Still one of the funniest things I've ever read

[tzikeh]

I just remembered this after having a brief chat this morning about Noam Chomsky and literary criticism. It was published in McSweeney's in 2003, so I didn't think I'd have much luck finding it online, but bless them, it looks like they put stuff on the website after it's been in print for a sufficient amount of time.

Even if you know nothing about Chomsky's or Zinn's theories on language and culture, I give you a money-back guarantee that you will enjoy reading this. If you do know their work, I suggest forgoing beverages while reading.

Unused Audio Commentary By Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky, Recorded Summer 2002, For The Fellowship Of the Ring (Platinum Series Extended Edition) DVD, Part One.

Some choice bits:

Chomsky: The film opens with Galadriel speaking. "The world has changed," she tells us, "I can feel it in the water." She's actually stealing a line from the non-human Treebeard. He says this to Merry and Pippin in The Two Towers, the novel. Already we can see who is going to be privileged by this narrative and who is not....

Zinn: You view the conflict as being primarily about pipe-weed, do you not?...

Chomsky: More of his smoke and mirrors, yes? Gandalf conjures the dragon Smaug to scare the people.

Zinn: One can always delight the little people with explosions....

Chomsky: Gandalf is clearly wondering if it's time to invoke his plan for the supposed revelation concerning the secret magic ring. Why now? Well, I think it's because the people in Mordor — the Orcs, I'm speaking of — are starting to obtain some power, are starting to ask a little bit more from Middle Earth than Middle Earth has ever seen fit to give to them. And I don't think it's unreasonable for them to expect something back from Middle Earth. Of course, if that happened, the entire economy would be disrupted.

Zinn: The pipe-weed-based economy.

Chomsky: And, as you pointed out earlier, the military-industrial-complex that exists in Gondor. This constant state of alertness. This constant state of fear. And here Gandalf reveals his true nature.

I am crying with laughter, and I can't tell you how many times I've read this.

Comments

[isagel.livejournal.com]

Zinn: Once again you see a creature that's on fire being demonized in this movie: the flaming eye, the flaming Balrog. As though being on fire is this terrible affliction to have.

Chomsky: As though they can help it if they're on fire.

*DIES*

Thank you so much for linking this.

*wipes away tears of laughter*

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

My pleasure. I knew there would be a few on the flist for whom this would be *required* reading.

[divagoddess-c.livejournal.com]

That just made my day! That is the best!

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Don't forget to check back and read page two!