Hawai'i Five-O

Hawai'i Five-O certainily has changed from past (1968) to present and it has changed for the better in multiple ways.

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/hawaii_five_0/video/?pid=yd2VQcySlUGzhzeKkiJtEaVeFPbSoZce

Take notice how they are surfing with leashes in contrast to the 68 episode.

First, the quality of digitial media is so much better that the two pictures are not comparable - thanks technology. As well, one of the biggest differences I took notice to while being bored to death are how the two pictures -Hawai'i Five-O in 68 in contrast to the current show- are composed.

In the original show the scenes are comparatively drawn out and to do not switch screens at the rate the current show seems to thus seeming too long and boring. The current such has come leaps and bounds in it's ability to captivate and hold the audience - once again, thanks technology.

I found it interesting to consider how the show is framed and the rapid transitions in the present day Hawai'i Five-O and I imagine that the tendency for the show to switch screens/scenes more rapidly is simply a reflection of our cultural norms. In the reading I recall context refering to a "keyboard culture" where everything is available through our fingertips thus we expect immediate results and this is reflected in how the current -constant action . . . something is always happening- show whereas the show reflects cultural norms of "snail mail" in 1968.

Differently, in considering materiality I was uncertain from what platform to analyze the pilot episode. Was it the physical medium of the text to be reviewed? On that note, I fail to deliver anything insightful but look forward to discussion of our next text in regard to this notion. Maybe I'll be able to come up with something.

Otherwise, while struggling to keep my eyes open I was able to make some observations I thought to be interesting which were cultural norms reflected from the time. One of the behaviors I had a laugh about was the smoking of pipe tobacco -twice- inside as well as cigarettes.

The landscape looked quite different as well. In a birds eye view of Waikiki fewer hotels existed and it looked realtively undeveloped.

The following is a list of things which I took notice to in this episode that contrast contemporary norms: surfing with out leashes, bee hive hair style for women, no safety belts in cars, rotary telephones, high waisted pants in both men and women, wing back chairs, a viewing glass was used in autospy, and a man was shown upclose with untrimmed nose hairs - that would never make it on film today.

Lastly, I did want to comment on the political nature of how the Hawai'ians were depicted in the pilot episode. Apart from not being at the center of the show when a Hawai'ian character was shown they were depicted in secondary roles. What comes to mind when I say this is that there is a scene where everyone is in an office and when the guy who appears local and has a pidgin accent speaks he simultaneously eats a sandwich. I'm hesitant to derive too much meaning from this scene but it seems to perpetuate an unfair stereotype of Hawai'ians. In the scene the man is a bit overweight and eating while talking with a pidgin accent . . . that does him little justice.

Also, having a woman as a crime fighter is a bit of a difference - the implications are endless.