Out of Frame
About this show
Video essays that explore the intersection of art, culture, and big ideas written & produced by FEE's Director of Media, Sean W. Malone.
The Smartest "Dumb Movie" Ever Made
February 3, 2022
“Demolition Man” is a 1993 sci-fi action movie featuring Sylverster Stallone, Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, and even Rob Schneider. Set in 1996 Los Angeles, John Spartan (Stallone) is a police officer who botches a rescue attempt and as a legal penalty, is cryogenically frozen until 2032. When he awakes, he finds a world with virtually no crime — but something sinister lurks under the utopian facade.
It has all the trappings of a cheesy, over-the-top action flick, but the intelligence and social commentary of “Demotion Man” must not be underestimated. The movie seems to perfectly capture the inherent risk — and necessity — of freedom, how utopia cannot be achieved through authoritarianism, the false allure of “progress”, and much more. We’ll break apart those themes and discuss the larger implications on this episode of Out of Frame.
CREDITS:
Written by Sean W. Malone
Produced by Sean W. Malone
Edited by Michael Ozias
Asst. Edited by Jason Reinhardt and Soukaina Akdim
LINKS:
– Demolition Man –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demolition_Man_(film)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106697/
– Modern Media, Society, & Regulations –
https://saseye.com/2020/06/08/instagram-is-ruining-your-self-esteem-and-you-may-not-even-be-aware/
https://time.com/6098771/instagram-body-image-teen-girls/
https://countercurrents.org/2021/04/impact-of-social-media-on-our-attention-span-and-its-drastic-aftermath/
https://u.osu.edu/chelsearay/impact-of-social-media-on-attention-span-of-students/
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/jan/02/attention-span-focus-screens-apps-smartphones-social-media
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2013/03/11/the-new-york-city-soda-ban-explained/
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/09/22/fda-flavored-vape-bans-small-shops-513522
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/10/13/fda-salt-guidelines/
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/brandeis-language-police-have-suggestions-you/619347/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844021009117
– Thomas Paine –
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Paine
https://fee.org/articles/thomas-paine-passionate-pamphleteer-for-liberty/
– Freedom, Responsibility, & Risk –
https://fee.org/articles/how-freedom-is-lost/
https://fee.org/articles/freedom-is-the-birthright-of-all-humanity/
https://fee.org/articles/camuss-forgotten-lesson-on-liberty/
https://fee.org/articles/how-big-government-usurped-personal-responsibility/
https://fee.org/articles/liberty-is-meaningless-without-responsibility/
https://fee.org/articles/what-cobra-kai-can-teach-a-generation-marinated-in-victimhood-and-safetyism/
https://fee.org/articles/liberty-as-a-life-philosophy/
