Dead Clear

Here's a piece by Christian Toto on how filmmakers have been driven nuts by Trump.  So what else is new?

Toto in particular discusses producer Jason Blum, who's had tremendous success with low-budget, high-grossing horror films.  One of his big hits is the Purge series, which envisions an America where for one night a year, as a chance to blow off steam, all crime is legal.  It's a fun idea--and if you don't think about it too deeply, sort of clever.

The fourth Purge film, which takes us back to the origins of the Purge, will open July 4th.  However, Toto thinks Blum hates Trump so much that his film will become heavy-handed with its message.

This is funny, considering the Purge films are already quite heavy-handed.  The messages are so clear that if the film didn't have all the fun action they'd be unwatchable.  But then, Toto seems oblivious to ham-fisted filmmaking in the past.  Here's what he writes:

Blum explains to Variety how the horror genre can send a message without seeming heavy handed.  He's right.  Just remember the zombies staggering through a mall in "Dawn Of The Dead."  That allowed director George A. Romero to comment on consumerism without slowing the action or the story.

Come again?  I love Dawn Of The Dead, but it's not noted for its political subtlety.  I remember, back when it opened, my friends and I mocked how it beat you over the head with what it had to say about mindless consumerism.  Here's an example of them driving the message home.  Two characters watch the zombies wander through the mall.

Francine:  What are they doing?  Why do they come here?

Stephen:  Some kind of instinct.  Memory of what they used to do.  This was an important place in their lives.

The First Purge may be even worse, but I don't care, as long as they use some imagination in the plotting and violence.