Slavoj Zizek reacts to Children of Men
In class we watched Slavoj Zizek’s excellent commentary on Children of Men.
If you go here you will find a transcript, where he discusses issues including the foreground/background dynamics of the film, infertility and politics. Zizek brings a complex and informative view on Children of Men’s portrayal of London, the emotional state of the characters and overall vision of the film.
Please have a read!
In a recent lecture entitled ‘The Poetic-Military Complex, or, The Actuality of Plato’s Critique of Poetry’ Zizek comments that he gave the interview regarding the film before he saw the film, thus, he was ’sincerely sad and felt deceived upon seeing the film’. As he says, ‘If facts don’t fit theory, so much for the facts’.
That doesn’t make sense though – the lecture was so good and informed; thoughtful. Why would he present that level of analysis if he hadn’t seen it? Surely that was a misguided action on his part. I think its an excellent reading of the film.
I know! That’s what makes the whole thing a farce! In the interview he doesn’t name specifics, just some generalities about bio-politics and Hegel. I think it was for the money… and he’ll probably agree. I’m sure he was paid something to get put on the film DVD, just as he was paid to free associate ideas for Abercrombe and Fitch:
http://osdir.com/ml/politics.marxism.analysis/2003-12/msg00199.html
This is capitalism realism at work! Intellectual anti-capitalist brought in to give credibility to consumer product. Funny world.