Ground Control Major Tom - Dead Man Review

 

Review

Congratulations, if you are reading this, we have made it to the end of the semester! Dead Man has much to explore regarding our identities and the forces at play that continue to shape how we occupy space. The film is conveniently set in the backdrop of the American West at the peak of its territorialization. With fur trappers and white men abundant, the film explores not only the reterritorialization of the West but also William Blake’s identity. 

The protagonist, William Blake, undergoes quite a transformation throughout the film. Initially, we meet him as a timid accountant, but as he journeys through the American West, he takes on a new identity as an outlaw. This shift in identity parallels the process of reterritorialization, where existing roles and identities are broken down (deterritorialized), and new ones are formed (reterritorialized). The scene that signifies the crux of this transformation is when Blake is involved in a gunfight where he kills a man and is wounded. He becomes a fugitive on the run from a formidable crew of bounty hunters. This moment marks the beginning of Blake's transformation. His accidental killing of a man and subsequent flight from the law symbolizes a forced deterritorialization from his previous life and identity. His subsequent journey with ‘Nobody’ becomes the space where his reterritorialization occurs, reshaping his entire personhood. 

In addition, Nobody’s introduction is a pivotal scene in the film. Leaning over William to cut out the bullet lodged in his chest, we immediately are met with Nobody’s disdain towards his colonizers with the line ‘stupid fucking white man’. Nobody is the primary driver of Blake’s shifting identity by providing Blake with a new cultural and spiritual framework. The frontier, away from the structured society of Machine, allows for an overhaul of Blake's identity, guided by Nobody's beliefs and teachings.

Reaction

Honestly, I still don’t know how I feel about the movie. Dead Man was a strange and slow film that has me still thinking. It almost felt as if it got more pleasure from thinking about itself than providing a clear arc. Maybe that is the whole point? Yet, it provided an interesting jumping-off point for thinking about identity and the many ways ours are shifting. 

During the lectures, the film The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was mentioned, which provided a helpful reframe for me. Considering that I like it much more than Dead Man, it was a useful guidepost for thinking about identity and territorialization. Mitty parallels Dead Man in its exploration of territorialization through the transformation of its protagonist. Both films depict journeys that take their characters from controlled, limiting environments into expansive, transformative spaces, leading to profound personal reinvention. Walter's journey led him to become more confident, adventurous, and connected to the world around him. His transformation was evident in his newfound courage and willingness to take risks, all to the tune of David Bowe’s Space Oddity. 

All this is to say, both films made me think about the ‘midlife crisis’ that has come to haunt middle-aged men everywhere. Joking aside, both films feel like crisis movies to me and the identities we tool in their aftermath. A midlife crisis often involves re-evaluating one's life choices, achievements, and identity. This re-evaluation can be seen as deterritorialization, where previously stable territories (such as career, relationships, and personal values) are questioned and disrupted. “As Deleuze and Guattari write, "we are always afraid of losing ... the great molar organizations that [sustain] us, the arborescences we cling to, the binary machines that give us a well defined status ... the system of overcoding that dominates us” (Wallin, 2010). When you lose that, what do you have but a red Corvette and a young girlfriend? 

Analysis

It is no coincidence that the film takes place in the American West as the frontier was being settled and industrialization was taking form. Vast swaths of wilderness were being transformed into towns, railroads, and industrial sites, all representing the process of territorialization. What better way to explore identity than in the backdrop of the territorialization of the American West?

The process of territorialization in Dead Man involves establishing boundaries between the wild and the civilized. The town of Machine, for instance, represents a space where rules, roles, and hierarchies are enforced. Which is telling, considering we meet a town in disarray in the first scene; however, when compared to the lawlessness we are introduced to in the frontier, the occasional sex work feels rather banal. The frontier operates on its own set of rules, where Blake is forced to adapt to a new role as he transitions from a passive character to an active one. 

In addition, the film explores the clash between cultures, namely Native Americans and European settlers. Dead Man uses ‘Nobody’ to explore territorial boundaries and cultural practices, in contrast to the white settlers, often leading to conflict and resistance. The interactions reflect the dynamic nature of territorialization, where different groups contest and negotiate their spaces and identities. At its core, the film rests on “the compulsion to secure land or the ‘territorial temptation’ is grounded in the fact that territory remains a zero-sum scenario. Following the division of the entire world's land area into sovereign states, any territorial gain by one state logically means a territorial loss for some other state” (Diener &Hagen, 2009). Following this logic, the settlers' attempts to impose their norms and control over the land are met with resistance from the Native Americans, who are fighting to maintain their own ways of life. This dynamic illustrates the dual processes of deterritorialization (displacement of native peoples/practices) and reterritorialization (imposition of settler norms).

In summary, Dead Man uses its setting and characters to explore themes of territorialization, showing how spaces and identities are constantly shaped, contested, and transformed in the context of the American frontier. 

References 

Diener, A. C., & Hagen, J. (2009). Theorizing borders in a ‘borderless world’: Globalization, territory and identity. Geography Compass, 3(3), 1196-1216.

Wallin, J. J. (2010). Deleuzian approach to curriculum : essays on a pedagogical life. Palgrave Macmillan.

