From: "robert winkler" <robert.winkler@canrem.com>
Subject: "moon 44" (was re: anothe
Reply-To: "robert winkler" <robert.winkler@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: rec
Date: 26 Dec 92 07:54:04 EST

Howdy George!

Happy holidays ! (I guess this is the safest, whether you celebrate
Chanukkah or Xmas).

I started out so friendly 'cause I'm planning to kill you for you critic
of Moon 44.
    First of all, that Julia-Gibson business in the middle of your
message is rather distracting - either you were answering to something
else too, or mixed up two separate messages.
    Second, you say that Parre plays the "same tough character as all in
his movies" - so what? If we start judging the movies by the
stereotypical casting of actors, you can discard everything having come
from Hollywood. I'd recommend that you start with the Terminators
(Schwarzenegger plays the same indestructible killing machine as in
almost all of his movies, only he CAN'T act half as much as Parre), then
you carry on with the rest - even SW & Aliens are prone to show
typecasting.
    Third, it's NOT two bunch of prisoners, one half is macho, the other
is pencil-geek - it's ONE bunch of macho prisoners and ONE bunch of
specially gifted teenagers (computer wizards, I think), who all had a
record, but the children are under contract, while the prisoners have
the business as an alternative to horrible prison or worse.
    Fourth, there's no "unexplained" loyalty toward Parre, just as there
are no more logical and technical flaws than in an average (but still
good) s/f movie. In fact, I prefer Moon 44 to Alien 3 ANY TIME. Why the
geeks & the prisoners are matched is that the prisoners have the
physical structure (& are expendable enough) to pilot the helicopters,
while the geeks have the gift to navigate them by radio. Just between
the two of us, the idea has been used by several other (brand name) s/f
authors, & I even seem to remember that it has some real life example as
well. They become loyal to Parre - although I'd rather use the word
"allied" - because they realize that the company decided to sacrifice
the whole station with all its personel, regardless of their status or
position. It's awfully similar to the scenario played out in Alien 3,
the latter of course made some 10 years later than Moon 44. As for the
geeks, they support Parre precisely 'cause he's the ONLY guy around who
has a conscience and some intelliegence, as opposed to the psycho
prisoners. Also, he happens to smoothen the relationship between the two
groups.
    As for the homo-erotic atmosphere, it may be emphasized a bit too
much (yes, they DO show a rape, although not explicitly), but
unfortunately the movie's only realistic in this respect. Due to my
previous studies I visited several prisons in an East-European country
(JUST AS A VISITOR !), and judging just from those few glimpses of
reality that could not be hidden, homosexual rape of teenagers is about
as much a part of prison-life as bars and guards...
    Your "unstated assumption" of homosexual love as an explanation for
the loyalty, therefore, stinks. If anything, the movie is explicitly
against homosexuality (which might dishevel some feders, but that's
another subject).
    IMHO the movie is very similar to Outland, made with Connery, at
least in atmosphere. The special f/x, mattes & models are pretty good
too.
    In any case, take care (& don't get pissed off - it's just a
theoretical disagreement)

    Robert
--
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