Something I noticed after I had produced this comic… I draw my characters throwing their hands up in the air an awful lot. Someone should start a meme.
Onto more serious news.
I was talking about Machete on the Theater Hopper Facebook page (more specifically, that star Danny Trejo was 66 years-old – What the WHAT?!) and someone shared with me a link to a group that was planning on protesting Machete for being “anti-white.” This group’s claim is the the film was released to “green light” violence against white Americans.
I won’t share the link with you here. I’m not particularly interested in validating this specific group with your time or attention. But, needless to say, I found the whole thing pretty disgusting. Not just for the misguided protest effort they were trying to organize but for the truly horrible, racist comments posted along with it. The less said about it, the better.
I haven’t see Machete and I’m not exactly running out the door to do so. I figure any feature-length movie sprung from a joke trailer released with Grindhouse three years ago is probably going to be a little light on plot and characterization. And, well, it’s a Robert Rodriguez movie. So, same goes.
But reading about this hate campaign disguised as a protest makes me want to see Machete for no other reason than to turn their crank.
From everything I’ve read the movie is violent and cheesy and everything you’d come to expect from a Rodriguez movie. I’m aware that they tried to make the film somewhat topical by tying it to the immigration debate going on in Arizona at the moment and that perhaps their execution was sloppy. Considering Machete’s somewhat incomplete origin, that sounds like a reasonable criticism to me. I don’t think anyone is seeing this movie for political moralizing. They just wanna see Danny Trejo slap a Gatling gun onto a motorcycle and launch that bad boy 50 feet in the air.
But protesting Machete’s for being anti-white? I just don’t see it. In fact, I don’t even see a point in pretending like it’s a reasonable complaint and formulating an argument against it.
If these paranoid loons see a bunch of white guys getting carved up by a six foot tall Mexican and think it’s anti-white, they need to put themselves in the shoes of every black person who has watched the token black actor be the first to die in EVERY SINGLE HORROR MOVIE of the last 30 years. I can’t imagine that’s been very encouraging to them.
I have to stop while I’m ahead. Having an argument about this is a losing proposition. You can never reason with people who see issues like this where there is none. It’s like yelling at a wall.
So, for brevity’s sake, can we all agree that the assertion that Machete is “anti-white” is a ridiculous notion and move on with our lives? Thanks.
Even if you want to debate it with me in the comments, I’ll tell you right now that I’m going to make an executive decision to delete those comments. Because I don’t care how well-reasoned you think you’re being, protesting Machete for being “anti-white” is just a fancy way of dressing up your racism and marching it down the street.
I try to be accommodating to different points of view, but sometimes you just have to cut your losses and move on.
I have to apologize for the comic being a day late. Unfortunately the reason is because Cami and I spent the majority of the Labor Day weekend packing up our house in preparation for the move to our NEW house in less than 3 weeks. Henry and Pearl stayed with my in-laws and we worked all weekend. We got a lot done, but by Sunday night we were exhausted. We went to pick up the kids on Monday so we could at least have ONE day this week where we – y’know – get to SEE them. And, well, that’s why the comic was late.
I have most of my office packed up, but I’m getting kind of freaked out about boxing up my merchandise to move to the new house. The shirts aren’t that much of a hassle to move. But the books are very heavy and you can only box so many of them together before you risk throwing your back out trying to pick them up. That means a lot of boxes and a lot of trips up and down stairs.
That’s where you guys come in.
As you may or may not know, I’m running a sale in my store on ALL my merchandise now through September 19. Right now all of my books are being sold for $11.00. All of my shirts are being sold for $7.00 or less. These are great deals. After the 19th, books go back to $15.00 and shirts go back to $10.00. If you were ever thinking about buying something from me, now is the time to do it.
Incidentally, if you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you’ll see references to discount codes up to 30% to help drive incentive a little more. With these codes, you can order from the store and essentially get shipping for FREE.
I’m very serious about selling as much of my merchandise as possible before the movie. I’m practically selling it to you at-cost. I can’t go any lower. So help me out. Get something for yourself. Get something for a friend or a loved on that you can give them for their birthday or the holidays. Let’s get this stuff out my office before I have to move it!
I’m trying not to be overbearing about it, but I’m getting a little more panicked as our move date approaches. Some of you have written me and expressed regret than you can’t take part and I totally understand that. But even if aren’t able to make a purchase, you can still help by telling others about the sale.
Share links to the store or to Theater Hopper on Facebook or Twitter. Mention us in the comments section of blogs you read or forums you visit. Submit the comic to social networking sites like Digg, StumbleUpon or the /r/comics section of reddit.
Tell them about our Spoiler shirt and ask people if they can guess all the movies being spoiled. Tell them about our books and how you get commentary with each strip plus tons of bonus features – over 200 pages of content in full color in every book for $11.00! It’s a steal!
