Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2013 10:15:16 GMT -5
OK, so having had a chance to sit and digest the film for a night, I've realized there are two (actually three but I'll explain that in a minute) KEY scenes in this movie where, had Mike listened to Randall, and Randall listened to Mike... their lives, Randall's especially, might be very, very different today. I've been playing Bioshock Infinite lately, and through all the inevitable internet buzz that is generated around a game that's such a smash hit, from what I can glean (no spoilers of course as I refuse to read them in regards this game), the game deals heavily with alternate realities, and what MIGHT have been. How say, two or three small decisions a person might make DIFFERENTLY can change their entire life.
So I'm going to write about these two scenes (they aren't major spoiler points in the film), and demonstrate this principle. There's a third scene I'd also love to write about, but as it's a major spoiler point, I sadly can't do it... at least not publicly. Anyway, I hope you enjoy "What Might Have Been...".
Early December
Final Exam day. The day every monster at MU had been dreading for the past four months. Randall Boggs and Michael Wazowski had traded a few encouraging words to each other on the way into the classroom, with Randall grilling Mike on a few last minute study questions before they'd sat down.
Now they were there... now it was time to do or die. Both Randall and Mike were assiduously flipping through books and notes while monsters were called up one at a time to enter the scare room simulator. Randall felt his like his heart was no longer even in the room... it was tearing down the steps of the building and out toward the quad, doing at least 60 in a 25. He would be the first to admit that he lacked the courage his roommate, Mike, had. He wasn't sure how Wazowski did it... the small guy seemed to fear nothing.
Randall's thoughts about a kid with a fear of thunder who was six years old were interrupted by a blue mound of fur that moved in front of his desk, then brushed by Mike's seat, his hand reaching out and casually sliding all of Mike's books three or inches forward. It was enough. Like rain falling from the sky, Mike's books tumbled to the floor, echoing in the massive hall as they thudded onto the ground, bouncing and scattering off as the blue-furred monster gave a grunt.
Sullivan... of course. It was always Sullivan. Sullivan, who'd made Mike's life a living nightmare since day one. Sullivan, who was stoking this burning fire within Randall's roommate... a fire that was hard to quench. The two were now rather fierce competitors, and while Sullivan was just barely passing most of his classes and Mike was running circles around him intellectually, Sullivan was also impressing the professors with his admittedly scary presence and natural "know-how."
Mike slid out of his seat, his teeth bared, his breathing heavy, and his eye blazing. Randall immediately followed suit, bending down to start helping Mike collect his scattered belongings. "Come on Mike..." Randall said softly. "Let's just move." he nodded in the opposite direction of Sullivan.
Randall might have turned and walked away at this point... having said his piece and leaving Mike to decide for himself. But the purple monster paused... Mike was seething, and it wasn't a look that Randall was unfamiliar with. Too many times he'd seen that look come over his roommate when things got too hot... too many times he'd seen Mike go off like a cannon and either attempt to verbally chew Sullivan out, or else foolishly try and physically compete with the big fellow... attempts that almost always landed either him or both of them in trouble.
Mike took a few steps towards Sullivan now... and Randall might have turned around... but instead, his hand shot out, grabbing hold of Mike's arm. "Mike... don't." Randall said, shaking his head. Mike whipped around, the anger evident on his features. "It's not worth it." Randall emphasized, making eye contact now. "Dean Hardscrabble could be here at any minute... I know you're fearless, buddy, but... sometimes being fearless means not being reckless and just walking away. Now come on... please. Let's just go find another seat." he suggested hopefully.
Mike seemed to soften... Randall could in fact feel the tension in his roommate's muscles dissipating as he appeared to consider his friend's words. "Yeah... OK. You're right." Mike said at last, nodding as he visibly relaxed.
"I saw some seats in the back. Let's go grab those." Randall stated, and nodded as he turned to head for the stairs leading to the higher parts of the auditorium, Mike following behind as Randall briefly swiveled to hand his roommate his books.
