Monday, February 4, 2013

Charlton Heston Critique


I think the opening, separate from t he “main” story though it may be, is a nice exposition. I am curious about the time passing between the two incidents and the first’s effect on the second. Why was he thinking about it that day? Why not every time he passed the Lounge? I can easily imagine that thoughts of the gun didn’t leave him during that Spongebob episode, like it haunts him.
The lack of mention of any significant time passing gives the impression that the gun leaves a lasting impression on Charlton. This could be intentional or not. It makes the ending seem so much more inevitable. I like that the ending is so abrupt, like a gunshot itself. One second, and we’re just looking at the aftermath. There could be another way to play with time, like in action movies, where time freezes—it could mention everything being done in that one second before the impact. Is it perfectly timed with the squeal of the other child?
I could see the experiment in the surrealism of the cartoon eagle owning and operating the lounge. I think the childlike perspective could be played with a little more- Did Charlton ever play with realistic-looking water pistols? Did he initially think a gun was some sort of tool or toy before he saw the film? Is he allowed to watch action movies? He seems different from other kids, though. He seems detached when speaking to Dennis. 

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