*prophet but also: i mean this 100% sincerely, but there’s something kind of beautiful about everyone coming together cause i dont now how to spiel gud. luve u giys~
It was good enough that it blended fact and fiction. Like there's part where you can tell Kyle is speaking from truth and there's him just referencing Howard Beale.
😡I wonder if Kyle wrote it knowing from the start it would be a Beale pastiche, or if he began by articulating his own real horror at fandom and at some point realized what he was creating and went with it.
I can't help but feel that the era of "The Most Trusted Man In America" leaving generations with the permanent brain-bug that they can trust the man in the suit on the TV was absolutely catastrophic.
😡One of the best video essayists in the business, nails it yet again. I know you highlighted a lot of folks have deep-dived Network before, but I don't think I've ever seen it done more completely or more complexly. I offer the best prayer I can for this video; may it be spread far and wide, be seen by everyone who needs to see it, lead to massive increased Patreon payouts for you, and may not a single one of those people ever bother you outside that context.
I remember watching a video by BREADSWORD about Gurren Lagann that ends with an incredibly emotional climax about why humans need to get mad in order to move forward, and then closes with this very scene. Because that video has helped me out of the darkest of times, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” will always be one of my favorite scenes. All that to say, I’m really glad Kyle is talking about it.❤️
I love Gurren Lagann, but that "You had your teenage fun. But now it's time to become an invisible salary man for the greater good."- message at the end is a bit of a bummer. I can't be the only person to read the ending that way,right?
Simon couldn't handle the desk job and went back to doing what he was good at. Same way Yoko preferred to teach away from the big city. Since they built a fairly utopian society, even if they couldn't keep up with it, they could afford to step down. Simon pulled the opposite of becoming a cog and made sure the world wouldn't need him.
You know, it never occurred to me that my empathy could be read as sinister. I'm so sorry that's something to worry about. I hope it no longer comes across that way! Thank you for letting me participate in this. I admire your work so much! Let's not take it anymore 😡
Empathy is a wonderful trait, please don't apologize for it. If more people had empathy, the world wouldn't be as screwed up as it is. The trick is taking action to back up the emotion. Empathy without action is useless...kinda like thoughts and prayers after a school shoo†ing.
As with many other things, empathy has no value inherent; It is a tool. It is a tool to generate an understanding of your fellows, both in objective and quantifiable measures as well as those more subjective and qualitative. It can be used to harm or benefit others, and can be used competently or incompetently. Further, communication will always be able to undermine any amount of goodwill and thoughtful empathy. Remember, always, that empathy is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, and emotional intelligence is key to accomplishing anything that involves another person. Just be kind and thoughtful in the way you use your understanding, and the world will be better for it. TLDR: empathy is key to intelligence, but remember to be thoughtful and kind with your words as well. The world will thank you. (I just realized this TLDR could be seen as a criticism when it isn't meant as such, but I'll leave it as a rather ironic proof of my point)
One of the things that strikes me the most is the parasocial relationships Americans had with people like Walter Cronkite. I can’t think of any newscaster in my lifetime who people trust that much and have that much respect for. Maybe Robin Roberts, but even then. Thank you for always giving me food for thought, Kyle. Take care of yourself ❤
😡 Howard Beale is a character that comes to my head not so much when I think of myself filled with righteous anger, but more so when I think of myself losing my grip on my sanity. The “I’m mad as hell” speech plays in my head….when I feel something snap inside of me. This was a video I was hoping to see made ever since I heard the idea of you talking about NETWORK. I know NETWORK, and I knew that what you had to say about NETWORK would be worth watching (as is a lot of your stuff, IMHO)…. And it absolutely was. The hours, days, weeks of effort it takes to make your stuff, please know it doesn’t go unappreciated. Sidenote: LOVED the Genesis by way of Disturbed cover at the end.
😡 Parasocial relationships are so strange, but in your case it's been a net positive for me. In 2014 (9 years ago today!) I invited you on a whim to come see a charity performance of my show The Jedi Macbeth, as you'd been doing your Shakespeare series and I knew you were local. I expected nothing...but you came! I hope you enjoyed it, but even if you didn't (and that's okay, I promise), I can tell you your mere presence at a piece of art I made meant the world to me. So thank you. ❤
😡 when I was a teenager I stanned both you AND Keith Olbermann and was definitely one of those people who got the wrong message from Network, so everything I took from this video feels like a full circle growth moment for my inner teenager - thank you for helping her understand how to be more responsible with how I engage with content/creators. I’m so glad you’re on this tube of ours.
Btw, the cover of Land of Confusion fucking slaps! As a musician & a big time Phil Collins fan as a drummer & singer myself, u do it justice, & May’s mixing makes it the perfect version of this song for our current day & age. U rock!
At first I was confused that the song cover at the end was Land of Confusion (I was expecting "Shout", TBH), but that just goes to show how often I actually read the lyrics to songs 'cause that was the perfect capstone to another amazing video from you. Kudos for going more for Disturbed's interpretation, that really helped capture one being mad as hell.
You’ve always been a wonderful essayist and despite the CZcams medium lacking credibility in certain eyes I say essayist because that’s what you do and you’re good at it. Personally, I just want to say thank you for sharing your journey. Those of us without your talent may find it hard to share in such a way, but I have personally been struggling greatly with anger these past five years now and it has given me a refreshed perspective of myself to watch this. Thank you and I truly hope you’re well or will be soon and will continue to do so.
According to the thumbnail, viewers may end sticking their heads out the nearest window in order to loudly declare that they are human beings. Can always relate.
