{"id":60,"date":"2024-12-12T22:00:32","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T22:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/?page_id=60"},"modified":"2024-12-12T22:00:32","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T22:00:32","slug":"episode-1-is-knives-out-the-greatest-modern-whodunnit-of-this-decade","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/episode-1-is-knives-out-the-greatest-modern-whodunnit-of-this-decade\/","title":{"rendered":"Episode 1: Is Knives Out the Greatest Modern WhoDunnIt of this Decade?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-55\" srcset=\"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image.png 1024w, https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/null-1.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bio<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this episode of&nbsp;<em>Liv Loves Movies<\/em>, we unravel the intricate mystery of&nbsp;<em>Knives Out<\/em>, Rian Johnson\u2019s modern whodunnit. Join Liv as she explores the film\u2019s clever deconstruction of class dynamics, privilege, and morality, all wrapped in a razor-sharp script and stellar ensemble cast. From Marta\u2019s heartfelt integrity to the Thrombey family\u2019s self-serving schemes, we\u2019ll dissect how the film flips traditional mystery tropes on their head. Whether you\u2019re a fan of intricate plotting or just love a great detective story, this episode dives deep into the themes that make&nbsp;<em>Knives Out<\/em>&nbsp;a witty and thought-provoking cinematic masterpiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">TM &amp; \u00a9 Lionsgate Films (2019)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Transcript<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movie Audio: You are all vultures at the feast! Knives out beaks bloody\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: Knives Out isn\u2019t just a whodunit. It\u2019s a razor-sharp commentary on power, privilege, and the complex web of human relationships. Beneath the twists and turns of its mystery lies a film brimming with deeper themes that slice through the surface of its genre. Welcome to Liv Loves Movies, where we dig deeper into the stories that captivate us. Today, we\u2019ll explore the rich themes of Rian Johnson\u2019s Knives Out, from the blade of family dysfunction to the double-edged sword of justice. This episode contains spoilers, so if you plan on watching this movie and don\u2019t want to be spoiled, please stop here.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: Knives Out is a 2019 American murder mystery film about a detective investigating the death of a famous crime novelist. Detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, is called to investigate the death of Harlan Throbby, played by Christopher Plummer, a renowned crime novelist found dead at his home after his 85th birthday. The detective must sort through a web of lies and red herrings to uncover the truth behind the author\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: Let\u2019s start with talking about the house, both a physical location and a metaphor. The Thrombey Mansion is a character in itself, isolated and brimming with secrets. It represents wealth, legacy, and the chokehold of inherited privilege. Harlan Thrombey built his fortunes as a self-made man, but the opulence of his home traps his family in cycles of entitlement. For the Thrombeys, the house was both a castle and a prison, a place where the power resides but also where their flaws are exposed. Marta, the nurse, doesn\u2019t belong here, or so they think. Yet by the end, she holds the literal and symbolic keys to the house. Johnson flips the classic mystery trope. The outsider doesn\u2019t merely solve the mystery, she reclaims the space.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movie Audio: Harlan started out with a rusty smith Corona and built himself into one of the best-selling mystery writers of all time. Wow. Seems like all these kids are self-made overachievers. Sure.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: If Knives Out skewers anything, it\u2019s the delusion of inherited privilege. The Thrombey family sees themselves as self-made individuals, but their wealth comes from Harlan\u2019s success, not their own. They cling to their status, convinced they\u2019ve earned it, while simultaneously looking down on Marta for her background. Through this lens, Johnson critiques the idea that privilege is earned when it\u2019s often simply handed down. But Marta\u2019s kindness and competence dismantle their illusion. She wins not because she\u2019s cunning, but because she\u2019s decent. A refreshing inversion of the cutthroat tactics typical in mysteries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movie Audio: Son. Father. Did Harlan tell you he was going to cut you out of the will? Yep. Well, when he\u2019s done what none of us were strong enough to do, maybe this might finally make you grow up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: Detective Benoit Blanc, the film\u2019s charismatic investigator, represents an unconventional approach to justice. While most detectives are cold and methodical, Blanc is warm, even whimsical. But don\u2019t let the Southern charm fool you. He\u2019s as sharp as a blade. Blanc\u2019s approach underscores a key theme, the difference between legal justice and moral justice. Marta technically broke the law, yet her actions are morally upright. Ransom, meanwhile, weaponizes the law for selfish, destructive ends. In the end, justice prevails, not because of the system, but because good people act. The movie argues that morality is more important than rigid rules, a lesson woven into its mystery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movie Audio: Fill that hole perfectly. A donut hole in a donut\u2019s hole. But we must look a little closer. And when we do, we see the donut hole has a hole in its center. It is not a donut hole, but a smaller donut with its own hole. And our donut is not a hole at all. Mark, look, I understand that this is amusing for you. Why was I hired?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: Now let\u2019s talk about knives. They\u2019re everywhere in this movie. From the physical props to the metaphorical jabs between family members. The knife circle, a centerpiece in the mansion, becomes a symbol of deception. But when Ransom grabs a knife in the climax, it turns out to be fake. This moment drives home a critical theme, the hollow power of the Thrombeys. Their wealth and influence seem sharp, but like Ransom\u2019s knife, they\u2019re ultimately impotent against the truth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movie Audio: Playing life like a game without consequence\u2026 until you can\u2019t tell the difference between a stage prop and a real knife.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: Knives Out ends with a triumphant image. Marta standing above the Thrombeys, mug in hand as they look up in disbelief. It\u2019s a bold statement about the dismantling of privilege and the triumph of decency over deceit. Rian Johnson crafted a film that entertains as a mystery, but resonates as a social critique. It\u2019s a story about inheritance, justice, and the knives we wield, both literal and figurative.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Movie Audio: I hereby direct that all my assets, both liquid and otherwise, I leave in their entirety to Marta Cabrera. My entire ownership of Blood Like Wine Publishing, I leave in its entirety to Marta Cabrera. The copyright of its catalog, likewise, I leave in its entirety to Marta Cabrera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Me: So, what do you think? Is Knives Out the perfect modern whodunit, or does it offer something even more profound? Thank you for listening to Liv Loves Movies. Make sure to stay tuned for our next episode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"border-radius:0px;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-right:0;margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-left:0\">Credits<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Audio clips found on Youtube from channels&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=13FtFKlC1vc&amp;list=PPSV\">\u2060Movieclips\u2060<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xRs-ldaqjgk\">\u2060The Dollar Theater\u2060<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OYQvPM7dOeI\">\u2060 Epic Scene\u2060<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=3mTpsJsJp0U\">\u2060Filmtalks<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bio In this episode of&nbsp;Liv Loves Movies, we unravel the intricate mystery of&nbsp;Knives Out, Rian Johnson\u2019s modern whodunnit. Join Liv as she explores the film\u2019s clever deconstruction of class dynamics, privilege, and morality, all wrapped in a razor-sharp script and stellar ensemble cast. From Marta\u2019s heartfelt integrity to the Thrombey family\u2019s self-serving schemes, we\u2019ll dissect&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-60","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/60","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/60\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61,"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/60\/revisions\/61"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/livlovesmoviespodcast.livkern.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}