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Warner Brothers thanks you for your custom

I haven’t seen V for Vendetta, either in its comic book or movie form, but from the plot synopsis, I can see why anonymous glommed onto the mask as a fitting symbol.

But, geez, Guy Fawkes? Wanted to blow up parliament because he hoped the next king would be nicer to Catholics. Not really a man for our times. Oh, and he failed. Also, drawn and quartered.

Even better, those masks are made by Rubie’s Costume Company of Long Island, under license to Warner Brothers. They reckon they’ve sold 100,000, list price $9.99.

So, the delightful question is, just how much money has the anti-corporate-greed crowd generated for one of America’s richest corporations?

Comments


Comment from Mono The Elderish
Time: October 20, 2011, 10:09 pm

Saw the movie and it’s excellent (if a little Off in its thinking in some bits)

Pffft, figures they wouldn’t read the label before buying those things. Show me a hippie that can read and I’ll show you one that’s faking.


Comment from original signed
Time: October 20, 2011, 11:20 pm

Not to be contrary, but I say stick with not seeing that awful movie. Not only politically disagreeable but so full of senseless distortions, lack of perspective or reasonable character motivations and general brain hurty muddle headedness as to be …well, uninspiring.

The use of Guy Fawkes as a symbol for righteous revolution is an excellent example. I listed five of the other lowlights when I had the misfortune of seeing the movie here


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 20, 2011, 11:31 pm

I remember when it came out, I just didn’t think I was ready to deal with a movie celebrating anti-government terrorism, no matter how they dressed it up.


Comment from Mono The Elderish
Time: October 20, 2011, 11:35 pm

(@original signed)meh, to each his own.

SPOILERS——>

Basically, it boils down to a nut with knives and genetic manipulation (jump in here oceania.) going around destabilizing a totalitarian British government(Fun right?) and causing a revolution then doing a “suicide by cop” and letting everyone else form the new government. Not the most totally right wing movie though. Could’ve been better.


Comment from Mono The Elderish
Time: October 20, 2011, 11:39 pm

@Stoaty Well, The way I looked at it, It was like watching what the US will be in about 15 years if everything goes unchecked (God forbid)


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 20, 2011, 11:44 pm

Not to worry. History never moves in a straight line.

Though I keep waiting for blue jeans and rock ‘n’ roll to pass. Historically, it’s really weird how long these things have hung on.


Comment from Rich Rostrom
Time: October 21, 2011, 12:07 am

just how much money has the anti-corporate-greed crowd generated for one of America’s richest corporations?

Not as much as they’ve generated for America’s richest corporation. The mask sells for $9.99. An iPhone 4S sells for $199 (up to $399); an iPad for $320; a MacBook Air for $999.


Comment from EZnSF
Time: October 21, 2011, 1:10 am

I HATE that fucking mask. I refuse to watch the movie.
The irony is lost on these OWS morons.

One of these masks still exist near my work. (most were cleaned up)

I fixed it for them.
I needz mor decalz


Comment from Nina
Time: October 21, 2011, 2:07 am

My daughter and I went into a Halloween shop t’other day to rustle up a couple of Danse Macabre-is masks for our weekend with the St. Andrews Society folks who are doing a sort of All Hallows ren faire. We saw a lot of these masks there, and they seemed to be very popular. I haven’t seen the movie either, but my other daughter did make me watch part of it, to see British gubmint buildings being blown up. That was pretty cool.

Not that it would be if they were actually blown up, of course…I haven’t been over there to see them yet!


Comment from Randy Rager
Time: October 21, 2011, 2:47 am

Irony so rich and thick you can stand a spoon up in it.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 21, 2011, 3:37 am

Hallow what?
Oh that practise where you let your children loose on the world to demand food – and tricks – from people that they do not know?

Yes – that makes perfect sense. I believe that the practice is banned in some countrys. It is certainly not acceptable here.


