The Hunger Games - Part 2

[smashmode]

I understand the logic of making it kids for the reading demographic (kids reading about kids in extreme situations still dealing with first love, finding yourself, etc.) I just didn't buy that they could turn this authoritarian punishment into an entertainment because people ll over the country are watching their children or a child of their community die. Like Rue's dad's reaction I have trouble understanding wasn't the reaction of most communities 74 years prior.

Now, if they made it young people around 20-25? I think that's more believable, but then you can't deal with all the themes of adolescence the targeted readers are going through. So, I just accept it as part of the set-up. I just don't think watching children die would have the same reality show vibe. People like watching adults suffer on shows like Survivor. Children? Not so much. Movie still works.

But this is based off of what you know and what humanity knows *right* now.

Who knows in a dystopian future, people might actually enjoy the sport of children warfare.

 

[marvelman2006]

Aren't these books and the film aimed at the Twilight teeny bopper teenage crowd?

see its interesting because I have had this debate with some friends over the weekend. On one hand yes that is the target audience because you go into hot topics and FYE and all you see are hunger games stand ups, t-shirts and pillow cases and in turn gives off that twilight obssessed vibe. but then on the other hand the books and film are very serious adult oriented stuff that deal with poverty, government control, death and love and even some gruesome depiction of kids killing each other. I think what happened was the studio definitely said were gonna target the twilight audience in marketing merchandise and on tv were gonna hype it as an event and in turn both adults and teens went to see it and it ended up pleasing all demogrpahics and have a common interest. /i saw on saturday night groups of adults in there 30's coming out loving it and teens coming out loving it. I think this has the potential to be lord of the rings territory as the movies go on where all ages go to see them and take them serious. Plus the acting and story are 10 times better then twilight could ever hope for.

 

[gugumugats]

I understand the logic of making it kids for the reading demographic (kids reading about kids in extreme situations still dealing with first love, finding yourself, etc.) I just didn't buy that they could turn this authoritarian punishment into an entertainment because people all over the country are watching their children or a child of their community die. Like with Rue's dad's reaction, I have trouble understanding why that wasn't the reaction of most communities 74 years prior.

Now, if they made it young people around 20-25? I think that's more believable, but then you can't deal with all the themes of adolescence the targeted readers are going through. So, I just accept it as part of the set-up. I just don't think watching children die would have the same reality show vibe. People like watching adults suffer on shows like Survivor. Children? Not so much. Movie still works.

1st point: I think the entertainment part is for the Capitol. The Districts are just forced to watch for the propaganda.

2nd point: I think the District 11 reaction was more because of Katniss's follow-up to [BLACKOUT]Rue's death rather than Rue's death itself[/BLACKOUT]. That's probably why the reaction has occurred now versus the past 73 Hunger Games. Then again, we have no information about past riots/uprisings.

3rd point: Not that sending a 20-25 year old to die doesn't suck (it happens in the US now and it really sucks), but it seems more crushing to a community when they have to send someone younger to die. Seeing all those kids lined up in the Reaping really made the Hunger Games look seriously messed up.


You make a good point though. It really bothers me that the Capitol finds kids killing each other as 'entertainment.' Then again, I was initially excited for the books to read about that .......

 

[DACrowe]

But this is based off of what you know and what humanity knows *right* now.

Who knows in a dystopian future, people might actually enjoy the sport of children warfare.

Humans have done terrible things throughout history to one another including murdering children. But that's still usually considered a taboo. Many people are repulsed by the slaughter of children. And even civilizations who do slaughter others' children, would be outraged if their own are killed by an opposing force. Also, given this society is so still rooted in North American culture, I just don't buy it as that alien.

Still, it's just a small point.

 

[John Locke]

I understand the logic of making it kids for the reading demographic (kids reading about kids in extreme situations still dealing with first love, finding yourself, etc.) I just didn't buy that they could turn this authoritarian punishment into an entertainment because people all over the country are watching their children or a child of their community die. Like with Rue's dad's reaction, I have trouble understanding why that wasn't the reaction of most communities 74 years prior.

Now, if they made it young people around 20-25? I think that's more believable, but then you can't deal with all the themes of adolescence the targeted readers are going through. So, I just accept it as part of the set-up. I just don't think watching children die would have the same reality show vibe. People like watching adults suffer on shows like Survivor. Children? Not so much. Movie still works.

That's where you're wrong. It's not entertainment to the people in the Districts. They are forced to watch it all of them hate it they just never rioted because they never thought they could unite. Trying to stop the Hunger Games would mean war and they thought they were too weak. It's entertainment for the Capitol who don't have children frm their community die.

