![]() At the end of his life, Holst’s ego and desire to be part of a spectacle, not just witness one, risks the lives of OJ, Em, and others. Holst is someone who already has tools of the oppressive system he is the white man behind the camera who chooses to find and create spectacles. Peele’s juxtaposition of the seemingly helpful Holst to the tragic Jupe or the struggling OJ and Em is important to understand the spectrum of exploitation. He climbs a mountain side for better lighting and sacrifices himself for his final shot of spectacle that he’ll never see. When Holst captures a photo of Jean Jacket, arguably the most important picture in human history, he wants more. We watch Holst meticulously go through his footage of animals in their habitats, hoping to capture the disturbing moment a predator kills its prey - a distressing yet poignant representation of the exploitation economy and spectacle culture Holst is accustomed to. This once-famous DP now works on horse commercials and sits at home searching for the impossible shot among B-roll. An alluring and manipulative trap, the American dream symbolized by Jean Jacket is camouflaged in the clouds as an opportunity but, if you observe it long enough, it can suck you in and spit out what it chooses.īefore unpacking Jupe, OJ, and Em’s relationship to spectacle, the film asks audiences to recognize the importance of Holst the cinematographer. However, the system isn’t kind to anyone, especially disenfranchised groups from disadvantaged backgrounds. Jean Jacket represents the temptation of the American economic system. Key figures in Nope like Jupe, OJ ( Daniel Kaluuya), Emerald Haywood ( Keke Palmer), and Antlers Holst ( Michael Wincott), among others, all look at Jean Jacket as a spectacle to be exploited: a floating opportunity for wealth and notoriety. Metaphorically, it represents an illusion of opportunity that, if exploited, will continue a cycle of oppression. It's a literal sentient being who is a sky animal shaped as an amalgamation of a UFO (UAP - unidentified aerial phenomenon), cowboy hat, and jellyfish. Jean Jacket is Peele’s most significant spectacle. RELATED: 'Nope' Ending Explained: Everybody Wants To Be Famous Artists like Peele have become vital to illustrating these American hypocrisies that most negatively impact underrepresented and disadvantaged communities. The truth is that the American dream is manipulative: it tempts you to look up at the opportunities of the world, exploit them, make a spectacle, and continue a cycle of oppression for the sake of material growth. Of course, the hypocrisies of the American ethos are known by those who it most actively disenfranchises, marginalizes, and excludes. The evolution of racial, ethnic, and economic European superiority evolved into nationalistic rhetoric about equal opportunity for all. This movement transformed into what modern traditionalists call the American dream. ![]() The problematic ethos of the United States began as Manifest Destiny during westward expansion/invasion, which focused on exploiting the west for its land and resources. However, behind the balloons, confetti, and spectacle of Nope, there is a subversive subtext that will challenge audiences: the fallacy of the American dream and the symptoms of its lies. This cinematic treasure has enough film iconography to be Peele’s personal love letter to Hollywood and cinephiles alike. The film is a visual masterpiece with a disturbing soundscape that makes the movie quite an immersive spectacle. ![]() Peele’s Nopeis 2022’s summer blockbuster and more.
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