The Hunger Games: Things I did see coming.

Congratulations to The Hunger Games for re-confirming my basic posit: An interesting, seriously considered movie, advertising that says what it's about, that validates fan participation actively and contains an exciting aspirational message will make money at the Box Office: Even if it stars a Girl! 

Lionsgate's book-to-film adaptation grosses a staggering $155 million, shattering records and surpassing any "Twilight" pic; overseas, "Hunger Games" opens to $59.3 million for a worldwide total of $214.3 million.  - The Hollywood Reporter

All right, if you're reading my blog, you probably expected that this movie would do well, that the fact that it stars a heroine and is based on an extremely successful series of books is no new news. Much hay seems to be being made about how The Hunger Games is an "original story" and "not a franchise." By that logic, neither was Twilight, the much touted "other successful girls franchise" that is aimed at this age group. For the sake of argument, let's say Bridesmaids is focused at the Over 25 Ladies, and that Twilight and The Hunger Games are aimed squarely at the Under 25 Ladies.

While the "Original" argument is certainly true for film executions of either franchise, we all know that that must be taken with a grain of salt, because both stories proved themselves long before a single frame was shot. Both film franchises had clear, established fanbases when they were greenlit, and those fanbases are largely to thank for the phenomenal success of both projects.

If you're a reader of the blog, you'll also know by now, that I have a particular affinity for The Hunger Games, I've written a number of articles, and will write a few more before the franchise finishes up I'm sure. What makes it easy to see why The Hunger Games is and will do better than Twilight is that while Twilight had limited story appeal outside it's core romance. The Hunger Games has aspirational meaning that appeals to a wide range of ages and both genders.

• The Hunger Games is at its core, and clearly marketed as, a story of survival against oppressive, overwhelming odds.
• The Hunger Games is about a person sacrificing herself for her sister.
• The Hunger Games pits a lone hero against a clearly drawn antagonistic evil. The sort that sends kids to their death for amusement.

The LA Times has diagrammed the reasons for the film's success in this way:

• Pre-Existing Book Franchise: a bestselling book is, perhaps more than ever, the strongest marketing tool a studio can have. 
• The Indie Talent: Just two years ago at Sundance, the two biggest breakouts were "Winter’s Bone" and "The Kids Are All Right." They starred -- and catapulted to success -- two total unknowns by the name of Jennifer Lawrence and Joshua Hutcherson.
• The Director makes Hits: Gary Ross hadn't directed a movie in nearly a decade. Yet with the teen action pic, he made a movie that not was only a mega-blockbuster but garnered solid reviews (71% positive, according to Movie Review Intelligence).
• Kids/Fans: Though "The Hunger Games" is about teenagers and is a property devoured by same, more than half the audience for the Lionsgate film this weekend was above the age of 25.
• A Story that doesn't need Bells or Whistles: For the last few years, the thinking has gone that the gloss of 3-D -- not to mention the higher ticket prices -- was the way to really profit from a movie. But "The Hunger Games" had the biggest-ever opening for a non-sequel by telling its story in good old-fashioned 2-D.

While the arguments in the LA Times are reasonable, I think that at their core, they source of all of those arguments come down to the story. It's the story of someone who genuinely doesn't want to hurt people, but who has to do what she must in order to survive and inspires others in her wake. She is no simpering Bella, she is an active, hearty, resourceful person who will adapt to her situation and thrive when she can and that is something that every person ultimately wants to emulate. 

The story has a clear setting that resonates with the current political climate even though the books were written years before Occupy Wall Street... but are really about a single person's experience. Above all, the story and the media fuse together beautifully, Katniss's story is as much about the perception of the events that surround her, and learning how identity can be manipulated as it is about her individual survival (the two weave together in themes that are explored in more depth in Mockingjay and Catching Fire).

A story like this is universal, it appeals to men and women, old and young; that is the reason this franchise is beating the numbers of those that have come before it, and why it will continue to for years to come.

The Hunger Games: Things I should have seen coming

Because I've been suffering from a case of "No one would ever, possibly in a million-yea.... oh wait, of course they would"s here are two things that I didn't anticipate being part of Hunger Games Fever... that are giving me a mild fever.


The Hunger Games workout that will get you Killer Skinny:

Want to get into killer shape like Katniss, Peeta and the other Tributes from the Hunger Games? Exhale mind body spa's Core Fusion classes will hit every muscle in and around your core to help you transform into the ultimate fighter. Combine the classes below 3-4 times a week and you'll be no match for the other Tributes by the time the Hunger Games hits theaters March 23!

 Aaaaand, of course, The Hunger Games Diet.

Katniss Plant

Which is behind a login wall in its pure state but :

This focuses on foods "found in their natural state." It even includes "recipes inspired by actual meals in The Hunger Games books, including Capital Springtime Soup, Hunger Games Porridge with Berries and Almond Flour Biscuits."

And of course, Hunger Games wedding ideas...

But before we all headdesk too hard, A group is making a full length sequel to Mockingjay as fan fiction that is being profiled all over the place, so at lest there's that.

This just in from the Capitol- More Hunger Games Spots

Capitol Couture

The Hunger Games Extended Media Campaigns are launching. Check out Capitol Couture #lookyourbest

The Hunger Games: Katniss and Aesthetic Perception

One of the most fascinating parts of The Hunger Games to me was that it had one of the most down to Earth explanation of why someone should care about their looks I've encountered in literature. As you may remember from my post on Tinker Bell Wearing Pants, the reason why someone chooses to look a certain way is as important as their natural beauty, and often times, far more important. Also, and this is really key to story, it's much more interesting than someone merely radiating unfathomable golden beauty under a raft of adjectives to know say: they're dressing up so people will buy them weapons so that they can fight for their survival.


