KIds

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Larry Clark‟s Kids presents what is supposed to be as day in the lives of urban children. The actors were not experienced, simply friends of the screenwriter. Wikipedia calls the style pseudo-documentary. It is controversial in terms of content of “date rape, physical violence, drug dealing, theft, seduction of barely post-pubescent minors, and (non-explicit) teenage sexual displays.” The soundtrack included music from John Coltrane to Beastie Boys. The principal male actors, Telly and Casper both rape girls, one while asleep. Telly‟s dialogue seems unreal, describing how he loved to deflower virgins. He seduces the girls with the lies they seem eager to fall for. However, we soon learn that he is HIV positive and has infected one girl, Jennie who searches to find him. In the same way, his moral permit him to shoplift, steal from his mom, and then Casper, violently thrashes an older man he bumped accidentally and argue, perhaps even kill the man, with the assistance of his kid friends in the park as an unruly swarm. Very young kids talk about sex and smoke marijuana. All this occurs unsupervised. The adults displayed aren‟t much better. Tully‟s mom smokes while breastfeeding. The cabbie lectures Jennie to feel better, not knowing about her recent diagnosis. Engdahl and Hosney mention the opening scene of the “endless, sucking French kiss.” The dialogue is presented shockingly, such as Telly‟s voice-over that follows, “Virgins, I love „em. No diseases, no loose-as-a-goose pussy, no skank. No nothing. Just pure pleasure.” We can tell how he respects these girls. He apparently is ignorant of AIDS. He continues bragging to Casper. They refer to the look as cinema-verite, ringing of a consistency in presentation of character and narrative, if not truth. Girls are shown in an early scene describing how they like foreplay but not in performing oral sex. We follow two girls as they go to the health department for STD testing. We follow Jennie in her seeking Telly. We expect Jennie to save Darcy (Telly‟s new conquest), but she does not in her drugged state. Possible reactions include anger, disgust, denial, and resignation. (Engdahl) Giroux calls it “coming of age” and an “age of increasing despair.” American society is indifferent today to its youth. Youths are portrayed as “criminal, sexually decadent, drug crazed and illiterate...viewed as a growing threat to the public order.” We see “adolescent libido out of control.” “If Telly‟s story is one of sexual conquest, Jennie‟s is one of tragedy and powerlessness.” “Pathology and ignorance become the basis for defining the identity and agency of urban youth in Clark‟s world.” (Giroux) According to Hatch, he depicts “youth without morals, without hope, and without a future.” He compares it to “how people with power represent those without it – in this case, how kids are represented by adults….The film masqueraded as a documentary; it avoided raising many difficult questions about representation.” (Hatch) Our class seemed to love it, the issues raised, the shock, and the appearance of truth. I also gave it a thumbs up. References
Engdahl, J., & Hosney, J. (1995-1996). [Untitled] Film Quarterly, 49(2), 41-44. Giroux, H. A. (1996). Hollywood, Race, and the Demonization of Youth: The "KIds" Are Not "Alright". Educational Researcher, 25(2), 31-35. Hatch, T. (1996). If the "KIds" Are Not "Alright," I'm Clueless": A Response to a Review by Henry Giroux of the Movie "Kids". Educational Researcher, 25(7), 40-43.

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