Patrons of the Royal Cinema were treated this week to two esoteric films featuring two extraordinary gentlemen.
Collapse: Michael Ruppert was an L.A.P.D. officer in the 1970s who blew the whistle on possible C.I.A. drug trafficking in the city. Since then, he has written several books about public policy and the dangers of excessive consumption. The film is essentially an eighty-minute interview, juxtaposing Ruppert’s thoughts with campy 1950s documentary footage. The reassuring Cold War era footage contrasts with the strong words expressed during the interview.
It is a harsher version of Capitalism: A Love Story, taking the rhetoric to an extreme level. On the other hand, Ruppert might very well be protagonist of The Road because of his cautions and survival instinct. Or he is an idiot will a film crew and limited distribution that had provided a platform that is slightly wider and a little taller than what he is accustomed to.
Some of Ruppert’s critics have described him a “conspiracy theorist” who is “batsh-t insane” and the interview asks him to respond to these accusations. The former cop rebuffs the question and says that he needn’t justify himself to anyone. If I had read all of Ruppert’s works and attended a previous lecture, I might have shared his sentiment but since I was hearing about him and his theories for the first time, I would have appreciated more support. He constructs a logical argument that we can all appreciate but fails to dig deeper and provide alternatives to avert an impending global cataclysm. **
Big River Man: Martin Strel is a Slovenian endurance swimmer who has conquered some of the longest and most polluted rivers in the world (the Danube, Yangtze, and Mississippi to date) in order to raise awareness of humanity’s destructive influence on the environment. The documentary chronicles his attempt to swim the Amazon River, a feat which had not previously been accomplished. Strel is an intriguing character because he is an atypical athlete who drinks, eats badly, gambles, and teaches flamenco guitar.
Martin Strel is a Slovenian endurance swimmer who has conquered some of the longest and most polluted rivers in the world (the Danube, Yangtze, and Mississippi to date) in order to raise awareness of humanity’s destructive influence on the environment. Big River Man chronicles his attempt to swim the Amazon River, a feat which had not previously been accomplished. Strel is an intriguing character because he is an atypical athlete who drinks, eats badly, gambles, and teaches flamenco guitar.
As Strel swims the Amazon, he suffers from parasites, high blood pressure, sun stroke (leading to second degree burns), and illness – both physical and mental. Part of his insanity seems to be the result of physical exhaustion, the rest due to the mental fatigue caused by swimming fifty miles daily. At times, Strel and his crew seem to lose their minds and act in very bizarre ways. The film is artificial in a way; a man is performing a ridiculous stunt and a director films it under the pretence that it is a documentary somehow relevant to our daily lives. Nevertheless, though Martin Strel is not representative of all humans, the emotions that he displays are something to which all can relate. **½
The Moral of the Story: Obviously, sustainability is a major concern for humanity. Undue reliance on petroleum and excessive pollution have damaged the planet. We cannot continue to operate as we have done in the past. Neither film offers easy solutions and it is clear that none exist. It is not necessary to swim five thousand miles or publish numerous books but I think that it is reasonable for individuals to take small steps daily to make the planet a better place.
Don’t go out an hug a tree; just try not to do something that requires a transnational corporation to burn down a forest in another country.