This time, TV personality Morley Robertson writes his third installment in his “Imagining the great transformation of an era” series. Working mainly in media, Robertson is a commentator, DJ, musician, and international journalist with a wide range of knowledge in fields ranging from politics/economics to subculture. In this column series, he introduces films worth watching, particularly in the current coronavirus pandemic.

Those who try their best get rewarded — A story that touches the heart in times like this 

I first expressed how Joker implies the significant shift of the times; it speaks to us because we’re also letting go of our worries and fears, even though we don’t know what the future holds. Then, I talked about how Mad Max teaches us that those who get rid of fear, and everything else, to step into the future are strong during turbulent times like this. The film I’d like to highlight this time is The King’s Speech. Compared to Joker and Mad Max, this one is realistic. The story follows King George VI, who becomes the King of England after his brother, King Edward VIII, abdicates his role to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, and socialite. The King’s Speech is an excellent piece of cinema that maintains so much realism, as it shows King George VI’s stammering issue—something people usually would want to hide—in a frank manner.

One of the famous films which realistically depicts the royal family is The Queen (2006), starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II. With that said, illustrates how the beautiful, prim and proper queen has the same mindset as regular citizens. It’s taboo to portray the queen as a “normal” person, but I imagine the film was given the green light because Helen Mirren gave a fantastic performance, and it showed love and appreciation towards Queen Elizabeth II. In other words, love protected the film.

What’s interesting about The King’s Speech is how more British people respect the subject now. Until this film, the story of King George VI wasn’t spoken about much, compared to Queen Elizabeth II, as seen in The Queen. Depicting a royal, powerful king who has a stammer, a childish side, and needs his butler to do things, is something that wouldn’t be allowed under normal circumstances. But had the film presented a royal person unrealistically, it would simply show lie after lie; people would no longer have a reason to watch it. The true delight of watching films is witnessing something people can’t talk about every day. That’s why the creators of The King’s Speech depicted King George VI as his authentic self.

Another interesting point: if you watch this film because you want to feel cathartic in an unstable world such as ours, you’ll see that the things people would keep behind closed doors are, in fact, beautiful. It’s easy to empathize with the protagonist because you’ll realize how the only difference between him and yourself is the environment. He’s human, just like you and me. If you could tackle the things you thought were impossible head-on just like him, then perhaps you too could fulfill your goal. Ultimately, I feel like this film tells us that those who try their hardest get rewarded.

THE KING’S SPEECH

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 It’s possible for a “hero” to be born because of the era

Mad Max shows the brutal fact that no matter how hard one tries, there will always be scapegoats, but it does this in an oddly exhilarating fashion. The moral of The King’s Speech is the polar opposite. In England today, people are debating whether they need a class system such as the royal family. However, many people get the energy to keep going because of the royal family. I spoke about this in my earlier column, but people of the modern world can rely on their bloodline if they ever feel like being protected by someone strong. This intangible energy could turn into an emotional sanctuary. That’s why people can relate to King George VI and see themselves in him, which gives them the drive to live. He represents what a leader should look like during this pandemic.

There’s one person who became a leader because of the zeitgeist: Donald Trump. When I thought about his controversial actions and words, I realized when a person in power says or does things they shouldn’t, they’re aligning with a portion of citizens’ desires, which makes said citizens develop an ardent love for said person. Many people start to want an irreverent leader when they have a strong victim mentality or face anxieties and oppression for a long time. Such people react against what we would call good people like, “You’re talking all this talk, but nothing good is happening to us!” Doesn’t it seem like Trump, the Joker, Immortan Joe, and the king, who has power, all connect? Of course, you have to look at it from different angles to see the connection.

 Don’t play it safe! A bright future awaits those who challenge themselves.

Thinking about it now, I’m starting to understand how times change, and it makes me want to act toward the future. But there aren’t that many places or opportunities for us to have discussions, which is a very modern problem. This era we live in doesn’t let wise people speak. Because of this tumultuous world, I wish I could ask Yoda (from Star Wars) or a wizard who lives up in the mountains about their teachings (laughs). But when I look at “lifestyle conservatives,”* they’re all causing a scene in front of wise people. Even if a wise figure says something brilliant, they reject that person’s character itself. Seeing such a phenomenon makes me think, “Wow, these people don’t want to listen to the wise.” It also makes me feel sad, as they’re simply raising their voices because they’re afraid of losing what they have.

*Lifestyle conservative= A direct translation of “seikatsu hoshushugi,” which refers to the attitude of satisfaction with consumerist society and not wanting social change.

