10-08-2006, 04:08 AM | #1 (permalink) | |
Banned
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Scorsese's "The Departed" Cops & Priests Without Moral Compass?
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Watching this film, really impressed me with the idea that, if your methods and your reputation are not firmly on one side of a "line" that you refuse to cross, you become too much like your criminal adversaries to be worthy of respect or of the authority vested in you by society.....or to even be readily identified as superior to the "evil" ones. Each character, on the "side of right", loses his moral compass, because of passion, or just lack of self-control, and you watch it happen to cops, priests, and nuns. The lesson seems to be that, when you confront evil, your adversary and your own potential for immoral acts can combine to cause the loss of your soul, and your purpose and authority vanish, leaving you indistinguishable from your evil enemies. Is "winning", really winning, if you compromise your moral integrity to achieve victory? Doesn't the risk seem to be that, if you use the methods and tactics of your criminal adversaries, you lose your own sense of purpose and direction, and then your identity? |
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10-08-2006, 06:09 AM | #2 (permalink) |
Extreme moderation
Location: Kansas City, yo.
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This thought crossed my mind when I watched The Shield a couple times while it was still on. The cops ("good guys") were often more reprehensible than the "bad guys". It left me with a gritty taste in my mouth, simply because the cops had a sense of righteousness about their evil deeds.
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10-08-2006, 09:59 AM | #3 (permalink) |
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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host/toaster
I watched this and I'm very interested in The Shield. There is a thread about the anti hero that was posted some time ago. If I can find it I'll dig it up.
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10-08-2006, 10:22 AM | #4 (permalink) | |
spudly
Location: Ellay
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There've been a couple of good films lately that have declined to have "good guys" and "bad guys". Crash was a more simplistic take - I like The Departed better.
I'm particularly intrigued by this comment Scorsese made: Quote:
Thanks for the article host.
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Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam |
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Tags |
compass, cops, departed, moral, priests, scorsese |
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