Loopy Fiasco

[parma_violets]

Tucked away as subtext in the American critics' discussions of whether Nacho Libre, the new film from Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess, starring Jack Black and written by Mike School of Rock White, is funny or not (most would seem to think not), there's an interesting sub-debate; was Napoleon Dynamite racist?

Premiere magazine have posted a

Comments

[momentsmusicaux]

I saw Napoleon Dynamite for the first time last night, and prior to reading this entry I'd never even heard of it. (Yeah, it's a nice cave I live in.)

I was on the lookout for anything racist, but didn't spot it. Yes, Pedro is a funny little dork, but THEY ALL ARE! I suppose there's the stereotype of the two tough guys in the sports car, but Summer is a stereotype popular girl, and so on.
I loved the way it's shot, the slightly stilted pacing. eg when N is at the dance, and we suddenly cut to a wider shot and Pedro and Deb are already standing there. It reminded me a bit of Little Britain, 'Here I am with the dessert trolley', or the first series of Look Around You.
Overall I laughed my socks off.
My friend reckons LaFawnduh is a transexual because of her feet and the occasional detail like her riding the horse in front of Kip. But I don't think so.

[parma_violets]

Yes, that's exactly what I thought! There was also a letter into Sight & Sound accusing it of being misogynistic because its female lead had "an anachronistic hairstyle which was clearly there to be mocked". Phew, good job none of the male characters were similarly afflicted, eh, readers?

I agree about the framing and the stilted pace. It reminded me of Wes Anderson, who also shoots his movies like a 1970s edition of Open University. For some reason it makes everything funnier.

I heard the LaFawnduh theory too. It didn't really occur to me; I think everyone looks more masculine compared to Kip. The actor who plays her is in fact a woman. Then again, so is Felicity Huffman in Transamerica...