Big Trouble in Little America

I watched one of the two Best Worst Movies in film history this weekend - Big Trouble in Little China (the other Best Worst Movie is Army of Darkness). Whether brought on by the natural high of a leftover-filled stomach, or the artificial high of Thanksgiving night Maker's Mark, I had an epiphany that this movie is a highly accurate -- if artistically absurd -- portrayal of a deeply important aspect of how America sees itself in the world.

The main character, Jack Burton (Kurt Russell), is obviously cast as America. Indeed, director John Carpenter pretty overtly wants him to be something of a Western cowboy (for instance, though a truck driver, Burton carries his belongings in a saddle bag). As the Toronto Star praised Russell in its review, "He does a great John Wayne imitation." Meanwhile, David Lo Pan and his gang are the Rest of the World, and more specifically, the Non-Aligned Countries, otherwise known as the Axis of Evil.

The plot casts these Foreigners as having created a terrorist cell in San Francisco's Chinatown. In fact, every Chinese person in the movie -- good guy or bad guy -- is made to seem like their first and foremost loyalty is not to the United States, but to China ("China is here, Mr Burton!") -- a key fear propagated by American pop culture, from the McCarthy witchhunts for communist infiltrators to George W. Bush's domestic "war on terror." And Burton's reaction to their idiosyncrasies and local cultures is the stunned/disgusted "no, god, please what is that?"

So how does Burton/America deal with Lo Pan/Foreign Terrorists? He has no plan at all, other than to head to their headquarters and bust in guns blazing. The lack of planning is not an accident or something looked down on -- it's how he rolls and he's proud of it, as evidenced by his repeated refrain that he doesn't need to plan because "it's all in the reflexes." And every time he says this line, we're supposed to laugh and cheer with him, because this is how we roll.

We don't plan when dealing with foreigners who have different customs and cultures and who threaten our interests -- we don't need to plan because planning is for pussies. We're fellow truck-driver cowboys with daggers in pocket of the boots we're wearing over our acid wash jeans -- and dammit, "it's all in the reflexes."

While Burton stumbles a lot and makes an idiot out of himself, his lack of planning ultimately works. He defeats the evil foreigners, saves the day and gets the girl (who he's too cool to keep around). The moral of the story is that while America might make some blockheaded mistakes, they're honest ones and because we're the "good guys," we'll end up winning the day. There may be "big trouble" but it's manageable because compared to American power, everything is little (in the movie's case what's little is China, but it could be anything -- Iraq, Al Qaeda, etc.).

Big Trouble in Little China debuted in 1986 -- arguably the peak of American world supremacy. The Soviet Union was on its heels about to collapse and there were no other superpowers, or emerging superpowers. So, in that sense, the movie was a vaguely accurate metaphorical depiction of the United States at the moment. We could kick some ass without really having to think about it.

That said, the tongue-in-cheek flavor of the film suggests Carpenter is using the Burton character to deliberately ridicule American hubris (and let's not forget the very end of the movie just before the credits roll: the crazy-eyed demon about to get his final revenge on Burton could be the world taking revenge on that hubris). So, in that sense, the movie was actually a prescient warning -- one that's more relevant today than when it first came out. China and India are both on the ascent economically and militarily, and the global power game has gone stateless and transnational. So while we still like to see ourselves as the chest-puffed swashbuckling Jack Burton from the film's poster, that's just not what we are -- or can be -- anymore. Our Jack Burton-ism is no longer the rip-roaring hee-hawin' adventures through the Grenadas and Panamas of the world -- we're knee-deep in battles with much bigger and better-prepared enemies.

And so the the question is whether we -- and by extension, our our pop culture -- can acknowledge that reality?

It seems to me we refused to accept that when we re-elected George W. Bush in 2004 -- a President Jack Burton if there ever was one. But it also seems to me that perhaps we are beginning the process of accepting reality when we elected Barack Obama, largely because Obama articulated a vision of America being far more humble and controlled on the world stage.

Sure, reflexes (i.e. how we react in a short-term crisis) are still going to be important. But with our global challenges becoming far more long-term and structural in nature, it's not going to be "all in the reflexes" nor can we afford to just waltz into delicate situations against well-prepared enemies without any other plan than kickin' some ass.

Because of population growth trends, an Asian industrial revolution, and the decline of our empire-level power, the featured film of the day will increasingly be Big Trouble in Little America. We're up to dealing with that trouble, but only if we retire Jack Burton to the Pork Chop Express for good.

Gift Shop Addendum: As something of a gift-shop addendum to this post, I wanted to note that you can go pick up all the Big Trouble in Little China paraphernalia that you may want from the Wing Kong Exchange, a website named after the major venue in the movie.

