Comments on: The Long Dark Night of WALL-E’s Soul http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/ Overthinking It subjects the popular culture to a level of scrutiny it probably doesn't deserve. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:16:09 +0000 hourly 1 By: DPL http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1480 DPL Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:56:01 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1480 And what about Wall-E's collection of eyes which he kept in his home? U think that does count for ghoulish activity. And what about Wall-E’s collection of eyes which he kept in his home? U think that does count for ghoulish activity.

]]> By: M Chan http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1023 M Chan Sat, 09 Aug 2008 04:07:48 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1023 Actually, there is a scene clearly showing Wall-E at home, removing his new treads and hanging them up for the night, similar to the late great Mister Rogers hanging up his red cardigan between episodes. In Wall-E's anatomy, treads aren't exactly body parts; they're more like working boots. I think we can all agree that stealing shoes off a dead man (which I believe is done routinely in WW2 and Vietnam War movies) is not an activity reserved for just the Undead. Actually, there is a scene clearly showing Wall-E at home, removing his new treads and hanging them up for the night, similar to the late great Mister Rogers hanging up his red cardigan between episodes. In Wall-E’s anatomy, treads aren’t exactly body parts; they’re more like working boots. I think we can all agree that stealing shoes off a dead man (which I believe is done routinely in WW2 and Vietnam War movies) is not an activity reserved for just the Undead.

]]> By: mlawski http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1020 mlawski Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:47:11 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1020 On the "Wall-E is a cannibal" topic, I think the film got away with that - and some other things - not because he was cute but because he was a robot. Stealing body parts from another robot isn't the same as stealing body parts from a person. Although, interestingly, the film didn't show Wall-E taking the other robot's treads. They did it during a cut, probably so audiences wouldn't get squeamish about it. This all brings up the question: if we're supposed to care about Wall-E as a "person," then why do we, the audience, not care when other robots bite the dust? For instance, remember the part where the Captain throws one of the Evil Robots out the window onto the Lido deck and it just goes kersplat right next to the pool? Did anyone else find that mildly disturbing? I mean, if it were a person, Pixar would cut away, I'm sure. And for a G-rated film, there sure was a lot of violence... but it was robot-on-robot violence, which is totally cool. Now I don't know what to feel. On the “Wall-E is a cannibal” topic, I think the film got away with that – and some other things – not because he was cute but because he was a robot. Stealing body parts from another robot isn’t the same as stealing body parts from a person. Although, interestingly, the film didn’t show Wall-E taking the other robot’s treads. They did it during a cut, probably so audiences wouldn’t get squeamish about it.

This all brings up the question: if we’re supposed to care about Wall-E as a “person,” then why do we, the audience, not care when other robots bite the dust? For instance, remember the part where the Captain throws one of the Evil Robots out the window onto the Lido deck and it just goes kersplat right next to the pool? Did anyone else find that mildly disturbing? I mean, if it were a person, Pixar would cut away, I’m sure. And for a G-rated film, there sure was a lot of violence… but it was robot-on-robot violence, which is totally cool.

Now I don’t know what to feel.

]]> By: Mark http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1013 Mark Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:05:52 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1013 What about the "Cannibal (E)Pocalypse?" What about the “Cannibal (E)Pocalypse?”

]]> By: stokes http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1012 stokes Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:55:42 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1012 Shana - not only that, but the film reinforces the classic hollywood dynamic of exceedingly sexy girls (an Imac being the current gold standard for computer sexiness), winding up with exceedingly shlubby guys. Shana – not only that, but the film reinforces the classic hollywood dynamic of exceedingly sexy girls (an Imac being the current gold standard for computer sexiness), winding up with exceedingly shlubby guys.

]]> By: stokes http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1011 stokes Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:50:52 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1011 Well, I think if there was a little scene where WALL-E checked to make sure that the robo-corpse had filled out an organ donor card, the whole thing would be much less distressing (and therefore less effective). As for stem cell research, it doesn't really fit the allegory unless you assume that embryos are people, and I'd just as soon not open that particular can of worms in this space. There is an interesting point in there somewhere, though, about how certain activities are acceptable when performed by a doctor in a hospital, but horrifying when performed by a civilian in a garbage dump. Institutional distance, baby! p.s. Fenzel, let me just say that I'm shocked - shocked! - that you chose to comment about bioethics and not about John Saxon. Well, I think if there was a little scene where WALL-E checked to make sure that the robo-corpse had filled out an organ donor card, the whole thing would be much less distressing (and therefore less effective). As for stem cell research, it doesn’t really fit the allegory unless you assume that embryos are people, and I’d just as soon not open that particular can of worms in this space.

There is an interesting point in there somewhere, though, about how certain activities are acceptable when performed by a doctor in a hospital, but horrifying when performed by a civilian in a garbage dump. Institutional distance, baby!

p.s. Fenzel, let me just say that I’m shocked – shocked! – that you chose to comment about bioethics and not about John Saxon.

]]> By: fenzel http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1010 fenzel Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:20:52 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1010 Yeah, Wall-E is definitely an example of the kind of guy that Hollywood and television and other moral prosthetlitizers insist that every guy should be, but also the kind of guy that no woman in her right mind would want to be around, let alone sleep with. If I were to write that OTI post, I'd start with a childhood of listening to Richard Marx on my mom's car radio and its effect on my notions of romance and dating in my teenage years. Talk about a Long Dark Night of the Soul. About the main post, I'll bite -- Stokes, what do you think about organ transplants? Or stem cell research? Yeah, Wall-E is definitely an example of the kind of guy that Hollywood and television and other moral prosthetlitizers insist that every guy should be, but also the kind of guy that no woman in her right mind would want to be around, let alone sleep with.

If I were to write that OTI post, I’d start with a childhood of listening to Richard Marx on my mom’s car radio and its effect on my notions of romance and dating in my teenage years.

Talk about a Long Dark Night of the Soul.

About the main post, I’ll bite —

Stokes, what do you think about organ transplants?

Or stem cell research?

]]> By: mlawski http://www.overthinkingit.com/2008/08/08/the-long-dark-night-of-wall-es-soul/#comment-1007 mlawski Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:09:46 +0000 http://www.overthinkingit.com/?p=979#comment-1007 Over the past couple of weeks I've been rattling off a speech along these lines, but with an insufferably feminist bent. It goes like this: Everyone would have HATED Wall-E if he were a girl. Because then it wouldn't be, "Aww, look at the cute poor robot looking for love." It would be, "OMG this crazy stalker girlfriend is fucking SCARY." The end. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been rattling off a speech along these lines, but with an insufferably feminist bent. It goes like this:

Everyone would have HATED Wall-E if he were a girl. Because then it wouldn’t be, “Aww, look at the cute poor robot looking for love.” It would be, “OMG this crazy stalker girlfriend is fucking SCARY.”

The end.

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