Shot in faux Documentary style, this striking film is a comment on how commercialism can be used to quell the masses into complacency in order to create a totalitarian state and establish complete political, social, and cultural control over their subjects. The British Government (in the near future) creates an iconic figure out of Steven Shorter, a POP star who’s violent and demeaning stage act depicting his time in prison and wish to be exonerated as prison guards taunt and beat him during his songs is a worldwide sensation. He appears to be the most loved and most influential person in the world but behind the scenes it is revealed that he is simply a broken shell of a young man who is completely controlled by his managerial staff who is working for the government.
As the story progresses we see that it is really an existential portrayal of personal identity and choice. Steven meets a young beautiful painter who has been commissioned by the government to paint his portrait and for the first time he begins gaining feelings of want and desire for his own needs.
One of the most poignant lines is delivered by Steven’s Business manager who tries to express the importance of his continued complacency, he calmly explains: “There are millions of people down there…millions of little people…the Liberal idea of given enough education these millions will grow into self aware, creative human beings is nothing but an exploded myth. It can never happen”.
Points of especial interest:
The film even hilariously parodies itself as Steven has to do a series of commercials promoting Apples in order to get the public to eat 6 apples a day so they don’t waste the fallen ones. The director of the film is a pretentious blow-hard who decides he needs people in apple outfits in order to “become” apples and describes his commercials as existential, philosophical works.
Later Steven is forced to represent Christianity as he is forced to create a pop version of a hymn with all the musicians dressed like and shaven like Christian Monks (perhaps a nod to the actual garage/punk band the Monks who did just that as a parody to organized religion).
The film peaks with the largest staging of nationalism in the history of Great Britain; the beginning of Christian crusade week. This supposed pop concert looks more like a Fascist convention, even including a cross on fire and huge red and black iconic images of Steven.
The Coalition Governments message to the public by supporting Christian Crusade week is “We need no longer have any disturbing political differences when we are all of one faith and we believe in one God and one Flag”. Then three words, WE WILL CONFORM, is put on cards and given to all. As a screaming, flailing priest gives a speech mimicking Adolph Hitler and forces the entire audience to repeat these words aloud. Afterward they all sieg heil, lead by a group of pop musicians who sing a new National Anthem to Great Britain.
Of course this is not the end of the film and that I will not give away, but I will say that it is a bitterly real and hopelessly tragic. If you are a fan of intelligent writing and enjoy the look and pacing of 60’s cinema (obviously hugely influential to filmmakers such as WES ANDERSON), you must check out this film! It had a real effect on me and I think it will you too.
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