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LARA CROFT, DC MOVIES, AND THE NATURE OF FANDOM - BY MR BIFFO

20/9/2018

27 Comments

 
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Yeah, so anyway... I wrote that article earlier this week about why I don't like the current version of Lara Croft. I expected a bit of flack for it - and, indeed, I had a few tweets aimed at me implying that I had some sort of patriarchal agenda, or was attention-seeking - but for the most part people seemed to be aligned with my sentiments.

However, I did nevertheless get a load of grief from it in a rather weird, tangential, and unexpected, sense.

In short, while discussing it on Twitter, I drew a parallel between the new and cheerless Tomb Raider series and the DC movie universe. You can read that tweet above. I mean, whatever your feelings about Marvel movies, you can't - on any level - argue that they aren't wildly successful just in commercial terms. It's an undeniable fact that, over the last 10 years, Marvel - under the watch of Kevin Feige - has grown into the biggest entertainment franchise on the planet. 

And, by comparison, DC has failed to achieve the same with its movies. Wonder Woman is great of course - adopting some of the escapist lightness of tone that Marvel manages to balance with the more dramatic moments and action beats - and this was reflected in its box office. The Zack Synder-led DC movies did okay, but failed to land a Marvel-sized hit, and - crucially - are simply  not as beloved or well-received as Marvel films.

That's what I was rather clumsily getting at, rather than bringing my own opinions on those movies into it. Although, y'know, I struggled with Man of Steel, Dawn of Justice, and Suicide Squad. Though admit that I enjoyed Justice League more than expected (albeit perhaps because my expectations were so low). I loved Wonder Woman and I'm very much looking forward to Shazam (again, because the trailer suggests it has learned lessons from Marvel).

Anyway. None of that was contained in my tweet, which is perhaps why a mob of furious DC movie fans - clearly searching for criticism of the films they love (as none of them follow me, and wouldn't have otherwise seen the tweet) - sought me out to tell me why I was wrong. 
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FANDOMINATION
For the record, I don't get upset by stuff like this. It was annoying in the sense that I was getting a lot of notifications, but - if anything - I enjoy it, rather perversely. I generally don't engage beyond responding with bizarre GIFs. I knew what I meant, I'm pretty secure in my opinions, and I don't get upset by it.

I don't much like being accused of misogyny, but I accept that certain people are going to project that onto anything written by someone from my particular demographic. 

Nevertheless, in this instance I found the whole thing fascinating, and - when I stopped to think about it - kind of heartbreaking. I know we live in an age when actors are abused into leaving social media just because a heap of people didn't like a film they were in. We're all too aware of our era being one in which misogyny, racism, and extreme views are given too much of a platform, courtesy of social media.

Nevertheless, this wasn't about any of that. This was a bunch of people who are SO defensive and touchy over some films they like that they're actively looking for examples of others undermining that faith.

​It's actually really, really sad. After a few days of it, that was the main thing I felt whenever I'd get a new reply - I felt sorry for these people that this is all they have to get upset and angry about. That's not false pity, or intended to be patronising; I genuinely mean it. 

But why are they so touchy?
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CLICKBAIT
A couple of responses to the Lara article suggested I was clickbaiting, asking how I enjoyed the paltry few retweets I got for it. I mean, fair enough... if trying to write something that people might want to read - shocking, I know - is the definition of clickbait, then you got me.

​The DC fans either just abused me, or tried to tell me why my tiny little tweet was wrong. 

Everyone's different, and I'm sure those who kindly took the time to engage with me have subtly different emotional reasons for being the way they are, but there's a clear sense of them trying to ensure that their own opinions are solid. That was the sense I got; that they're fighting to prove the validity of their beliefs.

Fandom can be all the stronger when it comes to fictional worlds, because those fake realities are typically more intesting and transportive than the real world, while allowing an empathic connection the inner lives of the characters. It becomes a form of psychological compensation for how mundane or disconnected their own lives are. 

