Loved this article, it is honestly almost as hilarious and entertaining as the actual film. I love this movie and watch it when sick (it is a comfort film for me).
Though that said, I like that it combines mysticism with western. I also like that Burton thinks himself the hero, but I think he does shine as one hero; the sort who would risk his life for another without any hesitation.
The truth is that the ethos of brotherhood that cuts across two such different cultures as the 'Anglo' one of America and the Chinese culture to which Wang belongs to, is the heart of the movie. As Burton and Wang show themselves to be total opposites in where they come from save in that they climbed up from nothing and both are successful, and defiant of the Globalistic, corporate force as represented by Lo Pan.
In my view Lo Pan represents rot in society, whereas the working-class men are meant to represent the stable force of the lower classes who are supposed to check the excesses of the upper-classes and whom are the true forces that compose society.
I like that the movie turns globalism on its head; the problems caused by a multinational demonic monster are solved by an international warband of workers.
Another great essay. My restack mentions the slow death of high proles in the UK. It used to be the case that 3 to 4 pm was the best time to drink in most pubs. It was the time when semi-retired and self-employed blue collar entrepreneurs would come out to play. Most could have easily had a sideline in stand-up. The overproduction of elites comes at the expense of blue collar entrepreneurs. Mass migration slashes labour rates. One can still find rare pubs where this is still true, but both the pubs and the men are a dying breed.
Big Trouble in Little China is one of my favourite movies.
“Most could have easily had a sideline in stand-up”. A joke is thwarted expectation, and the wisdom of how things have been and could be contrasted with what is imposed in their stead makes for a wicked bitter comedy. The best comedy is like the absolute value of pain.
Great comment. Lovely. It can also be exasperation at the absolute absurdity of everyday life. Jonathan Kuntz hunts with a monocle and long black leather coat for racism between Enid Blyton and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
John Carpenter is a national treasure. His name says it all.
I am the type of person (nerd) who listens to commentaries on DVDs, and I found the commentary track on Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST with distinguished film historian Christopher Frayling and Carpenter to be very revealing.
Frayling is a theorist; he concentrates on the high-flown, the abstruse, What Leone Meant By This. Carpenter is a mechanic, completely devoted to the hard business of filmmaking; where the nitrate meets the road, as it were. Camera placement, interior and exterior lighting, the things one needs to do to get the shot just right.
The commentary on BTLC is also great- Carpenter and Russell lose track of the film and start just talking about how their lives are going. They talk for like five minutes about Russell’s son’s recent hockey game.
I've long called myself a philosophical as opposed to political anarchist, searching after meaning and myth. Glad to have found the dissident right on substack.
What I think is interesting is that Carpenter himself is a man of the left, but his films have a tremendous relevance for rightist audiences. Wisdom is where you find it.
As you know I don’t consider myself dissident right. I’m glad to find common ground, BTLC a desert island list for me (as well as once Upon A Time In The West). Thoroughly enjoyed your piece, found nothing I disagree with and will, as you say enjoy wisdom where I find it (and look for more hereabouts when I can). Cheers.
This is a great article, thanks so much. "All it needs is a smoke machine and whoever the Asian version of Slayer to come out and you have a video." The Asian version of Slayer is Baby Metal.
Dec 9, 2023·edited Dec 9, 2023Liked by Librarian of Celaeno
Sort of like ol' Jack Burton, I suspect that your students have no idea what a treasure they are spending time with in you. (sorry for the schmaltz; I was more of a Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley kid).
If I do right by them I don’t much care whether they understand it now, but rather, when they look back as men, having lived their lives, that’s when their appraisal of me will have the greatest weight.
Exactly so. Because unlike James Bond, let alone Batman, you and me sitting in the audience know we actually *could* and would(!) mount something like what Jack does, if the situation ever called for it.
Thank you so much for writing on this movie. Growing up it was one of my favorites and I've watched it at least a dozen times already. I learn something new every time I explore the movie. My parents took me to watch the movie when it first came out in the 80s and I was a kid back then, so it took me several decades to learn about things like Asian Tongs in American cities and then that part of the movie clicked for me.
Regarding Lo Pan's corporation. The company's involvement in import/export is intriguing, considering that the protagonist, Jack Burton, is a truck driver. A truck driver is also a crucial link in the import/export process.
