Things that annoy me
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 10:44 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceter1. You know, I wish the commentators (aka, Dick Button) would stop talking about the new judging system like it's the plague! I don't even care that much about the new rules or whatnot, but I am so sick of everyone turning around and thinking it's the worst thing in the world. Ok, ok, everyone being some of the commentators on NBC and ABC. Seriously though. They have been doing this for the last two winters, and originally I might have agreed with them, except I am tired of hearing of it now.
2. I wish Dick Button would stop giving so many props to skaters who are "easy on the eyes" or "comfortable to watch." Usually I am all for the artistic bit of things, but it's been getting so that every single time someone skates, one of the commentators will mention the new system and how it privileges jumps over choreography or somesuch. And then I start arguing with them in my head, because it's in the Olympics! The new system was put in for a reason after people heavily disagreed with the results of the old system! Choreography is not a sport, but jumps are! Wargh.
It also irritates me because almost every single time Dick Button comments on something, there's a comparison to the good old days before this horrible new-fangled system with its actual points, and then I get irritated again because it sounds like he's just being reactionary. And, well... sport! If the figure skating people or whoever decides the rules wanted to make the choreography more important, than would it be in more art competition type things or something? I dunno.
Again, talking about the commentators and not LJ people, because I have been listening to the commentators say this for two years.
3. I wish Dick Button would stop giving so many props to skaters who are "easy on the eyes" or "comfortable to watch" for another reason as well. I understand that wobbly spirals and whatnot means sloppy technique, and that good extension and the like are signals of athleticism. But I also get the sense that there is this view that the skaters should be lovely and delicate and wispy, and that if you are a stocky skater who has explosive jumps but not-so-delicate choreography, you immediately get points off. Not from the judges, given how well Slutskaya does, but from the rest of the commentators.
And that just makes me think about skaters as athletes and how there seems to be this push to see them as beautiful dolls or ballerinas, and that when an athlete lets her muscle and her power show through over the gracefulness, she gets put down. And while I'm sure this goes for the male skaters as well, it hits me the wrong way. Why shouldn't the female skaters be "allowed" to be athletic and powerful? Why is it that the powerful ones always get this complaint about not being graceful enough? And it seems like the graceful ones always have this free pass, despite falling, just because they are so beautiful.
4. The commentator who said "All the other skaters skate to Romeo and Juliet, but [Sasha Cohen] is Juliet" should be hit over the head with a kendo stick for making me gag.
5. I watched lovely vids for Kill Bill last night, which only reminded me of why Kill Bill annoys me. There's the entire violence bit, which I'm not so good with, but what actually turns me off is the entire martial arts thing. I understand that Tarantino adores Hong Kong martial arts movies and that it's supposed to be a tribute to them, but I can't help but be reminded of the way Joss included Asian culture in Firefly. I feel almost as though Tarantino is appropriating martial arts and the whole Asian mystique thing in Kill Bill.
There's Lucy Liu playing a Japanese woman in a kimono and the typical Japanese schoolgirl. There's the hordes of faceless Japanese killer ninjas. There's the master of martial arts. There's the mystical maker of katanas. There's the mix of Japanese and Chinese with no real distinction between the two.
And, much like Firefly, I feel like Tarantino is paying lip service to the incorporation of Asians and Asian culture in the movie, so that in the end, it's a tall, blonde, white woman who is trained by the mystical and quixotic Chinese martial arts master, who takes the mystical katana of doom, who cuts through swathes of Japanese ninjas. The Asians in the movie are all types. I do get that pretty much everyone in the movie is a type, as exemplified by the Bride being the Bride and not someone with a name, but in the end, the real villains and the heroine are all white while they all take on the trappings of Asian culture (or, more accurately, Asian culture filtered through Hong Kong martial arts movies and the Japanese samurai mythos filtered through Tarantino), while the Asians are again relegated to being ninja or geisha girls or Japanese schoolgirls or martial arts masters.
This wouldn't be so irritating if there were adequate representation of Asians elsewhere, but there isn't. And so it's frustrating when what little does come through is filtered through Tarantino's childhood recollections of Hong Kong B-movies and samurai, no matter how much it's intended as a tribute to these fond memories. Also, just the fact that these are Tarantino's memories are somewhat indicative of the perception of Asians and the common portrayal of Asians in the media. This is not to say that no one can ever represent Asians as martial arts masters or the like, or that no one should enjoy these things, but that I think there is a problem when that's the sole cultural representation of a race, just like people who watch anime and think that they understand everything about Japan (I'm talking about irritating fangirls or reporters who watch one Miyazaki movie and think that means they can draw giant conclusions about the entire nation, not people on LJ).
