Gnazis
“Inglorious” means causing shame or a loss of honor. Spelling “bastards” “Basterds” juxtaposes “tards” (as in “retards”) and “terds” (as in turds) to the effect of reiterating the shameful and inhuman behavior of the nazis and, likewise, the all Jewish “Basterds.” Moving right along, it can be said that such behavior possesses an attraction for a few reasons, reasons which Quintin Tarentino is (and has been) happy to exploit in previous films and reasons which the 4chan community wear on their sleeve. What makes this violent behavior so enjoyable in this particular vehicle is the blatant transparency of the cinematic facade. Tarentino beautifully (as ever) crafts this spectacle, with all the “gnazis,” dames and bullets one could want, only to oblige the viewer to see right through it, for it is Brad Pitt as the fast talking Lt. Aldo Raine we want to see and, by god, it is Brad Pitt as the fast talking Lt. Aldo Raine we do see. Tarentino makes no attempt to mask (jutting under-bite?) the fact that he made a film with what is the most recognizable in the world, further, he places this actor in what is perhaps the easiest violent-begging scenario one could imagine. What more could a movie goer who sneaks beer into the theatre, laughs loudly at all the funny parts, and claps at all the deserved scenes ask for? How about that actor/writer from the Office, B.J. Novak? Similar to Pitt, Novak is too recognizable in his role, he is simultaneously his character and himself, or to say it better, his character in the film is simply and noticeably a dimension of character he plays elsewhere on television. While Pitt has the luxury of diversity, he too is playing a dimension of characters and media characterizations from which the audience can clearly recognize him. What does this have to do with music? nothing really, but I submit that “gnazi” should be inaugurated into the English language to refer to one-dimensional nazis that are portrayed in film and text as villains. As in this video:
