A franchise

[brainwane]

A friend of mine is watching all of the Fast & Furious movies so Leonard and I are too. We've now seen the first seven.

I think my basic stance towards them is probably similar to how a lot of people reflexively feel about romance novels. Like, I have my mature conscious attitude that these are entertainment and that they reach a certain level of achievement in their genre, and that hedonic utility says that it is good that people get fun out of these, yet tucked away inside me is that nagging judgmental voice saying "surely everyone here could be doing something more worthwhile?" Which is not who and how I want to be.

The violence and the implied deaths go up as the films go on, which distresses me, and so Leonard has suggested a headcanon to me: this is a universe in which you actually cannot die while within a car, from a collision or otherwise. (This also explains why airbags never go off; in this universe, they were never invented, because car accidents never hurt or kill anyone.)

These films may be infernokrusher.

What is the earliest you could put one of these films? NASCAR has its roots in bootleggers souping up cars to outrun law enforcement during the US's Prohibition, so a Gatsby-era F&F film is totally doable. Even further back! There are probably Westerns with similar premises involving horses, and domesticated horses go back a super long time. Or, if you want to get speculative, have early humans riding woolly mammoths. The Fast And The Furry.

Comments

[oracne]

I would watch The Fast and The Furry. In a heartbeat.

[brainwane]

As my spouse points out: a mammoth heartbeat! Which may be a bit slower than ours. But still!

[grrlpup]

I adopted the same (or at least similar--it was vague) headcanon! Particularly for the street scenes. I mean, I get mad when someone drives too fast on my street, and that's just one car going in a straight line,

F&F movie + nachos is a summer ritual in my house.

I haven't yet tried rewatching any of them yet. I suspect it will be pretty much like watching them for the first time, because they turn my brain off.

[brainwane]

At some point my spouse and I started basically saying "this is a cartoon" whenever, for instance, someone jumps ridiculously accurately or lifts an entire concrete wall. Cartoon physics, so why not cartoon logic about what is fatal and what is just going to daze you for a bit.

Mmmmm I bet F&F + nachos is GREAT. Totally fitting.

Glad you have fun escaping into these!

[brendn]

"These films may be infernokrusher" -- oh INTERESTING, that puts a finger on their appeal to me in a way I have not seen before! I think they benefit over time as they embrace that aspect of their nature, though only to a certain point.

[brainwane]

I think I only realized that they are or may be infernokrusher after reading this Emily VanDerWerff piece on their appeal.

Once I'm all caught up I want to talk about them all with you! I believe you didn't care for Hobbs & Shaw, right? And remind me, you've seen Better Luck Tomorrow?

[brendn]

I am really looking forward to talking with you about them! Hobbs & Shaw leaned into my least favorite parts of the series pretty hard, though it certainly does krush some infernos. I have not seen Better Luck Tomorrow yet but I should sit down and watch it this weekend!

[cuddyclothes]

As you can guess, F&F is not my thing. I'm wondering, what is the lure? What keeps you watching? I'm asking because you have such a great way with words and I don't know anyone who could explain it better.

[brainwane]

I am currently watching this series because a friend is watching them. I recently asked him why his household is watching them, and it's because his girlfriend likes them and because he enjoyed watching the Mad Max films in the run-up to Fury Road.

For most other people I think the lure is basically: stuff blowing up and going real fast! Sweet cars souped up with creative engineering! Funny banter delivered by beautiful people! Heists! Found family battling against amazing odds! Amazing stunts! For me, there's that, plus there are things it DOESN'T do - as Ann Leckie puts it - it's the restaurant that doesn't punch me in the face. The narrative engages in very little misogyny, and I think this is a universe without racism, too. The team's leader (the Vin Diesel character) doesn't abuse people, and in fact makes some very sensitive gestures, and -- as long as you are brave, skilled, unselfish, and honest -- he'll add you to his family and demonstrate tremendous loyalty to you. He's actually like a really muscular Jean-Luc Picard in that way, although Vin Diesel's delivery is more like a Captain Sisko's. So that's an appealing fantasy.

Thanks for the kind praise about my way with words!

Remedial Trope Research

[jesse_the_k]

David Moles defines infernokrusher 4 June 2005 and Emily VanDerWerff's article is brilliant.

Re: Remedial Trope Research

[brainwane]

I love that infernokrusher comes from a WisCon discussion.

[skygiants]

I have only seen one of these films and that as of last week, but I still very much feel that the Fast Furious franchise folks should listen to my considered opinion that the next film in the franchise should involve them going so fast they break the space-time continuum and Vin Diesel and the Rock have to enter into high-speed carriage races in cravats.

[brainwane]

I LOVE THIS.

You know how there are genre authors who get super inspired by large cultural phenomena such as Twilight and Hamilton and (I think) Forged In Fire and Rogue One and write serial-numbers-filed-off pro fic? I wonder whether there are already romance or sf/f novels that Fast & Furious has inspired.