I've been drinking my weekend away after my boyfriend put his hands on me for the last time. Your Howard beale rant toward the end solidified something. I don't know what it is yet, but something just... fell in place. Even when you said "that's my Howard beale impression," it didn't feel like anything was yanked away. It just felt like... I know I need to do something
First of all, I'm sorry that happened to you, and I'm glad you got away from that situation. Second, I agree that the Howard Beale shout-out is very apropos.
If there's anything I can say, being a watcher of yours since TGWTG, I appreciate the real struggles you talk about in your videos, and have since your video on Melancholia. It's something I and most likely a lot of people that watch you find relatable on a level most other creators can't provide. I can only hope that someday soon your stress over being a creator with an audience can be overcome, I suffer it too as an artist and can understand the sentiment. Your videos are great in a way only you can make them.
What a monologue. Honestly, I don't see you as a friend (that's odd, I don't know you) and I am a fan, but of your work. You have a way with words that makes me want to think and think deeply. Thank you for that.
Kyle, it's that you care so very much that people love your work. I don't know you, never will, but your work has made me a better more thoughtful person. Very few people on CZcams do I plan for. I see a video and I don't want it to be the thing I listen to while I'm getting work done. I don't think I can be alone. You seem happier these days at least. I used to think this was killing you. Maybe it still is, I don't know. Keep being earnest , we don't get enough of that in the world.
😡 I work as a health inspector so in a sense i am in the frontline of changing the world. But that only applies when laws are to protect the people, not corporations. A government should fear its people.
😡 I remember, as a teenager then a young man, watching The Daily Show With Jon Steward. Watching for years as someone charged with making fun of the news became increasingly direct in his punditry. I remember watching a satirist give a speech at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and it being debated if he had been serious or not. So many of these modern influencers feel like parodies played entirely seriously, screaming vitriol and descending into lunatic rants, and after being surrounded by them, for so long, more and more people act like it's normal. That this is how it's supposed to work. And it's just not funny anymore.
The younger shouty man is right. This is entertainment. Entertainment is fine, but as we well know, "fine" won't cut it when the world is burning around you. Around us. Around everyone you know and love, around everyone you don't know and therefore have less reason to dislike. Everyone needs you to not just yell out of your window or through your device, but stop watching and get not just mad as hell but organized and active. Reach out, network, plan, disagree, learn, and get things done together. Start small, grow smart, offend, defend, retreat if you have to but never surrender. Prepare for the long haul. Revolution is a process, not an event, let alone a spectacle. 😡
I would like to counter "I'm mad as hell..." With my favourite quote from Bridge of Spies: "Would it help?" Those three words are a series rabbit holes of possibilities.
"It's a shocking eruption of great electrical energy..." It's a psychotic break. 😡 And if he had a single person in his life who genuinely cared about him, he'd be off the air and on medication.
This is a fascinating watch right after The Leftist Cooks' recent video "This is not a Video Essay." I can't help but think that there is a process that happens in watching and dialoging with these video essays (Not you, the author, but the art/output itself). This process is similar to school education in that it shapes ideas, dialogues, strategies, and attitudes, as well as being capital A Art. While watching a video is not "praxis," it is part of the path of praxis. And for the 70% or so that are watching as vegetables, there's still a valuable moment being experienced by the hundreds of others present and thoughtful. A lot of the research on reading, for instance, talks about the need for theoretical time spent stretching and testing emotional presence. Also, your cover of "Land of Confusion" is genuinely excellent. Thank you for that.
😡 I remember knowing Network by reputation, people told me it was a drab, and depressing movie about how everything is terrible. Then it came on TV one day, and I found myself laughing out loud at several points, and finding the whole thing very clever and incisive. And yeah, it's wild to me that the context of the "I'm mad as hell" spiel is lost on so many people (that a man's mental health crisis is being exploited for entertainment) is actually pretty frightening.
So glad to see a new BHH, with a bonus cover of a song that's as old as my adulthood. There is that line, though, "I won't be coming home tonight/My generation will put it right/We're not just making promises/That we know we'll never keep" That was 1986, and it was three boomers singing to me, a gen-Xer. Sorry, man. We tried. But you can't Adbuster your way out of the existence of Roger Ailes.
The terrible patadox of agreeing with your 'impression' monologue...but watching to the end with genuine admiration. For whatever it is or isn't worth I deeply envy Kyle's talent.
Thank you for sharing your work, as difficult as it must be.😡 I'd like to add that you are appreciated. Yes, as an entertainer, but for me, also as a teacher, a guide, and a voice of cautious self-reflection. No, I won't just listen to you uncritically. I have my own journey to figure things out. Still, you are appreciated.
"Land of Confusion" was the perfect way to wrap up this video essay. You really gave me a lot to think about. I always appreciate the insight you bring to different topics as well as the humor and vulnerability that really set you apart. Thank you for existing.
😡 I know for myself how easily I get swept up in anger without follow through. This is a poignant reminder of the steps that follow. I hope it's not too much to say I do respect you and your work.
Kyle, I've been watching your videos since the Reviewtopia days. I believe this is your finest essay yet. I held off on watching this until I felt I was ready for this subject matter. You not only didn't disappoint, you exceeded my already high expectations for your quality of message and especially of relevancy. I have nothing to say regarding your feeling of self-doubt or loathing of this medium, I'm not in your place and i know nothing. But I hope you can feel proud of what an excellent piece of work this is.
This is such an excellent performance, I loved it. Being constantly reminded that it’s a performance doesn’t take away from it, and that’s hard to pull off.
