While political awareness has been increasing on campus in preparation of election day, students turned out in huge numbers for a pivotal event Friday night: the opening of the new Borat movie.
They weren’t alone. According to Associated Press, although opening on only 837 screens, “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” brought in over $26 million this past weekend. The total is a U.S. record for a film opening at fewer than 1,000 locations, and it far exceeded industry expectations of around $15 million.
“I wasn’t surprised,” said Jeff Wong ’08. “I know how popular ‘Da Ali G Show’ is on campus, and everyone had talked about the movie for like two weeks beforehand.”
In response to the massive and apparently successful hype, students made the pilgrimage to Showcase Cinemas in Berlin, since the Destinta Theater in Middletown does not plan to screen the movie.
“I thought for sure Destinta would have it…that was definitely a big mistake,” said Sean Gallagher ’08, who also proposed reasons for not showing the film. “I could understand, after seeing it though…what most people enjoyed was the crude humor.”
“Destinta really dropped the ball,” Wong added.
Showcase only showed the film on one screen, but according to the theater, both the 7:20 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. show times sold out. The later time, which was attended by the larger number of Wesleyan students, sold out several hours before screen time.
“It was great; when we were getting up to the movie, I realized about half my row was Wesleyan students, then I looked around and realized half the theater was Wesleyan students. I was just amazed at it,” Gallagher said.
Kazakh journalist “Borat” is a fictional character created by British comic Sacha Baron Cohen. Borat joins a variety of characters created by Cohen and featured on the HBO program he hosts, “Da Ali G Show.” Cohen attended Christ’s College, Cambridge, and in addition to speaking fluent Hebrew, he wrote his thesis on the Jewish involvement in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. His brand of clever satire is part of his biggest appeal for the Wesleyan student body.
“First off, it’s just very smart humor, like with John Stewart or Steven Colbert,” said Kai Johnson ’08. “It’s just [funny] when the comedian is smarter than the person being interviewed, and [the person interviewed] can’t get what’s going on.”
Reactions to the film were overwhelmingly positive, although Baron’s unscripted, reality- style humor made even students, like Gallagher, who are familiar with the T.V. show uncomfortable.
“I was hoping that parts of it were scripted, otherwise, that’s kind of a scary message coming from our culture,” he said.
Several students referenced the frat boy scene in particular, a sequence in which Cohen, while hitchhiking, is picked up by an R.V. full of male college students. The group drinks and proceeds to make a series of sexist comments, referencing Pamela Anderson in particular.
“Some parts of that scene with the frat boys…and the scene the rodeo guy: those people were too racist and homophobic to laugh at,” said Dan Greengard ’08.
The taboo issues he addresses, however, and Cohen’s ability to elicit such frank responses, are part of his biggest appeal.
“The issues he brings up…like women’s rights, anti-Semitism, what Americans think of other cultures: I think it’s kind of depressing that other people have these views that show up that immediately,” Johnson said.
“Mostly I think people laugh because so many of his comments take your breath away,” Gallagher added.
Gallagher’s reaction to the “unscripted” thoughts and reactions of Americans also echoed some of the broader feedback “Borat” has received from critics and students alike.
“I thought it was so over the top,” he said. “You’d think that [is something] no one would say, but I guess it makes you open you eyes [to] what exists in America.”
Greengard agreed, noting his surprise at the opinions people were willing to reveal on camera.
“I’m very, what’s the word…disappointed in our country,” Greengard said. “I thought it was hilarious.”
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