Netflix Pick of The Week: ‘The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology’

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The mystery and obliqueness surrounding ideology is presented in a clear way in Slavoj Zizek’s masterpiece “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology.” Zizek goes over many of the principles behind ideology and makes them easy to understand for the casual audience. The movie starts with Zizek’s main psychoanalytic argument, and he begins to work through each piece of it while bringing up multiple films and references to pop-culture.

Whether it’s James Cameron “Titanic” and how it demonstrates the idea that the rich try and find meaning out of the poor for their enjoyment, or the ideology behind the critically acclaimed “Taxi Driver,” Zizek makes each idea relatable and easy to follow.

Zizek strengthens his argument by going into other forms of entertainment, such as music.  For example, Zizek explains how Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” has been used in multiple cultures for different reasons. He brings up communist leaders as well as the U.S and how the song is used during various political movements.

Under his thick Slovenian accent, Zizek explains how multiple forms of entertainment from pop culture can serve as a teaching tool for concepts found in ideology. His ideas are interesting, and they leave viewers with a lot to think.

Zizek remains engaged with his film, appearing at different spots during his narration of movies that range from well-known classics to recent blockbuster films such as “The Dark Knight.”

All in all, Zizek’s work is enjoyable and helps to explain the ideology found throughout different entertainment media. It’s best to watch the movie in chunks, however, because it has so much information, and since Netflix has a playback feature, “The Perverts Guide to Ideology” is perfect for anyone who wishes to become lost in thought.