GPS - the ultimate movie spoiler!
January 5th, 2009 by Meirav
Happy birthday! On January 6th 1980 the GPS era officially began. They launched that satellite into space - and our lives changed forever. Or did they?
The GPS means you can’t get lost. For myself, I don’t recall getting lost as a life-changing experience. But for some people and plots, getting lost is essential. Without it – there wouldn’t even be a story. Imagine the massive impact. The lesson from Little Red Riding Hood would no longer be “Listen to your grandmother” but “Charge your GPS battery.” I mean, talk about loss of innocence…
And you can’t ignore the deeper meaning. Like that teacher said on The Truman Show – “There’s nothing left to discover, we know now where everything is.”
The cinema world has always found ways to adapt to changing times. With the rise of email culture, we got the romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail. For the mobile revolution, the thriller Cellular. So does that mean I should be on the lookout for a horror movie called The Wrong Turn – when GPS technology goes awry? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, here’s my nostalgic top 4 list (for 4 compass points) of movies that simply wouldn’t have been the same in our GPS era.
4. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
If Brad and Janet hadn’t got lost, they never would have stopped by Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle to use the phone – and they never would have had their lives turned upside down. I can see Brad and Janet, standing in their lovely home in the suburbs, with their 2.4 kids, back yard and golden retriever, and they do seem rather happy, but not half as happy as after being liberated by Frank-N-Furter. And you know what, it’s not just Brad and Janet who’d be missing out – it’s all of us (especially the rice growers….).
3. Finding Nemo (2003)
If Nemo’s dad, Marlin, had GPS, he never would have needed to ask for directions. Of course, this would have to be a fish-friendly waterproof GPS, which sounds so cool that I’d definitely want one for myself. But back to the point – think how much Marlin changed over his journey and how much is thanks to the connections he made with others while searching for Nemo. If he’d done it with technology, he would have done it - well, alone. And let’s face it: Without Dory’s character, the movie wouldn’t have interested me much. Not only because of the jokes but mostly because of the friendship.
2. The Straight Story (1999)
There’s something awfully sweet about doing things without technology aids. In The Straight Story, 73-year-old Alvin drives all the way from Iowa to Wisconsin to see his brother, who he hadn’t talked to in years. He doesn’t have a car (nor does he have a license) - and so he drives all the way on his lawn mower. Call me old-fashioned, but the gesture of making the trip all by yourself cannot be topped by anything. For me, this movie is the perfect example of simpler times.
1. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
This Coen Brothers’ film shows it’s all about the journey. What starts as a simple treasure hunt by three fugitives turns into a parade of misfit characters who the trio meet while wandering. That never would have happened with a GPS! Though in this case, it may be for the best… Still, looking at the bigger picture, I’d like to keep the option of meeting completely wacky strangers, and I’d like the option of watching movies about other people who do the same.
I could go on and on. From Dorothy’s magical trip to Oz to Chevy Chase’s artistic vacation trilogy… So yes, the GPS may save us some time in unfamiliar territory, but what does it really cost us? Think about all those funny, adventurous road movies we’ll lose, the life-changing encounters with perfect strangers, the thrill of not knowing where you are, and the joy of being found. After all – such marvelous and miraculous things happen when you’re lost.
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January 5th, 2009 at 8:32 am
[...] GPS - the ultimate movie spoiler! [...]
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January 5th, 2009 at 8:32 am
Funny! All the great road movies would be totally different with GPS.
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January 5th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Great post was worth reading thanxx
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January 6th, 2009 at 2:09 am
brilliant!!! Just loved the GPS part!
keep on writing!
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January 6th, 2009 at 3:17 am
Hehehe… very amusing, bravo! :)
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January 6th, 2009 at 4:57 am
what an interesting post!
like the GPS, it is always funny to think how many movies will be different after the invention of the cell phone.
it’s interesting to see how technology changes movies and forces screenwriters to find other solutions than what used to be 10-15 years ago.
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January 6th, 2009 at 7:49 am
I really liked the subject.
I guess we’re not far from the day when every car, cell phone and wrist watch will have a GPS, so when we’ll see someone lost in a movie, it will be completely unbelievable.
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January 6th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Great thoughts! Great movies!
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January 6th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
[...] In honor of the 29th anniversary of GPS, Jinni takes a look at Films that would have been different with GPS. [...]
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January 6th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Great Great Great !!! I enjoyed reading :)
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January 7th, 2009 at 12:32 am
So True !! and funny !
waiting for your next posts , Meirav.
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January 7th, 2009 at 12:39 am
Great post. I agree with every single word.
Can’t wait for your next post :-)
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January 8th, 2009 at 11:49 am
that was an interesting post! the gps idea is pretty cool.. it reminds me of the many seinfeld episodes that could never have really happened if only they had a cell phone with them
:)
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January 15th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
what an awsome post!!!
btw, any news about the water-proof gps…?
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February 5th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Great post, I enjoyed it. Keep up the good work……
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February 28th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Sie haben eine sch
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