So in this light Jack symbolizes the ordinary individual who becomes entangled in extraordinary circumstances, while Lo Pan represents the hidden networks that possess control over global economic and resource matters. By contrasting their roles, the stark difference between mundane existence and the clandestine realm of magic and secret societies is emphasized.
A thematic link can be observed through Jack's occupation as a truck driver, representing the continuous transportation of goods between different countries. This serves as a reflection of the film's exploration of globalization and cultural exchange. Furthermore, it emphasizes how seemingly unrelated worlds are interconnected.
Jack's profession as a truck driver is a fundamental cog in the international trade machine. He physically transports the goods that flow through Wing Kong Exchanges' import-export network, unwittingly becoming a vital part of their intricate operations. This parallel underscores the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate worlds, showing how even seemingly mundane tasks contribute to the larger forces at play.
And even when Jack goes back to his blue collar profession at the end of movie we are left with a cliffhanger as the ape-like creature he fought at Lo Pan's dungeons is still after him; seeking vengeance for Lo Pan. Perhaps this is a commentary that even in the simplest of blue-collar ventures one cannot fully escape the evil multinational corporatism as it eventually finds its way in.
Many people have perceived Jack's role as a truck driver to be a discreet criticism of the current crony capitalism system and its exploitative characteristics. In this perspective, Wing Kong Exchange, with its extensive wealth and influence, may be regarded as an emblem of corporate avarice and its detrimental consequences on individuals such as Jack.
I originally asked as a kid viewing the movie if whether Jack inadvertently was shipping for Wing Kong. The movie is vague on this, but there are some interesting clues:
- Delivery Destination: In the film's opening scene, Jack is transporting crates labeled "Green Jade Imports" to Chinatown, where Wing Kong Enterprises has a significant presence from San Francisco to Chicago. However, the nature of the cargo remains ambiguous, and the suspicious behavior of the clients raises questions about its legitimacy.
* The film doesn't explicitly mention Jack's regular delivery routes, but it's reasonable to assume he might transport cargo to and from Chinatown, where Wing Kong Exchange operates.
- Mysterious Contents: The film never reveals the contents of the crates Jack delivers. This ambiguity allows for speculation that they might hold illegal or mystical items related to Wing Kong Enterprises' activities.
- The Cargo Switch: In Chinatown, the original cargo Jack was transporting gets switched with mysterious crates. While the contents of these crates are never revealed, their sudden appearance and the secrecy surrounding them suggest a connection to Lo Pan's nefarious activities.
- Unwitting Involvement: Jack's simple delivery job quickly becomes entangled with the supernatural forces surrounding Lo Pan. This unforeseen involvement suggests a connection between his seemingly ordinary task and the clandestine activities of Wing Kong Exchange.
- Visual Clues: Truck's Condition: Jack's truck, the Porkchop Express, appears battered and worn down, suggesting numerous long-distance trips and heavy loads. This could imply frequent deliveries related to Wing Kong Enterprises' import-export business and because he's obviously not a stranger to this area of San Francisco nor most its residents/businesses. I can't think of anything else related to "porkchop" other than Wang having a restaurant and one of the Elementals, IIRC, brandishes two chopping blades like he's about to slice up some pork chops or some other meat.
- Wing Kong's Resources: Wing Kong Exchanges' vast resources and connections could explain why Lo Pan is aware of Jack's involvement, even though he appears to be a simple truck driver.
- Irony and Subversion: The idea of Jack, an unsuspecting truck driver, unknowingly contributing to Lo Pan's operations adds a layer of irony and subverts expectations. This reinforces the film's theme of hidden forces and the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate worlds. Much like Tongs originally were set out to protect and structure the Asian community but many found themselves devolving into criminal enterprises. In the movie we clearly see a good Tong vs a criminalized Tong.
- Economic Critique: If Jack was unknowingly working for Wing Kong Enterprises, again this could be interpreted as a critique of our economic system, where individuals become unwitting pawns in the pursuit of profit and power.
Aside from I caught on pretty quickly to the connection between Jade=Green Eyes. In Chinese culture, jade symbolizes purity, virtue, and immortality. These qualities might also resonate with the prophecy's requirements, making jade a symbolic representation of the ideal possession/sacrifice for Lo Pan.
