Post by Blue Raja on Mar 4, 2009 13:48:56 GMT -5
Here's the frequently un-updated space I'm gonna use for ramblings/essays I've both made and will make. My twisted views of life and society around me will hopefully provide you, the readers, with mild amusement and distraction. Enjoy!
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The Ultimate Question
More than the meaning of life, more than what happens after death, more than are we alone in the universe...
Yes, the Ultimate Question for which humans have TRULY been yearning to answer for countless centuries so as to bring peace and meaning to their lives is none other than:
Why exactly is the movie "Rush Hour" CALLED "Rush Hour"?
I mean, I've seen the movie maybe a couple of times, and while I'm not known for a photographic memory, I can state, with relative confidence, the following:
1) That there was nothing in this movie significantly related to the traffic phenomenon known widely as "rush hour."
I mean, does ANYTHING distinct happen in this movie during the periods of 7-9 AM or 5-6 PM? Namely, on a road or in a CAR of any kind? I mean, yeah, we had the whole Jackie-Chan-singing-"War"-by-James-Brown-thing happen in a car, but I'm pretty sure that was a parked car, and it happened late at night. Come to think of it, I don't think they even had anything major occur during lunch break either, where it's KIND OF a "rush hour" of sorts, depending on where you live.
2) The events of the film don't really take place over the course of a mere hour, ala "24," so that doesn't explain it either.
3) I suppose there's a degree of "rush"-ing done in the movie, but that's supposed to happen in every self-described action movie.
4) Nor does it feature a character named "Rush" OR "Hour" (unlike movies such as "Major Payne," or "Good Will Hunting," where character names are used simultaneously as a play on words).
5) And on top of that, it doesn't even STAR a guy named "Rush" or "Hour." Geoffrey Rush would've been an awesome villain for this movie too, albeit one who can't really do any ninja stuff.
6) And I'm pretty certain the film itself didn't only last an hour either, so that lead comes up dry as well. Otherwise, it might've made a little more sense. A lot less box office money, but a little more sense.
So I did a little soul-searching. I traveled far and wide, seeking out the wisest of the wise men - and yet, none could tell me the solution. I even approached Brett Ratner, the director, asking him why his movie was named as it was. He only muttered something about "security" or something and briskly walked away.
It was then that an old homeless man, camped outside Brett's house, beckoned me to come forth with his dirty outscretched hand. At first I tried to hand him some change, but oddly, he waved it away. Calling me closer, he whispered cryptically in my ear:
"HERE is the answer you seek."
He then proceeded to blow his nose noisily into his ratty jacket collar.
After doing that, he reached into a cardboard box containing all of his belongings and dug out an old VHS copy of "Die Hard." He handed it to me, and smiled a toothless grin.
I went home that night, racking my brain for the answer - how does "Die Hard" help to explain why "Rush Hour" is named what it is?
Today, the answer hit me like the skull-shattering banshee shriek of Chris Tucker's voice.
It was so obvious! This movie title "Rush Hour" was simply cranked out of the Generic Hollywood Action Title machine to be listed along ALL THE OTHER generic titles of its ilk. Ones such as "Die Hard," "Collateral Damage," "Lethal Weapon," or even "Domestic Disturbance." As a matter of fact, you could take any of these names (including "Rush Hour") and switch them with any of the other ones, and guess what?
THEY WOULD ALL FIT THEIR RESPECTIVE MOVIES JUST AS EASILY.
It's like asking why Chris Tucker is named what he is - it's because someone out there picked it, that's why. And they were too lazy to come up with something relevant, like "Screech" or something. If he were named something else, you would be asking the same question!
Besides, titles like "Traffic Jam" or "Lunch Hour" didn't have the same ring to them.
*********************
The Ultimate Question
More than the meaning of life, more than what happens after death, more than are we alone in the universe...
Yes, the Ultimate Question for which humans have TRULY been yearning to answer for countless centuries so as to bring peace and meaning to their lives is none other than:
Why exactly is the movie "Rush Hour" CALLED "Rush Hour"?
I mean, I've seen the movie maybe a couple of times, and while I'm not known for a photographic memory, I can state, with relative confidence, the following:
1) That there was nothing in this movie significantly related to the traffic phenomenon known widely as "rush hour."
I mean, does ANYTHING distinct happen in this movie during the periods of 7-9 AM or 5-6 PM? Namely, on a road or in a CAR of any kind? I mean, yeah, we had the whole Jackie-Chan-singing-"War"-by-James-Brown-thing happen in a car, but I'm pretty sure that was a parked car, and it happened late at night. Come to think of it, I don't think they even had anything major occur during lunch break either, where it's KIND OF a "rush hour" of sorts, depending on where you live.
2) The events of the film don't really take place over the course of a mere hour, ala "24," so that doesn't explain it either.
3) I suppose there's a degree of "rush"-ing done in the movie, but that's supposed to happen in every self-described action movie.
4) Nor does it feature a character named "Rush" OR "Hour" (unlike movies such as "Major Payne," or "Good Will Hunting," where character names are used simultaneously as a play on words).
5) And on top of that, it doesn't even STAR a guy named "Rush" or "Hour." Geoffrey Rush would've been an awesome villain for this movie too, albeit one who can't really do any ninja stuff.
6) And I'm pretty certain the film itself didn't only last an hour either, so that lead comes up dry as well. Otherwise, it might've made a little more sense. A lot less box office money, but a little more sense.
So I did a little soul-searching. I traveled far and wide, seeking out the wisest of the wise men - and yet, none could tell me the solution. I even approached Brett Ratner, the director, asking him why his movie was named as it was. He only muttered something about "security" or something and briskly walked away.
It was then that an old homeless man, camped outside Brett's house, beckoned me to come forth with his dirty outscretched hand. At first I tried to hand him some change, but oddly, he waved it away. Calling me closer, he whispered cryptically in my ear:
"HERE is the answer you seek."
He then proceeded to blow his nose noisily into his ratty jacket collar.
After doing that, he reached into a cardboard box containing all of his belongings and dug out an old VHS copy of "Die Hard." He handed it to me, and smiled a toothless grin.
I went home that night, racking my brain for the answer - how does "Die Hard" help to explain why "Rush Hour" is named what it is?
Today, the answer hit me like the skull-shattering banshee shriek of Chris Tucker's voice.
It was so obvious! This movie title "Rush Hour" was simply cranked out of the Generic Hollywood Action Title machine to be listed along ALL THE OTHER generic titles of its ilk. Ones such as "Die Hard," "Collateral Damage," "Lethal Weapon," or even "Domestic Disturbance." As a matter of fact, you could take any of these names (including "Rush Hour") and switch them with any of the other ones, and guess what?
THEY WOULD ALL FIT THEIR RESPECTIVE MOVIES JUST AS EASILY.
It's like asking why Chris Tucker is named what he is - it's because someone out there picked it, that's why. And they were too lazy to come up with something relevant, like "Screech" or something. If he were named something else, you would be asking the same question!
Besides, titles like "Traffic Jam" or "Lunch Hour" didn't have the same ring to them.