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News & ArtsTuesday, August 11, 2009
Film The Truth About Remy
Posted by Charles Mudede on Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 11:45 AM
My last note on the wonderful movie Ratatouille:
Remy The Great Self-hater: Because Remy the rat in Ratatouille loves humans, loves their religion of cleanliness, their sensitivity to beauty, their ability to prepare exquisite dishes—because he loves the things that humans most love about themselves, he hates what he is, a rat. And because he hates rats, he hates himself. What he wants to be is what hates him the most: a human being. And a rat that loves humans (the lovers of God’s cleanliness) is a rat that hates itself in the most radical way. This is the movie’s dark conclusion: Remy is only lovable because he does not love himself.
2
Sort of how gay men must hate themselves because they hate what most men love? And a gay man who must therefore hate himself in the most radical way because he wants to be what he is not, because all men are or should be attracted to women [as nature intended it]?
Or, maybe, there is such a thing as a clean rat, and Remy loves himself knowing what he is--it just isn't common. Remy is not loveable because he hates himself, he is loveable because he loves himself despite the odds.
Or, maybe, there is such a thing as a clean rat, and Remy loves himself knowing what he is--it just isn't common. Remy is not loveable because he hates himself, he is loveable because he loves himself despite the odds.
4
Psychoanalyzing an anthropomorphized cartoon character, Charles? C'mon. You can do better than that.
"Remy is not loveable because he hates himself, he is loveable because he loves himself despite the odds."
Yes.
"Remy is not loveable because he hates himself, he is loveable because he loves himself despite the odds."
Yes.
5
Only if you take an essentialist view of what it means to be a rat. Once you accept that the rat is capable of speech and human-like reasoning that complicates a generalizable species tendency toward certain biological imperatives, he becomes simply an individual. So his "non-rat" behavior is just the behavior of an individual acting outside a standard deviation, rather than a form of actual self-hatred.
because he loves the things that humans most love about themselves, he hates what he is, a rat.
Only if you take an essentialist view of what it means to be a rat. Once you accept that the rat is capable of speech and human-like reasoning that complicates a generalizable species tendency toward certain biological imperatives, he becomes simply an individual. So his "non-rat" behavior is just the behavior of an individual acting outside a standard deviation, rather than a form of actual self-hatred.
8
Or maybe....he's a rat who wants to be more than a rat. You know, a frakking metaphor for the longing a lot of humans feel. We know there's more to life than the tedious day-to-day crap we encounter and the roles we are expected to play. Remy is all about stepping out from what's expected leaping up to something greater. It's not self-hatred, but being fearless because he thinks he can be anything he wants. He loves his rat family (who come to his aid at the end of the film) and he's enchanted by being among humans. This movie isn't about hatred, it's all about achieving your dreams...and that greatness can come from anywhere.
Jeez, I bet you're fun at parties, too, Charles.
Jeez, I bet you're fun at parties, too, Charles.
9
The only thing missing from RATATOUILLE was a plane crash. That would have made it really hilarious!
10
For his own mental and emotional well being I hope this is not some form of introspective psychoanalysis on the part of Mr Mudede. Sadly given his latest posts I wouldn't doubt that it is.
12
well despite what some of think, charles really is fun at parties..he's git the greatest laugh. but you know what i'd bet to be a real drag ? chumming it up with loveschild at a vbs picnic...
13
I really liked Charles' original review of Ratatouille. I hated the movie still, but for other reasons.
17
Charles, I call over-analyzed bullshit that misses the point.
As shown in the film, food isn't just for people, it's for every being that has taste. There is nothing human-centric about food, any more than there is anything male centric about pants. Are we to say that women who don't love dresses hate being women, or are we to say that there is something about pants (the fit, the convenience, etc.) that certain women prefer over dresses?
Charles, you are the one kept in the straitjacket of conformity. Only one in thrall to conformity could fail to recognize things for what they are, and instead require them to be what society has made them.
Is a molotov cocktail a tool of revolt, a tool of the fascist government (for being an excuse to arrest people), or just a combination of fabric, gasoline and a bottle? Answer: It is what it is, and only blind people insist on making it something else.
As shown in the film, food isn't just for people, it's for every being that has taste. There is nothing human-centric about food, any more than there is anything male centric about pants. Are we to say that women who don't love dresses hate being women, or are we to say that there is something about pants (the fit, the convenience, etc.) that certain women prefer over dresses?
Charles, you are the one kept in the straitjacket of conformity. Only one in thrall to conformity could fail to recognize things for what they are, and instead require them to be what society has made them.
Is a molotov cocktail a tool of revolt, a tool of the fascist government (for being an excuse to arrest people), or just a combination of fabric, gasoline and a bottle? Answer: It is what it is, and only blind people insist on making it something else.
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