Comment from Subotai Bahadur
Time: October 21, 2011, 5:49 am

I tend to agree with Mono the Elderish, especially the fear that it presages the fate of our country. There was a sense of 1984 about it, and the banality of tyranny. Would that regaining freedom once lost was so easy. And sometimes the Sheepdogs who make such redemption possible cannot live in what emerges. What makes it possible to do what must be done in such a case, can ruin you for living as a normal person again. Thus, his death made dramatic sense. I liked the movie, but remember that it came from a graphic novel.

Stoaty, I would recommend it, if only for the acting of Hugo Weaving, who played “V”. You probably have seen him before; he was in The Matrix, was Elrond in the Lord of the Rings movies, and even was in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. His performance as “V” was outstanding. An actor creates a character and brings it to life in large part with facial expressions and the eyes. He was in the mask the entire time, and created a character that grabbed you purely with voice and gesture. I was impressed, deeply so.

Guy Fawkes in reality, like many historical characters that have become part of a national mythos, was a person of far lesser worth than portrayed. I think in this country, which got its start overthrowing the Royal system that Fawkes tried to blow up; when our history deficient people think of him at all, they do so through the lens of the Revolution and with approval. And I sense that there is a certain conflation with the sentiments expressed by Oliver Cromwell on 20 April 1653 when he dismissed the “Rump Parliament”. And perhaps those sentiments are not so far out of line today over here, which adds to the popularity of the movie.

Subotai Bahadur


Comment from MIke C.
Time: October 21, 2011, 7:43 am

“Though I keep waiting for blue jeans and rock ‘n’ roll to pass. Historically, it’s really weird how long these things have hung on.”

Uh, “blue jeans” (which we used to call dungarees) WAY pre-date Rock and Roll.

Me, I’m waiting for “rap” in any form and the insane habit of yodelling the US National Anthem (or anything else, for that matter) to die a well-deserved death.


Comment from Skandia Recluse
Time: October 21, 2011, 8:14 am

I wish to ‘second’ Subotai Bahadur’s remarks. I liked the movie, and marvel at how different emotions were conveyed by an actor in a mask. Emotions conveyed by posture, voice, and lighting.

As for the story line, yes, you do have to suspend your disbelief, but it’s entertaining if you can. Blowing up buildings is always entertaining when you know it’s just Hollywood special effects. When its actual gun camera video, its more thought provoking.


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 21, 2011, 9:09 am

Ah, Oceania. The internet says you’re a liar.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 21, 2011, 10:12 am

A liar? Me? What possible end would that serve?
I’ve been in NZ for a large fraction of my existence – and I have never seen or had anyone knocking on the door.
My neighbour once had kids try it – and they were with their parents supervising.

Most kiwis tell kids that do to just ‘Fuck Off’ … and no self respecting parent would let their children lower themselves to ‘beg/demand’ sweats of strangers. It isn’t done.

As for the article … they are most likely recent immigrants. White-flight from other parts of the world.
You’ll find that sort of nonsense sometimes in Auckland – and nowhere else. If you read it thoroughly, you will find it is run by the Auckland Zoo …. as a promotion to get kids into the Zoo. It’s a Gimmick.


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 21, 2011, 10:29 am

I grabbed the first MSM link out of the 72 million Google hits for “halloween new zealand.”

Honestly, dude, “well known internet troll” is not a credential.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 21, 2011, 10:31 am

Exactly – and you are silly enough – or frustrated enough to call me a liar? 🙂

Actually we are sitting around here talking about your blog – there is a group of us. We dooo try hard.


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 21, 2011, 10:51 am

What do you mean, “exactly”? There are seventy-two million other sources I could have chosen from to show that Halloween is, in fact, celebrated in New Zealand. Not very hard, but it ain’t unheard of.

Really. A group of you. Sort of an Itty Bitty Titty Committee.

I know Soros isn’t interested, and I’m sure the Koch brothers have better things to spend their money on. What exactly is in it for the IBTC?


