Gran torino actor reveals behindthescenes racism the. The film is a pleasure to watch and fans of clint eastwood will not be disappointed. Gran torino identify critical moments in the film gran torino where walt kowalski is transformed from a racist tormented character to a compassionate father figure. From the trailers gran torino 2008 appears to be a somewhat stereotypical american story of a racist, elderly misanthrope who is forced to deal with his prejudices and eventually come to appreciate those he used to scorn. The plot of gran torino revolves around walt kowalski played by eastwood, a korean war veteran, a retired autoworker, and an extremely misanthropic and apparently deeply racist man. Walt kowalski clint eastwood uses an m1 garand that he kept from the korean war to chase thao vang lor bee vang out of his garage and scare the hmong gangmembers off his lawn. Jamie cullum on writing gran torino with clint eastwood at. Gran torino is a recent melodrama directed and starring clint eastwood about a man befriending a hmong family and saving them from the gang life ahead of the teenage hmong boy. A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Thao is part of the hmong community, a small ethnic asian group. Gran torino grinds through its gears in an efficient if generally graceless manner, with occasional blasts of violence interrupting a film that is content to be the cutest movie clint s done. Its not about the car, nor is it about clint eastwood s funny lines or confessing your sins, or how to be a badass. Here is a spiritual drama that charts the transformation of a bigoted, lonely, and caustic old man into a neighbor with heart and a new mission to take care of sue and thao. Gran torino is a brilliant movie from start to finish, i cant believe i waited so long to watch it, its completely different to what i expected, two thirds of the film had a very light tone at.
Louisa schein, hmong media expert, discussed the truth of what happened behind the scenes of the movie gran torino. That, we claim, explains why eastwood recently said that gran torino was probably the last film in which he would participate as an actor. Gran torino, which eastwood has said will mark his last acting role, succeeds in many areas while falling flat in others. Its almost as if clint eastwood all at once finds himself in a different movie than either. After beginning his acting career exclusively with small uncredited film roles and television appearances, his career has spanned more than 50 years. In that sense, gran torino is, in an explicit way, a representation of jesus christs path of the cross.
As gran torino breaks down the iconic eastwood movie, it recalls the searchers, another timely evocation of collective wrongheadedness and terrible legacies. Eastwood has acted in several television series, most notably rawhide. I thought clint eastwood s new film was about a grandmother in turin, not a racist exsoldier and his car. Gran torino internet movie firearms database guns in. What other film titles have promised something completely different from. Its a crime that this wasnt nominated for an oscar for anything.
Furthermore, gran torino shows how the actions that led to the sacrifice of the main character in the movie, walt kowalski played by clint eastwood, represent the only true way to definitively break with violence. The film costars christopher carley, bee vang and ahney her. Gran torino original theme song from the motion picture licensed to youtube by. The truth of the matter is that gran torino is really about walt learning about how to be a father, s. After years of acting in movies, eastwood became an oscarwinning director and producer. Clint eastwoods grand torino 8 symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory in gran torino symbolic interactionism with respect to symbolic interactionism, people build meaning to life through social interaction. Jul 14, 2009 jamie cullum live at music matters 2009. Cultural conflict and redemption 1786 words 8 pages. Feb 03, 2009 clint eastwood, dirty harry callahan, whatever you want to call him. Gran torino is a film directed by clint eastwood, with eastwood also taking on the key role as main character and protagonist. Jan 14, 2009 gran torino original theme song from the motion picture film version clint eastwood, jamie cullum. One cannot walk away from a clint eastwood film, without saying that they havent learned something, or without saying just like the legendary ethel merman used to sing theres no business quite like show business.
No wonder gran torino became eastwoods biggest grossing movie ever. When i saw this movie, i greatly enjoyed it especially with clint eastwood trying to like people. Gran torinos first scene takes place in a church, and walt is a catholic. Its not about the car, nor is it about clint eastwoods funny lines or confessing your sins, or how to be a badass. Doc gran torino and the deep message behind a great movie. In gran torino, eastwoods kowalski takes the trope of the white messiah to a new level with the telegraphed ending and the christlike pose of the final scene. The car in clint eastwood s recently released movie, gran torino, is a green twodoor fastback 1972 gran torino sport. Gran torino 2008 clarifies the premise of age discrimination and defends it, but thinks that the underlying theme is racial discrimination and prejudice. Eastwood, a man whose vitality as an artist shows no signs of waning, even in a nominally modest effort like gran torino. Dec 17, 2008 among actors of eastwood s generation, james garner might have been able to play this role, but my guess is, hed be too nice in it.
