Canadian Bacon

Canadian Bacon. Michael Moore, John Candy and Rhea Perlman. Wow. I can understand why this film would be shown in a Canadian Studies class, but it was awful. I'm not sure if it was awful because I am a film student and this film would be identified academically as a "stupid" film, or if this movie is just too much for the new generation to handle. I can see that this film would be funny for the 1990s when it was filmed, but todays generation can not identify with it. The two main actors John Candy and Rhea Perlman were at the top of their game when this film was released so the film had star status to help their sales, but I also think that in the 1990s, Canadians could identify with the stereotypes. Now, my generation is much different. Not everyone plays hockey or even likes hockey, not everyone is polite probably resulting from the increase in crime, and some stereotypes like the mountie or the country in general are insulting. Canada is trying to become more industrialized. Canada is entering a new age of technology and we no longer identify with stereotypes such as maple syrup, beer, and hockey. As an example, the new generation identifies with Blackberry cellphone because it was created in Canada and is new technology.

Okay so now that I have vented about the movie, my instructor has asked the class to analysis the film using theories discussed in class. The three theories I will apply to the film will be Semiotics, Cultural Identities and the Reception Analysis.

Semiotics is the study of signs. There are two different types of signs in Canadian Bacon. Signs to identify with Americans and signs to identify with Canadians. These signs are also known as the stereotypes that are identified with each culture. Americans can identify with their patriotism, military strength, drinking at the bar with friends and the fast food industry such as KFC. The Canadian symbols in the film include the game of hockey, mounties, the Canadian flag, being friendly to strangers, the CN tower of Toronto; known as the city of Canada, maple syrup and taking small crime seriously such as littering. Although these signs do not always apply to every person, the Canadians or Americans can relate to them and identify that the signs are part of their culture.

Cultural Identities was a term founded by Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer. The term refers to the media and their purpose. The media is a tool for social control and the mass public has a hard time distinguishing the real world with the world invented by the media. An example in the film would be the American Presidents ability to persuade the public. After watching the violent behaviour of the Canadians at a hockey game after their supposed culture was insulted (beer), the American President gave the public the notion that the Canadians were violent in order to distract his country from realizing he was a crappy President. The American media took this notion of violence and took it to the extreme, telling false stories about Canada's violent behaviour. The American public believed the media and could not distinguish the lies from the real world. John Candy's and Rhea Perlman's characters were very patriotic, like the stereotypical American, and tried to defend their country by attacking Canada.

Reception Analysis is similar to the Uses and Gratifications Theory which applies to how people use the media to get specific gratifications and challenges the idea of a passive audience. The Reception Analysis is the study of the way in which the public makes meanings of media messages. This theory also applies to the media and their ability to persuade their culture with lies. This theory also applies to the film in general. Americans and Canadians both accept their signs and think the film is funny because the signs are true. This film was a success at its time because the stereotypes were funny and entertaining. Most Canadians and Americans agreed with the stereotypes and could both take pride and joy in the film. The Reception Analysis theory is the study of how the viewer responds to the film, and since the film was popular in its time, the viewer must take pride in the stereotypes.

Overall I can understand why this film is a perfect way to start the course and address all the stereotypes associated with Canada, but I personally feel that because of the new technology age, the stereotypes have become outdated. Canada is becoming more and more industrial and soon enough, we will no longer be associated with such things as maple syrup and mounties.

I still think the movie sucked! :)

Until next week - Be Proud Canadians (but don't take pride in stereotypes. It only reinforces them)