Current events

Over at that other Liberal Fascism blog, Jonah’s readership uncovers a disturbing new development in the misuse of the term “fascism”:

This past week, Turner Classic Movies showed BRUTE FORCE (1947), a classic prison drama that launched the careers of Burt Lancaster, Howard Duff, and character actor Whit Bissell.

The main conflict in the movie is between prison guard Hume Cronyn and…well, just about everyone else. He’s mean, sadistic, and manipulative, turning prisoners against each other and driving some to suicide.

In the blurb that ran on the screen to describe the film, the plot was described as being about prisoners battling their “fascist prison guard.”

Another example of how “fascist” has just become a generic synonym for “someone I don’t like.”

Or for a transparent fascist archetype who tortures prisoners while listening to fucking Wagner. In 1947. Seriously, doesn’t the word mean anything anymore?

Also: begging for attention from Rush Limbaugh (hint: try printing your next book on Oxycontin scrips), and the fascist band Queen. And lots of pointless movie trivia. I give it another six weeks.

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GeoX Says:

April 10, 2008 at 5:57 pm

Another example of how “fascist” has just become a generic synonym for “someone I don’t like.”

What an alarming development. Who would do such a thing?

norbizness Says:

April 10, 2008 at 7:07 pm

I don’t trust that review, especially since it makes no mention of a young Yvonne de Carlo. I know the kids are crazy for Whit Bissell, but come on…

Todd Says:

April 10, 2008 at 7:24 pm

He’s boarding on insanity at this point. I just don’t know why this serious new paradigm isn’t being taught in the schools. BTW he does know that his logo is a rip off of Prussian Blue? It’s almost as if Jonah’s book contains pro-fascist disinformation. Almost exactly. Blur the terms into nothing.

April 10, 2008 at 7:25 pm

I know this is a huge revelation three years in on the Jonah-watch.

Max Power Says:

April 10, 2008 at 8:48 pm

So shouldn’t his book then be titled “Liberals I don’t like?”

I mean, doesn’t this undermine the whole object of his book/blog/intellectual crusade?

Charlie Tuna Says:

April 10, 2008 at 9:20 pm

Personally, I always saw Nietzsche’s doctrine of the eternal return of the same in this story. Others see Camus, who writes about how we should live once we realize the absurdity of life. But existentialism doesn’t explain the film’s broader appeal.

It is the religious resonance — if not necessarily explicit religious themes — that draws many to it.And this is the film’s true triumph.

There’s no violence, no strong language, and the sexual content is about as tame as it gets. If this were a French film dealing with the same themes, it would be in black and white, the sex would be constant and depraved, and it would end in cold death.

Interpretations of this central mystery vary. But central to all is a morally complicated and powerful story arc to the main character. When Phil Connors arrives in Punxsutawney, he’s a perfect representative of the Seinfeld generation: been-there-done-that.

Kathleen Says:

April 10, 2008 at 10:14 pm

so the intern at TV Guide is a liberal?

April 10, 2008 at 10:49 pm

BTW Frontline has, “Memory of the Camps” which has, “…excerpts from official Allied films, some which record atrocities “beyond describing” at Bergen-Belsen and othe Nazi death camps.”

Beyond “A Night at the Opera?” Queen never stuck my head under water and punched me in the stomach. Yet.

I’ll ask Murat Kurnaz which was the first fascist rock n’ roll band. I think it might have been Mott the Hoople or Jonah and The Oxymorons, or just JG and the ‘Morons.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/28/60minutes/main3976928.shtml

secondharmonic Says:

April 11, 2008 at 6:50 am

So I am guessing Jonah will be using his Jonanism on ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and claiming that while Redgrave’s character does like Mussolini and black shirts and abusive discipline in her schoolroom, and approves of totalitarian state dictatorships, it is simply that we don’t like her that we call her ‘fascist’.

Daniel Says:

April 11, 2008 at 8:06 am

Maggie Smith?

April 11, 2008 at 8:34 am

Man alive, I just read that thing about Queen. I wanna assume it’s a joke, but then I remember who we’re talking about here. The mind boggles.

QUEEEEEEEn Says:

April 11, 2008 at 9:30 am

Screw Goldberg. Queen is the greatest band of all time.

colin roald Says:

April 11, 2008 at 10:09 am

The unnamed “reader” can easily be identified as the Medium Lobster.

bob Says:

April 11, 2008 at 10:46 am

Queen sucks. But FASCIST? I hardly think so.

Tara AntisocialSocialWorker Says:

April 11, 2008 at 10:53 am

“He’s boarding on insanity at this point.”

He boarded that ship long ago, and it has sailed.

April 11, 2008 at 11:04 am

Yeah it was Maggie Smith, sorry.

April 11, 2008 at 11:05 am

Undt Vee VILL Rock You…undt you VILL Enchoy it. Or you vill be SHOT.

Jay B. Says:

April 11, 2008 at 11:36 am

Something fascist in a movie called BRUTE FORCE? Unpossible!

Next, Jonah has a bone to pick with the casual use of “fascist” in the blurb for Casablanca.

Andrew A. Gill, SLS Says:

April 11, 2008 at 1:07 pm

I like Mussolini’s definition:

“Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power.”

…uh oh.

forked tongue Says:

April 11, 2008 at 3:16 pm

I don’t want to turn this into a music blog, but I doubt that Jonah dislikes Queen–they were made for each other. He’s holding up the Queen-as-fascist comment for ridicule. And Rolling Stone sucks, and Dave Marsh came to suck, but at the time he said it, he was right about some things and this was one of them.