Comparing and contrasting these movies to the Marvel slop, it's hard not to miss them. Undoubtedly they were another form of slop, but the nostalgia! Also some were definitely more interesting than the identikit Marvel series.
(Kris Kristofferson was in Blade, not Jeff Bridges)
It's definitely a cousin. I slightly wonder if the Twilight films are a bit too... worthy? A bit too romantic? If Bella wore combat boots and used an M-16 to slaughter her enemies then it would be a totally perfect fit.
Interesting point about the characters dressing like "school shooters"--that actually makes me wonder if the industry helped popularize the fashion in the first place. That's probably the style that blended into emo later on, right? There was an FTC report that showed that film companies were targeting teens and preteens with their advertising for R rated films, which suggested there might've been a feedback loop for the fashion, or maybe it was astroturfed in the first place... (I could be overthinking it, always curious about the mutual influenced audience/industry has on one another. )
I think since teenagers were "invented", as it were, in the 50s and 60s, there's always been a desire to shock among a lot of the demographic, right? Whether it's mods, punks, new romantics, goths etc, the countercultural has appealed to kids who are beginning to notice the hypocrisies of the adult world but can't yet make peace with them (realise I'm stating the obvious here!)
It strikes me that the 1980s was the first time this angry impulse was successfully commercialised on a mass level, going into hyperspeed in the 90s. Was the style astroturfed? I dunno, but very possibly? I mean, "Break Stuff" is literally a song about how normal it is to want to chop people up with a chainsaw, aimed at a middle class of teenagers who statistically face no real material hardship at all... Media companies definitely had a vested interest in pre-packaging all the signifiers of rebellion, including (I guess) the trenchcoat look and the R-rated films, and selling them back to uncritical teenagers throughout the 90s and 00s.
I didn't get too personal in this piece, mainly for lack of space, but I really like and respect a good handful of nu metal bands, in terms of personal taste. I think Deftones are better than a lot of the rest, and I think that early Slipknot (pre-Vol 3) is some of the most affecting music I've ever heard. It's not affecting in a nice way... but it's damn impactful. Even beyond that, nu metal is a lot of fun even when it's trash.
Absolutely, there's a reason nu metal is back in good health today. I'd distinguish between rap metal, and nu metal where rap metal is one of the ingredients. There are other subgenres to, but I think that's an important difference in terms of ethos - ie, how much is the song purely a tantrum?
I love To My Surprise, the Slipknot singer's solo project, Neill Strauss' interview with him gave him depth, so I'll check out the album you recommend
While I support the claim that Marvel put the nu metal movies to bed, it's impossible to ignore that Daredevil was TRANSPARENTLY one of the more nu metal movies. That movie BLED nu metal.
Comparing and contrasting these movies to the Marvel slop, it's hard not to miss them. Undoubtedly they were another form of slop, but the nostalgia! Also some were definitely more interesting than the identikit Marvel series.
(Kris Kristofferson was in Blade, not Jeff Bridges)
Damn! Thanks for the catch, I'll tweak that. I've always mixed them up.
I think the Twilight franchise is definitely the Evanescence of this genre.
It's definitely a cousin. I slightly wonder if the Twilight films are a bit too... worthy? A bit too romantic? If Bella wore combat boots and used an M-16 to slaughter her enemies then it would be a totally perfect fit.
They don't make 'em like this anymore...MCU always trying to ice-skate uphill...
I'm gutted I didn't manage to find somewhere to get that into this piece (and I tried)
Great series idea, looking forward to the rest.
Interesting point about the characters dressing like "school shooters"--that actually makes me wonder if the industry helped popularize the fashion in the first place. That's probably the style that blended into emo later on, right? There was an FTC report that showed that film companies were targeting teens and preteens with their advertising for R rated films, which suggested there might've been a feedback loop for the fashion, or maybe it was astroturfed in the first place... (I could be overthinking it, always curious about the mutual influenced audience/industry has on one another. )
I think since teenagers were "invented", as it were, in the 50s and 60s, there's always been a desire to shock among a lot of the demographic, right? Whether it's mods, punks, new romantics, goths etc, the countercultural has appealed to kids who are beginning to notice the hypocrisies of the adult world but can't yet make peace with them (realise I'm stating the obvious here!)
It strikes me that the 1980s was the first time this angry impulse was successfully commercialised on a mass level, going into hyperspeed in the 90s. Was the style astroturfed? I dunno, but very possibly? I mean, "Break Stuff" is literally a song about how normal it is to want to chop people up with a chainsaw, aimed at a middle class of teenagers who statistically face no real material hardship at all... Media companies definitely had a vested interest in pre-packaging all the signifiers of rebellion, including (I guess) the trenchcoat look and the R-rated films, and selling them back to uncritical teenagers throughout the 90s and 00s.
Loved this - Constantine needs a rewatch.
Not all nu metal is brainless - Kittie's 1999 album Spit has aged well.
Was Buffy nu metal TV? There was a movie too...
I'd say Angel or Dollhouse were closer to nu-metal TV.
Forgot Angel, but yes, and he's kind of Buffy's Constantine. Maybe Buffy itself too smart and funny...
I didn't get too personal in this piece, mainly for lack of space, but I really like and respect a good handful of nu metal bands, in terms of personal taste. I think Deftones are better than a lot of the rest, and I think that early Slipknot (pre-Vol 3) is some of the most affecting music I've ever heard. It's not affecting in a nice way... but it's damn impactful. Even beyond that, nu metal is a lot of fun even when it's trash.
Will check out Spit, I haven't heard it.
Absolutely, there's a reason nu metal is back in good health today. I'd distinguish between rap metal, and nu metal where rap metal is one of the ingredients. There are other subgenres to, but I think that's an important difference in terms of ethos - ie, how much is the song purely a tantrum?
I love To My Surprise, the Slipknot singer's solo project, Neill Strauss' interview with him gave him depth, so I'll check out the album you recommend
And yeah Deftones are so sublime I don't even consider them a genre act but of course they are
Bring back the Neanderthals! -Puts on rose-colored glasses-
While I support the claim that Marvel put the nu metal movies to bed, it's impossible to ignore that Daredevil was TRANSPARENTLY one of the more nu metal movies. That movie BLED nu metal.
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