THE MEANING OF COLORSSeveral years ago, I came across an old website about Wiccan practices and meanings. I was surprised to discover that even before the advent of Wicca in the early 20th century, Pagan worshipers associated colors with certain meanings. And those meanings turned out to be quite different than many people would today assume. Unlike today’s societies - especially in the Western world - white or light did not automatically mean something good, pure or noble. In fact, even the white wedding dress has nothing to do with the lack of sexual experience or innocence of the bride. The white wedding dress started out as a fashion trend . . . and remains one to this day. This fashion trend was created by Britain's Queen Victoria when she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg in 1840. The young queen wanted to show that she was just a "simple" woman getting married, so she wore a white dress. She also wanted to incorporate some lace into her dress. Queen Mary of Scots wore a white wedding gown when she married Francis, Dauphin of France. Why? Because white was her favorite color. Before Victoria, women usually wore their best outfit for their wedding. But there are the exceptions in which white is used as a negative form of symbolism in Western culture. One of the major villains in C.S. Lewis' "THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA" literary series is Jadis, the White Witch of Narnia. There is nothing dark about this character's physical appearance and wardrobe. She is all white. Another example of a villainous character who wore a white costume is Thomas Arashikage aka Storm Shadow from the "G.I. JOE" movie franchise. Ironically, Storm Shadow is a Japanese character portrayed by South Korean actor Lee Byung-hun. And white is usually associated with negative traits and death in Asian cultures. Albinism is also associated with the color white and negative traits in various forms of popular culture . Albino characters can be found in movies like "COLD MOUNTAIN", "THE DA VINCI CODE", "THE MATRIX RELOADED"; and in novels like "The Invisible Man" and "Blood Meridian". And all of these characters are either portrayed villains or those with negative traits. However, these are rare forms of white used as negative symbols and stereotypes.So, what was the color white associated with . . . at least in Pagan circles? Simple. The color was associated with psychic pursuits, psychology, dreams, astral projection, imagination and reincarnation. Apparently moral goodness or purity has nothing to do with the color white. At least in old Pagan terms. Which leads me to this question . . . why do today’s Western societies insist that white has anything to do with moral compass of any form.Finally, we come to the color black. As many people should know, modern Western societies tend to associate black or anything dark as something evil or negative. There are probably other societies that do the same. Fictional characters associated with evil in many science-fiction/fantasy stories are usually associated with black. Sorcery that has a negative effect upon someone is either called "black magic" or "the Dark Arts" (at least with the "HARRY POTTER" and Buffyverse franchises. And in the "POTTER" series, wizards and witches who have given in to evil are labeled as "dark". The "STAR WARS" franchise usually refer to evil as "the Dark Side of the Force". In the "ONCE UPON A TIME" television series, the Rumpelstiltskin character was also called "the Dark One". Why? As it turned out, some entity called "the Darkness" had entered his body after he had stabbed the former holder of "the Dark One" title. Apparently, show runners Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz could not find a name for the entity and called it "The Darkness" - automatically associating its black coloring with evil. Now it seems that the series’ main character, Emma Swan, has been given the name, due to the entity entering her body. The ironic thing is that Emma's physical appearance - her skin, her eyes and hair - have become pale or white. Yet, she dresses in black and is called "the Dark One" or "the Dark Swan". I am still shaking my head over this contrast. As for magic, sorcery, or even psychic abilities in many of these movies and television shows, it is clear that their creators/show runners associate dark or black with evil and light or white with goodness. The only fictional character I can recall that go against this grain is Snake Eyes from the "G.I. JOE"movie franchise. Not only is he villain Storm Shadow's main adversary and one of the main heroes of the G.I. Joe team, he also wears a black costume.Ironically, long time Pagans associated the color black with the following - binding, protection, neutralization, karma, death manifestation and will power. Someone might say - "A ha! Death manifestation! This is a term can be regarded as something negative or evil." But can it? Why is death constantly regarded as something negative? Because people are incapable of truly facing the idea of death. It is a natural part of our life span and yet, many people cannot accept it. And because of this negative attitude toward death, society associates death with . . . you guess it . . . the color black. Apparently the Pagans believed differently and did not associate black with anything evil or negative. I was surprised to discover that Chinese culture regard black as a symbol of water, one of the five fundamental elements believed to compose all things. The Chinese also associated black with winter, cold, and the direction North, usually symbolized by a black tortoise. Black is also associated with disorder - including the positive disorder which leads to change and new life. I have one last statement to make. I have noticed a growing trend on Internet message boards and forums for television shows and movies that deal with science-fiction and fantasy. This trend features a tendency by many of these fans to automatically associate white/light with goodness and black/dark with evil. The fans on these message boards no longer use the words "good" and "evil" anymore. Honestly. I am deadly serious. These fans either use the words light (lightness) or white; or . . . dark (darkness) or black. Why? And why do the creators of these television shows and movie franchises resort to the same behavior? I have to wonder. By associating anything black or dark with evil, are they associating anything or anyone with dark or black skin with evil? I suspect that many would say "of course not". Considering the notorious reputation of science-fiction/fantasy fans (or geeks) of being racist, I have to wonder.