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on it. I never liked that his speech could also apply to bigots and other terrible people who didn't like how the world was changing away from their beliefs. Unfortunately with the rise of racism and fascism that is exactly what we're getting. The ones who listen to the conservative media's lies are the ones rising up and saying "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore."
In addition to my last comment, thank you for putting up the 988 Crisis Help Line among other things at the beginning. By the way, if you haven't checked already, I hope you'll enjoy the message I recently sent you on Patreon and enjoy the attached link (under Christopher D. Hampton). Hope you're doing well.
I rewatched Network a few times over the years with my dad as I grew up, and hearing my dad laugh uproariously as Howard marched into the studio in trenchoat and pajamas, or receive the "revelation", or declaring "I must make my witness!" probably did a lot to shape my relationship with the film. I think it entrenched in my mind that perhaps, just perhaps, Howard Beale was more cautionary tale than true prophet. I think it also helped that the line my Dad and I tend to throw around more often is "You have meddled in the primal forces of Nature!" than "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore." Great video, and I appreciate pointing out the more uncomfortable elements stemming from the movie's age. It'll definitely give me more to think about whenever I next sit down to rewatch it. 😡
Kyle: "We are the thing you put on while you eat!" Me: **guilty soup slurping intensifies** (in my defence, it was a long video and I didn't want to put it on hold during dinner)
😡 Journalistic integrity sure seems hard to come by these days. When every medium you use is just a tool for greater means, it can be hard to hear the right things at the right time. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful insights.
😡 I always love looking at "prophetic" media and what it got right and what not. Great video and that Land of the Confusion cover at the end is awesome!
😡 what a treat this was to watch, i never knew the “one system of dollars speech” was from the mad as hell movie so it was cool to see contexts that I thought were separate come together.
... I mean, I think you're cool. You're the kind of person I'd like to meet and also the kind of person I've had the pleasure of meeting. Being able to meet for an hour or two every couple of weeks is something I like and influences me as much as a good book, a great turn of phrase, or a meal I have no choice but to praise. Thanks for the video and hope you find peace and happiness.
@@kostajovanovic3711 All I have regarding Kyle’s falling out with other video essayists is what’s been made public by the involved parties. I’ve read the docs, the Tweets, the subTweets and… frankly it’s none of my business. As far as I can tell, no one has committed a crime. People’s path toward becoming who they are is a messy one, and bridges are often burned. Part of me wishes Kyle was with all the cool kids on Nebula, but whats more important is him taking care of his mental health, doing work that makes him happy, and finding a community that accepts him and helps him be his best self. Whatever drama has happened between these 30-somethings I don’t know hasn’t stopped me from enjoying Kyle’s writing, his voice, his humor, his perspective, or his editing. I think we could all give these public figures some more room to breathe.
😡 fantastic work. i sometimes wish i was back in college, auditioning for stage work, so i could use the "YOU! MUST! ATONE!" speech as a monologue. Howard Beale taught me a lot about anger and madness, and i've spent the last twenty years or so being angry...i have found that the only cure is action, reaching out to others and trying to do good in the world, no matter how little it might seem to matter on the outside. i don't do enough, i want to do more, and i'm trying my best. if you're reading this and you're mad as hell too, reach out and get involved. don't turn that rage inward or swallow it or drown it. you'll feel so much better if you just try.
😡 I'm not good at words, not sure what I can possibly add that hasn't been said or would even add anything of meaning or substance. The cover of Land of Confusion gives me entirely too much life and I salute you, you absolute treasure.
😡 The Algorithm brought me here, so it’s the first of your videos I’ve seen. Very fine work! I struggle with praxis, as I am so very tired and so very scared, especially for our trans siblings these days. But I will endeavor to act where and how I can. May each get according to their needs, and give according to their ability
😡 you say you kill boredom, when in reality i had to pause this video at severeal points cause I needes to think about a concept broad up by it. Quality stuff as always 👏
Love the Genesis cover. This feels like it is to anger in media, what his review of Melancholia was to the discussion and pervasiveness of depression.😡
That was a kickass cover of "Land of Confusion" BTW. You are a great singer, Kyle, and the mix by May Leitz is so compelling and sinister. If it was a single, I would buy it.
1:18:05 well, we have a sort of precedent (and possibly inspiration for the film?) in Christine Chubbuck's death. for those who don't know, she was a tv host who killed herself live in 1974. the footage is basically only available to the widow of the channel's owner, and will likely not resurface for a long time if ever. 1:29:44 damn it! I speak too soon again!
Someone made a fake version of the suicide video, but many people were fooled by it. Weird thing is, it's a really good-looking fake. Someone put effort into making that vile clip for views or whatever. There is some audio available which is probably authentic, though.
You can always unsubscribe from those pure rage channels. Yes: Even if they are of your side. Because all that impotent rage doesn't do anyone any good. And it's always impotent rage. (That Genesis cover at the end totally SLAPPED!)
Good thing I haven't followed a "rage" channel in over a decade. The last one I dropped in 2012, after the guy said video games weren't art, simply because it would otherwise violate his strongly held belief that art "died in the Bush years"
😡 As my therapist told me, you are too self aware. That kind of struck me while watching this, that same analysis of your own actions, thoughts, emotions etc. Connecting it all to the media landscape as a whole. Understanding your role in it. This is genuinely some of your best work. I won't go into your own mental health, or mine for that matter, as I don't want to fall into those same parasocial relationship problems you've described, but I do want to say, I feel you my man, thank you for all you do, and I wish you the best.
