Edit, It is implied that they are either divorced or brother and sister. | Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited. Walter Mung recognizes him and quickly sedates him with an injection of fluid karma. Together the two have written a screenplay, called "The Power," that tells the story of the end of the world. Edit, Awards The Treer company is a German defense contractor that employs Dr. Inga Von Westphalen, a zeppelin designer and the Baron's mother. When Vaughn threatens her, she tells him that she has multiple copies, then Tasers him in the balls. The Treer generators were slowing the rotation of Earth by .0000006 mile per hour (.9 inch per day, or 2.3 centimeters per day), per day, which caused strange effects around the world. A website was also developed to intertwine with the graphic novels and the film itself. Cheri Oteri plays Zora Carmichaels, while Jon Lovitz plays violent police officer Bart Bookman who is in love with Zora. 125, Second Movement "Molto Vivace", by Ludwig van Beethoven "Tender" by Blur "It Looks Down" by Moby "Ceanograph" by Moby (featured in Cannes cut, not in theatrical cut) "The Real Thing" by The Shakers "Blackout" by Muse The film was released in the UK on December 7, 2007, exclusively to UK cinema chain Cineworld in a limited number of locations. She cuts the ribbon as USIDent employees -- dressed in windbreakers -- applaud. Zora Carmichaels (Cheri Oteri), a member of the Neo-Marxist movement, buys blank bullets from Walter Mung (Christopher Lambert) in an ice cream truck filled with weapons. The screenplay ends at a McDonald's restaurant, when Caleb starts belching noxious gas and launching fireballs. The site's consensus states: "Southland Tales, while offering an intriguing vision of the future, remains frustratingly incoherent and unpolished. These are all references to the seven plagues that precede the destruction of Babylon. For "Southland Tales," he loosely adapted the plot of the Book of Revelation and set it in an alternate version of the present day. Presumably, Tab was afraid that the Baron's people would find out that Roland had survived the trip through the time rift. the Indian chief Boxer encounters in the graphic novels). Movie star Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson) plans his next film with the . Also, a very subtle reference took place when Bart Bookman (Jon Lovitz) had just killed Dream and Dion: he said "Flow my tears". What is the glowing orb carried around by Dr. Kuntzler? [18], The track "Memory Gospel" was used from time to time by the CBC Radio One program Q in the background of an opening monologue given by host Jian Ghomeshi. Southland Tales (2007) Rated R for language, violence, sexual material and some drug content 160 minutes Cast Dwayne Johnson as Boxer Seann William Scott as Roland/Ronald Sarah Michelle Gellar as Krysta Kapowski/Krysta Now Curtis Armstrong as Dr. Soberin Exx Mandy Moore as Madeline Kevin Smith as Simon Theory Justin Timberlake as Abilene He then asked her to forecast the last three days on Earth, and she made her prediction in the form of a screenplay: "The Power." The feature film comprises the final three parts of the experience. What exactly happens at the end of the movie? Martin has just learned that he's been drafted to go to Iraq and is about to shoot himself in the head. You could argue that all of Southland Tales occurs in the Tangent Universehence the film's alternate history of the past three years, and its weird mishmash of pop culture. Ten years ago, a critical audience at Cannes sealed 'Southland Tales' fate. If "Southland Tales" is a semi-straightforward reinterpretation of the Book of Revelation, then Baron Von Westphalen is the Antichrist, Sen. Bobby Frost is probably his false prophet, Krysta Now is the Whore of Babylon, the two witnesses are probably Boxer Santaros and Roland Taverner, the white horse is the levitating ice cream truck, and Christ is Ronald and Roland Taverner. What do all the characters in the film keep on quoting from? This is because, at the end of the day, Southland Tales is a very indulgent, very silly and weirdly endearing film that all manages to come together in a near indescribable sweet spot. "Howl [Extended Version]" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club4. ("Taverner" is the name of the main character in the same book and suffers identity problems of his own.) The film follows the criss-crossed destinies of Boxer Santaros, an action film actor stricken with amnesia; Krysta Now, a psychic exporn star in the midst of creating a reality TV show; and twin brothers