Some believe that jade possesses mystical properties like healing and protection. Lo Pan, obsessed with immortality and power, might see jade as a tool to enhance his magical abilities or even extend his life. But jade also serves as Lo Pan's corporation greed. Jade is a valuable stone, as one of the commodities they deal in. So there is an interest in pure financial gain in trading jade rather than appreciating it for its cultural significance.
Jade could be used in rituals or crafting mystical objects to enhance Lo Pan's magical powers or potentially be part of the sacrifice required to appease the God of the East.
As an aside, the character with green eyes, Miao Yin is an interesting name. I don't know the full significance of that name but when I looked it up online I got this result: yin miao (Chinese:陰廟; pinyin: Yīnmiào; lit. 'dark temple') are temples dedicated to wandering and homeless spirits, as opposed to yang miao, which are dedicated to deities. I don't know if that was intentional or not.
You really should right a full essay about this; my comment section does not do justice to the level of thought you put into this. Shout me out in it and I’ll restack it.
Yet another article where I could have written more but I was reaching the limit where it would cut off the email part if I written more paragraphs so I had to stop there. I think I was done anyway.
I have not seen this movie, but now that I've read this essay I'm going to watch it. My wife and I watched "Band of Brothers" not long ago. What struck me at the end was all the survivors, almost to a man, went on to spend their working lives doing things live driving a taxi or working in a factory. The world's academic and economic elites hold no monopoly on competency and courage.
What an absolute treat it was to wake up to this fantastic essay. Me and my brothers watched this movie as often as possible. Jack Burton was one of our heroes with all of his bluster and humor and bravery.
I spent years being a self-employed, working class vagabond and wonder, as I read this, how much of an influence ol' Jack Burton had on my world view. Thank you for this reminder.
(I watched They Live at the height of the Covid hysteria and marveled at how prophetic it was and recently rewatched Halloween. John Carpenter is awesome.)
Hmm. Never expressed it that way but self-employed working class vagabond is a stunningly accurate descriptor, the through line jobs that got me outside and/or on the road, the more independence/own-boss the better. Even with a stable 25 year marriage in the middle, that encompassed two decades as a freelance movie location scout & manager. And the job that bridged to post marriage: postie. Until (working with my hands sorting mail) carpal tunnel hastened retirement and I’ve opened a successful retail operation with my partner which we sold so we just focus on advocating for and supporting her adult complex special needs son in assisted living. Because that’s all we have time for these days.
Well...there is enough time to watch BTLC tonight!
Dark Proletaria, Dark Academia -- both supposedly representing/possessing an enchanted world of ancient secrets hidden behind a facade of normalcy. Eh? What? What? That sounds like everyday, normal reality to me.
Aw, man! I had plans today. Now I’m going to have to rewatch the film. Again. First to find it — it better have successfully made the move across the Pacific Ocean…
I have long considered writing a suitable review of this shining masterpiece. I am happy to say, I no longer see any need to. This one is a masterpiece in itself.
If I ever took a shot at it, the only thing I might add is a specifically Christian twist to the concept of the anarch (and to Carpenter's tale itself). But like I said: not necessary.
I think I already did my best review in person. I was at a birthday/engagement party, where everyone was clamoring for a toast but was either too drunk or too generally benighted to do so. I stepped into the void and said:
"Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather."
They all cheered. None of them knew where I stole it from, or what the fuck I was even talking about. There's some art-power for ya.
Now excuse me while I swill my five-demon bag, and go fight evil sorcerers.
Dec 11, 2023·edited Dec 11, 2023Liked by Librarian of Celaeno
I'll also add I'm glad you didn't give any oxygen to postmodern readings. The cretins who can't see past their own belly buttons aren't worthy to even watch this form of art, let alone to comment on it.
Loved this article, it is honestly almost as hilarious and entertaining as the actual film. I love this movie and watch it when sick (it is a comfort film for me).
Though that said, I like that it combines mysticism with western. I also like that Burton thinks himself the hero, but I think he does shine as one hero; the sort who would risk his life for another without any hesitation.
The truth is that the ethos of brotherhood that cuts across two such different cultures as the 'Anglo' one of America and the Chinese culture to which Wang belongs to, is the heart of the movie. As Burton and Wang show themselves to be total opposites in where they come from save in that they climbed up from nothing and both are successful, and defiant of the Globalistic, corporate force as represented by Lo Pan.
In my view Lo Pan represents rot in society, whereas the working-class men are meant to represent the stable force of the lower classes who are supposed to check the excesses of the upper-classes and whom are the true forces that compose society.
