AGRICULTURE IN FILMS… AND THEN CAME ‘PERCY’!
‘The battles he chose to fight are over, but I am sure his story will live on in folklore for years to come.’
It has been an extraordinary, fateful, year of momentous significance with often dreadful decisions and consequences. There’s been enough written on this and I’d like to discuss something less doom- laden…but interesting. So…when searching for a topic, I happened to come across a new film with an agricultural theme.
Before going further, I’ll declare an interest. I love films! I love film-making! I love all the work in getting a concept from storyboard to finished product. I love the technicals, the sound, the lighting…all of it! I’ve had the privilege to be an Executive Producer (EP) on some Short Films (a category under 15 minutes) and helped new young talent develop.
OK…so what films a) immediately come to mind based on agriculture? Let’s narrow it…let’s say farmers…and b) which ones are your personal favourites?
There are a lot of documentaries on farming, agriculture and food supply. However, many come with agendas and political messages. I’m not against those (unless they’re badly made…) but I’d look more towards, a proper ‘movie’ drama. Hence, the first that came to my mind was Field of Dreams with
…TAKE THE MOVIE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT…OR A GRAIN OF CANOLA FOR THAT MATTER…
Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones and of course…Burt Lancaster! I first saw this movie on a plane coming back from a stint in Chicago in 1989 and loved it! In 2017 it was chosen for preservation by the U.S. National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as a ‘culturally, historically or aesthetically significant’ film. If you haven’t seen it…it’s brilliant…watch it over Christmas!
My next film is one many would also have. The Grapes of Wrath! It’s a powerful film set during the Great Depression of the 1930’s and covers the consequences of a family’s journey from the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma farming to a better life in California. It’s a strong picture with a strong social reform message. That doesn’t make it any less worthy a picture as it starred a young Henry Fonda and was directed by the great John Ford.
These are my two immediate films. However, I thought a little more and added three others worth looking at, if you hadn’t already. They’re Babe, a really uplifting story of a piglet that goes on to become a sheep herding pig, a heavily nominated feature film. Charlotte’s Web, the earlier animated 1973 version or the later 2006 version is a sweet family film based again on the story of a pig…but a spider as well. An obtuse selection now, The Martian from 2015 with Matt Damon and directed by Ridley Scott. A fantastic movie! Though set on Mars and a straightforward Sci-Fi film also has so many farming and agricultural scenes as Matt Damon’s main character tries to feed himself…and in the process, colonises Mars.
26 | ADMISI - The Ghost In The Machine | Q4 Edition
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