Roland and Ronald Taverner, whose destinies become intertwined with that of all mankind. The other characters have all played their part and are redeemed in the end to enjoy eternal life. The mega-zeppelin launch is at hand. Cane loses consciousness. Our weekly culture newsletter from books and art to pop culture and memes sent every Friday. "Oh My Angel" by Bertha Tillman3. Her new screenplay, co-written with an amnesiac movie star with the extremely macho name Boxer Santaros (Dwayne Johnson), outlines the apocalypse as she is certain it will happen. The Second Law of Thermodynamics refers to a closed system, wherein entropy will accumulate and efficiency will diminish until the system stops. Singer Rebekah Del Rio, who (as herself) performs the "Star Spangled Banner" onboard the mega-zeppelin, is also featured in David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive." What does the name "Vaughn Smallhouse" refer to? Edit, The name does not refer to anything other than the anagram and the late U.S. With many repeated usage, Chemical Bleeders can sometimes see both ways (ahead and back in time). In fact, Marx was indirectly influenced by the Book of Revelation in his writing. Original music was provided by Moby . In near-future 2008, Los Angeles (referred to as "The Southland" by locals) is a dystopian[8] city on the brink of chaos overshadowed by the growth of an underground neo-Marxist organization. Boxer, although he does not remember it, is married to the daughter of a Republican senator who is in turn the brains behind an agency called US-IDent, which controls what citizens can and cannot see on the internet. Sign up to receive information regarding NS events, subscription offers & product updates. The film also evokes Kurt Vonnegut's sci-fi absurdism, Philip K. Dick's philosophical approach to time travel, and Thomas Pynchon's sprawling narratives.The film that is most obviously referenced is "Kiss Me Deadly," a 1955 film noir about a private detective who uncovers a plot to detonate a nuclear device. Where does that qualifying characteristic for a messiah come from? As a tie-in, Kelly has also produced three graphic novels ("Two Roads Diverge," "Fingerprints" and "The Mechanicals" -- now available as "Southland Tales: The Prequel Saga") that explain the film's back story. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. He had Roland Taverner kidnap Boxer and drive him through the rift. The movie plays in the background in several scenes, and in the "Prequel Saga," Krysta tells Boxer it is his favorite movie. Most of the information in this FAQ can be attributed to three main sources:The three graphic novels that serve as a precursor to Southland Tales. Or is it just bullshit by Richard Kelly? How Kelly persuaded the likes of Wallace Shawn, Amy Poehler, Justin Timberlake, Cheri Oteri, and Mandy Moore to go along for the ride is confounding. Somehow I doubt that will ever happen. Madeline walks in and tells him that he has been speaking in his sleep. For reasons that never become entirely clear, he was hired by the Baron to kidnap Boxer Santaros from a charity scavenger hunt and drive him to Lake Mead. Most of the screenplay is included in The Prequel Saga. The current world ends, the joined souls become the new messiah, a new world begins. The reasons for this are never really explained, but Caleb is the child of Tawna and Rick McBride, a couple in Palmdale, Calif. Caleb does not produce bowel movements, but when he farts, the Earth shakes. Fortunio's goons inject Boxer with fluid karma and load him into an ambulance. "[40] David Edelstein's review in New York magazine criticized the film's writing, "Kelly aims high and must have shot off his own ear, which is the only way to account for the dialogue. Zora abruptly pushes Ronald from the car, and runs over Bing. A newsletter showcasing the finest writing from the ideas section, covering political ideas, philosophy, criticism and intellectual history - sent every Wednesday. So "The Power" is an adaptation of the Book of Revelation, written by a character in a movie called "Southland Tales" that is itself an adaptation of a screenplay based on the Book of Revelation? Pilot Abilene (Justin Timberlake) quotes Biblical scripture from the Book of Revelation in narrating the film and allusion is made both to Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening and an altered version of T. S. Eliot's The Hollow Men. No, it's not just you. Filmmakers entered negotiations with actors Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Lee, Janeane Garofalo, Tim Blake Nelson, Amy