I like that the movie turns globalism on its head; the problems caused by a multinational demonic monster are solved by an international warband of workers.
Exactly why it is awesome! X)
Another great essay. My restack mentions the slow death of high proles in the UK. It used to be the case that 3 to 4 pm was the best time to drink in most pubs. It was the time when semi-retired and self-employed blue collar entrepreneurs would come out to play. Most could have easily had a sideline in stand-up. The overproduction of elites comes at the expense of blue collar entrepreneurs. Mass migration slashes labour rates. One can still find rare pubs where this is still true, but both the pubs and the men are a dying breed.
Big Trouble in Little China is one of my favourite movies.
There’s a movie to be made about an office drone discovering that a nondescript door in his beige cubicle hive leads somewhere he hadn’t suspected...
“Most could have easily had a sideline in stand-up”. A joke is thwarted expectation, and the wisdom of how things have been and could be contrasted with what is imposed in their stead makes for a wicked bitter comedy. The best comedy is like the absolute value of pain.
Great comment. Lovely. It can also be exasperation at the absolute absurdity of everyday life. Jonathan Kuntz hunts with a monocle and long black leather coat for racism between Enid Blyton and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
'Ve have vays of making you talk'.
John Carpenter is a national treasure. His name says it all.
I am the type of person (nerd) who listens to commentaries on DVDs, and I found the commentary track on Sergio Leone's ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST with distinguished film historian Christopher Frayling and Carpenter to be very revealing.
Frayling is a theorist; he concentrates on the high-flown, the abstruse, What Leone Meant By This. Carpenter is a mechanic, completely devoted to the hard business of filmmaking; where the nitrate meets the road, as it were. Camera placement, interior and exterior lighting, the things one needs to do to get the shot just right.
It's here if you have 3 hours to burn; I suspect not many of us do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4J84o986fU
The commentary on BTLC is also great- Carpenter and Russell lose track of the film and start just talking about how their lives are going. They talk for like five minutes about Russell’s son’s recent hockey game.
Dudes being dudes!
I've long called myself a philosophical as opposed to political anarchist, searching after meaning and myth. Glad to have found the dissident right on substack.
What I think is interesting is that Carpenter himself is a man of the left, but his films have a tremendous relevance for rightist audiences. Wisdom is where you find it.
As you know I don’t consider myself dissident right. I’m glad to find common ground, BTLC a desert island list for me (as well as once Upon A Time In The West). Thoroughly enjoyed your piece, found nothing I disagree with and will, as you say enjoy wisdom where I find it (and look for more hereabouts when I can). Cheers.
This is a great article, thanks so much. "All it needs is a smoke machine and whoever the Asian version of Slayer to come out and you have a video." The Asian version of Slayer is Baby Metal.
Sort of like ol' Jack Burton, I suspect that your students have no idea what a treasure they are spending time with in you. (sorry for the schmaltz; I was more of a Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley kid).
If I do right by them I don’t much care whether they understand it now, but rather, when they look back as men, having lived their lives, that’s when their appraisal of me will have the greatest weight.
Amen, brother. So true.
That’s very kind.
"Yessir, the check's in the mail!"
Absolutely brilliant article on one of my favorite films.
Now do Tremors!
I’d have to ponder that one a bit.
People who regard this movie as an attack on traditional male heroism don't know John Carpenter and should read more CS Lewis.
This is a movie about how Friendship works, specifically between men.
Stellar flick. True Classic.
Exactly so. Because unlike James Bond, let alone Batman, you and me sitting in the audience know we actually *could* and would(!) mount something like what Jack does, if the situation ever called for it.
Its all in the reflexes.
A common saying at my school in the 80s :)
Thank you so much for writing on this movie. Growing up it was one of my favorites and I've watched it at least a dozen times already. I learn something new every time I explore the movie. My parents took me to watch the movie when it first came out in the 80s and I was a kid back then, so it took me several decades to learn about things like Asian Tongs in American cities and then that part of the movie clicked for me.
Regarding Lo Pan's corporation. The company's involvement in import/export is intriguing, considering that the protagonist, Jack Burton, is a truck driver. A truck driver is also a crucial link in the import/export process.
