"Zizek!" is a mildly interesting documentary that follows Slavoj Zizek, a political philosopher, as he gives talks in New York, Boston, Argentina and his native turf of Slovenia where he holds down a day job as a university lecturer. His talks combine the theories of Karl Marx and Lancanian psychology into a vibrant
attack on capitalism.(An attempt is made to explain some of his theories, giving a partial introduction to his writings in the process, but I wish it had been simple enough for a layman to understand. And admittedly, I'm lost when it comes to understanding psychology.) His appeal comes from an extraordinary ability to have complex theories simply roll off the tongue. Also, unlike the stereotypical philosopher, he is not the shy type, instead willing to jump into the fray on occasion. However, he does not enjoy the fame that has come along with his notoriety. A more detailed personal history would have helped in understanding him better. And some of the tangents are simply irrelevent.(For example, instead of Zizek roaming the aisles of Mondo Kim's, I would have preferred him to talk about movies instead. But that's a different film...)
May 24, 2007
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