The Adventures of Tintin originated as a children’s
section in a weekly newspaper, and showcased the adventures of a young boy
(Farr, 1997). While many would categorize comics and cartoons as a child based
genre, Tintin and the Blue Lotus shows a more daring and adventurous story that
may challenge those perspectives. I think that the children who watched this
film when it originated would appreciate it more now than they did as a child.
I base this on the fact that the film has a large political influence through
the showcasing of Chinese, Japanese, and western cultures. Children are not
likely to understand these aspects of the film, and may instead pick up certain
stereotypical views. For example, the Japanese men in the film are drawn with
large buck teeth, which may lead children to assume that all Japanese men look
this way (Hergé, 2005; 1935). The extract from Michael Farr (1991)
highlights this political take, by emphasizing on George Remi’s accurate
attention to detail in his drawing and settings. His use of actual world events
and real life components such as exact car models may not be appreciated by
younger audiences as they are older. This is also shown through the use of
actual drugs, firearms, other weapons and violence throughout the film. These
aspects will probably make parents carefully consider showing this film to
young children before doing so. Although these aspects are shown in a negative
light throughout the film, younger children may not be able to differentiate
between negative and positive film portrayals, and consequently the presence of
these things may compound negative responses (Hergé, 2005; 1935). Thus, I think the Blue Lotus may be one of the
Tintin films that created the idea that the series can be enjoyed by anyone
from the ages of seven to seventy (Farr, 1991). Based on this film, I think
that the comics are a genre based for a mature audience of young adults and
older.
Farr, Michael. (1991).
Introduction. In Tintin: the complete companion (pp.8-9). London: John Murray.
Hergé. (2005; 1935). The
Adventures of Tintin: The Blue Lotus. London: Methuen
Good, thanks Eden. You seem to have answered the question based on the film rather than the primary-text which is the comic itself (comics is the genre we were looking at). The film is a later interpretation of the source material, but true to many aspects of the comic.That said, it is not a bad post. You have clearly engaged with the Farr reading. Keep an eye on clarity - remember to re-read your work before posting. Also maybe think about breaking it into two or three papagraphs to separate out your main points and make it clearer to read. Good.
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