Okay. That's not true. The title is just an attention-grabbing lie. But there's this funny parallel I found between the latest issue of the the nonprofit LDS publication Segullah and the poster for the 2008 film adaptation of Scott Smith's horror novel, The Ruins.Now, I kinda doubt the Segullah team had any idea this happened, but I think it is pretty awesome. Particularly since the latest issue of "writings by Latter-Day Saint women" is titled "Tetherings" and discusses issues of how we "forge and sever ties with people." An interesting topic; the articles could be worth reading.
The Ruins is also kind of about forging and severing (mostly severing), but instead of ties with people, it is more interested in cutting gross invasive evil out of your body. Perhaps the cutting in this example of exploitative soft-core torture-porn, where evil resides in remote Mexico (a logical place given America's well-reasoned fear of immigrants), is examining how we forge and sever ties with people, nature, and foreigners. "Get away from nature! it kills you!" "Get away from Mexico! it kills you!" Hmmm. It seems The Ruins is much more dire than Segullah. Didn't see that one coming. Unless the underlying message of this issue of Segullah is, "Get away from being an LDS woman! it kills you!" Based on Segullah's mission statement and from reading their blog, my guess is that isn't the message. But the visual parallel between these very contrasting media is very funny.
I'll have to pick up a copy of the new Segullah issue and put it next to my copy of Smith's book, which I'm gearing up to read sometime this summer.
3 comments:
Can I just say that the justifiably condescending tone you take towards "The Ruins" just makes my day. Let's not beat around the bush--exploitative soft-core torture porn is just tacky and lame.
Ohhhh dear. I can't think of words to say to you right now. Except I guess you could borrow my copy of the magazine sometime. ?
Matt, your comment makes me realize that I probably went a little soft on Segullah, which might not be very fair to The Ruins. I shoulda just taken jabs at them both equally, since they both amuse me in a fun-poking kinda way. But Segullah is also a nice, safe little Mormon woman blog. The Ruins isn't as safe, but it's not the devil either. As exploitative horror goes, you can do much much worse than The Ruins.
Point being, both can be laughed at.
Kylie, have you relaxed now?
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