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sarah_corbis
Reviews
Johnston... Johnston (1995)
gender war in the workplace
This movie should have won best picture in the year it came out, because it is the second best movie I have ever seen, the best being, 'The Matrix', (not counting the original US theatrical release of 'Highlander' which has never been released on DVD), and 'The Matrix' was like 'Highlander', never nominated for 'best picture'.
If anybody knows how to get a copy of 'Johnston...Johnston' on DVD, please post a message. Even though this small "indy" film is only about 23 minutes long, I would still want to acquire it on DVD.
'Johnston...Johnston' is both political commentary, and erotica of a Dominance & Submission nature. It is very mature in handling the theme of "authority versus power" dynamic between males and females, and what happens when females have both, and males have neither authority nor power. A male may only have authority over a woman if she chooses to submit to him: Submit means to consider...does not mean, obey. And a woman will have power over a man who desires her. Could erotica exist without NEEDS versus WANTS? Hence, this movie, though it hints at erotica, quickly becomes an exposition on the abuse of males in the workplace by females, and how the males are isolated, desolate, and mute. I think many confuse power with physical strength, as in weapons of war, such as guns. But that is not true power, but either fear of power, or hostility and aggression. Authority and Power are spiritual concepts: With great power comes great responsibility, and so they with great power turn to the wise for guidance. Can any individual be trusted with both authority and power? A man feels a NEED for his wife, whereas she may only WANT him, if he is useful. It is as if females have a monopoly on the water supply, and expect males to produce wine for them. Would you water a tomato plant that did not bear fruit? Anyway, there is very little dialogue in this movie, but what dialogue there is, is powerfully written. This movie does not waste words; it is a work of genius. After what seems like a decade, I still think about it, even though I have not seen it again in that space of time.
What I really appreciate about this movie is the fact that besides "innuendo", nobody says anything "explicit". The "word play" is juxtaposed besides "visual poetry", and nobody takes off their clothes, or uses "curse words" (profanity). The (colourful) outfits of the main female characters is contrasted with the vanilla-like "fashion" (blandness) of the office attire the males wear, and the males appear to be mute, like in a Charlie Chaplin (black and white) movie. One of the females, if I remember correctly, is even wearing military fatigues complemented with "General Douglas McArthur"-like sunglasses. Again, visual poetry is combined with word play in this movie about female domination in the workplace. And the question left for the audience to consider is, What is "sexual harassment" (or "sexual assault"), psychologically speaking, and does "the silence of the males (lambs?)" constitute consent.
I wonder who owns the "copyright" to this movie, and why it is not available for purchase.