So in this light Jack symbolizes the ordinary individual who becomes entangled in extraordinary circumstances, while Lo Pan represents the hidden networks that possess control over global economic and resource matters. By contrasting their roles, the stark difference between mundane existence and the clandestine realm of magic and secret societies is emphasized.
A thematic link can be observed through Jack's occupation as a truck driver, representing the continuous transportation of goods between different countries. This serves as a reflection of the film's exploration of globalization and cultural exchange. Furthermore, it emphasizes how seemingly unrelated worlds are interconnected.
Jack's profession as a truck driver is a fundamental cog in the international trade machine. He physically transports the goods that flow through Wing Kong Exchanges' import-export network, unwittingly becoming a vital part of their intricate operations. This parallel underscores the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate worlds, showing how even seemingly mundane tasks contribute to the larger forces at play.
And even when Jack goes back to his blue collar profession at the end of movie we are left with a cliffhanger as the ape-like creature he fought at Lo Pan's dungeons is still after him; seeking vengeance for Lo Pan. Perhaps this is a commentary that even in the simplest of blue-collar ventures one cannot fully escape the evil multinational corporatism as it eventually finds its way in.
Many people have perceived Jack's role as a truck driver to be a discreet criticism of the current crony capitalism system and its exploitative characteristics. In this perspective, Wing Kong Exchange, with its extensive wealth and influence, may be regarded as an emblem of corporate avarice and its detrimental consequences on individuals such as Jack.
I originally asked as a kid viewing the movie if whether Jack inadvertently was shipping for Wing Kong. The movie is vague on this, but there are some interesting clues:
- Delivery Destination: In the film's opening scene, Jack is transporting crates labeled "Green Jade Imports" to Chinatown, where Wing Kong Enterprises has a significant presence from San Francisco to Chicago. However, the nature of the cargo remains ambiguous, and the suspicious behavior of the clients raises questions about its legitimacy.
* The film doesn't explicitly mention Jack's regular delivery routes, but it's reasonable to assume he might transport cargo to and from Chinatown, where Wing Kong Exchange operates.
- Mysterious Contents: The film never reveals the contents of the crates Jack delivers. This ambiguity allows for speculation that they might hold illegal or mystical items related to Wing Kong Enterprises' activities.
- The Cargo Switch: In Chinatown, the original cargo Jack was transporting gets switched with mysterious crates. While the contents of these crates are never revealed, their sudden appearance and the secrecy surrounding them suggest a connection to Lo Pan's nefarious activities.
- Unwitting Involvement: Jack's simple delivery job quickly becomes entangled with the supernatural forces surrounding Lo Pan. This unforeseen involvement suggests a connection between his seemingly ordinary task and the clandestine activities of Wing Kong Exchange.
- Visual Clues: Truck's Condition: Jack's truck, the Porkchop Express, appears battered and worn down, suggesting numerous long-distance trips and heavy loads. This could imply frequent deliveries related to Wing Kong Enterprises' import-export business and because he's obviously not a stranger to this area of San Francisco nor most its residents/businesses. I can't think of anything else related to "porkchop" other than Wang having a restaurant and one of the Elementals, IIRC, brandishes two chopping blades like he's about to slice up some pork chops or some other meat.
- Wing Kong's Resources: Wing Kong Exchanges' vast resources and connections could explain why Lo Pan is aware of Jack's involvement, even though he appears to be a simple truck driver.
- Irony and Subversion: The idea of Jack, an unsuspecting truck driver, unknowingly contributing to Lo Pan's operations adds a layer of irony and subverts expectations. This reinforces the film's theme of hidden forces and the interconnectedness of seemingly disparate worlds. Much like Tongs originally were set out to protect and structure the Asian community but many found themselves devolving into criminal enterprises. In the movie we clearly see a good Tong vs a criminalized Tong.
- Economic Critique: If Jack was unknowingly working for Wing Kong Enterprises, again this could be interpreted as a critique of our economic system, where individuals become unwitting pawns in the pursuit of profit and power.
Aside from I caught on pretty quickly to the connection between Jade=Green Eyes. In Chinese culture, jade symbolizes purity, virtue, and immortality. These qualities might also resonate with the prophecy's requirements, making jade a symbolic representation of the ideal possession/sacrifice for Lo Pan.
