Freud, Darwin, Marx: How Are They Located In Current Cultural Artifacts?
...biological, historical, and psychological perspectives. Their ideas can still be applied to current issues and cultural artifacts. As time progresses their ideas are still the foundation of many other theories. Each would analyze two cultural artifacts of Western Civilization: Grand Illusion (1937) by Jean Renoir, and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1999) by Mike Myers differently.
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery has several discrete messages and references. Austin Power’s has to adapt to the changes in society that occurred since he was frozen in 1967 to when he was unfrozen in 1997. Austin has to overcome the new vies of the nineties society. This includes less sexual liberation, a more conservative view, and in general the historical events that occurred while he was frozen. As Miss Kensington says, “I sometimes forget that you haven’t been around for the last thirty years…” Several scenes in the movie are up to interpretation by Freud, Darwin, and Marx.
Freud’s analysis of Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery would focus on the psychological aspects in the movie. Near the end of the movie Dr. Evil says, “Isn't it ironic, Mr. Powers, that the very things you stand for; swinging, free love, parties, distrust of authority- are all now, in the Nineties, considered to be...evil?” Austin responds by saying, “No, man, what we swingers were rebelling against were uptight squares like you, whose bag was money and world domination. We were innocent, man. If we'd known the consequences of our sexual liberation, we would have done things differently, but the spirit would have remained the same. It's freedom, man.” Freud is quoted as saying, “The urge of freedom, is therefore, directed against particular forms and demands of civilization or against civilization altogether….No doubt he will always defend his claim to...
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