Blog Doktora No

New Year, and a new documentary to watch: a sequel to “Triumph of the Nerds” by Robert X. Cringely, that is telling us the brief history of the Internet, from highly experimental university’s and government’s labs networks to the global telecommunication revolution. It also points out the interesting fact, that original inventors of the computer networks, like guys behind the invention of PC’s, didn’t earned much money and fame (and that fact puts the term “innovative economy” in totally different light).

Like before, this mini-series is an excellent time capsule of the 1990’s; frivolous times just before Internet bubble crash and other crises of the 21’st century…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMvASPzXE-M

Continue reading

1.)It lacks satirical “tooth”…

As I mentioned in an earlier review of “RoboCop” from 1987, the main selling point of that film was social satire on American corporations, the economic reforms of President Reagan and the culture of yuppies. Unfortunately, the 2014 remake is watered down and lacks the black humour, over-the-top characters, grotesque advertisements and tragic news interrupted with jolly music and comedies from the bottom of the barrel ( “I buy this for a dollar!” ) on in-movie television programme.

In the nutshell, the adventures of officer Alex Murphy in “RoboCop” 1987 were a populist and satirical allegory of life of the average citizen, who is exploited by the guys in suits, and the plot has been consistently built around this, in particular the motif of revenge and regained identity.

Continue reading