Late January
Winter break was over and done with, and the campus was much grayer and duller this time of year. It was almost lifeless in some ways... especially on overcast days like this. The sign-ups for the Scare Games were today, and Randall ran a finger down the red and gold Roar Omega Roar jacket he was sporting.
He gazed at the fibers and threads... wondering if they really made him look that much cooler. Things had... changed. Sullivan had of course passed his final scaring exam last semester with flying colors, but Mike... hadn't been so lucky. While he aced every written exam of the year... he'd received only a C- on his final. It seemed Dean Hardscrabble just didn't consider Mike scary, and word circulating around the quad now was that Hardscrabble was in fact considering dropping Mike from the program altogether.
As for Sullivan... he himself was in danger of being dropped, but not by the dean. Roar Omega Roar had been less than impressed with Sullivan's C minuses and D plusses he'd been earning throughout the first semester. Sure, he could scare the pants off of anyone... but Roar Omega Roar took only the best... in both grades and practical skills. Sullivan completely lacked the former, and was even proving to be an embarrassment sometimes to his frat brothers, especially when "puny" Mike would flash his A plusses right in Sullivan's face as Sullivan was hanging around his fraternity.
Randall wasn't top of his class, but he usually only scored just a few points lower than Mike on exams, and was plenty scary in his own right. As it turned out... Johnny Worthington, head of Roar Omega Roar, had made overtures to him over winter break. "Come and check out the frat. Sullivan's not what we're looking for. We could use a monster like you. Come meet us during the Scare Games' sign-ups." Those words and more had been thrown at him over the past few weeks, and while initially excited by the prospect of joining such a prestigious fraternity, Randall was now... having second thoughts.
As he threaded his way through the crowd that was listening to the announcers for the Scare Games fire them up and start boiling their blood, Randall could see the red and gold sweaters of his potential new fraternity just ahead. There was Johnny Worthington... offering a big, winning smile in his direction, and there was Sullivan... looking bored and disinterested in the whole affair.
"Randy! Hey Randy!" Randall perked up as he heard his name being called, and turned around to see Mike standing on top of someone's car, waving his hands to get his attention. "Randy! Come and join my fraternity!" Mike was saying.
"If you don't have a sixth member..." one of the announcers was calling out now. "You CAN'T participate in the games!"
"I know! We HAVE a sixth member!" Mike called back desperately. "Come on Randy!" Mike urged, waving him over. Randall glanced at the fraternity his roommate was referring to. Oozma Kappa!? THEY were Mike's fraternity? The biggest losers on campus?
No one would ever willingly associate with them... but then Randall could see the desperation in his roommate's eye... hear the frantic undertone in his voice. He knew how rough Mike had it... he was being considered for termination in the scaring program after all. Mike had mentioned the Scaring Games to him... but Randall never figured that Mike would resort to joining Oozma Kappa in order to get in!
"Hey Randall! What are you waiting for?" This was from Johnny, and Randall turned to glance in the big horned monster's direction. "Come on! You don't want to be seen with THOSE guys... do you?" Johnny asked. Randall hesitated, an uncertain expression crossing his features.
He might have told Mike off then and there. He might have said "Come on Mike! I'm finally in with the cool guys! Don't blow this for me!" But as he opened his mouth, he stopped. Did he really want to be part of a group that Sullivan was a part of? Even if Sullivan was being dropped soon... it was still Sullivan.
Sullivan... the one who'd tortured Randall's roommate the first day... and hadn't stopped. Sullivan... the one who constantly forgot his books and nearly flunked his classes. Sullivan... who'd been reminding Mike day in and day out of how worthless he was, and how he didn't belong here. Did he... no was he the type of person who'd associate with people like that? Johnny himself had been none too kind to Mike, and was it worth it just to be labeled as "cool" and "popular"?