One of the most positive things about fandom is that it fosters a sense of community, and with community comes security. Indeed, it's one of the most brilliant aspects of Digitiser, and I love it. Feeling you belong to something can be incredibly beneficial to mental health. We live in deeply divided times, and fandoms can make us feel a little less alone.

IDENTITY: DEFINED
Speaking to Teen Vogue, of all things, Dr. Laurel Steinberg, a psychotherapist and professor of psychology at Columbia University, explained: “Feeling like you are part of a group can help one define his/her identity and give a sense of purpose to what might be an otherwise routine lifestyle.”

​So in theory, on paper, fandom is good thing, but when it becomes a bad thing is also contained in what Steinberg says; when a fan confuses what they like with who they are. It's when their identity becomes conjoined with the things they're a fan of.

You saw it in a lot of those who tweeted at me; their Twitter names often contained references to Zack Synder and DC movies.  

A fanbase may be made up of individuals who are very different, but they also reinforce a belief in the correctness of what they believe. If you want to extend it further, then the same psychology is at work in the alt.right, the alt.left, Gamergate, and whatever other toxic communities you might want to think of. How many Gamergate commenters would reference Gamergate in their screen names? The cause became their identity.

Therefore, attack them at your peril, because you're going to be attacking the sense of self each of the individuals who make up these groups are feeling by being part of that group. And the reason they're fanatical in the first place is because, outside of belonging to that community, they often have a weak sense of who they are.

Chances are, if they've thrown in their lot with a group, then - depressing as it is to say - they don't have much else going on in their life. Threaten the group and you essentially threaten everything about the individual.
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ANIMALS
You see fandom at its worst when it's groups who are routinely under attack, and they adopt an Us vs Them position.

Going back to DC movies, those films generally get a bad press. Ergo - in the case of me - they were pro-actively going on the attack, seeking out any negativity which might threaten them. As impotent as it might've been, it's all pretty primal; seek out any potential attackers, and take them down before they do the same to you.

Furthermore, sending me a rude tweet can make a person feel they've done their bit to protect the community - again, cementing the sense of belonging and reason for being. The anonymity of social media allows people the opportunity to sate a primal urge to attack.

Like it or not, we're mostly all conditioned from the day we're born to conform to society's norms, to be good, to behave. These conditions of worth can often conflict with what's hewn deep into the DNA of what we are.  

Back any animal into a corner by threatening it, and it's going to snarl and bare its teeth. Unfortunately, we're no different. How many times have you said something you immediately regret in the middle of an argument that you're losing? You might shut down the argument, but at what cost? In those moments, though, we're not thinking we're feeling - and the same can be applied to any extreme group, be it fandom or one with an agenda. 

Ultimately, you're not going to win by fighting fire with fire. As easy as it is to dismiss these people as "idiots", if I get abuse from someone who doesn't like my opinion about Lara Croft or DC movies there's no potential for engagement with a rational, thinking, person there through attacking them back.

They're operating from an emotional platform, because they feel that I in some way pose a danger to who they are. All that fighting back would achieve is more of the same, reinforcing for them that I'm wrong and bad, and part of an existential threat to their community and identity. 

Of course, you've got every right to be attack somebody you feel has attacked you... just don't think, when it comes to online interaction, that it's going to help. 
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27 Comments
Justplainandy
20/9/2018 09:47:21 am

So that first commenter, the Hutchinson guy, basically says that of 5 movies, 3 of the theatrical versions (ie the ones people will actually see first) had significant problems but somehow DC movies are great? I don’t get the argument.

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Ædê
20/9/2018 09:57:53 am

"Even though the cinema, DVD & Blu-ray releases were BUTCHERED by the STUDIO - badly edited by A BUNCH OF IDIOTS - they were all cinematic masterpieces IN MY HEAD."

