Through the Looking Glass: 15. The Greening of the Entertainment Media

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

15. The Greening of the Entertainment Media

When I stepped into the environmental field more than thirty years ago I was looked upon as a pariah at worst and nutcase at best. Over three decades the movement has gathered momentum worldwide. Neighbourhoods, corporations and eventually governments all climbed slowly aboard. Today we celebrate 'greening' efforts rather than applying for writs to have environmentalists committed.

Today we celebrate with the 'Purple Pickle Award'. Bestowed for recycling, the television and film media are being recognized for their efforts.

When one examines the modern television and the degree and effort they have gone to, one is astounded. The following list is but a small sample of their 'greening'.

The 'Beverly Hillbillys' has evolved into 'Duck Dynasty'.
'It Takes a Thief' has been reborn as 'White Collar'.
'Father Knows Best' grew into 'Married with Children' and morphed into 'Modern Family'.
'The $64000 Question' enlarged in 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?'.
'The Dating Game' became 'The Bachelor'.
'The Fugitive' escaped into 'Prison-break'.
'The Waltons' enlarged into '19 Kids and Counting'.
'The Newly Wed Game' mutated into 'Bridezilla' and 'Till Debt Do Us Part'.

Aside from television entertainment, areas of news, weather and sports have fallen into step as well. The same world crisis, horrific storms and player trades seem to dominate the news today as they did in the sixties. Locations have changed, wind speed has risen and speculation has increased but the same tragedy, damage and obsessional mindlessness remain.

Not to be outdone the silver screen has held up its end of 'greening'. H.G. Wells 'War of the Worlds' went from print to Orson Wells' radio broadcast to movie houses. In 1996 it was recycled as 'Independence Day'.

Many regenerations have not even gone so far as to change the title. 'King Kong' has reopened twice under the same name. 'Red Dawn' has done a double as well. 'Dracula' has had many rebirths under the same banner.

Some films have the potential for multiple regenerations. The single most famous is 'Rocky'... versions I through XXIV. Carrie, Freddy and Halloween have all demonstrated the the horror genre recyclability. James Bond has been unfolded regularly for fifty years... attesting to the worth of recycling explosions, dangerous driving and gadgets.

Congratulations and proof positive of the 'greening' of the entertainment industry. Efforts at recycling in the five hundred channel universe and the myriad of movie house franchises are recognized. We award the you the coveted award of the 'Purple Pickle'. As an additional honour we will withhold any suggestion of where to stuff it.

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Introduction

Having moved at least twenty-five times in fifteen years has opened a world of learning to me. In six decades, an education ranging from the coldness of large cities to the isolation of remote rural locations to the busybody gossip of small towns and the wonder of the prairie and it's ocean of grass have all left their impressions on me.

Recently I relocated to a small city in British Columbia. It touted itself as a historical, cultural, educational and, over-all wonderful, place to live. Once I was past the trees and the rocks, the heights and the hills, the water and the wind, I calmed down and was ready to look at the people I was sharing that space with.

Every location I have ever squatted has had it's share of characters. Players in the cities along with the wide range of tinfoil hat wearers and baggy pants skaters were a given. Pop up strangers at odd hours surprised me with their appearance in the middle of nowhere. Rumours of my serial killer past from neighbours I had never met never swayed me. The wonder of gazing on the effects of wind on the grass ocean interrupted by a landowner enquiring why I was leaning on his fence was oft forgiven.

In this new locale a variety of characters as I had experienced elsewhere was a given. The density and variety of them however gave me more surprise than I would have expected.

I had heard comments about this place being a time warp to the sixties. However I only saw few that , by their appearance, I could say lived through the sixties. What apparitions appeared were younger and more colourful than I remember from that vague decade.

Purple haired strong armed accordionists, heavy head shaved violinists clutching tiny instruments, winter coated scarf wrapped individuals in shorts and oddly calm people with large coffees wandered the streets.

They wandered in and out of new age crystal shops, expressed opinions on local radio, bought nothing but organic food. They played jazz on squeeze boxes, made strings and wood sing in ways not intended, talked to themselves as they tightened their scarves and became more serene with each sip of coffee.

Characters here are more concentrated than in any other locale I have ever lived. It is a point of interest as well as point of concern.

It remains to be seen whether I will be mugged with organic carrots, side swiped by hooligan mountain bikers, be harangued with advice on dressing warmly or kept awake nights by jazzy sounds from an errant squeeze box. Whatever the outcome I am certain I could find it in no other place on earth to explore these particular uncertainties.

Until I am transplanted again, I extend every new-ager and boarder, every subculture economist and spiritualist, every would-be and wanna-be my deep thanks for extending me the opportunity of educating myself one measure more.