As with the Donnie Darko interactive web site, The Box web site has hidden gems hidden on it as well -- including a PDF of the comic and the manual! [thebox-movie.warnerbros.com]#richardkelly
Well clearly the movie is set in the Stargate universe and "the box" is actually ancient tech. Yes, that -is- a wormhole he is poking his finger into. Picture 10 backs this up. Those are actually SG team members arresting him for breaking into a warehouse in Area52. #thebox
Every time this movie is mentioned it needs to be called "Cameron Diaz's Box". Example:
26 Freaky Stills From Cameron Diaz's Box Leave Us Confused And Scared
See how funny that is. It will never get old. It's like when you add "...in bed." to the end of every fortune you read from a fortune cookie. It makes our lives that much better. #thebox
I remember the trailer when I went to see Zombieland... it seemed like the "organization" behind The Box wasn't going to take "No" for an answer. More like, "You don't want this box? Well... *dramatic music* You Have No Choice!!!" #thebox
Man, Richard Kelly has gone out of his way to pad a short story that took up less than 20 mins. when it was adapted to the 1985 version of the The Twilight Zone. I wonder what the ending will be? Hopefully ominous and chilling, not happy. He has two to choose from: the Twilight Zone ending or the original short story ending. Anything else would be schmaltzy. #thebox
Honestly, there are far too many people in the world today anyways. And (at least with this synopsis) no one would ever know that they caused the death of another person; a person that they don't even know. Not to mention I doubt that this could be considered illegal -- morally wrong, sure; but not illegal.
All I'm seeing is a whole bunch of reasons to do it, and the only thing standing in the way is some silly morals. #thebox
@psychiccheese: Of course, what you don't know about is that, after you press the button, the box gets taken away from you and given to someone else, to whom the same offer is made.
Guess who the random stranger is that's going to die when THEY press the button?
Oh, but you don't know that in advance! It turns out that the Box is just a clever system for ridding humanity of shit-heads. #thebox
@psychiccheese: Not illegal? You push the button, somebody dies. You killed them. For money. What country do you live in where murder is not a crime? #thebox
@Scuba Steve: It is a kind of interesting experiment in Game Theory, I think. I always found the premise fascinating, though I'd be very surprised if it was possible to reasonably squeeze two hours out of it. #thebox
@Dr Emilio Lizardo: Well, if I told you that if you ever posted a comment again, some person who you didn't know would die, would you still post another comment? You're not physically killing the person. But I suppose you may still be an accessory to murder or something.
Unless you go by the theory that it's only illegal if you get caught. Because really, there will be zero evidence linking you to the murder. #thebox
@psychiccheese: Those are two different questions. The answer to the first one is: only a sociopath (or some kind of huge douchebag) would post another comment if they reasonably believed that it would kill another person.
The answer to the second question is slightly more complex. I am not entirely sure, but I believe that if someone tells you they're going to kill someone if you do something, and you do it anyway, you aren't still liable for this person's death. In this case, the murder probably wouldn't technically be illegal, because I think that the box itself doesn't kill anyone--if you press the button, the organization that gave you the box kills them.
Though, if the box did indeed kill a random stranger when you pressed the button, then yes, you would be legally guilty of murder. #thebox
@psychiccheese: There is no ethical dilemma there. No one can pander off their free-will onto you and then frame it as though you are the one morally culpable.
Villain X: You have a CHOICE, Amazo-Man! Save your love, or save the 20 people on the bus. Either way, I kill one when you save the other! MUA HA HA! Its all on you!
Amazo-Man: Actually, at any moment, you could, you know, just NOT kill either group. Its really up to you, not me, what happens.
@AthronofEryndor: Yes, but it's more complex than that. It's not an either-or thing, it's not *either* their fault *or* yours. If you truly believe that the person who threatens to do the killing will actually do it, you have some responsibility too, though obviously not in the same way as they do. If you believe that they're actually insane enough or just plain evil enough to really commit murder based on your (otherwise perfectly innocent) actions, sure, they are the murderer and not you, but you still have to live with the knowledge that you had the ability to influence their choice, and chose not to use this ability to possibly prevent a murder from taking place. Ignoring the fact that you had this ability is just dishonest. It was there, whether you choose to ignore it or not, and so, though by no means are you a murderer, you do nonetheless have a degree of complicity, and your actions and decisions did influence the ultimate outcome. They are the murderer, but you, too, are no innocent.
Of course, if they never really gave you a meaningful choice, or if it was a matter of "person A dies *or* person B dies," then it's rather different. Or if you had to do something immoral, or give up your own freedom, etc., etc., as an alternative. The exact situation matters. But if it's a matter of "push the button, and we'll give you money, but we promise you we will go out and kill someone too," then, though you aren't really a murderer by virtue of pushing the button, your decision and your actions still led to someone's death, and you, too, are responsible. And -- assuming you actually believe what the box-people told you -- you are a monster, since after all it would take a complete lack of compassion and empathy, and a complete disregard for the value of human life, to push the button in those circumstances.
@braak: Your "Game Theory" remark is exactly my take on it too. It's something like the "tragedy of the commons": if everyone uses it, nobody wins. The only successful strategy is for no one to use it. #thebox
@ParryLost: No. When the terrorist says: "You drove me to this, their blood is on your hands!" he is wrong. He is totally at fault. he could have chosen to talk out any differences. He chose to retaliate by killing innocents. You are in no way at fault. Even if he has a legitimate grievance against you, it is still not acceptable. The only problem that escalating violence causes is overpopulation. #thebox
@psychiccheese: Not just an accessory. YOU pushed the button, the person died. Had YOU not pushed the button, the person would be alive. So what if you can't see them and don't know them. You are directly responsible for the death. At the very least it's the "Law and Order" standby of depraved indifference. You hit the button knowing something bad could happen, but you didn't care. #thebox
@Dr Emilio Lizardo: Your two last replies seem to contradict a bit... As I understand them, anyway.