😡I remember when my dad got me a bunch of movies when I decided I wanted to be an actor and I was going to college for it. A huge stack of movies that he said had some of the best acting in the history of film. Network was one of them. Every time I finished one of the movies that he got me he would ask me my opinion on them. We talked about My Dinner with Andre, we talked about Rain Man, Midnight Cowboy, and several others. Then we talked about Network. I have a much different association with the film than a lot of others. Because I associate it as a way I was able to connect with my father.
FWIW, I don’t think I’d call myself a fan of yours, and I’m certainly not a stan. I think I’d call myself a student, because your videos have taught me a lot, and given me a different perspective on things I already knew. I very much appreciate your work and I hope that my appreciation and approval isn’t threatening to you. 😡
I'd imagine this video was very mentally draining/exhausting to make; thank you for the emotional labor (and the other sorts too) that you put into this.
The moment he gets to the "I don't want fans* part and I realized "He's doing a Beale rant." * Comes from a place of truth, I'm sure. Stand up to toxic fandom, folks. 😡
Hey Kyle, o7 a fan who respects healthy boundaries is the best fans, been watching since Blip, will always be here to watch, because deep conversations about film are needed. Edit: HOLY CRAP THAT ENDING, YOUR COVER ROCKS! 😠
i genuinely almost did leave during that 'close this video' monologue but im so glad i didnt [sry lol] so that i could witness this banger of a cover at the end 😡
👏👏👏 Never ceases to amaze me! Once again, we’ll done! I watched this film for the first time last year, and I absolutely loved it. Which is why I was so excited when you kept bringing it up as an idea for a future video. I am very glad you finally got around to it! Also, great cover at the end! I’m assuming you were doing the Disturbed version. I kind of prefer the Genesis version, but different strokes lol! Thank you again for sharing great quality content! Take care
I don't know how to leave the emoji you requested. As a viewer who majored in Radio-Television-Film, I appreciate the media savvy and analysis you displayed in this essay. Thank you for creating this. Also, congratulations on your liberation from the twitter hive mind.
😡 I thought a lot about fruitless rage lately. And about fruitless hope that “our generation” or “next generation” will set things right. Rage is addictive and easy, being kind and vulnerable is painful, especially if you are not used to it. I have no solution to offer, only to wish us all some patience and a lot of good luck in coming years. The cover of “Land Of Confusion” is very bittersweet in the context of the video btw, especially considering how old this song is.
26:07 Wow, that callback. I have to wonder how many newer fans don't get that joke. Also, 👿that song is so familiar, but I can't remember the name of it! This will bug me forever now.
😡 The editing work is fantastic, and thank you for making this. I had to stop several times because it was hitting me quite hard. I can only imagine how hard it hit, making it.
Speaking of Jon Stewart and that appearance on Crossfire specifically, my favorite parody of Network is from a page in “America: the Book” which simply reads “We look forward to an endless future of taking it” 😡
😡 (for the algorithm, not the intended tone) I drifted away from a lot of "lefttube", and indeed political tube in general, and I think you pin the tail on why better than I've managed to elaborate in the years since, and it still took two hours to explain. It's become our oxygen the same way capitalism is, so trying to explain anymore why that might not be doing us any favors feels just as hopeless. Amazing film.
Wonderful video. I don't have any profound comments but I'll do my bit by leaving a comment to help the algorithm and say that I was today years old when I realized that the star of Network was not Dolph Sweet from Gimme a Break.
I love how much you reworded, and expanded upon the film Network in your own rants throughout this video, really close to Beale in many ways, especially the one at 1:23:00. Excellent.
I've been meaning to watch this movie for years and...oof. Once again, you always give me a lot to think about, especially the idea that if we're going to be mad as hell 😡 we'd better put it to good use...impotent anger is the worst kind of thing.
I am engaging to help, so may I say thank you for highlighting daddies, help retire the primal father auteurs, create a world of fraternal brotherhood.
“Martyred profit , martyred for profit” is such a powerful, heartbreaking line.
Yes, but also: "They had shatted."
profit or prophet?
It's "martyred prophet, martyred for profit".
Prophet*
*prophet but also:
i mean this 100% sincerely, but there’s something kind of beautiful about everyone coming together cause i dont now how to spiel gud.
luve u giys~
😡 Ngl, that monologue about parasocial relationships and fandoms that slowly morphed into a Howard Beale pastiche is some of your best work.
😡 I kinda wanna see how far into it people got before they realised xD
😡I kind of suspected at the beginning but seeing the stained glass clinched it. It was fantastic.
It was good enough that it blended fact and fiction. Like there's part where you can tell Kyle is speaking from truth and there's him just referencing Howard Beale.
😡I wonder if Kyle wrote it knowing from the start it would be a Beale pastiche, or if he began by articulating his own real horror at fandom and at some point realized what he was creating and went with it.
It's an obvious pastiche, and yet, everything he said was true.
Fun fact: That west wing bit was based on actual disputes Sorkin had with television without pity.
I can't help but feel that the era of "The Most Trusted Man In America" leaving generations with the permanent brain-bug that they can trust the man in the suit on the TV was absolutely catastrophic.
The talking head and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race...
If Faye Dunaway's character is a monster, she's the monster that television's Old Guard created.
Tony as Mark Twain is great casting, good to hear him around
😡58:26 "And Tucker Carlson was never heard from agai-"
This joke is funnier now than when this video was first posted.
😡One of the best video essayists in the business, nails it yet again. I know you highlighted a lot of folks have deep-dived Network before, but I don't think I've ever seen it done more completely or more complexly. I offer the best prayer I can for this video; may it be spread far and wide, be seen by everyone who needs to see it, lead to massive increased Patreon payouts for you, and may not a single one of those people ever bother you outside that context.