"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" (2011) Review
Looking back on the "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE" franchise, I noticed that a movie seemed to appear every four to six years. There are a few things unique about the latest movie, "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL". One, Paula Wagner did not co-produce the movie with star Tom Cruise. J.J. Abrams, who directed the third film, did. And two, for once the villain's goal turned out to be a lot different from those in the past three movies.
Directed by Brad Bird (who was responsible for Disney animation classics, "THE INCREDIBLES" and "RATATOUILLE"),"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" focused on the efforts of an IMF team led by Ethan Hunt to prevent a nuclear disaster. During a mission to procure the files of a terrorist named "Cobalt", Ethan and his fellow agents are implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin. The IMF is shut down, causing Ethan's team and an intelligence analyst named William Brandt to go rogue and clear the organization's name. In order to do this, they have to find "Cobalt", a Swedish-born nuclear strategist named Kurt Hendricks, and prevent him from using both a Russian nuclear launch-control device from the Kremlin and the activation codes stolen by an assassin hired by Hendricks to send a nuclear missile to U.S. soil.
"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" was highly received by both critics and moviegoers after its release. And it is easy to see why. This is a well-written story filled with personal drama, intrigue and great action. In a way,"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" reminds of both the 1996 movie that introduced the franchise and the last act of the third film, 2006's "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III". In this movie, Ethan Hunt, his immediately colleagues and the entire IMF agency has been disavowed and only Hunt and three of his colleagues are in any position to reverse the situation.
Personal drama is introduced in the opening scene that featured the murder of IMF agent Trevor Hathaway, who was romancing one of Ethan's colleagues - Jane Carter. And the fate of Julia Hunt, Ethan's bride from the previous film, turns out to have an emotional impact on Brandt, who is revealed to be a former field agent. Intrigue is revealed in scenes that feature the IMF team's efforts to acquire the nuclear activation codes at a Dubai hotel from the assassin who had killed Hathaway, Brandt's revelation as a former field agent, and Carter's efforts to acquire satellite override codes from an Indian telecommunications mogul to prevent Hendricks from launching a nuclear missile.
But if there is one thing that many fans and critics seemed bowled over in "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL" are the actions sequences shot with great style by director Brad Bird. I could write an essay on the exciting sequences that filled the movie. But only two really impressed me. One involved a prolonged fight between Hunt and Hendricks over the launch-control device at an automobile processing plant in Mumbai. But the movie's pièce de résistance involved the team's efforts to acquire the nuclear device's activation codes from the assassin that killed Hathaway. Not only was it filled with intrigue, it involved Hunt scaling the exterior of another high rise, two major fight scenes involving Hunt and Brandt against Hendricks' men; and Carter against Hathaway's killer, the assassin Sabine inside a Dubai hotel (filmed at the city's highest building Burj Khalifa).
Tom Cruise returned for a fourth time as IMF agent, Ethan Hunt. I realize that the actor is not popular with many moviegoers. Personally, I guess I do not care. First of all, I have always believed he was a charismatic and first-rate actor. And his talents were definitely on display in his portrayal of the IMF agent. The cockiness of Cruise's Hunt from the 1996 film hardly exists anymore. He is now older, wiser and a lot more subtle. Cruise's Hunt has become a fine wine that has aged with grace.
Simon Pegg returned to portray IMF programmer Benjy Dunn, who has been promoted to field agent. I might as well confess. I found his Benjy slightly annoying in the third film. Pegg's humor remained intact, but for some reason I found him a lot more funnier and not annoying at all. Paula Patton gave an excellent and passionate performance as IMF agent Jane Carter. Not only did Patton handled the action very well, she did a great job in conveying Jane's efforts to rein in her desire for revenge against the assassin who murdered her lover and fellow agent. Once again, Jeremy Renner proved what a great actor he is in his portrayal of former IMF agent-turned-analyst William Brandt. I enjoyed how he conveyed Brandt's fake inexperience in the field and his recollections of the assignment that went wrong - namely the protection of Ethan's wife, Julia.