Then there was Mike... Michael Wazowski, his roommate. Someone who'd never once shown him a drop of malice or unkindness the entire school year. Someone who always treated him fairly, and while obsessive to a fault, was never exactly boastful (except towards Sullivan) about his good marks. Could he really just turn his back on his roommate here for a chance to be "popular" and "one of the guys"? Mike was with Oozma Kappa... the most maligned and by far "geeky" of the fraternities on campus. That would mean Randall would be labeled as such... "loser," "geek," and "nerd" would be the least of what he'd be called if he associated with them.
Wringing his hands, Randall seemed to wilt and shrink a bit, caught between two directions. Left or right... his roommate or the best of the best on campus? Popular or geek?
"Randy... please!" Mike pleaded, looking at him with hope.
"Come on, Randall! We gave you the jacket! Come on over and say hi to everyone!" Johnny called again, waving his big arm.
Randall trembled. The pressure was immense... it was like he had sunk 30,000 feet under the ocean... and was only sinking deeper. He was drowning... there was no air... everyone was looking at him! He edged in Roar Omega Roar's direction... sort of half sliding, half walking.
But... no. Looking back at Mike... he knew. He knew deep down... friends didn't abandon friends. And friends certainly didn't join enemies! There was compromise... and then there was selling out. Randall wasn't a sell-out. He could not... no he WOULD not compromise his principles for this!
Reaching up, he unbuttoned the red and gold jacket, and shrugged it off, letting it slowly fall from his shoulders. It was like liberation... freedom from the hot, oppressive sweat box he'd found himself suddenly locked in for the past several moments. He cringed as he heard something clatter on the ground behind him.
His glasses! He hadn't worn them since his first day. Mike had told him to "lose the glasses" as they stuck out like two sore thumbs whenever he turned invisible. Mike had been right... he didn't and shouldn't use them for scaring... but did he really need to never wear them again?
Fumbling on the ground now, he reached into the jacket pocket, retrieving the frames and opening them up slowly, as if in awe. Fortunately, they weren't damaged. He paused but a moment, gazing at them, before sliding them onto his face with determination. Charging forward, he didn't care if everyone was staring at him. He didn't care if jaws dropped, or eyes widened, or heads shook.
Leaping up, he climbed to the top of the car as confidently as a human scaling Mt. Everest. Standing tall beside his roommate... and his friend, Randall stared right at the heads of the Scare Games. "Sign us up too!" he yelled.
So I'm going to write about these two scenes (they aren't major spoiler points in the film), and demonstrate this principle. There's a third scene I'd also love to write about, but as it's a major spoiler point, I sadly can't do it... at least not publicly. Anyway, I hope you enjoy "What Might Have Been...".
Early December
Final Exam day. The day every monster at MU had been dreading for the past four months. Randall Boggs and Michael Wazowski had traded a few encouraging words to each other on the way into the classroom, with Randall grilling Mike on a few last minute study questions before they'd sat down.
Now they were there... now it was time to do or die. Both Randall and Mike were assiduously flipping through books and notes while monsters were called up one at a time to enter the scare room simulator. Randall felt his like his heart was no longer even in the room... it was tearing down the steps of the building and out toward the quad, doing at least 60 in a 25. He would be the first to admit that he lacked the courage his roommate, Mike, had. He wasn't sure how Wazowski did it... the small guy seemed to fear nothing.
Randall's thoughts about a kid with a fear of thunder who was six years old were interrupted by a blue mound of fur that moved in front of his desk, then brushed by Mike's seat, his hand reaching out and casually sliding all of Mike's books three or inches forward. It was enough. Like rain falling from the sky, Mike's books tumbled to the floor, echoing in the massive hall as they thudded onto the ground, bouncing and scattering off as the blue-furred monster gave a grunt.
Sullivan... of course. It was always Sullivan. Sullivan, who'd made Mike's life a living nightmare since day one. Sullivan, who was stoking this burning fire within Randall's roommate... a fire that was hard to quench. The two were now rather fierce competitors, and while Sullivan was just barely passing most of his classes and Mike was running circles around him intellectually, Sullivan was also impressing the professors with his admittedly scary presence and natural "know-how."
