Selaeaaassesiesecnencceccececeeetetetetetetetetetetetetetecerecerererererererocecssenecensconseseseeseeerers by Dean Bennett reprinted from the Gateway Canadian University Press What is the allure of Miami Vice? Why does actor Don Johnson need two bodyguards to fend off groupies when he goes out to eat in Miami? How has this show overcome its inauspicious start (it languished in the bottom half of the Neilsen ratings in the first ten months when it ran head to head with Falcon Crest on Friday nights) to achieve perennial top-ten finishes, 15 Emmy nominations and four Emmy awards? It also captures the highest percentage of male view- ers age 18-54 of any show on the air except Monday Night Football. How — has this programme, in the words of NBC president Brandon Tartikoff, . “redefined the cop-show genre?’ According to Dr. Peter Klovan of the University of Alberta’s film stud- ies program, there are four reasons why Miami Vice is changing the way television looks and sounds. These reasons are: a_ reworking of the conventions of the hard-boiled. detec- tive genre, a rock synthesizer score, quick, rock video-like editing, and an (art deco) expressions mise-en-scene. ‘In literature, there exists two kinds of detectives: the classical detective and the hard-boiled detec- tive,’’ says Klovan. The former cate- gory includes such vaunted sleuths as Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. In classical detective stories, society is essentially good with crime being an abnormality committed for purely criminal motives. The classical detec- tives use reason and logic to defeat evil and the stories are marked by little or no violence. The problems of life are brought down to a simple clash of good and evil with geod always triumphing. ‘The hard-boiled detective genre includes Sa pade, Philip Marlowe, Mike-Hammer and now the Miami ice cops, Sonny Crockett (Don John- son), Ricardo Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas), and Lt. Castillo (Edward James Olmos). “‘In the hard-boiled genre, evil is believed to be intrinsic to the society. Evil, although it must be fought, will always exist; it can never be control- led. This genre is fraught with cynicism and violence. 0-0-0. 8, ron are*e' eee The Other Press ‘Beneath all the glitter and glam- our of Miami is the definitive setting for the hard-boiled story. On a weekly basis Crockett and Tubbs do battle with scumbags, degenerates, cocaine cowboys, smut peddlars, crazed youth gangs and even zombies from Haiti. Also, one favourite Miami Vice theme is the good cop turned had “Miami Vice is part of the hard- boiled detective genre, but it takes. it one step further. The cops don’t just perform their job, they are their work. Crockett, Tubbs, Castillo, and the other four detectives on the squad (Switek, Zito, Gina Callabrese, and Tandy Joplin) must adopt criminal methods to survive and to succeed, but they are in no danger of becoming criminal themselves because they strictly adhere to an unwritten moral code. This moral code is based on four values: friendship, loyalty, duty, and honour. In very show, if they’re not acting on these values, they’re dis- cussing them. By following this code, the detectives are able to salvage their dignity.’’ * Klovan also believes the show transcends the boundaries of the hard-boiled genre because the detec- tives are very close and loyal to one another. ‘The hard-boiled detective is essentially a loner,’’ he said, ‘‘but Miami Vice has seven hard-boiled detectives in a sort of surrogate family with Castillo as the head. They all will go to extraordinary lengths to help each other and to help other human beings. They’re knights in shining armour. Crockett is even dressed in white. ’’ The code these detectives follow is akin to Bushido, says Klovan. Bush- ido was the name-given-to cede-o honour followed by Japan’s Samurai warriors. ‘‘Bushido—in the strictest inter- pretation—means ‘code of knight- hood’,’’ says Klovan. ‘‘The Samurai lived and died by Bushido. They were indifferent to pain or death, loyal only to the overlord. This is quite similar to the kind of dedication practiced by the “seven detectives in Miami Vice. In every show, there is always some mystical reference to Vietnam, Cam- bodia or Southeast Asia. Crockett was with the 1st Air Cavalry in Vietnam and Castillo worked for ‘’The Com- pany”’ (probably C.I.A.) in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. #,%.%,%.%.%,%.%.%,9,9_ 8.9.8.8. 8 8 0°08 0.0 © 6 9 © © © © © 6 oe eee ee ee" ores tat a tata tatatatataetatatatatatatetenatatetetatatatatatatetatatetatatetetetetetetatatatatetats S e707 0"e eee ete'e ew ote ee eee we ee ee ee 8 ee ee en ee a ae n'a Warn ata nan a anata a a ata n ata nn a atatatata ana avn eta an aa a sen eis ee ate an 8 e's! A a am eee ceseseterere: Se “Castillo provides a good example of what Bushido is. In one show, act- ually titled ‘Bushido’, Castillo finds out that a friend of his turned outlaw. But Castillo has no moral dilemma. ‘| can’t let you walk,’ He tells the friend, ‘It’s my duty. It’s what | am.’ This kind of dedication certainly goes beyond the hard-boiled detective and into Samurai ethics.’ Another contributing factor to the show’s innovative look is its music. “Usually in television,’’.says Klovan, ‘“‘music is used to reinforce the action of, say, a love scene or a chase scene. In Miami_Vice it is used to comment either directly~or—ironically on the action, like the chorus~in_ ancient Greek theatre. For example, in~one show, over the shootout involving Crockett, Tubbs, and a gangster, we can hear the Clash singing No Peace in the Western World. The _ lyric comments directly on the action and this creates emotional excitement.’’ Miami Vice’s musical score is notable also for its use of original = ~— songs, not che! tions. If nece ducer Méichae $10,000 per ef the rights to cording to H budget of a sis Vice is greater budget of the Miami. “The visual says Klovan, expressionist 4 films of the the late Werne binder’s later.f awash in fla blue neon, the 4 Miami Vice. B world was vei Miami Vice is ‘‘more streamli and a jazzier lo Miami Vice’s esting for the The world of M one. (Before s for example, t