Some believe that jade possesses mystical properties like healing and protection. Lo Pan, obsessed with immortality and power, might see jade as a tool to enhance his magical abilities or even extend his life. But jade also serves as Lo Pan's corporation greed. Jade is a valuable stone, as one of the commodities they deal in. So there is an interest in pure financial gain in trading jade rather than appreciating it for its cultural significance.
Jade could be used in rituals or crafting mystical objects to enhance Lo Pan's magical powers or potentially be part of the sacrifice required to appease the God of the East.
As an aside, the character with green eyes, Miao Yin is an interesting name. I don't know the full significance of that name but when I looked it up online I got this result: yin miao (Chinese:陰廟; pinyin: Yīnmiào; lit. 'dark temple') are temples dedicated to wandering and homeless spirits, as opposed to yang miao, which are dedicated to deities. I don't know if that was intentional or not.
As a final note, I'm a big fan of movie fan edits. There does exist a fan edit out there which gives you the extended version of the movie https://ifdb.fanedit.org/big-trouble-in-little-china-fully-engorged-edition/ I've been meaning to check that version out.
You really should right a full essay about this; my comment section does not do justice to the level of thought you put into this. Shout me out in it and I’ll restack it.
Ah, right you are! I am working on a post right now to explore this movie in detail. Hopefully I'll have it done by tonight but if not by tomorrow.
Let me know.
Okay, got it done! https://metanoetics.substack.com/p/big-truths-about-little-china
Yet another article where I could have written more but I was reaching the limit where it would cut off the email part if I written more paragraphs so I had to stop there. I think I was done anyway.
I have not seen this movie, but now that I've read this essay I'm going to watch it. My wife and I watched "Band of Brothers" not long ago. What struck me at the end was all the survivors, almost to a man, went on to spend their working lives doing things live driving a taxi or working in a factory. The world's academic and economic elites hold no monopoly on competency and courage.
What an absolute treat it was to wake up to this fantastic essay. Me and my brothers watched this movie as often as possible. Jack Burton was one of our heroes with all of his bluster and humor and bravery.
I spent years being a self-employed, working class vagabond and wonder, as I read this, how much of an influence ol' Jack Burton had on my world view. Thank you for this reminder.
(I watched They Live at the height of the Covid hysteria and marveled at how prophetic it was and recently rewatched Halloween. John Carpenter is awesome.)
Hmm. Never expressed it that way but self-employed working class vagabond is a stunningly accurate descriptor, the through line jobs that got me outside and/or on the road, the more independence/own-boss the better. Even with a stable 25 year marriage in the middle, that encompassed two decades as a freelance movie location scout & manager. And the job that bridged to post marriage: postie. Until (working with my hands sorting mail) carpal tunnel hastened retirement and I’ve opened a successful retail operation with my partner which we sold so we just focus on advocating for and supporting her adult complex special needs son in assisted living. Because that’s all we have time for these days.
Well...there is enough time to watch BTLC tonight!
Dark Proletaria, Dark Academia -- both supposedly representing/possessing an enchanted world of ancient secrets hidden behind a facade of normalcy. Eh? What? What? That sounds like everyday, normal reality to me.
I hope for a (less) Dark Future in which Dark Academics become Dark Proletarians.
Work with your hands and your muscles. It can be fun.
Low probability future...
Yeah, I know, but what is life without dreams?
You had me at 'bioluminescense'💖
Aw, man! I had plans today. Now I’m going to have to rewatch the film. Again. First to find it — it better have successfully made the move across the Pacific Ocean…
I have long considered writing a suitable review of this shining masterpiece. I am happy to say, I no longer see any need to. This one is a masterpiece in itself.
Thank you for the praise, but I’m hardly the first or last word on the subject. I for one would be glad to see your take.
If I ever took a shot at it, the only thing I might add is a specifically Christian twist to the concept of the anarch (and to Carpenter's tale itself). But like I said: not necessary.
I think I already did my best review in person. I was at a birthday/engagement party, where everyone was clamoring for a toast but was either too drunk or too generally benighted to do so. I stepped into the void and said:
"Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run. May the wings of liberty never lose a feather."
They all cheered. None of them knew where I stole it from, or what the fuck I was even talking about. There's some art-power for ya.
Now excuse me while I swill my five-demon bag, and go fight evil sorcerers.
I'll also add I'm glad you didn't give any oxygen to postmodern readings. The cretins who can't see past their own belly buttons aren't worthy to even watch this form of art, let alone to comment on it.