I remember watching a video by BREADSWORD about Gurren Lagann that ends with an incredibly emotional climax about why humans need to get mad in order to move forward, and then closes with this very scene.
Because that video has helped me out of the darkest of times, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore” will always be one of my favorite scenes.
All that to say, I’m really glad Kyle is talking about it.❤️
Believe in the me who believes in the you who is mad as etc.
I love Gurren Lagann, but that "You had your teenage fun. But now it's time to become an invisible salary man for the greater good."- message at the end is a bit of a bummer. I can't be the only person to read the ending that way,right?
Simon couldn't handle the desk job and went back to doing what he was good at. Same way Yoko preferred to teach away from the big city. Since they built a fairly utopian society, even if they couldn't keep up with it, they could afford to step down. Simon pulled the opposite of becoming a cog and made sure the world wouldn't need him.
You know, it never occurred to me that my empathy could be read as sinister. I'm so sorry that's something to worry about. I hope it no longer comes across that way!
Thank you for letting me participate in this. I admire your work so much!
Let's not take it anymore 😡
Empathy is a wonderful trait, please don't apologize for it. If more people had empathy, the world wouldn't be as screwed up as it is.
The trick is taking action to back up the emotion. Empathy without action is useless...kinda like thoughts and prayers after a school shoo†ing.
As with many other things, empathy has no value inherent; It is a tool. It is a tool to generate an understanding of your fellows, both in objective and quantifiable measures as well as those more subjective and qualitative. It can be used to harm or benefit others, and can be used competently or incompetently. Further, communication will always be able to undermine any amount of goodwill and thoughtful empathy. Remember, always, that empathy is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, and emotional intelligence is key to accomplishing anything that involves another person. Just be kind and thoughtful in the way you use your understanding, and the world will be better for it.
TLDR: empathy is key to intelligence, but remember to be thoughtful and kind with your words as well. The world will thank you. (I just realized this TLDR could be seen as a criticism when it isn't meant as such, but I'll leave it as a rather ironic proof of my point)
"Anxiety of being alive in a dying world" FEELS.
And Kyle, an Altered States video would be glorious!!!
Yes, please do an Altered States video!
Cenk Uygur as the Doug Walker of news is not only a shockingly accurate comparison, it's also a vicious burn. 😡
One of the things that strikes me the most is the parasocial relationships Americans had with people like Walter Cronkite. I can’t think of any newscaster in my lifetime who people trust that much and have that much respect for. Maybe Robin Roberts, but even then.
Thank you for always giving me food for thought, Kyle. Take care of yourself ❤
He had the luxury of rising to prominence when there were only a few television channels.
It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of this!
"I got this on Amazon" was such perfect comedic timing and caught me so off guard I did that loud snort laugh that's never not embarrassing
😡 Howard Beale is a character that comes to my head not so much when I think of myself filled with righteous anger, but more so when I think of myself losing my grip on my sanity. The “I’m mad as hell” speech plays in my head….when I feel something snap inside of me.
This was a video I was hoping to see made ever since I heard the idea of you talking about NETWORK. I know NETWORK, and I knew that what you had to say about NETWORK would be worth watching (as is a lot of your stuff, IMHO)…. And it absolutely was. The hours, days, weeks of effort it takes to make your stuff, please know it doesn’t go unappreciated.
Sidenote: LOVED the Genesis by way of Disturbed cover at the end.
"No gods, no monsters, no stans, no fandoms."
😡 Parasocial relationships are so strange, but in your case it's been a net positive for me. In 2014 (9 years ago today!) I invited you on a whim to come see a charity performance of my show The Jedi Macbeth, as you'd been doing your Shakespeare series and I knew you were local. I expected nothing...but you came! I hope you enjoyed it, but even if you didn't (and that's okay, I promise), I can tell you your mere presence at a piece of art I made meant the world to me. So thank you. ❤
😡 when I was a teenager I stanned both you AND Keith Olbermann and was definitely one of those people who got the wrong message from Network, so everything I took from this video feels like a full circle growth moment for my inner teenager - thank you for helping her understand how to be more responsible with how I engage with content/creators. I’m so glad you’re on this tube of ours.
Btw, the cover of Land of Confusion fucking slaps! As a musician & a big time Phil Collins fan as a drummer & singer myself, u do it justice, & May’s mixing makes it the perfect version of this song for our current day & age. U rock!
I waited until the final credits to confirm my suspicion that you had created Tony Goldmark Twain. I am always happy to hear you two working together.
There's a strong sense of Guy Debord's _Society of the Spectacle_ underlying all of the film.
At first I was confused that the song cover at the end was Land of Confusion (I was expecting "Shout", TBH), but that just goes to show how often I actually read the lyrics to songs 'cause that was the perfect capstone to another amazing video from you. Kudos for going more for Disturbed's interpretation, that really helped capture one being mad as hell.
You’ve always been a wonderful essayist and despite the CZcams medium lacking credibility in certain eyes I say essayist because that’s what you do and you’re good at it. Personally, I just want to say thank you for sharing your journey. Those of us without your talent may find it hard to share in such a way, but I have personally been struggling greatly with anger these past five years now and it has given me a refreshed perspective of myself to watch this. Thank you and I truly hope you’re well or will be soon and will continue to do so.
According to the thumbnail, viewers may end sticking their heads out the nearest window in order to loudly declare that they are human beings. Can always relate.
I've been drinking my weekend away after my boyfriend put his hands on me for the last time. Your Howard beale rant toward the end solidified something. I don't know what it is yet, but something just... fell in place. Even when you said "that's my Howard beale impression," it didn't feel like anything was yanked away. It just felt like... I know I need to do something
First of all, I'm sorry that happened to you, and I'm glad you got away from that situation.