But think about it, wanting to be happy is synonymous with wanting pleasure. Pleasure is something you earn from going on an adventure facing death, failure, or fear. If you’re tied down by the so-called lifestyle conservative mindset and raise your voice for no reason, I think you’re going to fall into a deep trap. You might fall for the age-old fraud that goes like, “If you invest in this, you’ll make money” (laughs).

Through these three films, I want to say that you need to throw every preconceived notion away if you wish to survive this world. It’s a volatile time, and even I don’t know what lies ahead, but if you have a lifestyle conservative mindset or live life without critical thinking, the rest of the world will leave you behind. Break your shell if you want justice and happiness for yourself, no matter what the future is like (Joker, Mad Max). The King’s Speech tells a hopeful tale of a person trying their absolute best and getting rewarded for that. Likewise, don’t play it safe! You’ll have a better chance at succeeding if you live your life working towards something that excites you. I’m sure these tough times will continue for a while, but I hope we can all discard what we don’t need, use our heads, challenge ourselves, and build a better future.

Edit Kei Watabe
Photography Teppei Hoshida

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The post Morley Robertson’s Movie Column 4: Imagining the great transformation of an era — The King’s Speech, Volume 3 appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

This time, TV personality Morley Robertson writes his second installment in his “Imagining the great transformation of an era” series. Working mainly in media, Robertson is a commentator, DJ, musician, and international journalist with a wide range of knowledge in fields ranging from politics/economics to subculture. In this column series, he introduces films worth watching, particularly in the current coronavirus pandemic. 

The second film that made me sense a dynamic change in the air is Mad Max. Much like The Joker, Mad Max is a series, with the originaltrilogy being released during the late 70s to 80s. 

Each film explores an existential problem as though it were a joke: “If a megaton-class nuclear war broke out, millions and millions of people would die. How in the world are people going to survive under such circumstances?” I feel like a situation straight out of a movie, like this one, is imminent. There’s even have a sense of excitement that shouldn’t be there like, “Yes, it’s almost here!” I feel this way because of the global spread of coronavirus. But it also stems from the state of the world, from the declining birth rates to refugee and migrant issues. Perhaps the equilibrium of different nations will crumble, and a comparable situation to the Barbarian Invasions will occur. I can’t help but feel like we’re just one step away from this scenario. 

Back to Mad Max- I got a sense of hope for the future after watching Mad Max: Fury Road, just as I had after watching The Joker. While maintaining the same name and past themes, Mad Max: Fury Road is a brilliant piece of work that sheds light on the world’s problems. 

Mad Max: Fury Road
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Admiring a world in which every character believes in their own sense of justice 

The first film, Mad Max (1979), came out during an era where people were still afraid of nuclear weapons. The third film, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985), delves into what would happen if a nuclear war broke out and everybody died. Watching that made me feel scared. At the time, Japan was still in its economic bubble phase, and everybody led a lavish, abundant lifestyle. People’s views towards transgender individuals were still very narrow-minded, and it was a time when people were like, “You can come into this restaurant, even if you’re dressed… ‘differently,’ as long as it’s subtle. So, keep trying.”  

2015, 27 years since that era, was when the fourth film, Mad Max: Fury Road, was released. By then, the zeitgeist had turned into a more diverse one. Although it’s technically sci-fi, Mad Max had transformed into a film that pursues a certain kind of realism, and it centers on women a lot. The notion of who’s “normal” and “abnormal,” which existed during the Thunderdome days, had shifted with time. The worldbuilding of Fury Road is something millennials could recognize easily. It’s a testament to how people that were considered a minority entered the mainstream in recent years, and the film also points to how the definition of beauty expanded.

Further, because each character has their unique understanding of justice, I could even empathize with the villain, Immortan Joe. I’m amazed by the women in the film, as they have no human rights and only exist to give birth and yet are willing to die for their children. It’s incredible how Fury Road depicts everyone trying hard to survive; it erases the dichotomy of good and evil the moment the story starts. Once I realized it was a tale of survival and love, it was as though I had found a reason to live in this chaotic world. 

Overcoming fear to find justice and joy   

One scene gave me an epiphany. It’s a scene where the War Boys (Immortan Joe’s servants and soldiers) cover their mouths with silver spray and exclaim that they’re shining as they head to their deaths. In an everyday scenario, this wouldn’t happen, of course. I think the creators of the film studied how people who don’t practice established religion carry out mystical rituals instead. There have been many instances where people with no connection to the outside world treated cargo items that airplanes dropped, such as coke bottles, as sacred objects. If these people contacted the outside world, such objects would lose their significance. But when a foreign matter is initially found on an island where everything is in place, that matter makes people pious. 

