Snowpiercer — Revolution in a world of ice
2014Gaetana Caldwell-Smith 2014-07Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 9 →
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with axes and makeshift weapons. To gain access to Wil er”), in his first English-language film, is truly an original, ford’s quarters, Curtis must get the secret code from the inventive, futuristic work—which transcends all previous Inuit, Namgoong Minsoo (Korean actor Kang Ho Song), apocalyptic films. He gives us a devastating concept of what who is traveling with his daughter, Yona (Ah sung Ko). He might happen in the future if the outmoded and anarchistic is stoned on something called Kona, which is compounded capitalist system goes on unchecked for much longer. But from chemical waste. (The fact that he and Yona are Inuit and the makeup of the drug are vital elements to the film’s It appears that world government leaders, corporate ultimate resolution.) He will give Curtis the code as long as heads, and the clueless 1% had refused to act to stop toxic emissions. Then, a “quick fix” radically affected the cli Curtis, Yona and the others pass from one car to the next mate, causing the entire Earth, its oceans, and waterways to through startling scenes of sunlight streaming through glass freeze. Every living thing has apparently died, except for a domes on lush gardens, greenhouses with fruit-bearing hundred or so humans who are passengers on a high-speed, trees, vegetable patches, and domestic animals; one car is La night-club with a rave going on as trendy first classers The film opens to reveal that the train has been endlessly drink and dance to techno-rock. There’s a sedate club car circling the frozen globe for 17 years. Third-class passen so Jamie Bell’s Edgar is to Curtis. Gilliam is trusted to in where patrons sit quietly drinking and reading. They react gers—families, including children born on the train who tervene for them with Wilford (Ed Harris, in a role not un in revulsion and horror as the masses and guards hack and know no other life—have been relegated to the last few like the God-like figure he played in “The Truman Show”). cars. They live in squalor, like concentration camp prison The film is full of surprises: There’s a scene in a typical ers, and ravenously gobble mass-produced, slimy black This is Wilford’s train. Enamored by railways as a tod grade school class in one of the forward cars. The pregnant “protein bars”—their clothes now shapeless, colorless rags. dler, he went on to build and own them, and to construct an teacher leads her students in a song about what happens They are kept in check by fascist-like, heavily armed guards empire of trains, eventually inventing the perpetual-motion when the engine breaks down. They repeat the chorus in unison, singing: “We all freeze and die,” with appropriate The head of the guards is Mason (Tilda Swinton), at her The landscape scenes are stunning—a relief to the claus arm waving. She then pulls a gun and starts shooting at merciless best. She lectures the lower classes on “the eter trophobic interiors. We watch as the ice-encrusted train nal order” in which the privileged hold sway over “ungrate weaves its way through mountains, over icicle-draped A bank vault-like door finally opens onto Wilford’s lux ful scum.” She barks out orders in a saliva-laced, strident bridges spanning frozen rivers and lakes, past awesome ury car, as he, dressed in a long silk robe, is sautéing a voice, wearing the white, militaristic outfit of a high-school frozen cities, their landmark buildings barely discernible steak while Curtis looks on, hungrily. Wilford babbles on beneath icy carapaces. The passengers’ windows are iced with his evil, airy philosophy about his oligarchic goals Trouble begins when Mason and one of her female flun shut so they are denied the gorgeous vision of what is just and dreams, and reveals a startling clue about his relation kies visits the third-class cars, wearing a scarf over their faces to ward off the smell. They’ve come to measure and When someone complains, the punishment is a frozen David Denby stated in the July 7 & 14 issue of The New recruit a young child, Tanya’s boy (the reason is revealed body part that guards sledgehammer into pieces while the Yorker, comparing films like “Elysium” and “Hunger later). Tanya is played by Octavia Spencer in another victim is left to writhe in agony. When such an incident Games,” “Snowpiercer presents a portrait of oligarchical strong, no-holds-barred role. John Hurt plays Gilliam, the occurred on top of the kidnapping of Tanya’s boy, they’ve rule and underclass discontent. Fuelled by disgust of the had enough. They must get to the front of the train. Gilliam Hurt’s buddy is Curtis, played by Chris Evans of super He then asks, “Is revolution being hatched in commercial hero fame (Captain America, etc). As Robin is to Batman, They make their way from car to car, fighting the guards cinema?” n SOCIALIST ACTION JULY 2014 9 SNOWPIERCER, directed by South Korean filmmaker Joon Ho Bong (“The Host,” “Moth the film presents a measure of hope—through revolt.
perpetual-motion train. lest they try to make their way to the first-class section.
marching band tuba player.
wise-old sage from whom they seek advice. Those in first-class live under his protection.
engine that keeps his Snowpiercer running.
inches away.
selects an unwitting Curtis as leader. shoot their way through.
Curtis and his followers.
ship to Gilliam. he is supplied with the drug. decadent rich and admiration of the outraged poor.”
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website: http://socialistaction.ca al. Robin Sears and Brian Topp have written articles in defense of Horwath. Dave Cooke, former NDP Edu cation Minister, Gerry Caplan, Paul Ferriera, Michael Prue, even Rosario Marchese have sharply criticized