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Why use real footage? Just stock footage.

An excellent movie about media sociopathy, with a great acting turn by Jake Gyllenhaal as El Supremo Sociopath. News as stalking theater. This movie wouldn't be made today, even with black computer geniuses fucking white cheerleaders.

Friend Ceffer says

An excellent movie about media sociopathy, with a great acting turn by Jake Gyllenhaal as El Supremo Sociopath. News as stalking theater. This movie wouldn't be made today, even with black computer geniuses fucking white cheerleaders.

Do you think Lou Bloom's character parallels the mindset of American corporations?

I suppose you could say that, but Bloom was like a one man Illuminati, willing to wreak havoc by deception for no apparent reason, destroying others for small or incremental advancements to himself and his anarchic career.

Agreed, great movie. One of the rare finds, plus Jake Gyllenhaal is a pretty good actor.

Yep, I saw it a few years ago. Probably a fairly accurate representation of what "independent" journalists are like.

Jake is also in another overlooked gem "Source Code." Kind of like Groundhog Day meets Edge of Tomorrow Lite.

mell says

Jake Gyllenhaal

Another one with Jake Gyllenhaal that's pretty good is "The Velvet Buzzsaw" in which he plays a scheming art critic (satire on the pretentious art world) who unlocks a curse in a forbidden, stolen work.

I also liked this movie.

His portrayal of an cold, amoral psychopath was very well done. Simply did not care one iota about the people around him, yet knew what others expected of a human relationship and was able to fake that in order to get what he wanted.

I had the feeling that they had specific, real world people who they based this movie on.

https://t.me/TommyRobinsonNews/42477

Glad to read the comments above. Here's an analysis of this movie available at https://www.reddit.com/r/DebateAnarchism/comments/2ljrtd/nightcrawler_a_character_study_into_the/
Please share any additional comments you may have.

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Nightcrawler: A character study into the Capitalist mind (spoilers ahead for the film)

Nightcrawler starring Jake Gillenhaal released this past weekend. Short story: A sociopath rises in the business of local news.

While partially a character study into the evil protagonist, the completely sociopathic Louis Bloom, it can equally be considered a scathing satire on not only the media creation of news, but also a critique into the mindset of capitalism itself.

Louis Bloom is a thief, violent, smooth talking, extremely charismatic, low life, with lofty ideals trying to make it in a competitive Los Angeles. When he witnesses a new opportunity in news journalism; video for sale. While a burgeoning market, he quickly realizes that in order to compete he needs to cut corners. For the movie, read a review or just enjoy yourself and watch the movie itself. This is primarily about the evolution of the success that the character experiences and why.

Throughout the evolution of the character, we see not only his sociopathic tendencies, but the success that is the result.

His first move after venturing into this new field is to acquire an employee. Taking advantage of the first person to respond to his ad for work, he offers an internship after it becomes quite obvious that Rick is desperate and needs anything, but eventually agrees to $30 a night cash. It is immediately obvious that Rick would take anything.

Exploitation at its finest. He does fill a desperate need, but an offer that is only plausible due to the desperation of the "employee". Bargaining power is maintained entirely in the hands of the "owner".

As he finds success, he is offered a position with his competition to which he declines because he wants to stretch out and be his own company. Later we find him purposefully sabotaging Joe's van which results in a car crash (which serves as "news" that he can later sell).

Cutthroat tactics work. Even if they should be looked down upon, it brings about massive success due to reducing competition. It increases Louis' bargaining power over his clients significantly and increases his market worth now that he can get the best "product".

Then there's the effect that he has on those around him. As the news station pushes for more graphic content, Louis finds and delivers. This in turn results in greater ratings for the station and its director. Eventually they can't ignore what he's bringing to the table, to which he exploits repeatedly. They begin to revere him as his success brings about their success. A few within the organization complain about Louis' method, but they are shut down by those on top because of the success they have and can lose.

In capitalism, the most ruthless and sociopathic are revered. Even if it's via questionable means, financial success makes people turn their backs on their principles and morals.

As his methods become increasingly questionable, he crosses the line into breaking the law. While he doesn't commit the crimes he films, his methods do cross into withholding information for personal gain that results in others getting hurt at the hands of the criminals he's filming (which makes for some great material to sell). He's capable of easily getting around the law by manipulating the evidence.

Even when the "law" would be used against a Capitalist, it does little to deter the mind set on success.

The divide between himself and his employee, Rick, arises when Rick begins to object to the (illegal) methods being used which in turn adds bargaining power into Rick's hand. If he wants to keep working and doing illegal activities, he demands a raise. Even when the end bargain ends up being laughably low, the mere fact that Rick now hold bargaining power is enough to make Louis jealous. Not because he could cut into his profits, but because it's cutting into his bargaining power. This sets into a course of events in which Louis is able to trick Rick into a situation that gets Rick killed. Louis shows zero remorse over the "accident" and tells him directly: You took away my bargaining power.

This is a fantastic allegory to the shift of power that unionization brings against Capitalists. They have reason to react violently against unionization because of this issue.

One last thing that I found intriguing was his motto set forth early in the film:

"If you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket."

Surprisingly, this line is only uttered once (the second half is repeated a few times, but as I recall it was only once or twice) unlike the portrayal in the trailer. However, this highlights the very nature of Capitalism, even for capitalists. In the end, the system of trade for-profit via private property is in itself a lottery. All the aspects sold to pro-capitalists are tickets and nothing more.

-Education. A ticket.
-Hard work. A ticket.
-Access to property. A ticket.
-Born into a good family. A ticket.
-White, rich/middle class, Christian. A ticket.

That's all they are: a small chance at success. If one does everything just right, plays the game perfectly, all they have is a small chance of success. In the end, it's still just a lottery. That chance to win is what keeps most of the world pining for a ticket. Despite the fact that their chances are absolutely minuscule, that chance is what keeps them going, it's what keeps pro-capitalists rabidly defending the system.

In the end, I found his character to be intriguing, and that's not just the film fan in me (Jake Gyllenhaal will very likely be at least nominated for some sort of bullshit acting awards). If anything, it shows what it takes to succeed within capitalism. Sociopathic tendencies are rewarded in a completely top-down market competition approach. Those willing to cut corners, to profit off of others pain and misery, to exploit the desperate, and twist the media to present their story.

There is, of course, the larger critique against the infotainment of the modern media which is the forefront of the story. However, as a character study, the movie presents a biting critique against capitalism itself.

Jake gave one of the more realistic interpretations of a "Psychopath". His superficial, skin deep but believable knowledge due to charm, complete lack of awareness for personal space, and his almost manic drive for things that are "means to an end" with no real direction, just chaos along the way.

Anyone interested in defending Lou Bloom within the context of capitalism, corporatism.......? The sociopathic villain wins in the end. It's what happens in real life, unfortunately, so why not call Lou Bloom a winner, a champion, a success......?

Lou Bloom is an alien who learned how to be human by watching corporate training videos or Lou is a corporate human (paraphrasing Mitt Romney)

What would Ayn Rand say about Louis Bloom?!