Actordirector clint eastwood born may 31, 1930 is best known for his portrayals of various tough characters on film, including cowboys and san fransisco police officer dirty harry callahan. Jan 31, 2010 gran torino is a recent melodrama directed and starring clint eastwood about a man befriending a hmong family and saving them from the gang life ahead of the teenage hmong boy. Clint eastwood s performance is more than another version of dirty harry. Walt is a harsh, ramrodstraight man with a quick temper and high standards whose greatest joy is an orderly home and his beloved, mintcondition gran torino. Though many of the people who have seen the film may have gotten a sense of satisfaction and joy from seeing that walt overcame his racism, the people who acted as the hmong members in the movie did not. Its an old ford muscle car the one seen in the movie. Gran torino analysis a reflection on cultural conflict and redemption the 2008 movie gran torino starring clint eastwood is filled with an abundance of cultural diversity, which is met with much resistance, stereotype, and prejudice by the movies main character, walt kowalski. Its not a grand farewell, but it is a good, solid drama about understanding, repentance, tolerance, and change. Very mixed words have been thrown about this movie as of late.
Clint eastwoods gran torino was released in cinemas in 2008. Ill shoot a hole in your fucking face then ill go back inside and sleep like a baby. But his is a reluctant faith, if its really there at all. Walt kowalski clint eastwood is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his michigan neighborhood and the world around him. Clint eastwood s performance was also acknowledged. A quite well received movie, it represents the culmination of eastwoods fiftyyear career as actor and director.
Dirty harry on a pension, were thinking, until we realize that only the autoworker retired. In that sense, gran torino is, in an explicit way, a. Grant turin considers estherwood himself as walt kawoski who is active in the former soldier of the first world war, korea. Gran torino is a film directed by clint eastwood, with eastwood who is also taking on the key role as the main character and protagonist. The equalizer extended movie clip here for the girl 2014 denzel washington movie hd duration. Clint eastwoods gran torino is about a racist old man named walt who overcomes his prejudice by helping his teenager neighbor thao. Another topnotch, clint eastwood film that entertains and teaches. Meaning of stereotypes in clint eastwoods gran torino. Though many of the people who have seen the film may have gotten a sense of satisfaction and joy from seeing that walt overcame his racism, the people who acted as the hmong members in. The film features a large hmong american cast, as well as one of eastwood s younger sons, scott. Meaning of stereotypes in clint eastwoods gran torino, and.
This movie highlights the modern conditions surrounding many aspects of intercultural communications. With clint eastwood, bee vang, christopher carley, ahney her. Gran torino starring clint eastwood was about a mans struggle in adapting to the changes in his environment when confronted by unfamiliar exposure to cultural differences. I have loved clint eastwood s later movies for a long long time, and always admired his music for his films. Eastwood here achieves the same trick he managed with the superlative million dollar baby which is to say, an ending that is an uplifting tragedy.
Gran torino, directed by and starring clint eastwood, is a dramatic film touching the subjects of racism, gangs, friendship, and death. The film opens just after the death of kowalskis wife. The film is about racism in modern america and how we can combat racism in the face of it. The ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv cop show starsky and hutch. Film analysis grand torino to give a bit of an overview, the movie gran torino was directed and produced by clint eastwood who also starred in the movie. In gran torino, clint eastwood plays walt kowalski, a retired korean war veteran shattered by his wifes recent death. Gran torino is directed by clint eastwood from a screenplay by nick schenk. He resides in a neighborhood that was once allwhite, but has since been populated by asian families. Eastwood directs with his usual understated mastery. Everything is good about this movie, especially the racism, he uses such terms as gook, zipper head, spooks, and many more. Clint eastwood s grand torino 8 symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory in gran torino symbolic interactionism with respect to symbolic interactionism, people build meaning to life through social interaction. Clint eastwood in a tale of redemption for an american. Few americans make movies about this country anymore, other than mr. This was eastwood s first starring role since 2004s million dollar baby.
In the closing scenes of clint eastwood s 2008 film grand torino the stories of one mans personal redemption and anothers dream of achieving independent manhood come together in two life defining moments. Kowalski is a grumpy, toughminded, unhappy an old man, who cant get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a korean war veteran whose prize possession is a 1972 gran torino he. He talked to peter travers for peters show on abc news now, popcorn, about his role in the selfdirected. Symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory in the film, gran torino 1773 words 7 pages. Gran torino opens with a shot of the protagonist clint eastwood, who also directed standing by his wifes coffin, looking more pissed than mournful. Walt makes no apologies for who he is, and thats why, when he begins to decide he likes his neighbors better than his own family, it means something. Jamie cullum on writing gran torino with clint eastwood.