Second, I agree that the Howard Beale shout-out is very apropos.
If there's anything I can say, being a watcher of yours since TGWTG, I appreciate the real struggles you talk about in your videos, and have since your video on Melancholia. It's something I and most likely a lot of people that watch you find relatable on a level most other creators can't provide. I can only hope that someday soon your stress over being a creator with an audience can be overcome, I suffer it too as an artist and can understand the sentiment. Your videos are great in a way only you can make them.
What a monologue. Honestly, I don't see you as a friend (that's odd, I don't know you) and I am a fan, but of your work. You have a way with words that makes me want to think and think deeply. Thank you for that.
😡 Anger is the easy part. Fucking hell. That sentence hits hard after everything else. Thank you, Kyle.
Now we just need to figure out how not to take it anymore.
Kyle, it's that you care so very much that people love your work. I don't know you, never will, but your work has made me a better more thoughtful person. Very few people on CZcams do I plan for. I see a video and I don't want it to be the thing I listen to while I'm getting work done. I don't think I can be alone.
You seem happier these days at least. I used to think this was killing you. Maybe it still is, I don't know.
Keep being earnest , we don't get enough of that in the world.
😡
I work as a health inspector so in a sense i am in the frontline of changing the world. But that only applies when laws are to protect the people, not corporations. A government should fear its people.
😡 I remember, as a teenager then a young man, watching The Daily Show With Jon Steward. Watching for years as someone charged with making fun of the news became increasingly direct in his punditry. I remember watching a satirist give a speech at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and it being debated if he had been serious or not. So many of these modern influencers feel like parodies played entirely seriously, screaming vitriol and descending into lunatic rants, and after being surrounded by them, for so long, more and more people act like it's normal. That this is how it's supposed to work.
And it's just not funny anymore.
Howard Beale is like Ron Burgundy from the darkest timeline
The younger shouty man is right. This is entertainment. Entertainment is fine, but as we well know, "fine" won't cut it when the world is burning around you. Around us. Around everyone you know and love, around everyone you don't know and therefore have less reason to dislike. Everyone needs you to not just yell out of your window or through your device, but stop watching and get not just mad as hell but organized and active. Reach out, network, plan, disagree, learn, and get things done together. Start small, grow smart, offend, defend, retreat if you have to but never surrender. Prepare for the long haul. Revolution is a process, not an event, let alone a spectacle. 😡
I would like to counter "I'm mad as hell..." With my favourite quote from Bridge of Spies: "Would it help?"
Those three words are a series rabbit holes of possibilities.
"It's a shocking eruption of great electrical energy..." It's a psychotic break. 😡 And if he had a single person in his life who genuinely cared about him, he'd be off the air and on medication.
This is a fascinating watch right after The Leftist Cooks' recent video "This is not a Video Essay." I can't help but think that there is a process that happens in watching and dialoging with these video essays (Not you, the author, but the art/output itself). This process is similar to school education in that it shapes ideas, dialogues, strategies, and attitudes, as well as being capital A Art. While watching a video is not "praxis," it is part of the path of praxis. And for the 70% or so that are watching as vegetables, there's still a valuable moment being experienced by the hundreds of others present and thoughtful. A lot of the research on reading, for instance, talks about the need for theoretical time spent stretching and testing emotional presence.
Also, your cover of "Land of Confusion" is genuinely excellent. Thank you for that.
😡
I remember knowing Network by reputation, people told me it was a drab, and depressing movie about how everything is terrible. Then it came on TV one day, and I found myself laughing out loud at several points, and finding the whole thing very clever and incisive.
And yeah, it's wild to me that the context of the "I'm mad as hell" spiel is lost on so many people (that a man's mental health crisis is being exploited for entertainment) is actually pretty frightening.
So glad to see a new BHH, with a bonus cover of a song that's as old as my adulthood. There is that line, though, "I won't be coming home tonight/My generation will put it right/We're not just making promises/That we know we'll never keep" That was 1986, and it was three boomers singing to me, a gen-Xer. Sorry, man. We tried. But you can't Adbuster your way out of the existence of Roger Ailes.
Hell, I was BORN in 86, and didn't get into this song until post-2000. Imagine how I feel hearing that line.
The terrible patadox of agreeing with your 'impression' monologue...but watching to the end with genuine admiration.
For whatever it is or isn't worth I deeply envy Kyle's talent.
Thank you for sharing your work, as difficult as it must be.😡
I'd like to add that you are appreciated.
Yes, as an entertainer, but for me, also as a teacher, a guide, and a voice of cautious self-reflection. No, I won't just listen to you uncritically. I have my own journey to figure things out. Still, you are appreciated.
"Land of Confusion" was the perfect way to wrap up this video essay. You really gave me a lot to think about. I always appreciate the insight you bring to different topics as well as the humor and vulnerability that really set you apart.
Thank you for existing.
😡 I know for myself how easily I get swept up in anger without follow through. This is a poignant reminder of the steps that follow.
I hope it's not too much to say I do respect you and your work.
Kyle, I've been watching your videos since the Reviewtopia days. I believe this is your finest essay yet. I held off on watching this until I felt I was ready for this subject matter. You not only didn't disappoint, you exceeded my already high expectations for your quality of message and especially of relevancy.
I have nothing to say regarding your feeling of self-doubt or loathing of this medium, I'm not in your place and i know nothing. But I hope you can feel proud of what an excellent piece of work this is.
