Comments on: PRUDISH PENGUINS http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107 alistair appletons blog Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:58:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jack http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107&cpage=1#comment-99 Jack Tue, 04 Oct 2005 16:00:58 +0000 http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107#comment-99 Documentaries are necessarily subjective, no? Even if the author's intent is to be objective, the final result will always be informed (consciously or not) by his/her biases and experiences. March of the Penguins is being billed as a documentary that upholds "Family Values" - the euphemism in the US for heterosexual/normative nuclear families. The movie fails to note - and some argue, actively omits - that while penguins mate for life - they sometimes mate for life with a penguin of the same sex. This is the "messiness" of life: there are infinite permutations beyond the "norm". The makers of the documentaries missed out on (or dismissed) the opportunity to use the penguin colonies as a way to put up a mirror on our own societies, but instead, used it to create a straight-laced normative narrative that we've heard so many times before. Documentaries are necessarily subjective, no? Even if the author’s intent is to be objective, the final result will always be informed (consciously or not) by his/her biases and experiences.
March of the Penguins is being billed as a documentary that upholds “Family Values” – the euphemism in the US for heterosexual/normative nuclear families. The movie fails to note – and some argue, actively omits – that while penguins mate for life – they sometimes mate for life with a penguin of the same sex. This is the “messiness” of life: there are infinite permutations beyond the “norm”. The makers of the documentaries missed out on (or dismissed) the opportunity to use the penguin colonies as a way to put up a mirror on our own societies, but instead, used it to create a straight-laced normative narrative that we’ve heard so many times before.

]]> By: David http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107&cpage=1#comment-83 David Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:48:19 +0000 http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107#comment-83 Actually, I should have said most bird species don't. There are a few species of ducks and the ostrich that have a penis like sexual organ. Most birds have a cloaca, which is a cavity that their intestinal and reproductive empty to. Birds mate by touching their cloacas together to pass the semen. So, in most birds all you can ever really see is mounting and pressing their bodies together. Actually, I should have said most bird species don’t. There are a few species of ducks and the ostrich that have a penis like sexual organ. Most birds have a cloaca, which is a cavity that their intestinal and reproductive empty to. Birds mate by touching their cloacas together to pass the semen. So, in most birds all you can ever really see is mounting and pressing their bodies together.

]]> By: David http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107&cpage=1#comment-82 David Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:37:08 +0000 http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107#comment-82 Just for the record birds don't have penises, so you will never be seeing one in any documentary. :) Just for the record birds don’t have penises, so you will never be seeing one in any documentary. :)

]]> By: Brian http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107&cpage=1#comment-64 Brian Sat, 10 Sep 2005 06:53:22 +0000 http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107#comment-64 Powaqaatsi! That's all I've got to say when it comes to documentaries. Powaqaatsi! That’s all I’ve got to say when it comes to documentaries.

]]> By: Danny http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107&cpage=1#comment-62 Danny Fri, 09 Sep 2005 19:55:52 +0000 http://alistairappleton.com/blog/?p=107#comment-62 I believe that you prove my point so well Anon. I don't think I ever called anyone "ignorant" or any other thing for that matter. And yet a whole group of people are labelled as ignorant according to your comment. My orig comment, as I stated, was simply an observation. The movie is Hollywood's version of a subject, and to call it "real", call it a documentary of life events, -- when you see that hollywood version and you do not go deeper to reseach actual facts, it is inane. That film was edited so well in that it gave a one sided view. It was done to make money. Michael Moore simply put more money into his pocket. My comment in earlier posts was an observation based on my travels. And no we are not great "white liberators" as you call us. Nor "ignorant" Americans as you call us. I hope we don't slide down the path of name calling. Nor make this a political forum. Instead of name calling, I wish everyone here the best. We all have views, I just hope that before judging that we do some homework. Anyway good luck to all. And sorry Alistair if this has turned political. There are so many people that need help and bickering doesn't help at all. We should all stand together as a community. And stop the hatered that runs rampant throughout the world based on "hollywood", "one sided media stories, and just mere destructive hate. Best wishes and good luck to all, Danny (happy living with my boyfriend and have good friends that are caring and generous) Again, best of luck to everyone out there. We are all fans of Alistair and his beautiful smile. Take care! I believe that you prove my point so well Anon. I don’t think I ever called anyone “ignorant” or any
other thing for that matter. And yet a whole group of people are labelled as ignorant
according to your comment. My orig comment, as I stated, was simply an observation.
The movie is Hollywood’s version of a subject, and to call it “real”, call it a documentary
of life events, –
when you see that hollywood version and you do not go deeper to reseach actual
facts, it is
inane. That film was edited so well in that it gave a one sided view. It was done to
make money. Michael Moore simply put more money into his pocket.

My comment in earlier posts was an observation based on my travels. And no we
are not great “white liberators” as you call us. Nor “ignorant” Americans as you call us.
I hope we don’t slide down the path of name calling. Nor make this a political forum.
Instead of name calling, I wish everyone here the best. We all have views, I just hope that
before judging that we do some homework.
Anyway good luck to all. And sorry Alistair if this has turned political. There are so many people
that need help and bickering doesn’t help at all.
We should all stand together as a community. And stop the hatered that runs rampant
throughout the world based on “hollywood”, “one sided media stories, and just mere
destructive hate.
Best wishes and good luck to all,
Danny (happy living with my boyfriend and have good friends that are caring and
generous)
Again, best of luck to everyone out there. We are all fans of Alistair and his beautiful smile.
Take care!

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