Mike slid out of his seat, his teeth bared, his breathing heavy, and his eye blazing. Randall immediately followed suit, bending down to start helping Mike collect his scattered belongings. "Come on Mike..." Randall said softly. "Let's just move." he nodded in the opposite direction of Sullivan.
Randall might have turned and walked away at this point... having said his piece and leaving Mike to decide for himself. But the purple monster paused... Mike was seething, and it wasn't a look that Randall was unfamiliar with. Too many times he'd seen that look come over his roommate when things got too hot... too many times he'd seen Mike go off like a cannon and either attempt to verbally chew Sullivan out, or else foolishly try and physically compete with the big fellow... attempts that almost always landed either him or both of them in trouble.
Mike took a few steps towards Sullivan now... and Randall might have turned around... but instead, his hand shot out, grabbing hold of Mike's arm. "Mike... don't." Randall said, shaking his head. Mike whipped around, the anger evident on his features. "It's not worth it." Randall emphasized, making eye contact now. "Dean Hardscrabble could be here at any minute... I know you're fearless, buddy, but... sometimes being fearless means not being reckless and just walking away. Now come on... please. Let's just go find another seat." he suggested hopefully.
Mike seemed to soften... Randall could in fact feel the tension in his roommate's muscles dissipating as he appeared to consider his friend's words. "Yeah... OK. You're right." Mike said at last, nodding as he visibly relaxed.
"I saw some seats in the back. Let's go grab those." Randall stated, and nodded as he turned to head for the stairs leading to the higher parts of the auditorium, Mike following behind as Randall briefly swiveled to hand his roommate his books.
Late January
Winter break was over and done with, and the campus was much grayer and duller this time of year. It was almost lifeless in some ways... especially on overcast days like this. The sign-ups for the Scare Games were today, and Randall ran a finger down the red and gold Roar Omega Roar jacket he was sporting.
He gazed at the fibers and threads... wondering if they really made him look that much cooler. Things had... changed. Sullivan had of course passed his final scaring exam last semester with flying colors, but Mike... hadn't been so lucky. While he aced every written exam of the year... he'd received only a C- on his final. It seemed Dean Hardscrabble just didn't consider Mike scary, and word circulating around the quad now was that Hardscrabble was in fact considering dropping Mike from the program altogether.
As for Sullivan... he himself was in danger of being dropped, but not by the dean. Roar Omega Roar had been less than impressed with Sullivan's C minuses and D plusses he'd been earning throughout the first semester. Sure, he could scare the pants off of anyone... but Roar Omega Roar took only the best... in both grades and practical skills. Sullivan completely lacked the former, and was even proving to be an embarrassment sometimes to his frat brothers, especially when "puny" Mike would flash his A plusses right in Sullivan's face as Sullivan was hanging around his fraternity.
Randall wasn't top of his class, but he usually only scored just a few points lower than Mike on exams, and was plenty scary in his own right. As it turned out... Johnny Worthington, head of Roar Omega Roar, had made overtures to him over winter break. "Come and check out the frat. Sullivan's not what we're looking for. We could use a monster like you. Come meet us during the Scare Games' sign-ups." Those words and more had been thrown at him over the past few weeks, and while initially excited by the prospect of joining such a prestigious fraternity, Randall was now... having second thoughts.
As he threaded his way through the crowd that was listening to the announcers for the Scare Games fire them up and start boiling their blood, Randall could see the red and gold sweaters of his potential new fraternity just ahead. There was Johnny Worthington... offering a big, winning smile in his direction, and there was Sullivan... looking bored and disinterested in the whole affair.
"Randy! Hey Randy!" Randall perked up as he heard his name being called, and turned around to see Mike standing on top of someone's car, waving his hands to get his attention. "Randy! Come and join my fraternity!" Mike was saying.
"If you don't have a sixth member..." one of the announcers was calling out now. "You CAN'T participate in the games!"