 

[DACrowe]

1st point: I think the entertainment part is for the Capitol. The Districts are just forced to watch for the propaganda.

2nd point: I think the District 11 reaction was more because of Katniss's follow-up to [BLACKOUT]Rue's death rather than Rue's death itself[/BLACKOUT]. That's probably why the reaction has occurred now versus the past 73 Hunger Games. Then again, we have no information about past riots/uprisings.

3rd point: Not that sending a 20-25 year old to die doesn't suck (it happens in the US now and it really sucks), but it seems more crushing to a community when they have to send someone younger to die. Seeing all those kids lined up in the Reaping really made the Hunger Games look seriously messed up.


You make a good point though. It really bothers me that the Capitol finds kids killing each other as 'entertainment.' Then again, I was initially excited for the books to read about that .......

I get that is why Katniss is "dangerous" to the government. I suppose it is rare for any contestant or "tribute" to mourn the death of another. And I agree the scene where children line up is really messed up at the beginning (not to mention seeing some die later).

I just think they could have better control over the districts if it was (young) adults dying as opposed to children. I mean a Katniss-type, the underdog who inspires the lowly districts, always is a threat in the current system that we are shown.

 

[smashmode]

Hunger Games increased 1% from Wednesday to Thursday. A Very Good thing for 2nd weekend Box Office

 

[flickchick85]

I've never read the books, but just from the movie I got the impression that they chose children rather than young adults simply because that would be the worst punishment for the districts. It's one thing to watch your son/daughter die, but it's another thing to watch them die when they've barely had a chance to live.

And I'm sure that that the only people who find it entertaining are the people of the Capitol, who still completely resent and look down on the Districts 74 years after their violent rebellion (which was clearly already the mindset BEFORE the rebellion, and the rebellion just re-enforced that view) and see all these kids as otherwise worthless delinquents.

 

[Destructus86]

The people in the cities may be so deluded and self absorbed that they may actually believe the districts ENJOY the games as much as them.

 

[marvelman2006]

"luke youre gonna find that many of the truths we clinged too, depend greatly on our own point of view"

-obi-wan

 

[Destructus86]

"luke youre gonna find that many of the truths we clinged too, depend greatly on our own point of view"

-obi-wan

...But Ben, you let me kiss my sister!!

 

[marvelman2006]

...But Ben, you let me kiss my sister!!

without getting way off topic that part was pretty messed up especially since they kissed twice technically........

 

[marvelman2006]

Hunger Games increased 1% from Wednesday to Thursday. A Very Good thing for 2nd weekend Box Office

I would not be surprised if this train keeps rolling for atleast another week in the number 1 spot then maybe get dicey with american reunion. It has alot of time to make some serious coin before the avengers come out.

 

[danoyse]

I've never read the books, but just from the movie I got the impression that they chose children rather than young adults simply because that would be the worst punishment for the districts. It's one thing to watch your son/daughter die, but it's another thing to watch them die when they've barely had a chance to live.

And I'm sure that that the only people who find it entertaining are the people of the Capitol, who still completely resent and look down on the Districts 74 years after their violent rebellion (which was clearly already the mindset BEFORE the rebellion, and the rebellion just re-enforced that view) and see all these kids as otherwise worthless delinquents.

Exactly. It was a punishment for a failed rebellion, and a reminder that they'll get worse if they try it again.

It also has to potential to turn the districts against each other. Would one district want to help the one that viciously murdered your child? The hope is that it creates an animosity between the districts to keep them all from trying to join forces.

Yes, there's [BLACKOUT]a second arena in the second book, but the purpose behind that is that this arena brings back all of the former winners of the games and let them go after each other. It sends a message from the Capitol that even the people who won the games haven't beaten them at anything, so don't try to follow them as leaders.[/BLACKOUT]

The people in the Capitol don't entirely understand the way the people in the districts live. That's entirely propaganda. The work the people do in the districts supply the people in the Capitol with essentially everything they have. The idea is that if they stop the Hunger Games, then the door is left open for the districts to rebel again and if they win, the ones that will be hurt are the people in the Capitol. That seems to be the mindset, and why they're deluded into accepting the Games for what they are and have reached the point where they treat them as entertainment - even more so when they now have districts who train their kids for it.

There's a moment in one of the later books (I don't think this gives too much away, but spoiler warning anyway) where [BLACKOUT]characters from the capitol are with people from the districts, and the kids are asking why they look so weird with all of the bright colors and weird hair, and she just responded "It's supposed to be pretty," but she's completely embarrassed looking like that around all of these people, and you actually feel bad for her. She just didn't know.[/BLACKOUT]

The level of cruelty that the Capitol imposes on these people as the books go on just gets worse from here.