Poehler, Kevin Smith, and Ali Larter. What happens in the screenplay? Set in the then-near future of 2008, the film is a portrait of Los Angeles, and a satiric commentary on the militaryindustrial complex and the infotainment industry. Using the graphic novels, the Book of Revelation, friends and whatever else we could find, we've pieced together everything you need to know (or at least everything we've been able to figure out) about "Southland Tales.". This has opened up a rift in the space-time continuum on the outskirts of Lake Mead. Director: Richard Kelly. The name may also reference the actor Fortunio Bonanova who starred as Carmen Trivago in the film Kiss Me Deadly, itself a considerable influence on Southland Tales. It tells the story of Jericho Cane, a renegade Los Angeles police officer (and Boxer Santaros doppelgnger), who teams up with Dr. Muriel Fox, a psychic stripper (and Krysta Now doppelgnger), to protect a baby named Caleb. According to the "Prequel Saga," "The Power" was written entirely by Krysta Now, who is apparently psychic. "RONALD: "Sounds neat. The Baron admits that he has been paying Krysta to deceive Boxer, but also mentions that Madeline is pregnant with the child of Brandt Huntington (Joe Campana), one of her father's assistants. Senator. The PATRIOT Act has extended authority to a new agency known as US-IDent, which keeps constant surveillance on citizenseven to the extent of censoring the Internet and requiring fingerprints to access computers and bank accounts. "Broken Hearted Savior" by Big Head Todd & The Monsters10. And why is he having an affair with Krysta Now? In Donnie Darko, the world ends when the Tangent Universe collapses, which may also be what happens at the end of Southland Tales. Although he recognizes Madeline as his wife, she remains unimpressed and demands to know why he disappeared. Kelly's movie may not be entirely coherent, but that's because there's so much it wants to say. That's why. Things certainly ended on a dark note for many of the characters on the "Southland" season finale, but the final moments left fans' jaws on the ground in a cliffhanger that may never be resolved. Filming was slated to begin in July 2004, but after a year, it had not begun. As in "Southland Tales," a character in "Kiss Me Deadly" picks up a stranger in the desert, and one of the main characters in the film is named after a poet. Is Krysta Now (Sarah Michelle Gellar) based on anyone? The original script involved blackmail, a porn star, and two cops. [36], 41% of 106 reviews compiled by review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes are positive, and the average rating is 4.9 out of 10. If you read the graphic novel, you'll find the legend which is spoken by Bai Ling's character Serpentine. When he first discovered the rift, we learn, the Baron decided that the first human to travel through the rift would be a movie star and that movie star would be Boxer Santaros. Through voiceover, we learn that Pilot Abilene was injected with fluid karma in Iraq, as part of an experiment by the Baron, and in his quest for global domination, the Baron has negotiated an agreement with the prime minister of Japan, Hideo Takahashi, for fluid karma. Jericho Cane is the name of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in "End of Days.". "It will never be night again and they will not need lamplight or sunlight, because the Lord God will be shining on them. Kelly wrote Southland Tales shortly before the September 11 attacks. Donnie Darko had just debuted there in January of 2001 and as soon as he got back, Richard. Does Sarah Michelle Gellar have a sex scene in this movie? She may also be representative of the Whore of Babylon (ancient Babylon situated in what is now Iraq) and her energy drink the "Cup of Abominations".Madeline Frost Santaros: The project was named "Serpentine Dream Theory.," which aimed to use the telepathic effect of the drug as an advantage for the soldiers on the battlefield.Two of the solders that participated in the experiment were Roland Taverner and Pilot Abilene. I still don't know what that movie is about. The name of Dr. Severin Exx is a reference to the name of an evil doctor in the movie "Kiss Me Deadly," and Boxer Santaros' convertible is the same car driven by Ralph Meeker in the 1955 film. Edit, Richard Kelly stated in his interview with Empire, Whenever Boxer becomes scared or agitated or paranoid, as a defence mechanism, Jericho Kane, the character he is playing (in the film "The Power" he is making), takes over. The purpose of these novels is to explain much of the back-story