Comment from Can’t hark my cry
Time: October 21, 2011, 11:09 am

Honestly, dude, “well known internet troll” is not a credential.

Y’know, I was just thinking that in connection with its reply to Jeff Gauch on the “Saber-tooth Bambi” thread, only I couldn’t have phrased it nearly as well.

I’m not sure “liar” is quite fair, though–I think it is more that it has an inventive imagination and few reality-testing skills.


Comment from Laughing Buddha
Time: October 21, 2011, 11:19 am

I don’t agree with Halloween in it’s current incarnation, it’s so far from it’s original practices and so marketed that it’s banal now.

I do enjoy dressing up though. I will be Super Mario this year.

But as to the original article: The “V” for Vendatta mask for Anonymous is simple an expedient symbol. It doesn’t mean that they agreed with Guy Fawkes, but that they agree with fighting the government. (Not the specifics)

This place is always good for some entertainment in my mornings.


Comment from Can’t hark my cry
Time: October 21, 2011, 11:41 am

Oh, and I forgot to include, in my last remark: Plus insufficient moral grounding, so it doesn’t understand why accuracy is valuable, or why the distinction between truth and fiction is important.


Comment from Mono The Elderish
Time: October 21, 2011, 12:10 pm

Guys, Check this out. Fox knows ALL (with some minor details messed up.)

http://www.mademan.com/eighties-sitcom-predicted-gaddafis-death/


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 21, 2011, 12:31 pm

I thought that was WAY too soon after Lockerbie for them to be making so light of it…but, actually, that was a year *before* the Lockerbie bombing.

Huh.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 21, 2011, 1:37 pm

As we all know Gaddhafi was responsible for 9/11!


Comment from mojo
Time: October 21, 2011, 2:28 pm

Hey, here’s an idea – it could start a school for internet trolls! Call it “Troll House Cookies” or something. If it’s female, I mean.

Might turn into a nice little earner…


Comment from Some Vegetable
Time: October 21, 2011, 4:07 pm

Stoatie – to be fair to Oceania about Halloween – I doubt that many Trick-or-Treaters show up at HIS doorstep – or at least not two years in a row.

As for saying that blue jeans were around before the hippy 60’s, well, that’s like saying that bread existed before the invention of the croissant.

60’s jeans were an art form that, like album cover art, has been lost. The remainders available today are to art as musak is to music


Comment from Bob Mulroy
Time: October 21, 2011, 4:08 pm

So Stoaty, what are you and yours doing for bonfire night?


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: October 21, 2011, 5:08 pm

It’s a little different in Sussex, Bob. All the villages around take turns having bonfire nights, beginning in September and running right through to late November.

It’s somewhat competitive, and somewhat cooperative (all the local Bonfire Societies march in all the parades).

Used to be, they let the huge display at Lewes have the November 5 date (they lost 17 people in the Marian persecutions), but our favorite local one (Icklesham) is usually on the 5th. And, sadly, this year our other favorite (Winchelsea) is, too.

There have been a couple already that we missed, but we’ll hit many of the good ones. Love us some fireworks.

Oh, also, we’ll have our own backyard display at some point, too.


Comment from Noelegy
Time: October 21, 2011, 6:10 pm

I enjoyed “V For Vendetta” in both book and movie forms. Author Alan Moore is notoriously pissy about the movie versions of his books and will not have his name associated with them, because they are not 100% faithful to his vision. While I can sympathize with that, in order for them to be faithful to the books, they’d have to be 6 hours long, as his writing is very dense and multi-layered. I’m also a fan of the books, and movies made thereof, “From Hell,” “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,” and “Watchmen.”

I think there was an attempt made with the movie to portray the government as a right-wing totalitarian state, but I interpreted it through a big-picture lens as being a statement against totalitarianism of any stripe. And as Subotai Bahadur said, it’s worth seeing for Hugo Weaving’s performance: very subtle and masterful.

