There is a tad too much to write about today. It seems that 2012 is rife for human error already and today has witnessed Ed Milliband’s amazing twuckup (yes, I’m going to call it that. I know it sounds horrible. Tough), following on Diane Abbott’s Twuckup yesterday. More and more it seems that if you are a person who values your credibility at all, you probably either shouldn’t use social networking sites like Twitter, or you should very carefully check what you say before you hit send. Whatever Labour decide amongst them they haven’t had the strongest year despite it only being 6 days in. Their plans to boost popularity announced just before the new year, seem to to have transformed today into an announcement that they will be accepting the cuts in order to seem credible. This is pretty strange. I’m concerned there will be some sort of chain reaction whereby the Green Party will start condoning people drive everywhere and the Anti-Nazi League will promote anti-Semitism. I mean who do Labour want to seem credible to though? The working person? Or the upper class, tax-dodging business man? It seems far more the latter than the former who’s blood the red of their motif is meant to represent. Oddly for a party with Balls, they really don’t seem to have any. It appears their long term strategy is to make themselves seem so ridiculous and laughable as an opposition party that the schadenfraude loving British public will vote for them for a laugh. To be fair, it worked for Boris Johnson in London, so it may well work for them. Which in turn, would really fuck off the monster raving looney party.
I don’t know what political party’s think people want anymore. It concerns me that the less they care about the people that vote for them, the more it will become a battle of who is the least shitty. If it hasn’t already. It isn’t helped by the media projecting what we should want on us. I’m talking in particular about the release today of The Iron Lady, a film about Margaret Thatcher, which sadly didn’t just CGI her head onto footage from Downfall. Cameron today says he thought the film was ‘too soon’ which I suppose is correct as the public needs ample time to get over any National or International disaster before it can be transferred to screen. It’s odd that Cameron thinks the film should have been made at another time, concerned it doesn’t promote the idea of a ‘great Prime Minister’, as I would state the opposite. I haven’t seen the film, but my understanding is that it creates a sympathy for someone who clearly had none for anyone else. If people born in the 90’s had no knowledge of the impact of Thatcherism, they will perhaps see the Conservatives as less of a threat than they are, ultimately viewing Cameron in a different light too.
What I really don’t get is when it was decided that the ideology of a hero or film worthy character was changed so dramatically. In the olden days there was folklore of heroes such as Robin Hood or William Tell who fought for the people. Since that time there have been a tidal wave of icons ranging fictional and non, ranging from Malcolm X and Michael Collins to Billy Elliot or even Spiderman (poverty stricken young kid, fighting for justice despite his home problems). Sure I’m skipping tons of them and I’m also missing out all those film biopics about serial killers and people like Hitler, but fact is, in recent years there has been a spate of films where we are to sympathise with rich, wealthy, elitist individuals. The King’s Speech for example which was so wonderfully but rightfully ruined by my dad’s inclusion of ‘He was a neo-fascist you know’ referring to George VI’s relationship with Oswald Moasley. It did ruin Colin Firth’s stuttering hero somewhat to know that his character was chummy with a man who followed some of Adolf’s ideals. And now Margaret Thatcher, whose industry and life destroying decisions are apparently skimmed over quite lightly and instead the audience’s are asked to warm to this ageing woman with dementia.
It’d be nice to have a film about someone who we can all relate too again, though sadly I can’t see it happening anytime soon. With not even a political party to represent the middle and lower classes, chances are the next Oscar winning film will be about Fred Goodwin looking for love.
On a hugely different note, myself and L watched Being Elmo last night, the documentary on Kevin Clash. It is easily, one of the best docufilms I’ve seen in some time, provoking the first man tears of 2012. Of course, it can’t really go wrong, featuring on one of the best loved muppets ever and the well loved and kind man that somewhat created him. The film points out that Elmo’s appeal is simply that he loves and that as well as loving people, he needs people to love him, which makes him so vulnerable yet warming. It makes me so pleased that The Henson Company is having something of a comeback considering it not only makes some of the best telly ever, but the whole group seems to operate on love for the work and that’s a such a rarity nowadays. All I’m saying is, there’s a reason post Iron Lady that people won’t be buying Tickle-Me Thatchers for presents.