Now, what follows has SPOILERS so if you don't want SPOILERS you can stop reading now, pick up the book trilogy and come back later, you've been warned. 

So Katniss, she's a pretty practical girl, darker coloring than her mother and sister and doesn't have their culturally beautiful looks. That said, she's not hideous, she's pretty we all know this, she's the heroine, it true and others do see this even though she doesn't think about it much herself, what with avoiding starvation and supporting her family and all, she's busy and young. This is all hugely relatable and frankly a good place to start.

Now you'll say to yourself, "this is such a fantasy character"; and I will reply, "Yes, she is. It's a young adult fiction fantasy novel, that is pretty much the point, accept it and move on.  Her reason for existing on multiple levels, is as an object lesson to others, and the point of a good story is to keep you interested enough to learn.

Now through twists of fate she ends up being taken as a tribute to the Captiol to fight in The Hunger Games, a reality show fight to the death between the 12 Districts of Panem. Now, while Katniss hails from District 12 a gritty Coal Mining area filled with poverty and death, the Capitol, the central district of this authoritarian empire is a place of extremely artificial beauty.

Effie Trinket, host of The Hunger Games

We're first introduced when she meets her stylist, Cinna. A young designer who is a fashion wunderkind in a land that knows its fashion, and has chosen District 12, because it is one of the poorest districts, least well provisioned, not capable of training gladiators for the arena, and that is a crime. Cinna is a man with specific gifts, who sees how he can make the biggest statement he can, and for that, Katniss is his tool. Katniss is a random variable in someone else's aesthetic style, the opening ceremonies of the Hunger Games are like the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympic Games, big costumes and people picks who they're rooting for. And, Spoiler, Cinna literally sets Katniss on fire in order to give her the most memorable image and ensure that someone would want to be her patron and send her food or weapons during the fight.

Sometimes, making a good first impression is a matter of life and death, whether it's a job interview or a national television debut when you need to garner support, consider your presentation accordingly.

Over the course of the next book, Katniss is paraded around and is constantly under public scrutiny. Largely, the style and execution of her physical appearance and activities are out of her hands, are once again: a matter of life and death. Cinna comes and goes, using his expertise in executing the instructions of President Snow and giving savvy advice to Katniss, who he knows has to keep up an act for more than fame and fortune, he knows that if she fails, the stakes are truly dire. Katniss listens to all of this advice, she takes most of it, and most importantly begins to be able to gain mastery over the aspects of beauty as she had archery and trapping. She learns what advice is good and what is bad, and survives the less martial trials with equal savviness.

The Mockingjay Pin she wears becomes her personal symbol

Don't turn down well intentioned advice out of hand, learn from all of it.

As I mentioned, the President was involved here. Katniss inadvertently makes herself a very strong political symbol at the end of the first book. And must act out motivations publicly that are contrary to the underlying reasons that she did the thing that she did that made all that come about (it is worth reading, I'm trying not to give away too much). So she's under scrutiny that is both that of of a Reality Show star, who is essentially the only star around, and a political propaganda figure for multiple factions within Panem and frankly, she's still a kid who just wants to get out of there.

She may be reacting to many factors out of her control, but within that given scenario she is smart, she is clever and she is attentive to the world around her. She knows she must look a certain way to accomplish her goals, and she strives hard to execute that goal aesthetically in a way that compliments her choices.

Finally, the game has changed, the whole world is upside down and --SPOILER-- Katniss is the figurehead of a Revolution. Now, contrary to many ideas of what the "Leader of a Revolution" is, Katniss is once again more or less under the thumb of those who have been planning for this, have more resources, and spin the world around their schemes. At the same time, Katniss

She learns how to wield her fame and image because they are the strongest weapons she has, and learns to use her voice as well as her face to move people and highlight what she knows to be important. When she learns to combine the two, she takes the power from those who would spin her opinion or speak for her, and is able to take agency for both action and perception of her actions.

A worthy message can be undercut by a poorly presented speaker. A superb, interesting facade can be utterly vacant. Aesthetic skills can be learned, and should be learned with applicable motivation behind them. The Hunger Games does a phenomenal job explaining why aesthetic presentation is important, without enforcing a specific ideal of beauty. The real beauty it asks the audience to seek out is that which best presents the self.

Clothes can come on and off, but knowing who you are underneath is the only way to truly present yourself in the most powerful, appealing light.  The reality is that the world is always watching, even in a microcosm, and if you want to get your way, you have to learn how to use the tools at your disposal.

Licensing Beauty

If you haven't already read Beauty: The Semantic Rules of this Blog, I recommend it now. 

The business of narrative often overlooks aspects of Beauty in its properties, or doesn't give it enough attention. For example, Twilight, the books and movies, have hugely boosted the sales of pale foundations. The Hunger Games has its own Nail Polish Line, and DC has already started to roll out Wonder Woman and other Comic Book heroine inspired lines with M.A.C.

Here, fictional character Effie Trinket's personal style dictates fashion for both the fictional world of the Hunger Games and likely, the fashion of the film's fans in the real world. Wearers can mix and match from a broad color pallette according to their own style without appearing costume-y. Effie Trinket's over the top style in the Captiol of Panem is considered "Fashion" and not costume.

The commercial advice that is illustrated here is that ultimately, the aesthetic interpretations of beauty vary pretty widely in the real world. Even in distinct fashion circles the pursuits are individual at their heart, and rather than dictating a specific style the creation of compatible options are the strongest way to market beauty products within a franchise.