and set the viewer up for parts IV, V and VI in the movie itself. All rights reserved. Tide power, and the wireless transmission of electricity, are scientific realities. Southland Tales is a 2006 American dystopian comedy thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly. When scientists injected fluid karma into the soldiers, they became telepathic and could see into the past and, eventually, the future. SOUTHLAND TALES is an ensemble piece set in the futuristic landscape of Los Angeles, as it stands on the brink of social, economic and environmental disaster. Roland runs to meet him inside the ice cream truck. The restaurant starts floating into space. Muriel and Jericho take the child after its parents are killed, and, under Muriel's guidance, drive to a farmhouse, where they are met by Serpentine, the Baron's mistress. The Baron has built an enormous machine off the coast of California that generates an electromagnetic energy field called fluid karma. The name of Dr. Severin Exx is a reference to the name of an evil doctor in the movie "Kiss Me Deadly," and Boxer Santaros' convertible is the same car driven by Ralph Meeker in the 1955 film. Why does the movie start with Boxer Santaros asleep on a beach? After much trial and error with monkeys, Baron decided to send Boxer through itchosen because of his political ties and his celebrity persona. All of these references to Marxism aren't entirely unconnected to the film's biblical references. As Treer employees were interviewing the plane's passengers, they noticed that she was the only passenger who didn't suffer from amnesia and that she could see into the future. Eliot or the Book of Revelation. What are all of those tattoos on the body of Boxer Santaros (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson)? As part of the deal, the Baron has Serpentine cut off the prime minister's left hand. Two months before Southland Tales was released, he announced the launch of Darko Entertainment.[15]. The Book of Revelation, or the Revelation of John, was written by an unknown person in the first century. The Region 1 DVD was released on March 18, 2008, in North America and the Region 2 release was on March 31, 2008, in the United Kingdom. Edit, No. Southland Tales begins on Independence Day 2005 in an eminently recognizable Bush-era Texas. But, then again, you probably shouldn't try to interpret "Southland Tales" too literally. Kelly has said that this idea was inspired by a real U.S. Army project. Both vehicles come to a rest in the middle of a shootout and Walter Mung is killed. His follow-up is a decidedly post-9/11 story, haunted by the Iraq War. [19], Many critics responded unfavorably to the film's long running time and sprawling nature. He played a character named "Donnie" in a movie with Boxer Santaros. : Muriel and Jericho take the child after its parents are killed, and, under Muriel's guidance, drive to a farmhouse, where they are met by Serpentine, the Baron's mistress. Southland Tales grossed $275,380 in limited release at the North American box office and $99,363 in Turkey and United Kingdom for a worldwide total of $374,743,[6] against a production budget of $17 million. When Krysta mentions that she is sleeping with Boxer Santaros, Cyndi decides to use this information to blackmail Boxer's father-in-law: Republican candidate Bobby Frost. Its story overlaps with the movie, so it explains some of the back story. What's the deal with the Treer company, and why are there all these references to Karl Marx? The Book of Revelation is the last book in the New Testament. The theatrical cut of "Southland Tales" has been extensively reedited -- a subplot has been excised, additional special effects shots have been inserted, a new explanatory sequence opens the movie -- and critics have been considerably kinder to it. The film features an ensemble cast including Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, and Justin Timberlake. The second section of the film ("V: Memory Gospel") begins. [7] The title refers to the Southland, a name used by locals to refer to Southern California and the Greater Los Angeles area. But, unexpectedly, police officer Bart Buchman (Jon Lovitz) pulls up and shoots both of them for real. Boxer (The Rock) dances with Krysta (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Madeline (Mandy Moore); he stops dancing, knowing that he's going to die, and the tattoo of Jesus on his back starts bleeding. , remains frustratingly incoherent and unpolished but, then again, you probably should try. 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