 

[kickass]

The Districts DID try to revolt against the Capitol once, and it lead to the nuclear destruction of District 12. That is why there's even a Hunger Games to begin with : to scare all the districts and to remind them they could never step out of line again.

We'll learn more about D12 in the second movie.

 

[danoyse]

The Districts DID try to revolt against the Capitol once, and it lead to the nuclear destruction of District 12. That is why there's even a Hunger Games to begin with : to scare all the districts and to remind them they could never step out of line again.

We'll learn more about D12 in the second movie.

That was District 13. District 12 is where Katniss lives.

 

[Liam_H]

Hunger Games increased 1% from Wednesday to Thursday. A Very Good thing for 2nd weekend Box Office

Essentially all movies increased from Wednesday to Thursday.

 

[DACrowe]

I would not be surprised if this train keeps rolling for atleast another week in the number 1 spot then maybe get dicey with american reunion. It has alot of time to make some serious coin before the avengers come out.

I think American Reunion is going to underperform a la Scream 4 last year (and almost the same weekend). To people who grew up with those movies they'll enjoy seeing these characters again--if they have time with jobs, families, etc.--but the younger generation that is/was the core audience for the franchise? They may be seeing Hunger Games again.

I think HG has a great shot at being #1 for three weekends in a row.

 

[DACrowe]

I've never read the books, but just from the movie I got the impression that they chose children rather than young adults simply because that would be the worst punishment for the districts. It's one thing to watch your son/daughter die, but it's another thing to watch them die when they've barely had a chance to live.

And I'm sure that that the only people who find it entertaining are the people of the Capitol, who still completely resent and look down on the Districts 74 years after their violent rebellion (which was clearly already the mindset BEFORE the rebellion, and the rebellion just re-enforced that view) and see all these kids as otherwise worthless delinquents.

Fair enough. I won't press it further. But considering what Katniss will "inspire" my point still stands that the districts might be more compliant if it wasn't their adolescent children being murdered. You're right that is so much worse. It's probably why [blackout]they rebel in the third book.[/blackout]

Still, it's nice to see a blockbuster that neither relies on CGI or paper-thin writing. I wasn't blown away by this movie, but it sure was nice to see a mainstream movie with crossover appeal that has sold writing, good direction and great acting grounding the film.

 

[danoyse]

Fair enough. I won't press it further. But considering what Katniss will "inspire" my point still stands that the districts might be more compliant if it wasn't their adolescent children being murdered. You're right that is so much worse. It's probably why [blackout]they rebel in the third book.[/blackout]

Still, it's nice to see a blockbuster that neither relies on CGI or paper-thin writing. I wasn't blown away by this movie, but it sure was nice to see a mainstream movie with crossover appeal that has sold writing, good direction and great acting grounding the film.

The districts are compliant. They haven't rebelled in over 70 years. The games are a reminder to stay that way - and how they'll kill their children in front of them to remind them how little mercy they have if they try it again.

Also, the winner of the games actually gets food supplies for their district for the next year, until the next Hunger Games. People in the districts are starving...as much as they don't want to see these kids kill each other, they want their own to win just so they'll be able to feed their own district.

It's actually the second book where the rebellion starts. The movie actually showed the beginnings of it with the reaction from Rue's district.

 

[Drizzle]

I think American Reunion is going to underperform a la Scream 4 last year (and almost the same weekend). To people who grew up with those movies they'll enjoy seeing these characters again--if they have time with jobs, families, etc.--but the younger generation that is/was the core audience for the franchise? They may be seeing Hunger Games again.

I think HG has a great shot at being #1 for three weekends in a row.

Also, American Reunion is rated R, so THG has that in its favor. But there's also another challenger that's about to enter the arena: Titanic 3D. I have a feeling that's going to rival Lion King 3D for the title of most successful 3D re-release.

 

[gugumugats]

I just saw a screening of American Reunion. I enjoyed it but it's really really really banking on the nostalgia factor. I don't think it'll go too well with the younger audience (I feel old saying that and I'm only 24), and there are funnier movies out right now (21 Jump St. haven't seen Project X yet).

From what I hear, it sounds like THG will beat out Wrath this weekend.

Anybody here actually going to re-watch THG this weekend? I am ....

 

[smashmode]

24 million Friday would be best Friday of all time

Also gunning for best 2nd best weekend.

Even more incredible is that this is not a holiday or summer movie

 

[Project862006]

Post movie TV Spot

The Hunger Games - Trifecta

 

[Liam_H]

Lol, they spoil a couple of parts in the movie with that.