The Piano: Rape?

In the movie The Piano, two characters, Ada and Baines have a sexual relationship that is quite controversial because it could potentially be considered as rape. But the the real questions is whether or not it is actually rape, or if it is a consensual sexual relationship. 

To summarize, Ada, who has not spoken since she was six, for no apparent reason, is sent off, along with her daughter to marry a man she has never met before, Stewart. Ada has been playing the piano since she was a little girl, and she sees it as her way of expressing her voice. When she comes to her new home to marry her new husband, he leaves the piano on the beach because he does not have enough help to carry it and does not understand the importance of the piano. Once she is settled in, she goes to Baines, Stewart's right hand man and interpreter, to take her and her daughter, Flora, to the piano on the beach. Afterwards, Baines makes an arrangement with Stewart that he would like the piano in return for 80 acres of his land, and that Baines would like lessons on how to play. This is just a ploy so that he can get closer to Ada and use her for her body. Once Ada begins to go over for lessons, Baines tries to make physical advances on her, and she is very upset by these advances. Baines then makes a proposal for her, that at each visit that she comes over and he is allowed to do things to her, then she gets one key back on her piano. She bargains back that she would do it for the black keys, which is far less than grand total. At one of their first lessons, he tells her to lift her skirt so he can see her legs, and he touches her leg through a hole in her stockings. This exchange increases every time that she goes over to his place: two keys for him to touch her arms, 5 keys to lay down with him with clothes on and 10 keys to lay down without clothes on. 

At first, it seems like this exchange could be taken as rape because it does not seem like Ada really wants to go through with it. She is reluctant, but eventually agrees. This is why I do not think that their sexual relationship is rape. She negotiates the terms of the sexual nature, and if she did not want to go through with it, she could walk out at any point. He is not forcing her into anything. Instead, their arrangement is more like prostitution. She is "getting paid" for her sexual favors. Prostitutes are not seen as getting raped, but rather offering their bodies in return for something they want. 

What is attempted rape though is when Ada is leaving the house to see Baines, and her husband tries to make her love him, and he drags her down and tries to force himself sexually on her. She desperately tries to escape, and she does not wish to have that sort of relationship with him. I think this is an important contrast to show the difference between her husband's attempted rape and her sexual relationship with Baines. One is completely not consensual, and the other is reluctant (at least at first, later on she goes willingly) but she does indeed agree on their sexual relationship. This is why I do not see the relationship of Baines and Ada as rape, but rather as a form of prostitution. 

Do The Right Thing: What is the right thing?

