Friday, October 25, 2013
WK # 4--Post # 1: Muscle Beach Party
Well, I am joining the party late, but better late than never, right? I want to address the film, "Muscle Beach Party," first. My impression of that movie is that it played on two themes in a kitschy, campy sort of way. Essentially, male narcissism was played out by the ridiculous muscle crew, while the aimless, content-with-nothing-but-the-waves surfer was played out by the carefree surfer boys. Then, of course, there was Candy, who seemed to provide an echo or a parallel, rather, for the new surf rock of that era with her far out moves. It seemed to be an almost asinine attempt to capture California beach culture in a generalized manner during the 50s and 60s--a mockery if you will. It was wacky and zany. I found myself wondering if there wasn't a concerted effort by the entertainment industry to marginalize surfers and beach culture with movies such as "Muscle Beach Party." It was too ridiculous for anyone to take it seriously, so how did that contribute to people's perceptions of surfers and beach culture in reality? It and films like it must have had a lasting effect--after all, we're still talking about it.
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Sam -
ReplyDeleteGlad you finally joined us! I'm interested in your notion of surf culture being marginalized by Hollywood. It is clear that they are exploiting the culture - it's environment and attitudes, etc - but in what ways does this exploitation amount to marginalization? In the sense that the 'real' surfers are relegated to non-speaking stunt work, or that such simplistic depictions of their lifestyle serve to undermine it as anything but a youth fad - not something capable of sustaining a life-long pursuit?
- Trey
Trey-
ReplyDeleteTo my mind the manner in which Hollywood has depicted/exploited surf culture and surfers, especially in older films, is how it has managed to marginalize surfers. It would seem to me that surfers are often looked at in society with a certain amount of awe by all; yet, such awe is often accompanied by a stigma that so many folks attach to surfing--that surfers are deadbeat druggies without aspirations, or something to that effect. Basically, it seems to me that people associate an extreme lack of seriousness with surfing and surf culture, which I feel has been fabricated to a large extent by kitschy films such as Muscle Beach Party--there are the narcissistic, muscle bound, beach jocks and then there are the carefree, zany, surf bums; there's nothing else to it according to Hollywood. I mean, I am being overly simplistic to make a my point, here, but it would seem to me that Hollywood has consistently amplified certain aspects of surf culture that have, to my mind, marginalized and perhaps even influenced surfers to be on the fringe. It's like everyone romanticizes about surfing and likely has some piece of surf clothing in their closet, but they look down on those who actually make a life out of surfing. I think certain dynamics have begun to change such sentiments in society in the last decade or so, but Hollywood's depictions linger on in the great collective consciousness.