Maybe the silver spray was something the War Boys found by accident, and they discovered they could feel immortal when their faces became shiny after they sprayed themselves with it. With this analysis, you could say that fragments of products sold at home improvement stores might start to look like magical objects if civilization ended. Therefore, the boredom we experience every day isn’t boredom, as it foreshadows this possibility that something beyond our imagination lies one step ahead of us. It’s a pessimistic outlook, but it could also provide the joy and excitement of being alive. At first glance, the War Boys being like, “Let’s go to where Immortan Joe is!” might make it seem like they’re being controlled by fear. However, their silver spray is the trigger that enables them to let go of everything; they’re experiencing an ecstasy that is superior to all else. 

Being taught what true strength means 

The story begins in a state of total obliteration. I believe there are two types of spectators regarding this film. One type feels invigorated by the prospect of what’s coming, while the other can’t wait for the film to end out of fear. The former is overwhelmingly resilient to our current zeitgeist. They’re filled with this animalistic energy that ensures they get rewarded if they decide to fight, even if they have little to protect themselves with. There’s a Japanese saying (案ずるより産むがやすし) which translates to something like “It’s easier to do something than to worry over it.” Just like The Joker, this film alludes to a message of letting everything go to get to the other side- “It’s easier to destroy something than to worry over it.”  

In a world where the disparity between the rich and poor is growing because of natural disasters and the pandemic, I reckon people will ultimately want to go to their families to be protected by someone strong. The assurance that one’s family will always be there and a feeling of stability or this potent, intangible energy could serve as an emotional sanctuary. But at the same time, to survive our world, which is on the brink of collapsing, those who can let go of everything are strong. Mad Max taught me you can see a vastly different future if you carry your own sense of justice within you and march forward as you obliterate whatever’s in your path. 

Edit Kei Watabe
Photography Teppei Hoshida
Translation Lena Grace Suda

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The post Morley Robertson’s Movie Column Vol. 3: Imagining the great transformation of an era — Mad Max appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

This time, TV personality Morley Robertson makes his second appearance in TOKION. Working mainly in media, Robertson is a commentator, DJ, musician, and international journalist with a wide range of knowledge in fields ranging from politics/economics to subculture. In this column, he introduces films worth watching, particularly in the current coronavirus pandemic.

Imagining the great transformation of an era. Is it nearly here?

I feel that today, with the coronavirus outbreak changing our lives dramatically, this era is entering a grand cycle. An era based on the concept of astrology, if you will. A grand cycle, one that doesn’t need to be scientifically proven, is unfolding before our eyes.

This is a time where “lifestyle conservative”* ways of thinking are collapsing. In particular, the privileged class has gone from a cocky attitude of “Nothing needs to change!” to panicking as the rug is pulled out from underneath them. They’re forming vigilante groups that patrol the world, making the world a place where bad people who break the rules are thrown to the fire. You see that with Twitter fights and such. Although society is already collapsing, many people are unable to adapt to the present situation. I find myself imagining the following: Now that the system’s outdated values have reached their limit and become meaningless, in order to become happy, a tremendous power, one that can’t be found in government or lifestyle conservative manuals, must be released—like an active fault that has reached its breaking point. Thus, this dangerous but interesting era means a rejuvenation of the era is just around the corner.

*Lifestyle conservative= A direct translation of “seikatsu hoshushugi,” which refers to the attitude of satisfaction with consumerist society and not wanting social change.

Many have started to realize that worrying about what others think of them on social media won’t lead to happiness, nor will making clever comments earn them any brownie points. From there, they’ll also realize that there’s an opportunity for personal liberation and for the first time, a chance to break free from their shells. I think in the future, there’ll be more people who feel the thrill and savage joy of that state. When individuals break out of their shells, a great transformation of the era and culture will come. I think that in the near future, we’ll certainly be able to experience that on a grand scale. Three films perfectly fit my current imagined scenario: “The Joker,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” and “The King’s Speech.” First, I’d like to talk about “The Joker.”