I don't think a movie has ever made my blood boil as much as Do the Right Thing. This movie is the antithesis of it's title, and very few characters actually do what I believe is the right thing. I'm not sure exactly what point this movie was trying to get across; sometimes it seems like it is against racism, and then in the next few moments it seems to be advocating it. I don't really agree with much of anything in this movie seems to be portraying because it goes against my set of morals and what I think is the right thing to do.
I think the main thing I believe in is that all living things are connected, and each organism deserves respect for it's life and well being, and following, ending in love. I think if everybody began thinking in a mindset of love for each other instead of hate or jealousy, the earth would begin to start to look like a better place. Love for each other doesn't necessarily mean that we have to like each other, but mean generally that we respect that they can have their own opinion, culture, appearance and background, and hope for their well being and success. Each human being is created equal and should be given equal opportunities in life. Now I'm not an optimist saying everyone has those opportunities given to them when they are born because not everyone is brought up in the same family, country, culture, etc. But, just because someone comes from a different background does not make them any less of a human life who does deserve these opportunities.
I was hoping when watching Do the Right Thing that it would be a movie about racial justice and showing each race as equal to each other as the next. I think that may have been what the movie was trying to say, but it utterly and horribly failed. What it seemed to me was that the movie was advocating that the African American race deserves equality and success, but not other races. This becomes evident when "Buggin Out" points out that there aren't any "brothers" (meaning African Americans) hanging on the "wall of fame" in Sal's Famous Pizza shop, and instead there are only Italians. Think about this though: Sal is the Italian owner of his Italian restaurant serving Italian food. I see absolutely no problem with Sal being proud of his heritage by putting Italians up on the wall of his Italian restaurant. I think if the roles were reversed, and if this was an African restaurant in the US, ran by African Americans, serving African food, no one would have any problem with there being a wall of fame for famous Africans or African Americans. No one would question why there isn't, for example, a Korean up on the wall. And if anybody sees a problem with this, they reserve the right to no longer eat at this restaurant anymore.
Another point that really bothered me in this film was the air of entitlement held by the characters. The African Americans were upset that Italians and Koreans were running successful businesses in their neighborhood. Instead of trying themselves to create a successful business, they sit on the street corners and hang out doing nothing to better themselves; this is even pointed out by the three men who sit on the street corner saying they have all these plans to make things happen, but instead of trying, they sit on the corner and do nothing. Everyone has an equal right to try and be successful in this world. Instead of trying to get revenge on those who are more successful than you, you need to instead go out of your way to better yourself and make that successful business. You can't sit around on a corner hoping that success will be personally handed to you.
Nobody in this movie seems to be doing the "right thing". The entire movie is hypocritical. Radio Raheem, the man who is eventually killed in the end by the police, wears two knuckle rings, one on each hand, one saying hate, and another saying love. When Mookie, the main character, asks Radio Raheem about them, Radio Raheem explains them saying how love will overpower hate. Yet Radio Raheem is disrespectful towards Sal by bringing his loud music into his restaurant, and this obviously makes Sal mad. Instead of being loving and respectful towards Sal and his restaurant by turning off, or turning down his music before entering, which is a common courtesy, he keeps it on and loud, which raises tensions, and when Sal breaks his boombox (which was not the right thing), Radio Raheem attacks Sal (also not the right thing) and this eventually leads to the police being called, and this costs Radio Raheems life because the police officer does not stop chocking him (also wrong).
Almost every single action in Do the Right Thing is wrong. Instead of trying to solve the racism issue in their community, they just aggravate it, and portray "justice" by burning down Sal's Famous. This is not justice. This is wrong. In William Bartley's article, "Wavering Hero: Do the Right Thing", he argues that Mookie, towards the end, must throw the garbage can through the window of Sal's. That notion is absolutely ridiculous. NOTHING is forcing Mookie to destroy that building. NOTHING makes him destroy another man's property okay. This act is not one of justice; it is an act of hate. By throwing the trashcan through the window, Mookie pushes the riot even further, and this causes the riot to completely destroy Sal's restaurant. I'm not sure what compelled Mookie to throw the trash can. Previously, Sal had even said that he thought of Mookie as another son, and then Mookie turns his back. And for what reason? Mookie was a horrible employee at Sal's restaurant, constantly being late and taking way to long on deliveries by going off and doing his own thing, but yet Sal still offered him a place at his shop. Mookie decides to have the mob mentality and go along with the thoughtless actions of the riot. The right thing to do in that situation would be to try and make it stop. At least make it a point to show the rioters the errors of their actions.
Very few people in this movie seem to actually be doing the right thing. "Da Mayor" actually seems to be one man that at least somewhat respects human life. He saves a child's life, pulls Sal and his family away from the riot, and pulls Mother Sister out of it also. He seems to somewhat have his head on straight and tries to make the community a better place.
I think one of my favorite quotes is between Mike Wallace and Morgan Freeman on the issue of Black History Month during a 60 minutes interview:
"Wallace:Black History Month you find...
Freeman: Ridiculous.
Wallace: Why?
Freeman: You're going to relegate my history to a month?
Wallace: Come one.
Freeman: WHat do you do with yours? Which month is White History Month? Come on, tell me.
Wallace: I'm Jewish.
Freeman: OK. Which month is Jewish History Month?
Wallace: There isn't one.
Freeman: Why not? Do you want one?
Wallace: No, no.
Freeman: I don't either. I don't want a Black History Month. Black history is American History.
Wallace: How are we going to get rid of racism until...?
Freeman: Stop talking about it. I'm going to stop calling you a white man. And I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace. You know me as Morgan Freeman. You're not going to say, "I know this white guy named Mike Wallace." Hear what I'm saying?"
I think this conversation really brings out a point we all need to really recognize. Instead of constantly trying to create equality by bringing up the issue of racism, and continually pointing it out, we need to stop talking about it and start respecting people as human beings.
What I believe is right, and the right thing comes down to common human respect which is exactly the opposite of what Do the Right Thing is showing. By trying to point out that racism is bad and leads to violence, all it really seemed to do was advocate entitlism and racism.
I believe in love. And I believe that love and respect is the "right thing". Instead of seeking revenge, we need to respect each other and learn to respect ourselves. Once this has been truly accomplished, people will begin to do the "right thing".

