead mourning the death of a man and saying that HE was the important one you have problems. But the idiot teens eat it up, furiously masturbating betwixt their twin screens with V on one and…oh I don’t know…Che Guvara on the other.

The dialogue is no better. A prime example is V’s first speech, made almost entirely of words beginning with V. Yes ha ha very clever you can use alliteration. Good for you. Does it mean anything? No of course not. It’s a fucking kinder egg with no prize, something to be quoted to make people feel clever. It’s a joke treated as if it’s a monumental piece of character development. At a stretch you could say it’s an indication of V’s mental state, but the film shows no evidence of that anywhere so really it’s just me showing mercy to something that doesn’t deserve it.

So yes V’s character is utterly fucked. In the book he is utterly insane, a terrorist, a massive fucking problem, he’s the Joker with a purpose. Well sort of, but analysing him with any sort of depth would take too many words than I’m willing to write. In the film? He’s a noble freedom fighter with Neo-esque kung-fu skills and a martyr complex. It ties back in to the film’s childish black and white political vendetta that wasn’t relevant when it was released and is now, five years later, an embarrassing waste of celluloid.
There’s so much more wrong with it, but really I’m tired of thinking about it.

The Wachowski’s exhibit the same lazy writing technique they used in the matrix, completely butchering a simple montage and leaving a confusing mess. Once again they confuse “reference” for “idea” and have no sense of subtlety, leaving a pretentious wet fart of a film. The Matrix was great because it was a unique take on action. No one cared about the philosophy, it was just sort of there as wall hanging. V For Vendetta hinges on the Wachowski’s intellectual prowess, of which they have none, and without the action you’re left with two very silly, boring hours of people trying to sound clever.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

In addition to that question of whether Fawkes was a hero:

It's not uncommon to come across the suggestion that bonfire night is anti-Catholic, despite its lack of purpose in modern day. Originally, an effigy of the pope would be burned, not an effigy of Fawkes.

I don't know. Just ask the pope if it's still anti catholic since he is infallible and everything.

 

[Raide]

I am in Japan and, ironically, I utterly forget to remember 5th Nov.

 

[BGBW]

wat

1. Clocks went back last weekend (30/10/11) so if he is just changing his, he's been off sync by hour all week.
2. Penny for the guy

 

[Shanadeus]

This is such an infuriating way to think. The government is supposed to be of the people, not some adversarial entity.

Ideas are bulletproof.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

I’ll be turning my Sauron-esque gaze upon the utterly woeful V For Vendetta the 2006 atrocity written (but not directed by) the Wachowski brothers and directed by James McTeigue. However the film bears many of the brothers directorial hallmarks so I do wonder how closely they were involved.

So what is it that makes the film so bad? At a high level it’s failing conceptually, both as an adaption and as a unique work. While Moore’s Vendetta is a complex, adult take on a very simple idea (the benefits and detriments of anarchy and fascism to society) the film is a poorly disguised metaphor from the brain of a child. A particularly stupid child at that because what we have is not just a jab at the Bush administration that is so telegraphed even George Foreman could dodge it after drinking all the grease that his grills have ever drained, but one that is founded on the 9/11 conspiracy theories. I’m not even fucking kidding, the movie doesn’t even try to hide it. The basic supposition is then, that hopefully this film will rile people in to some sort of revolution but even now it stands as an out-dated cultural relic. Something to peer at and think “were people ever this stupid?”. Yes. Yes we were. So as an adaption it fails and as a unique artistic endeavour it fails. It will not be loved by fans of the original, nor will it be rediscovered fondly as its own piece. It’s trash of the highest order and yet it still has its fans.