This is one of the best CZcams essays of the year, post post modern
This is such an excellent performance, I loved it. Being constantly reminded that it’s a performance doesn’t take away from it, and that’s hard to pull off.
I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on it. I never liked that his speech could also apply to bigots and other terrible people who didn't like how the world was changing away from their beliefs. Unfortunately with the rise of racism and fascism that is exactly what we're getting. The ones who listen to the conservative media's lies are the ones rising up and saying "I'm mad as hell and not going to take it anymore."
+
In addition to my last comment, thank you for putting up the 988 Crisis Help Line among other things at the beginning.
By the way, if you haven't checked already, I hope you'll enjoy the message I recently sent you on Patreon and enjoy the attached link (under Christopher D. Hampton).
Hope you're doing well.
I rewatched Network a few times over the years with my dad as I grew up, and hearing my dad laugh uproariously as Howard marched into the studio in trenchoat and pajamas, or receive the "revelation", or declaring "I must make my witness!" probably did a lot to shape my relationship with the film. I think it entrenched in my mind that perhaps, just perhaps, Howard Beale was more cautionary tale than true prophet.
I think it also helped that the line my Dad and I tend to throw around more often is "You have meddled in the primal forces of Nature!" than "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore."
Great video, and I appreciate pointing out the more uncomfortable elements stemming from the movie's age. It'll definitely give me more to think about whenever I next sit down to rewatch it.
😡
Kyle: "We are the thing you put on while you eat!"
Me: **guilty soup slurping intensifies**
(in my defence, it was a long video and I didn't want to put it on hold during dinner)
😡 Journalistic integrity sure seems hard to come by these days. When every medium you use is just a tool for greater means, it can be hard to hear the right things at the right time. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful insights.
This got honest, dark and beyond meta.
Kudos!
As a D&D guy, I was waiting for you to reference Critical Role in this video 😂
😡 I always love looking at "prophetic" media and what it got right and what not. Great video and that Land of the Confusion cover at the end is awesome!
"A game of anger chicken" is now going to live in my internet vocabulary forever, thank you.
😡
😡 what a treat this was to watch, i never knew the “one system of dollars speech” was from the mad as hell movie so it was cool to see contexts that I thought were separate come together.
... I mean, I think you're cool. You're the kind of person I'd like to meet and also the kind of person I've had the pleasure of meeting. Being able to meet for an hour or two every couple of weeks is something I like and influences me as much as a good book, a great turn of phrase, or a meal I have no choice but to praise. Thanks for the video and hope you find peace and happiness.
Even with all the bridges he burned
@@kostajovanovic3711 All I have regarding Kyle’s falling out with other video essayists is what’s been made public by the involved parties. I’ve read the docs, the Tweets, the subTweets and… frankly it’s none of my business. As far as I can tell, no one has committed a crime. People’s path toward becoming who they are is a messy one, and bridges are often burned. Part of me wishes Kyle was with all the cool kids on Nebula, but whats more important is him taking care of his mental health, doing work that makes him happy, and finding a community that accepts him and helps him be his best self.
Whatever drama has happened between these 30-somethings I don’t know hasn’t stopped me from enjoying Kyle’s writing, his voice, his humor, his perspective, or his editing. I think we could all give these public figures some more room to breathe.
😡 fantastic work. i sometimes wish i was back in college, auditioning for stage work, so i could use the "YOU! MUST! ATONE!" speech as a monologue. Howard Beale taught me a lot about anger and madness, and i've spent the last twenty years or so being angry...i have found that the only cure is action, reaching out to others and trying to do good in the world, no matter how little it might seem to matter on the outside. i don't do enough, i want to do more, and i'm trying my best. if you're reading this and you're mad as hell too, reach out and get involved. don't turn that rage inward or swallow it or drown it. you'll feel so much better if you just try.
😡 I'm not good at words, not sure what I can possibly add that hasn't been said or would even add anything of meaning or substance.
The cover of Land of Confusion gives me entirely too much life and I salute you, you absolute treasure.
Glad you and Tony are still friends, I like his cameo
😡 The Algorithm brought me here, so it’s the first of your videos I’ve seen.
Very fine work! I struggle with praxis, as I am so very tired and so very scared, especially for our trans siblings these days. But I will endeavor to act where and how I can.
May each get according to their needs, and give according to their ability
😡 you say you kill boredom, when in reality i had to pause this video at severeal points cause I needes to think about a concept broad up by it. Quality stuff as always 👏
Love the Genesis cover. This feels like it is to anger in media, what his review of Melancholia was to the discussion and pervasiveness of depression.😡
That was a kickass cover of "Land of Confusion" BTW. You are a great singer, Kyle, and the mix by May Leitz is so compelling and sinister. If it was a single, I would buy it.
1:18:05 well, we have a sort of precedent (and possibly inspiration for the film?) in Christine Chubbuck's death.
for those who don't know, she was a tv host who killed herself live in 1974. the footage is basically only available to the widow of the channel's owner, and will likely not resurface for a long time if ever.
1:29:44 damn it! I speak too soon again!
Someone made a fake version of the suicide video, but many people were fooled by it. Weird thing is, it's a really good-looking fake. Someone put effort into making that vile clip for views or whatever. There is some audio available which is probably authentic, though.
You can always unsubscribe from those pure rage channels. Yes: Even if they are of your side. Because all that impotent rage doesn't do anyone any good. And it's always impotent rage.
(That Genesis cover at the end totally SLAPPED!)