"I know! We HAVE a sixth member!" Mike called back desperately. "Come on Randy!" Mike urged, waving him over. Randall glanced at the fraternity his roommate was referring to. Oozma Kappa!? THEY were Mike's fraternity? The biggest losers on campus?
No one would ever willingly associate with them... but then Randall could see the desperation in his roommate's eye... hear the frantic undertone in his voice. He knew how rough Mike had it... he was being considered for termination in the scaring program after all. Mike had mentioned the Scaring Games to him... but Randall never figured that Mike would resort to joining Oozma Kappa in order to get in!
"Hey Randall! What are you waiting for?" This was from Johnny, and Randall turned to glance in the big horned monster's direction. "Come on! You don't want to be seen with THOSE guys... do you?" Johnny asked. Randall hesitated, an uncertain expression crossing his features.
He might have told Mike off then and there. He might have said "Come on Mike! I'm finally in with the cool guys! Don't blow this for me!" But as he opened his mouth, he stopped. Did he really want to be part of a group that Sullivan was a part of? Even if Sullivan was being dropped soon... it was still Sullivan.
Sullivan... the one who'd tortured Randall's roommate the first day... and hadn't stopped. Sullivan... the one who constantly forgot his books and nearly flunked his classes. Sullivan... who'd been reminding Mike day in and day out of how worthless he was, and how he didn't belong here. Did he... no was he the type of person who'd associate with people like that? Johnny himself had been none too kind to Mike, and was it worth it just to be labeled as "cool" and "popular"?
Then there was Mike... Michael Wazowski, his roommate. Someone who'd never once shown him a drop of malice or unkindness the entire school year. Someone who always treated him fairly, and while obsessive to a fault, was never exactly boastful (except towards Sullivan) about his good marks. Could he really just turn his back on his roommate here for a chance to be "popular" and "one of the guys"? Mike was with Oozma Kappa... the most maligned and by far "geeky" of the fraternities on campus. That would mean Randall would be labeled as such... "loser," "geek," and "nerd" would be the least of what he'd be called if he associated with them.
Wringing his hands, Randall seemed to wilt and shrink a bit, caught between two directions. Left or right... his roommate or the best of the best on campus? Popular or geek?
"Randy... please!" Mike pleaded, looking at him with hope.
"Come on, Randall! We gave you the jacket! Come on over and say hi to everyone!" Johnny called again, waving his big arm.
Randall trembled. The pressure was immense... it was like he had sunk 30,000 feet under the ocean... and was only sinking deeper. He was drowning... there was no air... everyone was looking at him! He edged in Roar Omega Roar's direction... sort of half sliding, half walking.
But... no. Looking back at Mike... he knew. He knew deep down... friends didn't abandon friends. And friends certainly didn't join enemies! There was compromise... and then there was selling out. Randall wasn't a sell-out. He could not... no he WOULD not compromise his principles for this!
Reaching up, he unbuttoned the red and gold jacket, and shrugged it off, letting it slowly fall from his shoulders. It was like liberation... freedom from the hot, oppressive sweat box he'd found himself suddenly locked in for the past several moments. He cringed as he heard something clatter on the ground behind him.
His glasses! He hadn't worn them since his first day. Mike had told him to "lose the glasses" as they stuck out like two sore thumbs whenever he turned invisible. Mike had been right... he didn't and shouldn't use them for scaring... but did he really need to never wear them again?
Fumbling on the ground now, he reached into the jacket pocket, retrieving the frames and opening them up slowly, as if in awe. Fortunately, they weren't damaged. He paused but a moment, gazing at them, before sliding them onto his face with determination. Charging forward, he didn't care if everyone was staring at him. He didn't care if jaws dropped, or eyes widened, or heads shook.
Leaping up, he climbed to the top of the car as confidently as a human scaling Mt. Everest. Standing tall beside his roommate... and his friend, Randall stared right at the heads of the Scare Games. "Sign us up too!" he yelled.