Saw "The Hunger Games" A Second Time

I wanted to see if my initial good impression of "The Hunger Games" lasted upon a second viewing.

Yes, it's still a good movie. I'm reminded even more strongly this time of Frank Herbert's novel "Dune". Both movies feature the problems of worthy youth, but from different perspectives.

In "Dune", young Paul Muad'Dib, worthy scion of a dynasty under threat, has to flee assassins and vanish onto the desert world Arrakis, where he goes through a difficult apprenticeship featuring secret knowledge, before reemerging as a Messiah to lead a rebellion against the Empire.

In contrast, in "The Hunger Games", Katniss Everdeen, a worthy woman from humble origins, has to undergo a rigorous crash course, but suffer no particular apprenticeship, and gain no secret knowledge (with the exception of a little gained from Rue), before demonstrating gladitorial personal valor in a vast arena. Her apprenticeship, such as it is, is ordinary life: hunting squirrels, enduring hunger, and the like.

"Dune" seems to show an Asian (specifically Chinese) influence, with its emphasis on master-student relationships - like a kung-fu movie - but with a feminine edge and a messianic addendum. With its desert backdrop, the Jewish/Muslim past isn't far away either. In contrast, "The Hunger Games" displays a Roman influence throughout. Katniss' travails reminds one of 'American Idol': personal valor in a vast arena.

In our technological age, we live under circumstances where the Jewish/Chinese approach actually works better to stay abreast of the digital tsunami we are all experiencing, but Americans betray our cultural inheritance from the Romans with our enduring impatience with long educations.

We resist long educations, but we know deep in our heart of hearts that the Jewish/Chinese approach is better. Just sayin'!