Good thing I haven't followed a "rage" channel in over a decade. The last one I dropped in 2012, after the guy said video games weren't art, simply because it would otherwise violate his strongly held belief that art "died in the Bush years"
😡 As my therapist told me, you are too self aware. That kind of struck me while watching this, that same analysis of your own actions, thoughts, emotions etc. Connecting it all to the media landscape as a whole. Understanding your role in it. This is genuinely some of your best work.
I won't go into your own mental health, or mine for that matter, as I don't want to fall into those same parasocial relationship problems you've described, but I do want to say, I feel you my man, thank you for all you do, and I wish you the best.
😡I remember when my dad got me a bunch of movies when I decided I wanted to be an actor and I was going to college for it. A huge stack of movies that he said had some of the best acting in the history of film. Network was one of them. Every time I finished one of the movies that he got me he would ask me my opinion on them. We talked about My Dinner with Andre, we talked about Rain Man, Midnight Cowboy, and several others. Then we talked about Network.
I have a much different association with the film than a lot of others. Because I associate it as a way I was able to connect with my father.
FWIW, I don’t think I’d call myself a fan of yours, and I’m certainly not a stan. I think I’d call myself a student, because your videos have taught me a lot, and given me a different perspective on things I already knew. I very much appreciate your work and I hope that my appreciation and approval isn’t threatening to you.
😡
😡Poignant, brutal and utterly captivating. Thank you, Kyle.
😡 Amazing video. Had to learn about Network for my media studies class. Your emotion and analysis definitely take the movie to another level.
Kyle rocking Land of Confusion was not something I expected. You killed it and it’s a great way to cap off the video.
I'd imagine this video was very mentally draining/exhausting to make; thank you for the emotional labor (and the other sorts too) that you put into this.
The moment he gets to the "I don't want fans* part and I realized "He's doing a Beale rant."
* Comes from a place of truth, I'm sure. Stand up to toxic fandom, folks.
😡
😡 That Howard Beale impression sent a chill down my spine.
Oh damn, that May Leitz collab is an incredible sendoff.
😡The algorithm must be fed. Well done as always. I respect you.
A new Brows Held High? Hell yeah
Hey Kyle, o7 a fan who respects healthy boundaries is the best fans, been watching since Blip, will always be here to watch, because deep conversations about film are needed.
Edit: HOLY CRAP THAT ENDING, YOUR COVER ROCKS!
😠
😡 Your cover for the Land of Confusion is awesome! Thank you, Kyle.
i genuinely almost did leave during that 'close this video' monologue but im so glad i didnt [sry lol] so that i could witness this banger of a cover at the end 😡
👏👏👏
Never ceases to amaze me! Once again, we’ll done! I watched this film for the first time last year, and I absolutely loved it. Which is why I was so excited when you kept bringing it up as an idea for a future video. I am very glad you finally got around to it!
Also, great cover at the end! I’m assuming you were doing the Disturbed version. I kind of prefer the Genesis version, but different strokes lol!
Thank you again for sharing great quality content! Take care
I don't know how to leave the emoji you requested.
As a viewer who majored in Radio-Television-Film, I appreciate the media savvy and analysis you displayed in this essay. Thank you for creating this. Also, congratulations on your liberation from the twitter hive mind.
Iv'e been palying your version of land of confusion over and over again. If you got it up as a sperate video I'd be so happy.
😡 I thought a lot about fruitless rage lately. And about fruitless hope that “our generation” or “next generation” will set things right. Rage is addictive and easy, being kind and vulnerable is painful, especially if you are not used to it. I have no solution to offer, only to wish us all some patience and a lot of good luck in coming years.
The cover of “Land Of Confusion” is very bittersweet in the context of the video btw, especially considering how old this song is.
The boredom-killing is an important business in this day and age. Keep up the good work, Kyle. It's rad and swell!
26:07 Wow, that callback. I have to wonder how many newer fans don't get that joke.
Also, 👿that song is so familiar, but I can't remember the name of it! This will bug me forever now.
😡 The editing work is fantastic, and thank you for making this. I had to stop several times because it was hitting me quite hard. I can only imagine how hard it hit, making it.
😡 Loved Tony's reading of The Kodak. It's how I imagine Mark Twain sounded.
Speaking of Jon Stewart and that appearance on Crossfire specifically, my favorite parody of Network is from a page in “America: the Book” which simply reads “We look forward to an endless future of taking it”
😡
Your work is a thing of beauty. Thankyou.
You have never ceased to amaze me.
😡 (for the algorithm, not the intended tone) I drifted away from a lot of "lefttube", and indeed political tube in general, and I think you pin the tail on why better than I've managed to elaborate in the years since, and it still took two hours to explain. It's become our oxygen the same way capitalism is, so trying to explain anymore why that might not be doing us any favors feels just as hopeless. Amazing film.
Wonderful video. I don't have any profound comments but I'll do my bit by leaving a comment to help the algorithm and say that I was today years old when I realized that the star of Network was not Dolph Sweet from Gimme a Break.
😡 Outstanding work Kyle!
This was greatly needed and you rocked it
I love how much you reworded, and expanded upon the film Network in your own rants throughout this video, really close to Beale in many ways, especially the one at 1:23:00. Excellent.
I've been meaning to watch this movie for years and...oof. Once again, you always give me a lot to think about, especially the idea that if we're going to be mad as hell 😡 we'd better put it to good use...impotent anger is the worst kind of thing.
Turned off the video when you said "Turn this video off and..." Thanks to the premier feature I watched Network last night. Great movie, great video.
Thanks for bringing up this film again. This has one the most famous scenes in film.
I am engaging to help, so may I say thank you for highlighting daddies, help retire the primal father auteurs, create a world of fraternal brotherhood.