Welcome to The Queue — your day by day distraction of curated video content material sourced from throughout the online. Immediately, we’re watching a video essay that explores the ticking time bomb that propels Guillermo del Toro’s film, The Satan’s Spine.
On the subject of weapons-based film metaphors, two ticking time bombs reign supreme.
One analogy comes courtesy of Alfred Hitchcock, who famously used a metaphor of a bomb hid underneath a desk as a method to describe the distinction between shock and suspense. In the event you’re watching a scene in a restaurant and — with out warning — a bomb goes off underneath a desk, the viewers might be shocked. Nonetheless, when you present the viewers the bomb earlier than it goes off (and lower to it intermittently ticking away to remind them of its presence), you’re going to create suspense.
The opposite explosives-based metaphor involves us from the world of the stage (ooh, how fancy). Named for the Russian playwright who used/abused the system often, Chekov’s Gun refers back to the dramatic precept that when you introduce one thing on-screen (or on the stage), it can come again and have an effect on the narrative later down the road. For example, if a personality has a really cool sword hanging on the wall of their workplace, dramatically, we’re all anticipating that sucker to play some half within the story down the road. It’s Uncut Gems’ “Why would you present it to me if I can’t have it” however for mise en scene.
This brings us to the subject of at present’s video essay: Guillermo del Toro’s 2001 movie, The Satan’s Spine, a movie that includes a number of ticking time bombs (together with a literal ticking time bomb) peppered all through the story of kids caught within the crossfire of an grownup battle. And because the essay notes, the bomb doesn’t actually must go off for all the pieces to blow up.
My best critics (it’s me, I’m my best critic) have identified that I tend to suggest super-duper lengthy video essays on this column. So within the curiosity of erring a bit extra on the snappy facet, I current the next self-described micro-essay, which is so quick you would in all probability watch it within the time it takes your toast to pop. Take pleasure in.
Watch “Chekov’s Spine”
Who made this?
This video essay on the ticking time bomb on the coronary heart of The Satan’s Spine is by the YouTuber max tooth. Their work runs a broad and engaging gamut from the relation of German thinker Walter Benjamin to M. Night time Shyamalan’s The Village to what Hitch can train us concerning the efficiency of masculinity. They solely began their account in December of final 12 months, so get on the bottom ground and help their work by subscribing to them on YouTube here. And you’ll observe them on Twitter here.
Extra movies like this
- For one more video from max tooth that digs into how Hollywood tackles class and generational wealth, look no additional than their examination of Legally Blonde.
- And one other, once more from max tooth, on the intelligent thematic costume work in Bad Education.
- And eventually, right here’s one other mini-essay from max tooth: this time, on the enigmatic “Christian vampire” drawback in horror fiction.
Associated Matters: Guillermo del Toro, The Devil’s Backbone, The Queue
Meg has been writing professionally about all issues film-related since 2016. She is a Senior Contributor at Movie College Rejects in addition to a Curator for One Excellent Shot. She has attended worldwide movie festivals resembling TIFF, Scorching Docs, and the Nitrate Image Present as a member of the press. In her day job as an archivist and data supervisor, she usually works with bodily media and is dedicated to making sure ongoing bodily media accessibility within the digital age. You’ll find extra of Meg’s work at Cinema Scope, Lifeless Central, and Nonfics. She has additionally appeared on various film-related podcasts, together with All of the President’s Minutes, Zodiac: Chronicle, Cannes I Kick It?, and Junk Filter. Her work has been shared on NPR’s Pop Tradition Joyful Hour, Enterprise Insider, and CherryPicks. Meg has a B.A. from the College of King’s Faculty and a Grasp of Data diploma from the College of Toronto.
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