I would say more about the blaxploitation aspect and how that's treated with the opening fight in Kill Bill, except I don't know that much about blaxploitation movies of the seventies, nor about Jackie Brown or the like. Sigh.
Ok, am done ranting now. But yes, if Dick Button admires the way a skater looks one more time instead of directly connecting the "gracefulness" to the power to actually hold your leg up without wobbling, I will throw something at the TV.
2. I wish Dick Button would stop giving so many props to skaters who are "easy on the eyes" or "comfortable to watch." Usually I am all for the artistic bit of things, but it's been getting so that every single time someone skates, one of the commentators will mention the new system and how it privileges jumps over choreography or somesuch. And then I start arguing with them in my head, because it's in the Olympics! The new system was put in for a reason after people heavily disagreed with the results of the old system! Choreography is not a sport, but jumps are! Wargh.
It also irritates me because almost every single time Dick Button comments on something, there's a comparison to the good old days before this horrible new-fangled system with its actual points, and then I get irritated again because it sounds like he's just being reactionary. And, well... sport! If the figure skating people or whoever decides the rules wanted to make the choreography more important, than would it be in more art competition type things or something? I dunno.
Again, talking about the commentators and not LJ people, because I have been listening to the commentators say this for two years.
3. I wish Dick Button would stop giving so many props to skaters who are "easy on the eyes" or "comfortable to watch" for another reason as well. I understand that wobbly spirals and whatnot means sloppy technique, and that good extension and the like are signals of athleticism. But I also get the sense that there is this view that the skaters should be lovely and delicate and wispy, and that if you are a stocky skater who has explosive jumps but not-so-delicate choreography, you immediately get points off. Not from the judges, given how well Slutskaya does, but from the rest of the commentators.
And that just makes me think about skaters as athletes and how there seems to be this push to see them as beautiful dolls or ballerinas, and that when an athlete lets her muscle and her power show through over the gracefulness, she gets put down. And while I'm sure this goes for the male skaters as well, it hits me the wrong way. Why shouldn't the female skaters be "allowed" to be athletic and powerful? Why is it that the powerful ones always get this complaint about not being graceful enough? And it seems like the graceful ones always have this free pass, despite falling, just because they are so beautiful.
4. The commentator who said "All the other skaters skate to Romeo and Juliet, but [Sasha Cohen] is Juliet" should be hit over the head with a kendo stick for making me gag.
5. I watched lovely vids for Kill Bill last night, which only reminded me of why Kill Bill annoys me. There's the entire violence bit, which I'm not so good with, but what actually turns me off is the entire martial arts thing. I understand that Tarantino adores Hong Kong martial arts movies and that it's supposed to be a tribute to them, but I can't help but be reminded of the way Joss included Asian culture in Firefly. I feel almost as though Tarantino is appropriating martial arts and the whole Asian mystique thing in Kill Bill.
There's Lucy Liu playing a Japanese woman in a kimono and the typical Japanese schoolgirl. There's the hordes of faceless Japanese killer ninjas. There's the master of martial arts. There's the mystical maker of katanas. There's the mix of Japanese and Chinese with no real distinction between the two.
And, much like Firefly, I feel like Tarantino is paying lip service to the incorporation of Asians and Asian culture in the movie, so that in the end, it's a tall, blonde, white woman who is trained by the mystical and quixotic Chinese martial arts master, who takes the mystical katana of doom, who cuts through swathes of Japanese ninjas. The Asians in the movie are all types. I do get that pretty much everyone in the movie is a type, as exemplified by the Bride being the Bride and not someone with a name, but in the end, the real villains and the heroine are all white while they all take on the trappings of Asian culture (or, more accurately, Asian culture filtered through Hong Kong martial arts movies and the Japanese samurai mythos filtered through Tarantino), while the Asians are again relegated to being ninja or geisha girls or Japanese schoolgirls or martial arts masters.
