By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com
The uses of disenchantment: Hard Candy's red hoody
Even among colleagues who admire Hard Candy, the Patrick Wilson-Ellen Page two-hander about nasty things that happen when an older man meets an apparently underage woman online, there’s been one head-shaking question: how do you sell material this touchy? While the key art in one of the movie’s posters from the House of SAW (aka Lionsgate) diminishes the visual impact of the film’s ending—a girl in a red hoody standing in an enormous metal trap—the use of red gets taken one step farther with the sponsorship of a website called “Surf Safe, Wear Red,” which is described at the link as “a movement for online empowerment and awareness, inspired by the film Hard Candy and its protagonist’s red hoody. Wear a red hoody to stand up for online safety and against internet violence.” The site also promises to revisit a long-fallow fad, with plans for “flash mobs in New York and Los Angeles.” In light of the movie, a listing of basic precautions turns itchy: “Avoid posting anything that would make it easy for a stranger to find you, such as where you hang out every day after school. People aren’t always who they say they are. Be careful about adding strangers to your friends list. It’s fun to connect with new friends from all over the world, but avoid meeting people in person whom you do not fully know. If you must meet someone, do it in a public place and bring a friend or trusted adult… Don’t post anything that would embarrass you later. Think twice before posting a photo or info you wouldn’t want your parents or boss to see! Don’t mislead people into thinking that you’re older or younger. Be truthful online.”
What about the Crips?