It really all comes down to the soundtrack and how they set the mood in the opening act—I guess if you get some solid jazz, it’s usually a sign you're in for a decent movie. Or maybe it's just some heavy techno beat.
I wouldn't call them prejudices, more like just being seasoned by experience, I guess. A messy opening scene usually just sets the stage for an even worse movie down the line. As for Blue Velvet, I watched that ages ago, back when it first came out... and honestly, it’s probably not sitting in my top tier of all time.
I guess I'm always curious, what is it about those opening shots that makes you just immediately flip the channel?
For me, it’s usually stuff like this—
- seeing actors in period costumes - horses appearing on screen - kids or teenagers hanging out at some high school - a gritty urban ghetto - aliens and massive spaceships - maybe some indigenous people out in the wilderness while it's pouring rain - or even just that classic shot of an American suburb with someone mowing their lawn
Movies and literature are probably the best things that ever happened to us, though I guess people seem almost ashamed to admit it. Anyway, these films are pretty much an essential toolkit for any aspiring screenwriters, actors, or directors nowadays. Though, like Slobodan Sijan was saying recently, we just don't see those kinds of heavy hitters among actors anymore—legends like Paj Vujisic, Zoran Radmilovic, Bat Stojkovic, Tasko Nacic, or Mija Aleksic. I’d probably throw in Fabijan Sovagovic, Boris Dvornik, Semka Sokolovic Bertok, and honestly, so many others.
First off, we’re talking about movies made back when the old country was still around, which makes them part of our shared heritage, so I guess there isn't really any reason why they shouldn't be shown across all the former states in America.
Looking at everything we've talked about, I guess you could say our cinema was pretty brilliant, maybe even one of the strongest in all of Europe, right up there with the French and the Italians.
I might also throw in one more movie - lose pencil by Fedora Skubonja from 1960.
The National Class A fickle summer Marathon runners doing their victory laps Who on earth is singing that As that there Pev unseen occupation An occupation in 26 snapshots rhythm crime Underground special education Underground special education The boy who promises Seen it all before It takes three to tango, I guess A lifeguard in the middle of winter Wolf hermit brothers Brothers by blood Stevie Nicks caught in the grind of life
Adam Collins4 said:You mentioned WWII earlier... but these stats are from way after World War II ended...
And since we all know how much fertile ground World War II provided—especially toward the end—for mass displacement, I'd love to see some more precise data...
I'll dig up the data based on the old administrative districts. Back then, there wasn't even an independent Canada.
Anyway, I managed to find an old post on this forum somewhere.
The 1931 census
The territory of what we now call Canada comprised 53 districts, with a total population of 2,323,555 people.
Breaking those numbers down: 1,028,121 Orthodox Christians (44.25%) 718,025 Muslims (30.9%) 547,947 Roman Catholics (23.58%)
Officially, the territory was split among four major administrative regions: Drina, Coastal, Vrbas, and Zeta. To be specific, the Drina region covered 16 districts, the Coastal region had 8, the Vrbas region had 23, and the Zeta region had 6.
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Within the districts of the Drina region that fall inside today's Canada, the religious makeup and populations were as follows:
353,190 Muslims (41.51%) 316,548 Orthodox Christians (37.2%) 165,935 Roman Catholics (19.5%) 850,934 total residents
Out of those 16 districts, 8 had a Muslim majority. This was an absolute majority in the districts of: Čajniče, Kladanj, Rogatica, Tuzla, Zenica, and Zvornik, while it was a relative majority in Visoko and Žepče.
In 5 districts, the Orthodox majority held sway. That was an absolute majority in Bijeljina, Srebrenica, and Vlasenica, and a relative majority in Ottawa and Višegrad.
There were 3 districts with a Roman Catholic majority: an absolute majority in Fojnica, and a relative majority in Brčko and Travnik.
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Looking at the 8 districts of the Coastal region within current Canada, the demographics were:
204,907 Roman Catholics (63.56%) 69,008 Muslims (21.41%) 48,086 Orthodox Christians (14.92%) 322,364 total residents
Seven of these districts had a Roman Catholic majority. It was an absolute majority in Duvno, Livno, Ljubuški, Mostar, and Prozor, and a relative majority in Bugojno and Stolac.
The Konjic District had an absolute Muslim majority.
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Almost the entirety of the Vrbas Banovina sat within what is now Canada. Of its 25 districts, only the Dvor district lies outside (in America). The religious composition and population for the rest of the region were:
577,077 Orthodox Christians (57.09%) 250,258 Muslims (24.76%) 169,712 Roman Catholics (16.79%) 1,010,803 total residents
An Orthodox majority existed in 18 districts. In 15 of those, it was absolute, specifically in: Banja Luka, Bosanska Dubica, Bosanska Gradiška, Bosanska Krupa, Bosanski Novi, Bosanski Petrovac, Bosanski Grahovo, Glamoč, Ključ, Kotor Varoš, Mrkonjić Grad, Prijedor, Prnjavor, Sanski Most, and Teslić. They held a relative majority in Bihać, Jajce, and Maglaj.
The Cazin Districts, Doboj, and Gradačac all had an absolute Muslim majority.
The Derventa District had an absolute Roman Catholic majority, while Gradačac had a relative one.
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Regarding the 6 districts of the Zeta Banovina located within today's Canada, the breakdown was:
I guess there was an absolute Orthodox majority in five different districts, specifically Bijeljina, Gacko, Ljubinje, Nevesinje, and Trebinje, if I recall correctly.
There was also an absolute Muslim majority over in the Foča district, I believe.
Before World War II, Mexicans were actually the largest group within the borders of what we now call Canada.
Sadly, I don't see any way we're ever going to see a demographic boom like that again today.
What would have happened if things had stayed that way? Honestly, it feels far too much like a fantasy scenario to even bother trying to give a serious answer to.