tv-news

My favorite film from last week's viewing is TV-News by Peter Weibel. This was really really humorous to me, but also had some substance behind it. It had all of the makings of an over-the-top parody, yet used these aspects to portray meaning. The newscaster in the film is the typical character - smooth voiced, sharply dressed, excessively hairsprayed. The most important (and campy) part is the fact that he is puffing heavily on a cigar throughout the film. As he drones through the day's news, the frame fills up with his cigar smoke. The smoke begins to haze him out and induce coughing fits which obstruct the flow of his speech. Other than the coughing, he does not seem to acknowledge the developing smokescreen. He continues to smoke, ash the cigar, and roll it in his lips. This is important because it shows his indifference to the effects that it is having on him and the newscast. My interpretation of this is that it relates to the apathy that can be seen at most newsdesks. As he reads critical news (smokes) which should affect him (as the smoke causes coughing) he ignores it until it consumes him (or should.)