This wouldn't be so irritating if there were adequate representation of Asians elsewhere, but there isn't. And so it's frustrating when what little does come through is filtered through Tarantino's childhood recollections of Hong Kong B-movies and samurai, no matter how much it's intended as a tribute to these fond memories. Also, just the fact that these are Tarantino's memories are somewhat indicative of the perception of Asians and the common portrayal of Asians in the media. This is not to say that no one can ever represent Asians as martial arts masters or the like, or that no one should enjoy these things, but that I think there is a problem when that's the sole cultural representation of a race, just like people who watch anime and think that they understand everything about Japan (I'm talking about irritating fangirls or reporters who watch one Miyazaki movie and think that means they can draw giant conclusions about the entire nation, not people on LJ).
I would say more about the blaxploitation aspect and how that's treated with the opening fight in Kill Bill, except I don't know that much about blaxploitation movies of the seventies, nor about Jackie Brown or the like. Sigh.
Ok, am done ranting now. But yes, if Dick Button admires the way a skater looks one more time instead of directly connecting the "gracefulness" to the power to actually hold your leg up without wobbling, I will throw something at the TV.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 06:54 pm (UTC)Thank you for that. Well put. (I think I may actually have resorted to elementary school fake-gagging at that point.)
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 06:58 pm (UTC)Sasha Cohen was beautiful, but she doesn't seem to have the mental fortitude at times. I was really proud of the Canadian women, Joannie Rochette, who finished 5th, and Mira Leung, who was 12th in her first major senior event. She was terrific.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:22 pm (UTC)- I also don't like the fact that people who fall down can still get medals because they racked up enough points elsewhere to cover it. The old system was too subjective, but this one just seems brainless.
- Theoretically I'd like to agree with you that "grace" is not a measurable athletic ability, but I despise skaters who chug through their footwork and armwork like little robots, waiting for the next jump. I loved that Turkish girl because she had such a wonderful flow of movement, I'm willing to put up with Sasha because she's so graceful, and the Hughes sisters and Slutskaya all keep my attention because they have such energy and good humor on the ice. I can't quantify those things, but they do matter, and that's why the presentation/artistic/whatever it's called now score is still in there. And frankly, without that being important Kwan never would have gotten anywhere.
- Also, people in ski-jumping and snowboarding get judged on presentation too -- a sloppily-executed jump or a loose landing knocks off the points as much as not doing enough jumps.
- Dick Button needs to shut the hell up, half the time. The way he was drooling on about Miss Half-Naked Flame-Breasts was sickening.
- Also, blaaargh to the Juliet line.
- And when Scott called Miki Ando a "rhinoceros"!!
- Tarantino and the Mystical Faceless Asian is just about as obnoxious as Tarantino (Miller/Rodriguez) and the Pure Golden-Breasted Woman. Sigh.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:24 pm (UTC)That was Sandra Bezic. She can be very annoying. So can her choreography.
Yuka Sato is a not-wispy skater who is one of those "skater's skaters" because of her speed, deep edges, surety, etc.--Dorothy Hamill is another one who looks more jocklike when she skates.
I think I'm a curmudgeon, too, so Dick Button often amuses me. And I often agree with his comments. I think he really is including their technique as part of their "beauty," especially the kind of techniques that take years to master. I kind of see his point--for me, what makes skating wonderful is those deep edges and sure footwork and fluid transition, and he's right, they are neglected more in modern skating in favor of jumps; things change, but he's a curmudgeon and not afraid to say so. I've noticed when Button does comment favorably on jumps, he notes when someone lands with a clean, sure edge, using good technique. I've also heard him say things like "she looks great but her technique is flawed." Your mileage may vary. I guess I'm used to him, after so many years of listening. [maybe he's brainwashed me with Sekrit Subliminal Signals!]
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:39 pm (UTC)Sasha Cohen is beautiful, but gaaaaah! I hate watching when people fall apart during the Olympics, but at least she got back together and didn't let the whole thing go to pieces.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:48 pm (UTC)I almost feel like they should have competitive figure skating as a sport and then competitive figure skating as an art.
There's that same aspect of performance and presentation in ski jumping and diving and gymnastics, but I feel a lot more of that is form and keeping your feet together and etc. And I do like that the judges look at that sort of thing in figure skating. But I find it rather irritating that figure skating in particular seems more weighted toward the whole grace and femininity thing and that things can be thrown off because one pair is more "romantic looking" than another, or whatnot.