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alb
20/9/2018 10:03:27 am

Whenever I see anything like this, I'm reminded of Tony Parsons when he was working for the NME and did an article about legal highs in about 1976-77. He was doorstepped by a morally indignant reporter and just replied "It was a JOKE! You remember JOKES dontcha?"

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MENTALIST
20/9/2018 10:09:08 am

Rian Johnson's probably feeling the pleasurable effects of prostate massage.

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mikey c
20/9/2018 10:26:54 am

I liked the guy who had "fuck warner bros" in his name, angry that the film studio making his favourite films has still somehow made them wrong, and also unable to understand that warner bros pictures and DC comics have been part of the same conglomerate since 1990

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Peter Sim
20/9/2018 10:34:18 am

Some excellent writing & analysis this week Mr. Biffo, really interesting reading.

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Fancy Pants
20/9/2018 10:34:29 am

Wonder Woman, right. One, single, tiny, little bit lost me. When she made a swoon face at Captain Kirk as he woke up. A proper, big, swoon face. For somehtinf that was pitched as some sort of feminist masterpiece (which it isn’t, but whatever) that two second piece of film was spectacularly misjudged. And the end CGI bit was dark and shit.

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Spiney O’Sullivan
24/9/2018 12:07:24 pm

I would have loved for Wonder Woman not to end with the big CGI video game boss fight. It was so strong up till then. It could have ended on a statement about man’s tendency towards war that made WW’s retirement from superheroing make more sense, but instead chose to blame it all on a big CGI hate-god with mind-control powers after all.

Still the best DC film by a mile, but such a missed opportunity to be more than just the usual superhero film.

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Grembot
20/9/2018 10:56:41 am

Nothing in the DC films feels earned, it’s just stuff happening and I don’t know why I’m supposed to care. Justice League was the worst for it, even the villain was introduced by just turning up and someone saying “oh here’s the bad guy, he’s a bad guy.”

Maybe it’s because I like Batman too much, I didn’t like him swooning over Superman coming back.

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Harry Steele
20/9/2018 11:02:51 am

I've started to get depressed by the comments on all my favourite franchises: Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who etc. Every single news story or facebook post talks about how something is categorically crap or how SJWs have ruined their beloved franchise etc. It's harming my enjoyment of things as it's all tainted - like you're eating a delicious meal but off a dirty plate.

However, I have recently discovered a plug in for Chrome called 'Shut Up' which automatically blocks the comment sections on web pages - even Facebook (didn't work for here, though - but I guess it's cos it's a form?

You can still PRESS REVEAL to see the comments if you choose but so far it's been nice to see news stories without the bitter aftertaste

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RichardM
20/9/2018 11:58:02 am

What’s wrong with people? I honesty don’t think there is any media I care about sufficiently that I would bother responding to a negative comment about it.

I like Star Wars more than most things, but even then I quite like reading negative reviews and that. Even when I think they’re wrong it’s usually... funny? And not worth getting in a row about.

No sense of humour, I think. Siege mentality. Arseholism.

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jim
20/9/2018 05:13:48 pm

Also, even if you did care enough, why bother responding? You aren't going to change anyone's opinion so what's the point. A lot of people are just trolling too, so even less worthy of a response.

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THX 1139
20/9/2018 12:28:49 pm

I wonder if toys are the key to this? Mass merchandising, Star Wars-style, meant everyone grew up making their own versions of what became massive franchises when they were adults, and they feel very protective of them. When the product doesn't match their childhood fantasies, they feel betrayed. Alternatively, when they see someone criticise something they've loved since childhood, they are protectively outraged. It's like everyone's their enemy and trying to get their babies, enforcing their own hero image. So they band together in a kind of siege mentality - but they're the ones laying siege.

I also wonder if people have way too much time on their hands when pop culture becomes their religion.