“But who” I hear you ask “could possibly love such a thing?”. Well sadly there’s an entire group of people who live off of terrible catchphrase driven nuggets of mass market rebellion. I am of course talking about teenagers and those who never grew out of the basement. Teenagers fucking LOVE this film. Hell they love it so much that it took over that cess-pool of hormonal hatred 4chan. They wear the masks. They quote it. They even defend it. And why not, with the film ignoring one of the key points of the book (and even of itself!) it martyrs V, turning him in to a character, a symbol, a person. Now when the film is telling you on one hand that ideas are important to revolution, not people, and then you have the lead mourning the death of a man and saying that HE was the important one you have problems. But the idiot teens eat it up, furiously masturbating betwixt their twin screens with V on one and…oh I don’t know…Che Guvara on the other.

The dialogue is no better. A prime example is V’s first speech, made almost entirely of words beginning with V. Yes ha ha very clever you can use alliteration. Good for you. Does it mean anything? No of course not. It’s a fucking kinder egg with no prize, something to be quoted to make people feel clever. It’s a joke treated as if it’s a monumental piece of character development. At a stretch you could say it’s an indication of V’s mental state, but the film shows no evidence of that anywhere so really it’s just me showing mercy to something that doesn’t deserve it.

So yes V’s character is utterly fucked. In the book he is utterly insane, a terrorist, a massive fucking problem, he’s the Joker with a purpose. Well sort of, but analysing him with any sort of depth would take too many words than I’m willing to write. In the film? He’s a noble freedom fighter with Neo-esque kung-fu skills and a martyr complex. It ties back in to the film’s childish black and white political vendetta that wasn’t relevant when it was released and is now, five years later, an embarrassing waste of celluloid.
There’s so much more wrong with it, but really I’m tired of thinking about it.

The Wachowski’s exhibit the same lazy writing technique they used in the matrix, completely butchering a simple montage and leaving a confusing mess. Once again they confuse “reference” for “idea” and have no sense of subtlety, leaving a pretentious wet fart of a film. The Matrix was great because it was a unique take on action. No one cared about the philosophy, it was just sort of there as wall hanging. V For Vendetta hinges on the Wachowski’s intellectual prowess, of which they have none, and without the action you’re left with two very silly, boring hours of people trying to sound clever.

While I enjoy aspects of the film, that has to be the most dead-on takedown of it that I have read.

 

[Natetan]

I think the weirdest thing about Guy Falkes is the Fireworks. Who has fireworks in November? It's cold!

 

[Asparagus]

Some brats had an effigy in tracky bottoms and were asking for penny for the guy the other night in front of Morrisons. Was tempted to give them an actual penny

-edit-

Did anyone do anything last night then? Have a treacle toffee apple maybe? It's been a long time since I went to a good and proper bonfire.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Happy Birthday Brittney Skye

 

[UnluckyKate]

I am in Japan and, ironically, I utterly forget to remember 5th Nov.

The 5th of November is to remember, not to celebrate. So REMEMBER ! NOW !

 

[Blackace]

Happy birthday Robert Patrick!

Best terminator/alien/gambling childhood friend of a mob boss, ever!

 

[Blackace]

Che was a monster who also was a bumbling stooge...

 

[Noaloha]

Penny For The Guy makes me real uncomfortable in hindsight. Kinda weird to think that, just 10-15 years ago, I'd happily construct lifesize cloth effigies of someone, then sit the ill-fated doll in a wheelbarrow and trundle it about the estate begging for money, then cap the celebrations off by stringing the thing up to a pile of wood and, smiling, setting it all on fire.

 

[CHEEZMO™]

Che was a monster who also was a bumbling stooge...

But he was a cool-ass mofo.

Also, are there really people who think 5th November is a day celebrating Guy Fawkes?

wat

 

[BGBW]

Did anyone do anything last night then? Have a treacle toffee apple maybe? It's been a long time since I went to a good and proper bonfire.

Been feeling ill so I just watched some fireworks from the window while the rest of the family went to the park.

 

[Zomba13]

I went to bed really early last night because I wasn't feeling well and slept through all the fireworks

 

[Zenith]

Why do people like Guy Fawkes and claim he's a hero?