I also think it's fine that people have favorites and like skaters that connect with the audience more (goodness knows I do), but I don't think that's what should get a medal.
And I know Button complained an awful lot about that split jump, which doesn't get points per se, but doesn't that get added in to footwork difficulty and/or transition skills? I like the new system because it looks at everything and that it makes skaters go for harder footwork and entrances into jumps and the like. I get that it ends up with some moves that are uglier, but on the other hand... that complaint would make more sense if it were ballet or something. With diving and etc. it seems to be the level of difficulty that's judged and how well executed it is, and I sort of like that.
Anyhoo, sorry... I keep listening too all these arguments repeated every single freaking time over TV for every single competition and I start wanting to shake the commentators and telling them to get over it because it's not like the system is even that new to them anymore!
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:51 pm (UTC)And I wish that when he meant "beautiful technique" he'd say "beautiful technique" instead of "beautiful skater," because that makes it sound all natural and graceful and whatnot when it is beautiful technique gotten through hard work. Le sigh. I need to stop watching so much ice skating!
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 07:54 pm (UTC)The Horrible New System makes me laugh.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 08:33 pm (UTC)I don't think this definition is going to catch on, but it would simplify so much.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 08:35 pm (UTC)Sob! I so wanted Slutskaya to get the gold this time. She's so joyful when she skates that I have to smile too. But Arakawa was so good: she had the glow while she was performing that you know means that a person just skated *the* performance of the night. One of her lines, when she was holding her leg up over her head and then let it go, and let it stay in position for a few seconds...ouch! Beautiful! That's strength.
Sigh. Skating.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 08:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 08:47 pm (UTC)I felt really bad for Slutskaya and Cohen when they fell, but I like watching Slutskaya because she always seems to be sort of happy and peppy even under the circumstances.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 08:58 pm (UTC)As for the new system...it's my first time watching skating with this new system, and I think I agree with some of the comments made in that it's not really bad, but people have to get use to it. It seems more demanding, and everyone just needs to learn how to make a great performance (artistically) to make it work.
It seems Sasha Cohen did a nice job (other than falling, but oh well, it happens). Didn't quite think she was Juliet though. Apparently, she'll be in Calgary next month for the World Championships. Yah, Calgary!
As for Kill Bill? I think it's a shame that it was just so violent. I'm normally very o.k. about violence in movies, but Kill Bill was really, over the top disgusting. Remembering back on it, I think you have a very valid point about the sterotypes.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 09:05 pm (UTC)I hate chick flicks for that reason too. Don't be a jerk and try and make me cry when I don't want to.
(no subject)
Fri, Feb. 24th, 2006 11:03 pm (UTC)I, ahem, actually fell asleep during Kill Bill 1. Um. I was tired?
I hate the sob stories too! Hee, I'm just not complaining about it because my Tivo let me fast forward through it, while I absolutely have to sit through all of the commentary.
(no subject)
Sat, Feb. 25th, 2006 12:50 am (UTC)I so have to get Tivo.
Grrrr
Sat, Feb. 25th, 2006 02:06 am (UTC)I really wanted to hurt her after hearing this. I immediately said: "Oh, did Sasha poison herself because she thought her loved one was dead? Have you even read the play? You don't know what your talking about!"
Dick Button needs to go back to NRA meetings with Cheney and apparently seeing women's figure skating as an older man watching a young girl skating not for an Olympic medal, but for his satisfaction and satiation of his "sexual stirrings"; he might not know this, but they're skating for themselves and their countries and not for him.
Plus I thought Slutskaya skated a hell of a lot better and only fell down once, while Cohen fell down twice and in her first half clearly didn't have it in her. And I got less than five hours sleep for this?!
On another note, looks like a lot of interesting new faces for next Olympics, no?
Sash Cohen IS Juliet
Sat, Feb. 25th, 2006 03:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Sat, Feb. 25th, 2006 10:05 am (UTC)Re: Sash Cohen IS Juliet
Sun, Feb. 26th, 2006 12:32 am (UTC)I know! I think there should be a new rule: No medals for those that fall on their asses.
I guess that would have limited the field, though...
Re: Grrrr
Sun, Feb. 26th, 2006 07:16 am (UTC)(no subject)
Sun, Feb. 26th, 2006 07:19 am (UTC)