I have a duel nature within my head. Two sides of the same coin, so to speak. One is dark and shadowy and one is happy go lucky. I have to say that the dark and depressing Film Noir cynical side of my brain liked THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON'T THEY?
And what's not to like? A modern film noir movie (film noir isn't restricted to crime, you know) where, in the Great Depression, you can take part in dance marathon that go on for years and years where you literally dance till you drop. 10/20 minutes of rest, sleep or to eat, and then the dancing stretch again. People who are better off than you can go and sit and watch you. If you wear a jersey with a sponser on you can get a few cents extra per dance. And so it goes, it goes. On and on in a depressing circus, around and around, where it stop no one knows. Some go crazy, some die on this dancing floor, everyone marching in tune with the dance of death. The people on the floor dance for the grand prize that they will never get!
It's pretty obvious the dancefloor and dance is symbolism for life. The people on the floor are the poor and the downtrodden (Les Miserables, if you will) of society and the guys watching are the rich and well off. And you are in the circus which we call life. Gig Young, as the cruel two faced commentator who I suspect is supposed to be God. In the end all humans are like horses. (!!!Spoiler begins here!!!)And the only way out is to kill yourself and if you are in misery you got to get shot like a horse! You get the picture....(!!!Spoiler ends here!!!)
Then (thank goodness) my reasonable side (which is also my happy go-lucky side) flips over and cries halt to all the negative absurdism that this movie throws at the audience. Sure, life is a pretty horrible deal, but it isn't that bad! I guess the filmmakers (for shame, Pollack!) are just trying to get the audience to commit suicide. God is not cruel and two-faced! And life isn't that repetative! Life has meaning! Life has good things! Look out the beauty of the ocean, of mountains, of good movies like Casablanca, Ben Hur, Vertigo (bad example, maybe), Maltese Falcon. What about great books like Les Miserables, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia! Life is not as bad as this! And God is Good, despite what some materialists think. And materialists, I guess, won't like this movie either since it's against materialism as well.
I am a firm believer that life is what you make it! Just as long as you stop dreaming and get some direction!
In short, this movie is too negative for me to take seriously. But, for the type of movie that it is, They Shoot Horses, don't they? is a masterpiece! It certainly is not overated! And, even though I don't like it, even my reasonable and happy-go-lucky side has to agree that it a good movie for what it is.
I would have given it a 9, but that Yowza Yowza Yowza got on my nerves. Probably has to do with the theme of repetativeness. But by this time I don't care....
8 out of 10.
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