It sounds cheesy, but every little bit helps. If you’re out there raising awareness, that’s one more person who wasn’t aware of Theater Hopper previously. That’s a good deed and karma points in my book!
I’m sorry to do the full-court press on you with this blog post. But since I’m only updating once a week, I have to hit with as much impact as I can before I run up against the September 19 deadline!
So again, if you’re thinking about buying anything from the Theater Hopper store, please do so today! And if you can’t make a purchase for whatever reason (totally understandable), please help by spreading the word about the site and sale among your friends and the communities you visit.
One more time, here’s the link to our store:
http://theaterhopper.storenvy.com/
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS ORDERED SO FAR AND THANKS TO EVERYONE READING THIS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
If you saw Machete or The American this weekend and feel like chatting it up in the comments below, please feel free. I know I gave The American a free pass without much discussion in the blog and I’ve heard wildly different reactions to the film. Some people I know were really into it and others thought it was a depressing waste of time. Did you see it? Where do you stand? Let us know!
The should go see The American.
If anything, their box office contributions would encourage more thoughtful adult thrillers instead of tongue-in-cheek grindhouse schlock like Machete!
HECK! Even if they could get past the title, they could claim they were being "patriotic!"
Or, y'know - they could wake up, realize it's just a movie and stop being racist a-holes.
Glad to see that action movies like “The Expendables” and “Machete” are coming back in full force. They were all I watched when I was younger.
“the token black actor be the first to die in EVERY SINGLE HORROR MOVIE of the last 30 years”
Anaconda the exception that proves the rule?
I think there are always exceptions. Just as Machete proves rarely – if ever – is there a film where a slew of white guys buy the farm at the hands of a minority.
But, yeah. If you stacked every slasher flick end-to-end and were asked to find the movie where the minority character DIDN’T die first… Anaconda would probably be one of a handful that stuck out.
You didn’t see this level of protest against the Book of Eli, another film where a whole mess of white people get hacked/sliced by a minority character. Maybe they wouldn’t have a problem if Machete carried a bible around with him.
They got hacked in the name of the Lord so with that kind of reasoning you’re going to have an uphill battle. They were evil in that instance so white doesn’t come up.
Also I think some “anti-white” propaganda should be made in america (though it would have to be something other than an “Anti-White Movie” from the Wayons brothers)since parody can destroy the credibility of anything that could honestly be called Anti-White porpaganda.
On the topic it kinda says a lot that in Florida(?) there is going to be an organised burning of the Qor’an just to prove… yeah…
Saw Machete, it is exactly what it looked like. I can’t say I’m disappointed in the movie, I just think it was better off as a half baked idea for a trailer.
If I may toss out another example of the minority not getting it first, Scream 2 has …oh, wait, never mind.
Love the title of the comic. And if it is in fact anti-white..well it’s about friggin time! There have been many, many movies that are anti-minority (though I read recently that America is moving towards not having any racial minority) and few white people complain about them.
Tom,
So you know Machete has written and shot well before the Arizona legislation was announced. It just so happened that Rodriguez picked a topic for the film that became very topical.
Kevin
I saw Machete (but did not see it) as a stupid movie the moment I heard about it. My roommate listens to a blowhard airbag who blows everything that happens anywhere as an assalement against America, and is probably one of the lead d-bags promoting this as “anti-white” goes on in saying that this movie will instigate crime and violence against whites by Mexicans, and that it is a political movie meant to tear down the fabric of society.
Thank you for stating what should be obvious; that it’s a freaking EXPLOITATION movie, not something of depth or intelligence.
I remember watching Spy Kids 2 with my children and seeing the character “Machete”.
He made all of the gadgets that the kids used. (Not the best gadgets, mind you, just ones the kids used.)
Machete is so blatantly racist it isn’t even funny. How you could not see that even by not seeing the film is beyond me. Honestly, does anyone recall the premier for the trailer on Cinco de Mayo with the main character addressing Arizona? I just love the double standard liberals apply to these films … Oh, it is just an action movie; it is a parody or homage to the “Mexsploitation” flicks. Yeah, and “Birth of a Nation” was just a fantasy epic.
http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/jjmnolte/2010/09/04/machete-review-dull-convoluted-racist-and-anti-american/
read and educate yourselves
Wow. You’re really comparing Machete to Birth of a Nation?
Birth of a Nation was propaganda at its most cut and dried. It completely reinterpreted the post Civil War era to portray the lynchings perpetrated by the Klu Klux Klan as justified to bring order to the South. It was cited by The Los Angeles Times as facilitated the refounding of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s. Last I checked, Machete wasn’t based on real events.
Get a grip. Birth of a Nation was once used as a recruitment tool for a federally-recognized hate group. Machete is a spoof of the immigration debate played for laughs with cartoonish, over-the-top and unrealistic violence. Apples and oranges, friend.
If IMDB is to be believed, this wasn’t based on a half-baked fake trailer; it was written in 1993 just after he wrote “Desperado”.