Comments

[bjoffe51]

First of all, it is truly only possible for a Sirota to compare a phenomenal film like bit trouble in little china to how the US sees itself in global politics. I love it.
"Here's to the army and the navy and the battles they have won, Here's to the America's colors, the colors that never run. May the leaves of liberty never lose a feather."
Gout'

[Clavis]

Actually, what I like about the film is that Jack Burton, although he never loses his personality, definitely learns to take a back seat and let the experts be the experts on thing they're experts about. He wins at the end because he's agreed to drink the potion that Egg Chen produces. In essence, the film is about Jack Burton opening his mind to a larger universe in which he *doesn't* know it all. He is able to play a part because he finds the hero in himself, and it is his friends -- the "little Chinese" -- who help him to do that. He is our analog in the film, but it seems that he is forced to be a little more humble in order to succeed.

[Wolfgang]

"Big Trouble in Little China" was a great movie. But George W. Bush is definately no Jack Burton. Jack puts his own neck on the line. He doesn't send others to do his dirty work for him.

[TheCubist]

In the article you say, "In fact, every Chinese person in the movie -- good guy or bad guy -- is made to seem like their first and foremost loyalty is not to the United States, but to China ("China is here, Mr Burton!")"

This is not true. Before Egg Shen, Jack Burton and their buddies take on Lo Pan, Jack's sidekick, Wang Chi proposes a toast to the patriotism of the United States in which he says, "Here's to the Army and Navy and the battles they have won; here's to America's colors, the colors that never run."

[LMPE]

For years I'd just viewed "Big Trouble in Little China" as a movie whose title identified that it's not to be taken seriously. I never envisioned it as a possible representation of the USA's role in the world. Whatever it is, John Carpenter directed a really funny movie there. Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall and Victor Wong all did a great job.

"Army of Darkness" was also a great one.

[jaldous]

I loved this stupid movie!

[JTaverner]

Another timely quote from the film:

When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have ya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail."

Whose check is it this time?

Also, analyzing Jack's behaviour and reactions to foreign customs is interesting with personal observations of fellow Americans overseas along with more recent portrayals of Americans abroad in pop-culture. The "all in the reflexes" attitude is still there - "The Kingdom," as just one example. And I've noticed it first-hand, along with other eye-witness accounts from those close to me. Of course I'm relating small-scale personal experiences while David is comparing the global implications with the film. But it is worth noting that the "Jack Burton" persona seems to be a default character for Americans (citizens and leaders) to fall into when uncomfortable with a place and people unlike their own. We all have our Ugly American experiences. Interesting to see if a new character will emerge or a "rebranding" (as is the popular phrase with current failures of identity) of a mythic American persona in the new frontier.

[kushykush]

I understand you have a point there David. Under Bush-Cheny, the foreign policy has been "all reflexes." Shoot first (the foreigners) and then ask questions later. However, should we be taking such Hollywood action films seriously? Maybe they do help form populist perceptions. In their defense, they will say such movies are purely for entertainment. The linkage is hard to establish.

Be that as it may, I agree military and hardcore actions in itself solves nothing except help the military-industrial complex and "consultants" like retired general Barry McCaffery!

[fpie]

Don't you just love the poster?

[SamEllison]

"China is in the heart Jack!"
Personally I liked the guys with the lampshade hats.
The same storyline as "The Night Stalker", Darren McGavin.
Dorian Grey.....

[explorelife]

Thanks David for the great analogy. I very much enjoyed this tongue in cheek movie Big Trouble In Little China. It seems such a great spoof on the martial arts films and now thanks to you I see it also as a spoof on the ego driven Bushites.

Humor is a great healer. I wonder what it will take to heal the blocked hearts and closed minds of those who spread such hate, fear and misinformation in some kind of cause to prove they are right and the rest of us are wrong?

Thanks for your perspective and I enjoy your comments on 760 progressive radio.

Joseph
www.explorelifeblog.com

[avraamjack]

America suffered a great loss when it won the Cold War.

Our need to appear to be a superior alternative to Communism forced us to be on our best behaviour.

When the Communists would abus their citizens, in gulags, politically motivated psychiatric committals, internal banishment such as that suffered by Sakharov, or similar crimes, we would trumpet our superiority. We had ideals and we were serious about them.

As soon as we lost our reason to prove ourselves superior, we decided that since we were superior we could do anything. Virtually the same instant that the Iron Curtain came down, the USA gave birth to the now widespread gang stalking phenomenon. It is now accepted that gang stalkers can openly and notoriously poison and irradiate whomever they like without fear of prosecution.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=%22gang+stalking%22&spell=1

Nobody dares speak of it for they want no trouble. All we are left with is a few sites that give broad semi-accurate descriptions of the phenomenon. The new Samizdat.
.

[FearlessFreep]

The greatest loss came from Americans deciding they'd "won." Americans have a special genius for learning the wrong lesson.