He talked to peter travers for peters show on abc news now, popcorn, about his role in the selfdirected movie, gran torino. Clint eastwood sings the gran torino theme song, no really. The film was chosen because it told a story about ones struggle with traditional practice, cultural diversity, gender roles, and the acceptance of others. Feb 19, 2009 bee vang and clint eastwood in gran torino t he ford gran torino earned its footnote in pop culture history when a ketchupred 75 model with a white racing stripe was featured every week in the tv. His acting is, as always, charismatic and his direction is accomplished and sparse. Clint eastwood is an american film actor, director, producer, and composer. Originally i planned to focus on the background of the two directors in a way that helped portray their ideals, and the reason behind their individual views on cinema. Clint eastwoods acting swansong, as a racist raging against the asians infiltrating his bluecollar neighbourhood, offers a final twist on the hollywood legends onscreen persona, says xan. Which brings us to gran torino, eastwoods second directing. He hovers in the film, in its themes and highcaliber imagery, and of course most obviously in mr. Disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski clint eastwood sets out to reform his neighbor, thao lor bee vang, a hmong teenager who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession.
An analysis of clint eastwoods films 2049 words bartleby. Clint eastwood s son, scott eastwood played trey in the movie gran torino. Gran torino and the deep message behind a great movie. Jun 21, 2009 so far, people keep mentioning the city of torino, but i will give you the literal translation of the phrase as a person that speaks some italian.
If there are any faults in the film, they lie in the script. Mar 19, 2010 3 minute clip of every insult and racial slur hurled by clint eastwood in this amazing movie. Dirty harry is back, in a way, in gran torino, not as a character but as a ghostly presence. As well, this movie either came out in 2008 or 2009 and i thought how the movie ended would be clints last acting role. His doughy middleaged sons use japanese suvs to tote around disrespectful grandchildren who wear bellybaring shirts to their grandmothers funeral, then textmessage their way through the service. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the rt staff. When his priest, father janovich, encourages him to go to confession, walt says, i confess i never cared for church much. Walt accidentally fires it when slipping in his garage when he is chasing after thao. Despite the atrocities of war and the things he confesses the gran torino is what keeps him sane almost and happy. Clint eastwood eliminated myths of age discrimination and explained that he still has the right thing in the movie, gran torino 2008.
Eastwoods creation of the growling walt kowalski character effectively captures a particular form of white masculinity that relies on overt racism as a constituitive feature. However, with eastwood as director and lead actor, gran torino delivers much more. The following is a list of significant characters who feature in the 2008 film gran torino, directed by clint eastwood casting calls were held in fresno, california, detroit, michigan, and saint paul, minnesota, from which eastwood selected ten hmong american lead actors and supporting actors. Gran torino is a 2008 american drama film directed and produced by clint eastwood, who also starred in the film. Eastwood does this through narrative, genre and miseenscene. Walt kowalski is a widower who holds onto his prejudices despite the changes in his michigan neighborhood and the world around him.
Jan 25, 2011 bee vang, actor and secondyear student at brown university, and dr. Disgruntled korean war veteran walt kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, thao lor, a hmong teenager who tried to steal kowalskis prized possession. Written by nick schenk, gran torino revolves around walt kowalski clint eastwood, a american patriot. Clint eastwood and spike lee both use stereotypes as a means to an end in their films gran torino and do the right thing. When he confesses he no longer needs the car or anything he is at peace and he knows even if he is gone what he had done or had the gran torino will live on and be his legacy, a good memory or an accomplishment. Gran torino is a tale with many facets to it,such as the loss of male identity that was orginally brought about by working in skilled bluecollar employment which eastwoods character didhe was a ford auto worker in the movie and the male characteristics and bonding that this employment developed,and the repercussions regarding the decline and. In an interview with ralph simon jamie talks about collaborating with clint eastwood on the grammy nominated gran torino. Gran torino stars eastwood as an american icon once again this time as a cantankerous, racist, beerchugging retired detroit autoworker who keeps his shotgun ready to lock and load. Grand turin was chosen as one of the top 10 films in 2008 by the american film institute. Clint eastwood sings on the titular gran torino song.
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