Identity Thief Review

 

Review

Identity Thief made me think a lot about the artifacts that represent who we are. From Social Security numbers to credit cards and driver's licenses, plastic carries much weight. The scene that jumps out at me is the intro, where this power dynamic is fully displayed. Right out of the gate, we meet Diana, or more like it, the many versions of Diana and her copious number of ids and credit cards in tow. Licenses from Florida to Colorado litter her room with fake names to match. Gazing at the dozens of fake driver’s licenses she has hung up on the wall reminded me of the one common denominator: Diana’s face. While names, states, and addresses were all up for grabs, the only constant was her face. 

Faciality, as described by Deleuze and Guattari, plays a significant role in how authority and surveillance operate in modern society. The face becomes a key identifier, a surface on which power dynamics are projected and maintained. “ Faciality also produces the world he or she moves in and through. It produces modes of being through certain assemblages of power” (Austin & Rouse, 2022). 

Identity Thief smartly uses this concept by showcasing the fluidity of identity. Diana's ability to assume multiple identities by changing her appearance and using forged documents underscores how faces can be manipulated to fit different social roles and expectations. Her face, when combined with the appropriate social signals (name, age, address), allows her to navigate various social systems without detection. 

Diana's various disguises and manipulations illustrate the fluidity of identity. While her face is initially a tool for deception, it also reveals vulnerability and a backstory that humanizes her. This aligns with Deleuze and Guattari's idea that the face can both conceal and reveal deeper truths about an individual.

Reaction 

In the name of honesty, this movie is very forgettable. I didn't love it when it came out and have come to the same conclusion this time. Putting my grievances aside, watching it using the lens of theory as an anchor has been interesting. It also has me paranoid. Identity theft is a lot easier to get away with in a post-globalized society. “As of 2021, about 1 in 5 persons (22%) had experienced identity theft in their lifetime” (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2023). Hello - that is a lot of people. I would imagine that the reporting is missing the mark for the actual numbers. Fraudsters are given an edge because victims are less likely to report due to the shame and embarrassment that can accompany fraud. “Older adults are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs” (MyCreditUnion.gov). All of this makes me think back to societies of control and the mechanisms that can be used to silence people. Shame is an excellent secret keeper.

In addition, Identity Thief reminds me of the concept of ‘dividuals.’ In a sense, we are all recognized as vehicles for data. I am my social security number, my W2, and my driver’s license, as well as the many artifacts that signify my identity. These artifacts are the difference between signing for a mortgage, applying for a job, and even the ability to get a fishing license. They all come together to form a sense of who we are (where we live, how much money we make, where we are employed). 

Interpretation 

While there is much to unpack, I will focus on the film's commentary on power structures and how they are mediated through facial recognition and identity.The use of driver's licenses, credit cards, and other forms of identification in the film underscores how power structures rely on facial recognition to enforce control and order. Diana's ability to subvert these systems by changing her appearance and using Sandy's name challenges the rigidity of these power structures.

The heavy reliance on visual forms of identification underscores a society that values appearance as a primary identity marker, which can lead to both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, it simplifies processes like travel and banking. On the other, it can lead to issues like profiling. For example, Madison Square Garden has made the news for putting “lawyers who represent people suing it on an exclusion list to keep them out of concerts and sporting events” via facial ID technology (Hill & Kilgannon, 2022). While facial recognition systems are tools that authorities use to enforce laws and regulations and have been used for over a decade, private companies are setting a dangerous precedent. These systems rely on the assumption that a face is a stable and reliable marker of identity. By controlling and monitoring faces, private companies can exert power over individuals, ensuring compliance within their defined set of norms. 

Extending beyond a legal framework, surveillance technology is as pervasive as the phone in your pocket. We are increasingly surrounded by these technologies, from face ID to ring cameras. However, as the film helps point out, it can also uphold inequitable power structures. Diana’s character is at the peak of invisibility within American society (aka a middle-aged white woman), so she subverts the idea of a singular, stable identity tied to a face. Her actions suggest that identity is not inherent or fixed but can be constructed and deconstructed based on social contexts and needs. Taking on the identity of a middle-aged white man certainly has its perks that aren’t handed over to women. The white man’s face is the ultimate signifier of power. Beyond gender, “faciality becomes a basis for racism where race is topographically categorized in relation to the White-Man’s face” (Austin & Rouse, 2022). 

The film raises ethical questions about using facial recognition and surveillance technologies. Central concerns are the potential for upholding inequitable power structures and abusing individual freedoms. Diana's subversion of these systems critiques systems' overreliance on visual markers and the potential for exploitation.

References 

Austin, E. K., & Rouse, R. (2022). Faciality and the Assembly of Organizational Subjectivity: Considering the Possibilities of Emancipation in Management Theory. Tamara Journal of Critical Organisation Inquiry, 20(1), 24–43. https://doi.org/10.7206/tamara.1532-5555.11

Hill, K., & Kilgannon, C. (2022, December 22). Madison Square Garden Uses Facial Recognition to Ban Its Owner’s Enemies. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/22/nyregion/madison-square-garden-facial-recognition.html