“Joker”
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An opportunity to break out of your shell isn’t something you look for

There are many movies and TV series that depict the Joker. Jack Nicholson played a very cheerful Joker in the 1989 “Batman,” which I saw in theaters at the time. Since the movie was a live-action adaptation of a comic book, his portrayal was innocent like a comic. In comparison, Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker makes one appreciate the Netflix era. His multi-layered performance reveals truths about the times we live in, leaving an impression. I was overwhelmed by the Joker, who has a mental disorder that could be considered schizophrenia or insanity; it seems Joaquin himself studied this mental instability and improvised quite a bit. As I watched the Joker, who had been holed up inside until then, steadily exhibiting problematic behavior while getting ready to go out into the world, I couldn’t help but see an overlap with our current times. And no matter what the situation, for me, it was a movie where I kept my eyes on the Joker.

In every scene, there’s foreshadowing leading up to the explosion that is him committing murders; he’s ridiculed, beaten, sold a gun, and his mother continues to write letters to someone she believes is the Joker’s father. But the gun is just another tool, and he doesn’t know if the contents of the letter are true or not. Still, the reason he explodes is merely because he has been waiting for a motive. In the same way that the murderer in Albert Camus’ “The Stranger” testifies that he killed someone “because of the sun,” I strongly felt that what caused him to break out of his shell is irrelevant. Someone who is barely maintaining a delicate balance becomes unable to maintain that balance when confronted with a sound argument. Unable to allow change, that person screams, “I can’t forgive that sound argument!”. I believe this is the intolerance of Japan today. When I watch the Joker, I realize that we’re just waiting for something that has been unstable from the start to continue being unstable until it collapses. Even though the Joker knows he is a coward and is just barely holding on, in the end, he is overwhelmed with anxiety and loses his mind. Once he commits a murder, it triggers a domino effect. So in an attempt to forget his anxiety ever existed, he kills Murray Franklin, who is played by Robert De Niro. It’s crazy, but strangely, it somehow makes sense. After that, everything is a party, and an unthinking mob kills the police. This may be symbolic of killing authority, but it can also be interpreted as a scene representing the great transformation of the era, where everyone ultimately lets out their anxieties and thoughts. A real-life protest is much larger in scale than the mob scene, so if this were depicted poorly in the film, it could easily feel unrealistic or lacking in substance, but it works perfectly because it deliberately portrays the Joker as a god. For the mob, the Joker was the trigger, right? But it’s also interesting that no one knows what the new system will be. This is the same exact situation we’re in right now.

Robert De Niro’s presence brilliantly expresses the changing times

Robert De Niro’s presence can also be viewed in an interesting way. In “Taxi Driver,” he played a role that was like the embodiment of madness, right? In “The Joker,” he plays a veteran star of yesteryear, portrayed as a calm presence who skillfully manipulates the expendable performers. Although it may be a bit of a stretch, it was interesting in the sense that this allowed me to watch while overlaying the stories as I pleased: a man who was once the embodiment of madness becomes a lifestyle conservative in the present day, and is shot dead. It’s like it reveals that madness can exist within normalcy. I think it skillfully shows that when everyday normalcy and the conservative, middle-class happiness seen in catalogs becomes distorted, this is where they end up.

However, it seems that many people think that Robert De Niro appeared in “The Joker” as the embodiment of madness as well. Robert De Niro [Murray Franklin] has become a master thanks to his self-branding of sorts, and Joaquin [The Joker], a young man who admires him, comes along and shoots him dead. I’m starting to think that this is actually De Niro’s [Murray Franklin] true desire, which I can understand. It’s a bit like, “to die on the battlefield is beautiful,” and it could be interpreted as both living and dying with passion. In dying on the battlefield rather than at a hospital or nursing home, I can feel the discontent of our times.

In any case, the Joker does reckless things, but it didn’t make me feel despair. Rather, I interpreted it as a story of hope, and I even thought I’d like to be reckless like the Joker. (laughs) I’m really interested in what the world would be like after that.

Edit kei Watabe
Photography Teppei Hoshida
Translation Aya Apton

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The post Morley Robertson’s Movie Column 2: Imagining the great transformation of an era. “The Joker,” Volume 1 appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

For this memorable first time, we spoke with Morley Robertson. He is a central media celebrity being, among other things, an international journalist, and a musician. He works in many fields from politics and finance to sub culture, and introduces movies that should be watched, especially with the current evil of Corona.

Not too heavy SF work has evolved into a deep story over time　This terrifying work depicts the world as it is

During the self-isolation period under the state of emergency due to the increased infection rate of the novel corona virus, the series that had the biggest effect on me was “West world.” I can’t stop watching the HBO dramatization of the 1973 movie. The global situation, entertainment industry, etc. both in Japan and abroad are all linked to this work. Although only 3 seasons have been released, I enjoyed it so much that I’ve watched it all the way through 3 times during self-isolation.

