11/16/07: RightWingTrashMan: Michael RockefellerIt’s been a while since we’ve done a “RightWingTrashMan” entry. This one’s mainly our attempt to discuss
Welcome to the Jungle without acknowledging that we’ll likely ruin the ending—which is to say that this whole entry is a big SPOILER. The indie cannibal epic had a strong buzz earlier this year, but there’s good reason that
Jungle was released directly to DVD this week. After the failure of
Grindhouse, you couldn't expect any major studio to release a remake of
Cannibal Holocaust done up like
The Blair Witch Project.
Welcome to the Jungle remains an interesting project. It’s a low-budget film by writer/director Jonathan Hensleigh, who usually does flashier productions. (His most recent produced screenplay was
Next. We gave away
the ending of that one, too.)
Jungle consists of four idiot young’uns filming themselves as they venture into New Guinea’s cannibal territory to solve the mystery of Michael Rockefeller.
As a quick recap, Michael Rockefeller was a real-life prince of The Rockefeller dynasty, and the aspiring anthropologist actually disappeared while on a New Guinea expedition in 1961. There’s always been speculation that cannibals ate Michael. We’re speculating here that Michael was a good Republican in the Rockefeller tradition. That’s as opposed to a recent embarrassment like Jay Rockefeller. Even if Michael was vaguely liberal, he’d only have been so by 1961 standards. That’s practically hawkish today.
Anyway,
Welcome to the Jungle—again, we’re talking SPOILER here—turns out to be a stirring tribute to the resiliency of a rock-ribbed Republican. It’s certainly the most inspiring feel-good ending you’ll get this year from a film mostly dedicated to gore and mayhem. Somebody should send a copy to Senator Jay. Maybe it could help get his head screwed on right.
Also on the Michael Rockefeller tip: Guadalcanal Diary’s “Michael Rockefeller,” which is the kind of sympathetic tribute that you wouldn’t really expect from an ’80s college-rock act. (The band’s “I Wish I Killed John Wayne” is also more respectful than you’d think.). “Michael Rockefeller” is a typically fine track from these brainy Southern rockers, and the song’s lovely enough to overcome a slightly patronizing touch. It’s kind of a shame that the tune was recorded back in 1986. They could’ve written the song after seeing
Welcome to the Jungle, and it would’ve sounded more like .38 Special.
Make him your own: Like we said,
Welcome to the Jungle just came out
on DVD. Maybe you’ll want to rent the film first. You can find “Michael Rockefeller” on Guadalcanal Diary’s
Jamboree, which has been thoughtfully reissued as
a twofer CD with 1985’s
Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man. Completists should note that there’s an early demo version of “Michael Rockefeller” on the bonus tracks of Rhino Handmade’s
individual reissue of
Walking in the Shadow of the Big Man. We’re talking about Michael Rockefeller completists, of course.