Interesting, isn’t it, that John Hurt (Winston of the film version of “1984”) played the lead baddie in “V?”

But I think the OWS crowd who are appropriating the “V For Vendetta” Guy Fawkes visage are missing the point; they’d be totally okay with totalitarianism in government, provided it was the CORRECT form of totalitarianism.

Or, as Adam Warren said in a completely unrelated graphic novel, “It’s not fascism if the right people are in charge.”


Comment from Goober
Time: October 21, 2011, 7:00 pm

Something is being missed here. I will point it out. Flame suit on.

In the movie, the main character, named V, wore a Guy Fawkes mask. he didn’t wear the mask because he agreed with the policies of Guy Fawkes (who probably would have been more in agreement with the brutal dictator that V was standing against as opposed to being on V’s side). He wore the mask because:

1.) The government had hideously disfigured him (or I guess he did it to himself sort of accidentally as he broke out of the Dr. Mengele’s wet dream hospital where they were torturing him;

and:

2.) Because his plan was to blow up Parliament on the 5th of November, in order to bring attention to a government that he saw as being unjust, just like Guy Fawkes.

In that respect, his wearing of the mask was actually somewhat accurate. The only difference was that Fawkes yearned for a totalitarian government in which his people were in charge, whereas V yearned for freedom.

In that respect, the OWS folks wearing the Guy Fawkes mask is perfectly spot on, whereas V’s wearing of it is not so much. The OWS protestors, just like Guy Fawkes, would be perfectly happy living under a totalitarian regime, just so long as their people were in charge. So, given that, I think the Guy Fawkes mask is a perfect representation of what the OWS folks are after – it just doesn’t mean what they think it means. Certainly not liberty and freedom. More like “I want to be in charge for a while.”


Comment from Goober
Time: October 21, 2011, 7:03 pm

Just to further what I said above – Guy Fawkes was against the opressive regime in charge of England at the time, but freedom is not what he was after. He was after a regime change, to another opressive regime that was comprised of “his people” as opposed to “others”. So, again, as I said, specifcally regarding the poster directly before me, Guy Fawkes is a PERFECT mascot for the OWS crowd, who desire totalitarianism, just as long as it is their people in charge.


Comment from Christopher Taylor
Time: October 21, 2011, 7:05 pm

V is actually pretty good, as a comic and not bad as a movie although it has some really obnoxious bush and Christian bashing stuff tacked on.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 22, 2011, 1:16 am

Now now … you Americans show your lack of History knowledge – how Tardy indeed? Well, you are only Americans – aren’t you?
Do none of you know anything of the Catholic Gun-Powder Conspiracy?
“Remember Remember the Fifth of November”.

It was Treason against the Crown, and was successfully stopped. It is a reminder of Traitors to the Crown, and those against Protestantism.
Namely, Americans and Catholics.

Burn Catholics – Burn!


Comment from Can’t hark my cry
Time: October 22, 2011, 2:00 am

Um.

Traitors to the Crown, and those against Protestantism.
Namely, Americans and Catholics.

Is anyone else having a hard time parsing this? While Catholocism is now an accepted part of US-American life (to the point that 2/3 of the Supreme Court is nominally of the Catholic faith, apparently), the two terms aren’t even /arguably/ synonymous and, until late in the last century, the acceptance of Catholics in the United States mainstream was beset by. . .issues. Which is howcome we ended up with the whole “separation of church and state” thing.

At the time of Guy Fawkes, Americans were anything /but/ allied with Catholics. Nor was the American Revolution even remotely a result of the activities of the Catholic faith in this country.

I suppose it is unreasonable of me to expect a coherent, logical, point from a troll. But I’ve spent most of the day attempting to tease out meaning from a brief filed by pro se litigants, and it seems it is hard to turn that faculty off.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 22, 2011, 3:49 am

Oh to the Contrary Hark … how little you are truely aware of history? Even your own. It’s not like they actually keep your population in a commanding position of knowledge – but lead you instead into Ignorance?