I also have to commend Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist's subtle portrayal of the nuclear strategist, whose extremism led him to kick start a plot to rain a nuclear disaster upon U.S. shores. Unless he was using a stunt double, Nyqvist also impressive in the fight scene between Hunt and Hendricks in Mumbai. Josh Holloway of "LOST" made a brief appearance as the doomed IMF agent, Trevor Hathaway, who was murdered at the beginning of the movie. Holloway did a good job with what little he was given to do. But I must admit that I feel he is unsuited for the silver screen. If he hopes to become a bigger star, I would suggest he stick to television. His presence is more effective in the latter.
If I have one problem with "MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL", it was the villain's goal - namely to send a nuclear missile to the U.S. According to the script penned by André Nemec and Josh Appelbaum, Hendricks' decision to fire a missile stemmed from a desire to start a nuclear war and initiate the next stage of human evolution. What the hell!This sounds like something from a James Bond movie. In fact, it reminds me of the 1977 movie, "THE SPY WHO LOVED ME". What on earth made Cruise, Abrams, Bird, and the screenwriters to pursue this cartoonish plotline? I found it so illogical and unlike the goals of the previous villains, who only sought either money or political and career power. I just realized that I have another problem with the movie - namely Michael Giacchino's handling of the franchise's theme song, originally written by Lalo Schifrin. Quite frankly, it sucked. I found it just as unmemorable as the adaptations of Schifrin's score in the past two movies. Only Danny Elfman's version of the score in the first movie really impressed me.
Despite my misgivings about the villain's goal in the story and Giacchino's take on the famous theme song, I really enjoyed"MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL". I enjoyed it so much that it became one of my favorite films of 2011.
Below is a list of my favorite movies (so far) that are set in the 1960s: TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES SET IN THE 1960s
1. "Saving Mr. Banks" (2013) - Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks starred in this superb biopic about the struggles between author P.L. Travers and producer Walt Disney over the film rights for the "Mary Poppins" stories. John Lee Hancock directed.
2. "Men in Black 3" (2012) - In this very entertaining and intriguing addition to the MEN IN BLACK movie franchise, Agent "J" has to go back in time to 1969 and prevent his partner's murder, which could enable the invasion of Earth. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, the movie starred Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin.
3. "That Thing You Do!" (1996) - Tom Hanks directed and starred in this very entertaining look at the rise and fall of a "one-hit wonder" rock band in the mid 1960s. Tom Everett Scott and Liv Tyler co-starred. The movie earned a Best Song Oscar nomination.
4. "The Butler" (2013) - Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey starred in this excellent historical drama about a butler's experiences working at the White House and with his family over a period of decades. Lee Daniels directed.
5. "Operation Dumbo Drop" (1995) - Simon Wincer directed this comedic and entertaining adaptation of U.S. Army Major Jim Morris' Vietnam War experiences regarding the transportation of an elephant to a local South Vietnamese village that helps American forces monitor Viet Cong activity. Ray Liotta and Danny Glover starred.
6. "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." (2015) - Guy Ritchie directed this adaptation of the 1964-1968 television series about how two spies on opposite sides ended up becoming operatives for the intelligence organization called U.N.C.L.E., while investigating neo-Nazis in the early 1960s. Armie Hammer, Henry Cavill and Alicia Vikander.
7. "Infamous" (2006) - Douglas McGrath wrote and directed this excellent movie about Truman Capote's research for his 1966 book, "In Cold Blood". Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock and Daniel Craig starred.
8. "Brokeback Mountain" (2005) - Oscar winner Ang Lee directed this marvelous adaptation of Annie Proulx's 1997 short story about the twenty-year love affair between two cowboys that began in the 1960s. Oscar nominees Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal starred.
9. "The Right Stuff" (1983) - Philip Kaufman wrote and directed this fascinating adaptation of Tom Wolfe's 1979 book about NASA's Mercury program during the early 1960s. The Oscar nominated movie starred Scott Glenn, Dennis Quaid, Ed Harris and Sam Shepard.
10."Dreamgirls" (2006) - Bill Condon directed this first-rate adaptation of the 1981 Broadway play about the evolution of American Rhythm and Blues through the eyes of a female singing group from the mid 20th century. Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson and Oscar nominee Eddie Murphy starred.
Honorable Mention: "Capote" (2005) - Oscar winner Philip Seymour Hoffman starred in the other biopic about Truman Capote's research for his 1966 book, "In Cold Blood". The movie was directed by Bennett Miller and written by Oscar nominee Dan Futterman.