I saw the 1973 movie at the cinema with my parents when I was 10 years old. Set in Delos, a giant theme park built in the desert, the human-looking android hosts would welcome the visiting wealthy guests who had to pay a high entrance fee. In Delos, the guests could live out their wildest fantasies such as killing or raping the android hosts. If a host was damaged, it would be taken in for repairs, have its memory wiped and sent back out to the theme park to live in the system again, as if nothing had happened. However, the androids malfunctioned and went on a rampage. It was a simple and clear story. Although it was easy for a child to understand, at the time the internet didn’t exist. So watching it now, the androids had extremely lousy weaknesses, the specifications were not outside the range of the androids, also it didn’t touch problems of ecology, disparity, or race, making it a not-too-heavy work of Sci-fi.

However, the HBO remake had none of the simplicity or lightness. It is a thought provoking work containing cultural messages throughout, and is extremely detailed, complex, and shocking. Because I’ve watched it 3 times, I caught all the messages scattered throughout. Also, I finished watching it around the time when the huge demonstrations kicked off in Minneapolis due to the death of George Floyd. Then other race issues, Trump’s administration and conflict between people holding different values and synched with this work, which made me think there was a mysterious connection and so I watched it more. I recommend everyone to watch it.

“Living by Free-will” is all a lie
There are no fair rules in this world

The world depicted in the HBO remake is the modern global society. This was a great discovery. So what is the same? The happiness of some preselected people is after a relentless push towards an end and the world becomes increasingly unfair the closer one gets to the end.

For example, there were many nods towards if America changed places with China. First America. Under the Trump administration, the number of black people dying to the novel corona virus is double that of white people. Also, black people are being killed for no reason by white police officers. How about China? China has infiltrated Hong Kong and restricted the human rights of the Hong Kong people to the same level as the Chinese. Further, the police have total reign to do as they like. Surely this is a world in which there is no such thing as a fair rule?

In short, due to the actions of people exercising their free will and “normal” society falls, what will happen to the world in the drama when the “fixed system” is threatened? Although the willful hosts get frozen in ice, isn’t this extremely similar to current day America or China? There are people trying to go against the system in this severe world, there are more like a mouse running around a maze. I believe that if a person tries hard, they will be rewarded according to the rules of the world, but in a programmed culture, that is impossible. That’s a messed up world right? But this can be seen in the actual world. It’s terrible but true and common sense.

Wake up! Be rebellious!
You can see the “truth” by thinking for yourself

The protagonist in this story is a female host called Delores and is the same as other hosts in that she was programmed not to inconveniences to maintain the fake world of Delos (marketing side). However, something happened and she woke up. She became aware of all things good and bad and her ego made an appearance. Namely, Delores lost her usefulness to the marketing side and was no longer a happy person who protected the order of the world. She changed her life style to match her will and rebelled against the humans to become a true rebel.

This incident planted a seed in me and reflected a story of hope against this evil corona. I had the epiphany the everyone should live as Dolores did. It’s a shame, but I feel that with this evil corona there has been an increase in attacks against, or envy towards other people over insignificant things. The novel corona virus exposes unsustainable lifestyles and everyone suddenly became worried. People have the same settings as the androids in that we don’t see inconveniences but the novel corona virus has highlighted inconvenience after inconvenience. Yet a person whose imagination or agency remains as it was before corona would be arrogant in thinking that only they were alright and if something were to go wrong, they could be relieved in blaming a person by making a complaint. Then, similar to a tuning pressure, this continues to spread.

I considered that reality. Is it really that bad thinking for yourself? Attacking someone is easy, however the aggressive energy that wells up in your heart should be converted into a power to release instead of the conventional power contained within oneself. If someone can’t do that, they should be put on ice. In other words, “Wake up!” But understand that the only one who can wake you up is yourself. Someone who understands this is, I think, a very strong person. Who made the invisible cage in this world? What is the society that is best for you? Rather than evaluating a society full of lies, or a society created to benefit the privileged class, I think a true human being overcomes risks by thinking for yourself, like Delores who values “truth.” Personally, I think I am Delores. I’ll always be a rebel.

Photography Teppei Hoshida
Edit Kei Watabe

The post Series of Movie: Morley Robertson: Wake up to today’s world seen in “West World” appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.