Billy's willingness to drop his weapon and stand his ground only with a primitive knife is a defining moment in the film. It shows that man is not made to kill by gun alone. Most of the other warriors in the band are known by their high-tech and explosive weapons: Blaine (Minigun), Mac (giant M60E3 machine gun), Dillon (iconic MP5 from Goldeneye), Pancho (Multiple grenade launcher). I had to look it up, but only Billy and Dutch wield the somewhat simple SP1 rifles (an early version of the AR-15 rifles). They are not dependent on the technology in the same way, and both seem like they could enter into the jungle without arms and survive.
The other men seem to have chips on their shoulders and are skittish, while Billy and Dutch exude that masculine steady energy and reflectiveness. I think the film shows man's ascendency from mere existence and to answer the call for a higher, spiritual battle against enemies without form. There are elements of spiritual warfare here against unseen foes that only Billy as the Native American Scout and Dutch as the true spiritual leader (as opposed to the "assigned leader" Dillon). This message is brought home with the sound of Billy's last name: Sole (Soul). Great essay, man!
The original Predator is definitely in my top 10 all-time and is one of those rare movies that you can watch over and over again. My favorite all-time movie is the original Blade Runner, but in terms of re-watching, Predator might be number one.
The Predator is also a kind of alien CIA assassin (what Dutch refused to be) equipped with high tech gizmos and a self destruct device, and dropped off into the jungle of Earth like Dutch’s team is dropped off for their mission
The thing I remember most about that movie is that I was little and I was with my father. I was too young to understand, but old enough to be scared to death. Crazy cool!
One of the best movies of this time. Wonderful essay and your analysis of its onion-like storytelling was a delicious read, my friend. Now, having read my books, you know about the Jaern. Though definitely not the same as the Predator, they are alike. Their deep reliance to cloaking technologies is yet another facet of the daemonic visage of the Predator. His inner vileness is reflected into outer ugliness and in this regard, the TOC (thermal-optic-camouflage) serves both as a hunting shroud and to hide the daemon's horrid face, not just from those he hunts, but himself. In this regard, the Jaern's desire to hunt other sentient beings, take trophies and even eat them is their way to ritualize the mutilation of their victims. After all, they (the Jaern) are a superior form of life, a higher daemon, and none should breath after facing, let alone seeing them.
I, too, was most disappointed by Billy's death. Emotionally, and technically.
Billy silhouetting himself, drawing his own blood and waiting to confront the Predator with nothing but a knife might make sense thematically, or according to ancient pagan tradition, but it was a particularly stupid death. It was suicide. When Dutch confronted the Predator, he was clever about it. In real life, Billy would have been at least as clever. It wouldn't have ramped up the dramatic tension the way the director wanted, so they turned Billy into a moron for that scene and made his death pointless, except on a thematic level.
Billy's willingness to drop his weapon and stand his ground only with a primitive knife is a defining moment in the film. It shows that man is not made to kill by gun alone. Most of the other warriors in the band are known by their high-tech and explosive weapons: Blaine (Minigun), Mac (giant M60E3 machine gun), Dillon (iconic MP5 from Goldeneye), Pancho (Multiple grenade launcher). I had to look it up, but only Billy and Dutch wield the somewhat simple SP1 rifles (an early version of the AR-15 rifles). They are not dependent on the technology in the same way, and both seem like they could enter into the jungle without arms and survive.
The other men seem to have chips on their shoulders and are skittish, while Billy and Dutch exude that masculine steady energy and reflectiveness. I think the film shows man's ascendency from mere existence and to answer the call for a higher, spiritual battle against enemies without form. There are elements of spiritual warfare here against unseen foes that only Billy as the Native American Scout and Dutch as the true spiritual leader (as opposed to the "assigned leader" Dillon). This message is brought home with the sound of Billy's last name: Sole (Soul). Great essay, man!
The original Predator is definitely in my top 10 all-time and is one of those rare movies that you can watch over and over again. My favorite all-time movie is the original Blade Runner, but in terms of re-watching, Predator might be number one.
The Predator is also a kind of alien CIA assassin (what Dutch refused to be) equipped with high tech gizmos and a self destruct device, and dropped off into the jungle of Earth like Dutch’s team is dropped off for their mission
The thing I remember most about that movie is that I was little and I was with my father. I was too young to understand, but old enough to be scared to death. Crazy cool!
One of the best movies of this time. Wonderful essay and your analysis of its onion-like storytelling was a delicious read, my friend. Now, having read my books, you know about the Jaern. Though definitely not the same as the Predator, they are alike. Their deep reliance to cloaking technologies is yet another facet of the daemonic visage of the Predator. His inner vileness is reflected into outer ugliness and in this regard, the TOC (thermal-optic-camouflage) serves both as a hunting shroud and to hide the daemon's horrid face, not just from those he hunts, but himself. In this regard, the Jaern's desire to hunt other sentient beings, take trophies and even eat them is their way to ritualize the mutilation of their victims. After all, they (the Jaern) are a superior form of life, a higher daemon, and none should breath after facing, let alone seeing them.
I, too, was most disappointed by Billy's death. Emotionally, and technically.
Billy silhouetting himself, drawing his own blood and waiting to confront the Predator with nothing but a knife might make sense thematically, or according to ancient pagan tradition, but it was a particularly stupid death. It was suicide. When Dutch confronted the Predator, he was clever about it. In real life, Billy would have been at least as clever. It wouldn't have ramped up the dramatic tension the way the director wanted, so they turned Billy into a moron for that scene and made his death pointless, except on a thematic level.
I'm right there with you.