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Off the Grid: Outsider Societies in Film
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Showing 15 items
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3344
8
8.1
Into the Wild (2007)
Drama.
This is definitely primarily a road movie. And it's focus is squarely on the individual rather than the group. But the section set in Slab City by the Salton Sea is a great look at a real and current outsider society. The continuation of many of the themes associated with outsider societies throughout the rest of the movie makes for satisfying viewing for the off-the-grid enthusiast.
This is definitely primarily a road movie. And it's focus is squarely on the individual rather than the group. But the section set in Slab City by the Salton Sea is a great look at a real and current outsider society. The continuation of many of the themes associated with outsider societies throughout the rest of the movie makes for satisfying viewing for the off-the-grid enthusiast.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
95
7.7
7.7
Documentary.
DJ Shadow provides the score for a documentary on a group of individuals living in abandoned train tunnels in NYC.
DJ Shadow provides the score for a documentary on a group of individuals living in abandoned train tunnels in NYC.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
9314
8.3
8.8
Fight Club (1999)
Action.
The titular "fight clubs" themselves don't really represent a true outsider society, until they bloom into Tyler Durden's army of apocalyptic pranksters.
The titular "fight clubs" themselves don't really represent a true outsider society, until they bloom into Tyler Durden's army of apocalyptic pranksters.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
52
6.3
7.2
We Live in Public (2010)
Documentary.
Chronicles Internet entrepreneur Josh Harris's rise and fall, with a particular focus on his bizarre communal-living surveillance experiment. Anyone who uses a computer connected to the Internet should check this out.
Chronicles Internet entrepreneur Josh Harris's rise and fall, with a particular focus on his bizarre communal-living surveillance experiment. Anyone who uses a computer connected to the Internet should check this out.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
26
7.5
7.3
Surfwise (2007)
Documentary.
Intriguing story of a family of surfers lead by an authoritarian patriarch living off-the-grid. The film focuses most intensely on the father, Dorian Paskowitz, who gave up a medical career in order to chase down gnarly waves and a vision of how to achieve a healthy mind, body, and soul. Surfwise also raises important questions such as: "Is it worth it to not have to go to school and surf all day, if you have to listen to your parents getting frisky in the back of the RV?"
Intriguing story of a family of surfers lead by an authoritarian patriarch living off-the-grid. The film focuses most intensely on the father, Dorian Paskowitz, who gave up a medical career in order to chase down gnarly waves and a vision of how to achieve a healthy mind, body, and soul. Surfwise also raises important questions such as: "Is it worth it to not have to go to school and surf all day, if you have to listen to your parents getting frisky in the back of the RV?"
BoomBoom3000's rating:
231
5.8
5.9
Holy Smoke! (1999)
Drama.
Harvey Keitel is a cult deprogrammer sent to retrieve Kate Winslett from an Indian ashram. Around this same time, Kate Winslett was in another cool movie in an exotic location that also prominently featured religious themes called Hideous Kinky.
Harvey Keitel is a cult deprogrammer sent to retrieve Kate Winslett from an Indian ashram. Around this same time, Kate Winslett was in another cool movie in an exotic location that also prominently featured religious themes called Hideous Kinky.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
72
7.2
7.8
Documentary.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
35
7.1
8.2
Children Underground (2001)
Documentary.
This is a really shocking documentary about a band of homeless children living a dismal and deprived existence in an underground Romanian train station. Bleak.
This is a really shocking documentary about a band of homeless children living a dismal and deprived existence in an underground Romanian train station. Bleak.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
2371
6.2
6.7
The Beach (2000)
Action.
Ok, yeah... this movie plays up the androgynous, nymphy DiCaprio side for the teen crowd, but this is an ill-flick if you ask me. Outsider ex-pats in Thailand get in over their heads with nefarious locals! Dig it.
Ok, yeah... this movie plays up the androgynous, nymphy DiCaprio side for the teen crowd, but this is an ill-flick if you ask me. Outsider ex-pats in Thailand get in over their heads with nefarious locals! Dig it.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
24
6.4
5
TV Movie.
I've got this image here until I can find the one for the Jeremy Davies lead tv movie, Helter Skelter, about the Manson family. Davies is in all his ticky glory as the manipulative cult leader.
I've got this image here until I can find the one for the Jeremy Davies lead tv movie, Helter Skelter, about the Manson family. Davies is in all his ticky glory as the manipulative cult leader.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
3498
6
6.5
The Village (2004)
Horror.
You probably hated this movie. I did not though. I thought it was pretty fresh.
You probably hated this movie. I did not though. I thought it was pretty fresh.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
137
5.8
5.7
Horror.
Fred Durst was actually really good in this movie. It's nothing special, but it's a decent little horror flick about an isolated town with a, you know, dark secret.
Fred Durst was actually really good in this movie. It's nothing special, but it's a decent little horror flick about an isolated town with a, you know, dark secret.
BoomBoom3000's rating:
I'm fascinated by outsider societies... those groups of people who have opted out of participation in normal society, instead seeking some other form of communal living. The films on this list feature outsider societies living off-the-grid. Some of the groups are cults, some are not. Sometimes things end well, but usually not.
The films I've listed span a variety of genres, with the majority falling most squarely under the categories of either documentary or horror. I'd argue both are appropriate in some cases (Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple I'm looking at you!).
Some of the themes that frequently surface are pretty interesting: rejection of modern technology, poverty, isolation, survivalism, power and influence, religion and revelation, madness, libertarianism, utopianism, etc.
In order to keep the focus narrow, I didn't include:
a) Secret societies where members also participate part-time in conventional living (Eyes Wide Shut),
b) Outsider societies in the future (Children of Men),
c) Music or youth subcultures (Dogtown and Z Boys), or
d) Drug subcultures (Trainspotting).
Also, I only selected movies I enjoyed (hence the exclusion of say, Savage Messiah, which would fit the bill, but is a terrible film).
If you've got suggestions for the list, let me know, as I'm sure I've missed some and I'd love to see them.
10 Point Rating Scale:
1 - 3 Awful.
4 Not good.
5 Meh.
6 Average.
7 Enjoyable.
8 Liked it quite a bit.
9 Loved it.
10 A work of genius.
The films I've listed span a variety of genres, with the majority falling most squarely under the categories of either documentary or horror. I'd argue both are appropriate in some cases (Jonestown: The Life and Death of the Peoples Temple I'm looking at you!).
Some of the themes that frequently surface are pretty interesting: rejection of modern technology, poverty, isolation, survivalism, power and influence, religion and revelation, madness, libertarianism, utopianism, etc.
In order to keep the focus narrow, I didn't include:
a) Secret societies where members also participate part-time in conventional living (Eyes Wide Shut),
b) Outsider societies in the future (Children of Men),
c) Music or youth subcultures (Dogtown and Z Boys), or
d) Drug subcultures (Trainspotting).
Also, I only selected movies I enjoyed (hence the exclusion of say, Savage Messiah, which would fit the bill, but is a terrible film).
If you've got suggestions for the list, let me know, as I'm sure I've missed some and I'd love to see them.
10 Point Rating Scale:
1 - 3 Awful.
4 Not good.
5 Meh.
6 Average.
7 Enjoyable.
8 Liked it quite a bit.
9 Loved it.
10 A work of genius.
Added to
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(312 lists)list by PulpRoman
Published 7 years, 9 months ago 
5 comments
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