We don't. He's burned in effigy every year. The whole point of Bonfire Night is to remember how we defeated the "dastardly" Catholics.

 

[More Fun To Compute]

I think the weirdest thing about Guy Falkes is the Fireworks. Who has fireworks in November? It's cold!

People who also have large bonfires. Turns out that fire is hot.

 

[daviyoung]

indeed. crappy comic.

No. No. No.

 

[The Technomancer]

I’ll be turning my Sauron-esque gaze upon the utterly woeful V For Vendetta the 2006 atrocity written (but not directed by) the Wachowski brothers and directed by James McTeigue. However the film bears many of the brothers directorial hallmarks so I do wonder how closely they were involved.

So what is it that makes the film so bad? At a high level it’s failing conceptually, both as an adaption and as a unique work. While Moore’s Vendetta is a complex, adult take on a very simple idea (the benefits and detriments of anarchy and fascism to society) the film is a poorly disguised metaphor from the brain of a child. A particularly stupid child at that because what we have is not just a jab at the Bush administration that is so telegraphed even George Foreman could dodge it after drinking all the grease that his grills have ever drained, but one that is founded on the 9/11 conspiracy theories. I’m not even fucking kidding, the movie doesn’t even try to hide it. The basic supposition is then, that hopefully this film will rile people in to some sort of revolution but even now it stands as an out-dated cultural relic. Something to peer at and think “were people ever this stupid?”. Yes. Yes we were. So as an adaption it fails and as a unique artistic endeavour it fails. It will not be loved by fans of the original, nor will it be rediscovered fondly as its own piece. It’s trash of the highest order and yet it still has its fans.

“But who” I hear you ask “could possibly love such a thing?”. Well sadly there’s an entire group of people who live off of terrible catchphrase driven nuggets of mass market rebellion. I am of course talking about teenagers and those who never grew out of the basement. Teenagers fucking LOVE this film. Hell they love it so much that it took over that cess-pool of hormonal hatred 4chan. They wear the masks. They quote it. They even defend it. And why not, with the film ignoring one of the key points of the book (and even of itself!) it martyrs V, turning him in to a character, a symbol, a person. Now when the film is telling you on one hand that ideas are important to revolution, not people, and then you have the lead mourning the death of a man and saying that HE was the important one you have problems. But the idiot teens eat it up, furiously masturbating betwixt their twin screens with V on one and…oh I don’t know…Che Guvara on the other.

The dialogue is no better. A prime example is V’s first speech, made almost entirely of words beginning with V. Yes ha ha very clever you can use alliteration. Good for you. Does it mean anything? No of course not. It’s a fucking kinder egg with no prize, something to be quoted to make people feel clever. It’s a joke treated as if it’s a monumental piece of character development. At a stretch you could say it’s an indication of V’s mental state, but the film shows no evidence of that anywhere so really it’s just me showing mercy to something that doesn’t deserve it.

So yes V’s character is utterly fucked. In the book he is utterly insane, a terrorist, a massive fucking problem, he’s the Joker with a purpose. Well sort of, but analysing him with any sort of depth would take too many words than I’m willing to write. In the film? He’s a noble freedom fighter with Neo-esque kung-fu skills and a martyr complex. It ties back in to the film’s childish black and white political vendetta that wasn’t relevant when it was released and is now, five years later, an embarrassing waste of celluloid.
There’s so much more wrong with it, but really I’m tired of thinking about it.

The Wachowski’s exhibit the same lazy writing technique they used in the matrix, completely butchering a simple montage and leaving a confusing mess. Once again they confuse “reference” for “idea” and have no sense of subtlety, leaving a pretentious wet fart of a film. The Matrix was great because it was a unique take on action. No one cared about the philosophy, it was just sort of there as wall hanging. V For Vendetta hinges on the Wachowski’s intellectual prowess, of which they have none, and without the action you’re left with two very silly, boring hours of people trying to sound clever.

Very nicely said.