At any rate, that's not the point I was making at all. You got to the "terrorist is bad and it's their fault" bit, and I accept that, but then I sort of kept going. Having *accepted* that fact, assuming you are presented with an actual choice in which one alternative involves people dying and the other one does not involve anything particularly immoral, even if it is someone else who commits the murders, and even though they are horrible and totally at fault and could have chosen to talk things out etc., the decision that you make, and its consequences, must still lie on your conscience.
Remember, in this case the choice is apparently "don't push button and nothing at all happens whatsoever," or "push button and we give you money and kill people." In this situation, if you push the button, yes, you are at fault -- which in no way detracts from the fact that the terrorists actually carrying out the murders are totally at fault and bad and should have talked things out etc. Both things can be true.
Obviously if the options you are given are different this might not be the case, like if both are pretty horrible or if one of them demands you do something immoral/dangerous/unreasonable/that violates your basic rights to save people, etc. But then, I already said this. #thebox
Well, here's what's tricky about The Box. It's all about the agonizing decision about whether or not to press the button. And then you press the button, and then what happens? The twist comes, and that's the end. It's not really a whole movie of science fiction or effects, or whatever--it's a whole movie of people talking about their troubles, and how badly they need the box.
Obviously, the way that you make a movie out of it is that you have the people decide to find the guys that made the box and fight them, in an attempt to destroy the box forever.
Probably, those people are hiding behind a wall of water. On account of how secure such a hiding place would be. #thebox
10/28/09
[thebox-movie.warnerbros.com] #richardkelly
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Perhaps Zero Population Growth advocate @psychiccheese down there would disagree. Mwahaha, I kid, I kid.
I still think this film is a ripoff of Black Button. [www.youtube.com] #thebox
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26 Freaky Stills From Cameron Diaz's Box Leave Us Confused And Scared
See how funny that is. It will never get old. It's like when you add "...in bed." to the end of every fortune you read from a fortune cookie. It makes our lives that much better. #thebox
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All I'm seeing is a whole bunch of reasons to do it, and the only thing standing in the way is some silly morals. #thebox
10/19/09
Guess who the random stranger is that's going to die when THEY press the button?
Oh, but you don't know that in advance! It turns out that the Box is just a clever system for ridding humanity of shit-heads. #thebox
10/19/09
It's the golden rule, easiest to follow of them all. #thebox
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Unless you go by the theory that it's only illegal if you get caught. Because really, there will be zero evidence linking you to the murder. #thebox
10/19/09
The answer to the second question is slightly more complex. I am not entirely sure, but I believe that if someone tells you they're going to kill someone if you do something, and you do it anyway, you aren't still liable for this person's death. In this case, the murder probably wouldn't technically be illegal, because I think that the box itself doesn't kill anyone--if you press the button, the organization that gave you the box kills them.
Though, if the box did indeed kill a random stranger when you pressed the button, then yes, you would be legally guilty of murder. #thebox
10/19/09
Villain X: You have a CHOICE, Amazo-Man! Save your love, or save the 20 people on the bus. Either way, I kill one when you save the other! MUA HA HA! Its all on you!
Amazo-Man: Actually, at any moment, you could, you know, just NOT kill either group. Its really up to you, not me, what happens.
Villain X: Oh, errm, right. #thebox
10/19/09
Of course, if they never really gave you a meaningful choice, or if it was a matter of "person A dies *or* person B dies," then it's rather different. Or if you had to do something immoral, or give up your own freedom, etc., etc., as an alternative. The exact situation matters. But if it's a matter of "push the button, and we'll give you money, but we promise you we will go out and kill someone too," then, though you aren't really a murderer by virtue of pushing the button, your decision and your actions still led to someone's death, and you, too, are responsible. And -- assuming you actually believe what the box-people told you -- you are a monster, since after all it would take a complete lack of compassion and empathy, and a complete disregard for the value of human life, to push the button in those circumstances.
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At any rate, that's not the point I was making at all. You got to the "terrorist is bad and it's their fault" bit, and I accept that, but then I sort of kept going. Having *accepted* that fact, assuming you are presented with an actual choice in which one alternative involves people dying and the other one does not involve anything particularly immoral, even if it is someone else who commits the murders, and even though they are horrible and totally at fault and could have chosen to talk things out etc., the decision that you make, and its consequences, must still lie on your conscience.
Remember, in this case the choice is apparently "don't push button and nothing at all happens whatsoever," or "push button and we give you money and kill people." In this situation, if you push the button, yes, you are at fault -- which in no way detracts from the fact that the terrorists actually carrying out the murders are totally at fault and bad and should have talked things out etc. Both things can be true.
Obviously if the options you are given are different this might not be the case, like if both are pretty horrible or if one of them demands you do something immoral/dangerous/unreasonable/that violates your basic rights to save people, etc. But then, I already said this. #thebox
10/19/09
10/19/09
Obviously, the way that you make a movie out of it is that you have the people decide to find the guys that made the box and fight them, in an attempt to destroy the box forever.
Probably, those people are hiding behind a wall of water. On account of how secure such a hiding place would be. #thebox
10/19/09
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