I remember popping the bootlegged video cassette tape into our dusty old VCR. Lights off, window curtains closed. Sitting on the ground of our small stuffy rented room arms length from the new 17 inch TV my parents treated us to. No remote, just dial channel turner. This was after couple years of my sister and I continuously begged our parents for it.
This thing was huge, the size of a large microwave with a fake wooden pattern plastic case. We were immigrates into Canada and this was considered a major entertainment event for me as we could not afford going out or anything else that cost money for that matter.
I was in awed with Batman, the original. I loved the movie so much I watched it at least five to eight times complete from start to finish. I’ve always been a fan of Batman. I was a comic book fan but didn’t truly connect with any hero except for Batman. The main reason was he was human. No special powers. He was just like us. Something I can aspire to. And he was dark.
15 years later as I watched the Dark Knight, I remember the early days and compared how our society has changed during this time. Also with each Batman movie how the movie reflected the society and how it can affect society.
For instance the Batmobile is symbolic of how our society has changed. The original Batmobile was more of a showcar than a pragmatic crime fighting car. Whereas the new Batmobile is a grungy practical machine, small, compact, nimble, and looks pretty durable. If you compare the Batman himself, in the last two movies he is more human and flawed. You can see his weaknesses and mental angst. He gets attack by dogs, fights his moral dilemmas, in fight scenes he gets hurt. He is not perfect, he is human, he is not immortal but he tries his best. It’s no coincidence that other recent action flicks has this characteristic, movies such as the Borne series, the latest James Bond, and to a degree Spiderman. Movies are a reflection of society and culture.
We are at a point in our society where we are moving towards a deeper consciousness of our environment and our mortality. We believe that we are each flawed, we knowingly do things we should not. What ultimately matters is that we maintain our principles. That’s what make us a hero but it doesn’t come easy. It’s a constant battle.
This is clear of the eco movement. We know that there’s no easy turnkey solution and it’s not going to be easy but we have our principles. We know that we each can’t be fully sustainable over night and many things we do damages the environment but what matters is that we do the best can. Our principle is to constantly strive to change and make everyday decisions that will help.
As I spent the whole summer trying to come up with the theme for Fall 2008 and Winter 2010 collection nothing I came up with seems right. As I impatiently waited to watch The Dark Knight I knew it would have a major impact on the collection but didn’t know how. After a good night sleep after the movie the concept became clear to me. But as my unconscious continues to play, and our culture continues to shift, change, and surprise no one will know what will finally come out. Not even me, but that's the fun of it all.