And “Machete” was a freakin’ awesome movie! Take it for what it is and have fun with it. It’s so ridiculously over-the-top that it’s hard not to laugh.
Having to live in Arizona, I was a bit disappointed that the film WASN’T set here; it would obviously be more topical and fun… right down to Robert DeNiro’s McCain-ish character name.
As it is, Machete is loads of cheesy actiony fun, more actiony fun than the Expendables was (to me). Rodriguez being the whole-thing film guy he is, even the music effectively played into the fun: you knew when it was time for bloody action, and you knew when it was lovin’ time (Bom chicka wow waaaaa!).
It’s so hard being white in America. I’m sick of still getting every advantage over everybody else. It’s so tough getting paid more for no reason. I get to places on time because I never get pulled over. And now there are movies that might give people the idea that white people aren’t the hero? When will the madness end?!?!? (remove tongue from cheek)
White people in this country are the whiniest bunch of hypocrites. We have every advantage and still tons of white people bitch and play the victim.
and that bighollywood article is a joke, I love that he plays by the same one-sided, “my stance is right and there’s no room for error or disagreement” rules that he bemoans in the movie. There is no room to disagree with Nolte in that article, “Can’t have that, either. Not when your protagonists [your article] are driven only by seething radical resentments, a misplaced sense of entitlement, and that warm, smug feeling of superiority that comes with assuming the role of the victim…Hey, no one said hate had to make sense.”
I also like the “my wife is mexican, so I’m not racist” bit at the end. So, you can’t be racist if you marry a mexican girl? Or if you have a black friend that doesn’t mind if you say the N word?
Ah, there you are White Guilt! I was wondering when you’d show up to the party. How’re the kids?
I wouldn’t exactly say it’s guilt, I kind of feel this way about it.
Ok, I’m sorry but i have to lmao on racism in america. People of any color except white are mostly exploited in American movies. When was the last time you saw non mexican made or non chinese dry-cleaner guy, or non black street thug. I think that Nicolas Cage was the last white cad driver in Zandalee
Lets be serious. America has a stereotypes problem, hence the token black guy in horror movies. I am Serb and it really pissed me off that Serbs were bad guys in the movies for like a decade. It became a stereotype promoted by news and it hurts that people can be so narrow and singleminded. I guess the arabs would agree with me since it is their turn.
Machete is playing with those kind of stereotypes (while on a subject i was pissed he died first in Predators, and guess what, white guy is a hero in that movie, all other nations and colors died in that movie) and you should be glad that there are still people that can do it in a fun way (it’s a crapy movie but for me it was fun). Not taking yourself to seriously is a way of not being a total a-hole people
http://www.whysanity.net/monos/hooper.html
Live long and prosper
Tom, I really wish that you would do as you said you would and delete the comment containing the link to Big Hollywood. Big Hollywood is ran by Andrew Breitbart, the same guy who previously made fake videos which killed the ACORN program as well as the guy who posted a heavily edited video of a NAACP speech which resulted in the firing of Shirley Sherrod from the USDA because she was allegedly being racist and let a white guy lose his farm. THESE are the guys who are calling Machete racist… I’m all for freedom of speech, but that doesn’t mean you have to allow your web traffic to be directed towards the likes of that.
I came really close to deleting that post, but the comparison to Birth Of A Nation was so asinine, I had to take the bait.
That said, I greatly appreciate the context that you’ve provided regarding Big Hollywood. I think it’s important that people are informed about where this information is coming from and that it is heavily biased.
For contextual reference, I’m going to leave the comments in the thread for no other reason than to illustrate how people should not take this kind of propaganda at face value.
The only horror movies I can think of where the black guy isn’t the first to die is anything with Ving Rhames, or the original Night of the Living Dead.
Even Samuel L. Jackson was the first to die in Deep Blue Sea!
but LL Cool J survived! but really, he’s kinda like the black Chuck Norris. seriously. i hear he’s so badass that cancer’s trying to cure him.
Well, he *is* the G.O.A.T.
Just want to say I really respect you for this. I think other people have said everything else I was going to say , so there you go, sir.
I appreciate the compliment.
Thank you.
I know Machete is Danny Trejo and allies whuppin’ ass against the odds wherever they go – and that’s exactly what I want to see. It’s exactly like the z-grade action movies of the early 80s- terrible films, but a lot of fun.
Machete’s not my kind of movie, but most of us seem to be in agreement here. Other minorites get slaughtered left and right in horror movies. Or they’re the bad guys, though that doesn’t happen quite as often as it used to. In fact, most movie terrorists seem to be white guys now, just because we’re afraid of offending someone else.
I say: red shirts for all people, no matter their race!
Hey Tom, completely unrelated, but I saw this and I couldn’t help but think of Iron Cardboard Man
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nikejerk/4968338644/in/set-72157624901987126/#
just saw Machete. boring as heck. i’ve never been so bored in my life.
i usually like this kind of movie, but not this one.
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