Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding in perplexing slo-mo through the glen ... - by Paz
Paz on 10/10/2006 at 15:26
I think it was just Robin's brief "try to work within the system" phase. Before he realised how eeeeevil the Sheriff was - and just how much control over the other lords/barons/everyone he had. Quite interesting that they inserted this segment though.
As of the end of episode one he's on the run, so I fully expect he'll move into his "steal from the rich, give to the poor" wealth redistribution phase.
There were some fairly heavy handed Crusades --> Iraq moments too. "Are we winning?", "We're killing more men IF THAT COUNTS AS WINNING, AHH DO YOU SEE?" which I support in principle, but it's become pretty standard to stick War on Terror commentary into things these days and this was less than subtle.
There are better ways (and better places) to make those points.
demagogue on 10/10/2006 at 17:08
Quote Posted by scumble
Anyway, perhaps there's something about the old story that I don't know...
If you can believe a 13th Century Londoner "Robin Hod" is actually "Robin Hood", then the taxman eventually got his backtaxes back, anyway:
(
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1456900#post1456900)
Paz on 10/10/2006 at 17:14
I think it was some kind of English running gag to call any thieves "Robin Hood" from the 12th Century onwards - which might offer one explanation for the above? Perhaps he was using it as a false name for a laugh. A sort of early version of putting "Jedi" as your religion.
(lol wikipedia)
"From 1261 onwards the name 'Robinhood' or 'Robehod' occurs in the rolls of several English justices, where it is applied as a form of shorthand to any fugitive or outlaw. There are at least eight instances of this in the late 13th century.[2] This would suggest that the Hood-figure was already well-known by the 1260s, his name already that of an archetypal criminal."
Ulukai on 10/10/2006 at 17:36
I loved the Zooosh! sound, it reminds me to enjoy the programme and let any political subtext the director may or may not have to go zinging merrily over my head :D
There's enough politics on TV, I want to turn my brain off and see an assorted bunch of men with bows and arrows thwart the evil Sherriff of Nottingham and get the girl. So I did!
I don't think it's going to top (
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107977/) Men In Tights as my favourite Robin Hood related thing, though.
thefonz on 10/10/2006 at 22:27
SPOILERZ:
[SPOILER]THE SHERIFF DIES[/SPOILER]
and
[SPOILER]ROBIN ENDS UP WITH MAID MARION IN THE SACK[/SPOILER]
:tsktsk:
Gillie on 11/10/2006 at 00:19
That film was hilarious!.:laff: Mel Brooks is funny.
The new Robin Is just harmless fun,for a change.
thefonz on 11/10/2006 at 06:35
this show is terrible. if its the best the bbc can do on the coattails of doctor who's success then a) i feel sorry for torchwood and b) it was very very childish in its music, its acting and those godawful "crazy" camera angles.
wtf was with his face going all white and glowing at the end???
scumble on 11/10/2006 at 08:41
Quote Posted by Paz
In this one he does! (at least in this episode)
He asked Sheriff Allen for an immediate end to all taxation in order to boost the cash in the pockets of YE STINKY SERFS; which in turn would regenerate prosperity at the (crumbling) marketplace - because people would have money to spend again. Rather than the continued bleeding dry of the entire community to fund the king's war/Sheriff Allen's bird fetish, which meant everyone was broke and starving. It seemed like a wacky mix of trickle-down economics and outright libertarian hijinx.
It was also quite a good idea really, in that context. The factors were quite simplistic though, this being a tea-time drama series.
I see - haven't actually watched it because I don't have a TV at the moment. Interesting though, as it hasn't been included in any interpretation I've seen. Supposedly the real reason for all the tax was to bail out King Richard as he kept getting caught and ransomed during the Crusades.
In any case, I had this feeling that the designation "libertarian" may have been applied gratuitously. It gets thrown about a lot when people make vague noises about tax cuts when it's a bit more fundamental than that. But in this case it seems less about underlying political philosophy and more about just not opressing the poor (have you met the poor?), which is generally the straigforward message of the story.
Anyway, this is not the time or the place for such things. As Ulukai wisely points out, it's generally about entertainment, and most people who watch it won't be analysing any possible subtexts.
Paz on 11/10/2006 at 13:28
Quote Posted by scumble
In any case, I had this feeling that the designation "libertarian" may have been applied gratuitously.
Of course it was fatty, I also used "wealth redistribution" in the same breath in a concluding thought about a Saturday tea-time drama. My review wasn't exactly written with cold utility in mind.
However jokingly though, I think any adaptation of Robin Hood has to retain some sort of gritty political element (especially if, as in this case, they've rejected the spiritual aspects) - otherwise it's a bit of a waste of time. It can be subtle enough for people who want to look for it and still wash over someone who just wants an entertainment piece.
Like it or not, this one had a bit where Robin went off on a discussion of market forces and their link to the total cessation of taxation. I thought that was interesting and worthy of note - like you say, it's hardly canon in the usual Hood tale. Not that this version is too bothered with sticking to that (which is fine, it hasn't set out to).
Lacerta on 11/10/2006 at 13:41
Way too PC a version for me. Robin comes back from the Crusades (war in the middle east anyone?) embittered and a pacifist, renouncing all violence as being pointless and bad (hmm.. might there be a little bit of politics in there?) and then proceeds to nanny about (using incredibly fast horses). Not really winning much credit with me.
Plus there's not going to be any Friar Tuck - and it's not as if Tuck ever really ranted on about religion (apparently they wrote him out for concerns over religion and obesity?!) - not being averse to the odd brawl and liberation/theft of the Sherrif's loot himself. One of my favourite characters is Tuck.
And they've deliberately dropped the "maid" from maid Marian as being too old fashioned a concept. So.. just who did she have it away with whilst Robin was crusading?!
Still, I shall give it a chance to settle in. Largely 'cos the Sheriff shows some promise - great actor is Allen.