El Topo: The Path to Enlightenment

The movie El Topo consists of two parts. The first part consists of El Topo on a path of revenge, first finding the Colonel, the man who was responsible for murdering a village, and then afterwards on a hunt to defeat the best guns-man, so that he can be victorious, and having the title of the best fighter. Once he does so and learns the lessons of the gunsmen and feels horrible and feels the need to repent. During the second half of the movie, El Topo awakes in a cave after being looked on as a god-like figure for years in a community of disformed humans. He wishes to atone for his sins before, and wants to help the disfigured people and makes a tunnel in the mountain to help them escape, but in the end, they all die and he sets himself on fire.
I think this one particular shot is interesting because it alludes to Jesus on the cross. His feet are pierced and his arms are pierced, and he is walking like Jesus hung on the cross. Even during this scene he says "My God, why have you forsaken me?" which are words spoken by Christ while he was hanging on the cross. While I do not think that the Christian faith completely aligns with this scene, I do find the directors take on the faith interesting. I believe he is trying to say that El Topo is taking responsibility for his wrongs, and is ready to do so, in the same way that in the Christian faith that Christ took the responsibility of the sinners. The whole movie's point is about El Topo's path to enlightenment, or happiness, and I think this scene in particular shows that perfectly, because the only way for El Topo to truly be "enlightened" is by death because he cannot carry the weight of his sins.

Seconds and The Matrix: Dystopian Societies

In both the movies Seconds and the Matrix, they both present dystopian societies, or societies that are the opposite of a utopia. Each takes their own twist on the idea of dystopian world, but they each hold similarities to each other.
In Seconds, the character Arthur is presented with a new life. They would make it appear as if he had died, have him undergo serious plastic surgery, and he would emerge as a new man, who could have any life he wanted. At first he is hesitant to take the opportunity to completely start over, but realized he could not turn back, and must start a whole new life, and be "reborn". In the same way, in the Matrix, Neo is presented with the idea of knowing the truth, and choosing the path to enlightenment. Once he makes his choice, he is then "reborn" into the world of the Matrix, and realizes that everyone is just under a computer simulation.
One thing that is important in these movies is to see that both are presented with an interesting opportunity to entirely change their life, and from then on they would never be able to look back. But, the truth that they choose turns out to not be as great as it seems. Arthur, now Tony Wilson after the surgery, is not content with his new life because he realizes that happiness is not just about money and your job, but finding people around you who you cherish and love. Ultimately, he wishes to be reborn again, but because of this decision he comes to his demise. In the same way, once Neo is brought to understanding the Matrix, he is constantly in a war and fighting. Like Arthur, because of his choice, he is also brought to an end.
These movies show dystopian societies with a choice to be brought to a better life. I think one of the main things to point out is the fact that even though they thought their situations were bad, "the grass is not always greener on the other side."