Only recently in New Zealand could Catholics hold any level security post, as their loyalty is Primarily to the Vatican, and not to the Crown. You Dig up the Catholic Oaths, that of the Priest, Hight Priests, and so forth.
We used to send boat loads of Catholic waiting to get into NZ to Australia. We didn’t want them.

Catholicism is a Rampant Disease, which subverts Freedom, and Seditiously caries out Treason against the integrity of any State. Catholics have waged war against Britain for many centuries, in many forms. You should look at the Most effective Spies in the USA during WW2, they were working through the Vatican. Passing Signals – Gathering Intelligence. No one questions a Paedophile in a Robe, preaching Gods work.

If your court system is defiled and infiltrated with Catholics, then you had better remove these Heretics – if you value the Loyalty of your Judicary?
Their loyalty is in the First Instance to the Vatican, as they have Sworn, and not your Country.

You’d better pause here – and have a very good long Think.

There is a Reason why they Burn Catholics on the 5th of November.

🙂


Comment from Can’t hark my cry
Time: October 23, 2011, 12:52 am

I am always charmed by your insouciant disregard for actual fact, and your remarkable capacity for flights of fancy. But, really, you should work on your writing skills. When one is seeking to delude, incompentent grammar, usage and spelling are a serious detriment. Fevered rhetoric can succeed in persuading only when couched in the most polished prose. As Stoaty has, in the past, suggested, you need to raise your game.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 23, 2011, 8:13 am

It is like that on purpose old boy … I shall have to dictate a Troll Guide for Stoaty … shhhh

Anyway, what kind of man be yee who can compose articulation without electronic machines to correct thy scribe?


Comment from Can’t hark my cry
Time: October 23, 2011, 11:43 am

Goodness, you don’t pay any attention to what’s going on around you, do you?

Oh. Silly me. Yup–essence of Troll!


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 24, 2011, 2:17 am

I can’t afford to give the appearance of being informed.
Not even the slightest hint.

Here are some simple Troll Hints, to all you young ones out there. Firstly, and foremost, stick to one Name to post with.
Swap sentence structure ever 2-3 sentences, making the subject conflict within the sentence, and flow of your argument. Write shorter ‘note’ like sentences. As to conflict paragraph structure.
Use Capitals for distinction. Avoid quotes, and bolding – and whatever you do – avoid articulation. Use the Cyrillic ‘-‘ for bridging Angliskii sentences – just like in Russian.
And introduce intentional spelling misstakes, taking advantage of the ‘American’ language. Neighbourhood, Labour and pronuciated words like Aluminium are classics.
Operate inside a confined zone of Morals, always taking the higher ground, and finding a politically correct leaver with which to polarise your topics for maximum cultural misunderstanding and conflict.
Do not post on all topics. Restrain oneself between coffee pit stops, and tending ones own forum.
At all cost, start an instigation on something that is only partially correct, and sit back. This gives you a chance to ‘cottage’ the thread.

There you go! Now go find yourselves a forum somewhere in the Ether to practice with!
There will be a practical exam at 12:20 UTC on the 28th of Oct.


Comment from Noelegy
Time: October 24, 2011, 3:09 pm

Wow. And I crochet for a hobby. Trolling just seems too…time-consuming.


Comment from Goober
Time: October 24, 2011, 6:42 pm

Yes, yes. ll good people of the world should listen to Oceania, because apparently, the American Revolution, born from the fiery rhetoric of a bunch of devout…

..atheists and agnostics, mainly???

…was apparently a catholic insurrection.


Comment from Oceania
Time: October 25, 2011, 12:26 am

Didn’t you perves tried to invade Canada in 1812 – and got yourselves whipped? What was that war started over again? Oh yes – ‘humiliation’ … so you attacked Canada?
You must be cursed, because you haven’t won a war since. Well done!
Obviously you are having your currently problems because you don’t play contact sport – at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFOImv3aTyo&feature=related

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