Critical Theory in a Digital Age, CCU, ENGL 483 2017

In Conclusion

The film Hunger Games became a huge production for Lionsgate. The movie itself and the fanbase correlate with Karl Marx's theory of Digital Labor. The fanbase brought Lionsgate lots of money for the book and the movie. The commodity fetish comes into play as well in both forms. Marx says "products of labor become commodities whose qualities are at the same time perceptible and inperceptible by the senses." (Marx) The movie itself is eye catching because of all the graphics and the suspense. When people realized the movie was coming out they started to read the book more which went from a hundred thousand copies sold to millions. The fan base also became so obsessed with it that they created platforms on social media for meet ups and group chats. The idea of the commodity fetish is that consumers will see other people buying. Everyone wants to keep up with fads and pop culture they buy things like tickets to the movie, costumes and the book. People were going to some crazy extents for this film. Fans were seen camping outside the movie theater waiting fo the film to start at midnight. 


In addition to the movie creating a huge fan base. The actual movie had the commodity fetish embedded in it. Each competitor had to fight for sponsors. The purpose of having sponsors is to get aid in little pods. The actual games were in a controlled virtual world. They got backpacks and were told to fight to the death.

The controllers were able to cause natural disasters, create dangerous creatures and attempted to control who dies or becomes injured. Each competitor had a skill that was put to the test. Katniss used her hunting skills to get by. Her fast thinking skills took her far in the games. The pods are what helped rescue Peeta when he was injured. In the end the couple attempts to override the corrupt game by eating poisonous berries and they were both winners. Jennifer Lawrence also became famous from the movie. So the movie really was a big commodity fetish in a few different ways. 
 

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