I was just thinking about the definition of cool and one of the first people that does come to mind, for me at least, is Clint Eastwood. Last night I returned from his new movie Grand Torino and I was very impressed. The movie was notable and surprising because it was not the typical role for Eastwood. The thing that made me mad was the misinterpretations that came from it. As I walked out of the theater I heard many middle aged, good old boys saying things that were just wrong.
The movie pictured Clint Eastwood as a racist old man, and he was, but not to the degree that people thought. He grew up in a time when making a crack about a person's ethnicity was nothing because someone could make the same crack about your ethnicity. His character never did correct his language either. He was old and set in his ways, but he did value the manners, kindness and charity that others showed. His racist remarks, as we would call them, were more of how things use to be. The time that he grew up in was one of acceptance, you were free to make remarks about others race just like they were able to make comments about yours. No one took offence to that because it was more in a manor of jest. That does not make it right, but it sheds light on what people may misunderstand.
The greater meaning behind it all is that people are never to old to change, understanding always supersedes hate, and violence is not what makes a man. What truly makes a man is the kindness he shows others and that sacrifice speaks louder than any statement of hate or violence. Clint Eastwood is cool because he is 78 and still intimidates others. His age has never been a limitation, but an advantage. No matter what his character has done in the past he is able to conquer that and prevail in the end. He is always willing to sacrifice himself for those he cares about. Oh yeah, and he always gets the girl!
Clint Eastwood is a dissident cool, he has put himself far away from the society he lives in. What he comes to realize is that he relates more to the people around him then to his own family. His characters main confliction with society are the values that he still holds true. He stands up for his values because his is an outsider looking in. At one point he recognizes his values in his next door neighbors children. The neighbors children become his main source of happiness and pride. In the end he sacrifices himself for them. And that is what makes Clint Eastwood’s character cool.
I encourge you to watch the trailor if you havent. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810038822/video/10360603/20081024/150/10360603-300-wmv-s.73928999-,10360603-700-wmv-s.73929002-,10360603-1000-flash-s.73929011-,10360603-1000-wmv-s.73929005-,10360603-100-flash-s.73929006-,10360603-300-flash-s.73929007-,10360603-700-flash-s.73929008-,10360603-100-wmv-s.73928996-,10360606-10300-qtv-s.73929021-,10360606-2700-qtv-s.73929014-,10360606-6800-qtv-s.73929017-
Showing posts with label Gran Torino. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gran Torino. Show all posts
Sunday, January 18, 2009
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