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Nocturne
20/9/2018 12:47:47 pm

My favourite replies to your tweet were the ones using Dark Knight as evidence of DC's cinematiic greatness. May as well have brought Michael Keaton into it if we're stretching beyond the films shared universe you were talking about (of course he's Marvel as well now so....)
I can see how people might find Dawn of Justice and Justice League fun, there are moments there just not enough to work for me personally, the support of Man of Steel however still eludes me.

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THX 1139
20/9/2018 01:00:32 pm

The Man of Steel support makes more sense if you know Snyder is making an Ayn Rand adaptation next: the epitome of entitled self-belief which goes hand in hand with toxic fandom.

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Marro
20/9/2018 01:38:50 pm

The "Blocking Assholes" Rian is referring to is a spiritual practice that involves inserting Lego blocks into the rectum and then creating objects from them through expert control of the sphincter muscles. These objects are then given as gifts to the subject's loved ones - hidden in a pillow perhaps or a pocket - as a token of their bond.

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Geebs
20/9/2018 02:13:07 pm

I expect that anybody who thinks BvS was a cinematic masterpiece is vanishingly unlikely to ever come up with a worthwhile opinion on anything else.

Also, I'm genuinely impressed that they managed to find a WORSE writer for the latest Tomb Raider instalment.

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Mr Writer
20/9/2018 06:21:44 pm

Nothing against Rhianna Pratchett. I've heard her on Totalbiscuits podcast a couple of times and found her thoroughly likeable and interesting.

But my god the writing in Tomb Raider was awful. I appreciate and accept some of her explanations about how the game placed certain shackles on her in terms of how quickly characters had to progress and how much time was available to explore others.

But ultimately that was no excuse for such a dire interpretation of the character. If the developers forced that upon her, she certainly didn't admit to it so I hold her accountable. A poor effort.

Totally agree that it is miraculous that they managed to find someone who did an even worse job.

I mean most fan fiction is better than that writing in the games. A reason why fandoms shouldn't be brushed off and smeared. A few bad eggs sure but there seems to be a trend at the moment where people produce utter shi*e and then try to mass smear a fandom to divert attention away from their poor sales.

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Geebs
21/9/2018 10:39:09 am

Tomb Raider suffers badly from having a much weaker cast than, say, Uncharted. In particular, nü-Lara’s actress sounds both horribly affected and flat, all of the time.

I’d have a lot more sympathy for RP if it wasn’t for the fact that the dialogue in Mirror’s Edge was also ghastly, and she tried to blame everything on (a different set of) developers for that one as well.

Kelvin Green link
20/9/2018 04:01:16 pm

That "nothing short of a cinematic masterpiece" comment is satire, isn't it?

Please?

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Johnc
20/9/2018 06:47:27 pm

Well done on writing an article on this subject without mentioning the Amiga.

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Dr. Budd Buttocks, MD
20/9/2018 08:58:44 pm

Judging from the reaction to the last article about Amiga owners, probably a good idea

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Robobob
20/9/2018 07:57:08 pm

It all just adds to my sense that on balance the internet's been a force for evil,not good.

He said, on the internet

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CdrJameson
21/9/2018 02:59:22 pm

I can highly recommend Teen Titans Go! To the Movies as a decent DC film. Haven't seen any of the others because even the posters bored me to death (I got better though).

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Starbuck
23/9/2018 12:04:29 pm

Hear hear! Best DC movie ever! It even has Stan Lee in it!

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Starbuck
23/9/2018 12:05:44 pm

I had this year's ago with Joe Pasquale fanatics online. JOE PASQUALE!

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Nikolay Yeriomin link
28/9/2018 03:32:30 pm

Being a DC fan I'm still all for civilized discussion, which that thing on Twitter certainly was not.

That said my opinions are very unpopular about the DC films myself: I concider Man of Steel deeply flawed and barely watchable while I like Suicide Squad which I consider a rarity of true b-movie: in our day and age most of the b-movies are aware that what they're doing is cheesy and it kinda spoils it, so great b-movies only happen by accident.

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