http://www.nukingthefridge.com/
(found via IMDB (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367882/board/nest/107513402))
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Nuking the Fridge is a colloquialism used by U.S. Cinema critics and fans and has a meaning similar to jumping the shark. It is used to denote the point in a movie or movie series at which the characters or plot veer into a ridiculous, out-of-the-ordinary storyline. Films that have "nuked the fridge" are typically deemed to have passed their peak, since they have undergone too many changes to retain their initial appeal, and after this point critical fans often sense a noticeable decline in their quality. It is considered as the movie equivalent of what Jumping the shark means for television.
The term is an allusion to a scene in the 2008 film Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull of the Indiana Jones series, when the title character Indiana Jones is literally hit by a atomic bomb blast while hiding inside a refrigerator in a desperate attempt to escape a nuclear test facility. The fridge is hurled several miles through the sky, and tumbles hard to the ground. The scene was considered so preposterous that many believed it to be an attempt at outdoing the over-the-top action of the classic introduction sequence of the series.
Nuking the Fridge moments may be scenes like the one described above that finally convince viewers that the film has fundamentally and permanently strayed from its original premise. In those cases they are viewed as a desperate and futile attempt to keep a series fresh.
The phrase refers to the opening scene in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, first worldwide released on May 22 2008. The infamous scene was seen by many as betraying the normal half-serious tone of the series, by introducing an element of cartoonish factuality and typical excess.
The first public use of the phrase as a direct metaphor is reported to have been on May 24, 2008, on the IMDB message boards by user beachedblonde.
The phrase has been used more recently outside the realm of popular culture, representing anything that has reached its peak and has turned mediocre. If one thinks a stock or a sports team or a subcultural phenomenon has reached its peak, for example, one can say that it has "nuked the fridge."
Yeah, they went there. And I for one vocally agree.
examples (i.e. "films to maybe avoid unless they're on TV and you're bored" ?) (http://www.nukingthefridge.com/definitions.htm)
Ok, I've heard this crap before, sure "nuking the fridge" was over the top... for REALITY but were talking about the
Indiana Jones movie universe where:
- You can swing across a crevice with a whip
- A burn mark is clear enough to accurately recreate text and carvings
- Indy can ride a U-Boat to an island on the outside
- The Ark of the Covenant is full of face-melting ghosts
- Awnings can break your fall from more than 10 stories
- Rocks glow when you put them together
- You can rip a guy's heart right out of his chest
- He won't immediately die from shock
- You can ride a crazy roller coaster mineshaft with rusty trucks on your mine cart
- You could survive in a gas filled catacomb
- You could waltz into Berlin and get close enough to Hitler to tweak his nose if you wanted.
- You could drive a Mark II British tank in the desert (air filters would clog immediately)
- Numerous magical traps
- Immortal Knights
- Again with the Nazi melting
- Curative holy water
I mean, that's just stuff I can remember I'm sure there's more.
My point is, we have a term for taking a concept too far already, it's called "jumping the shark" (as the article points out) and it works just fine. I think most non-geek kids today have no idea what it refers to (
Happy Days) and/or people who were disappointed with
Crystal Skull are just trolling.
Well, as Homstar would say, that's bubkas Mister! BUBKAS!
For the record I enjoyed
Crystal Skull, but there is no way it could have topped
Last Crusade.
Actually looking at it a little more closely, these guys are memewhores trying to get their meme around the net.
What do I mean? They have a store for @%&#s sake!
You are now a meme carrier DD, seek a clinic!
Quote from: Mr. Analog on July 15, 2008, 04:18:34 PM
Actually looking at it a little more closely, these guys are memewhores trying to get their meme around the net.
What do I mean? They have a store for @%&#s sake!
You are now a meme carrier DD, seek a clinic!
But... but... Newsweek and many others in the "mainstream" have talked about this...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/143782
Hard to argue with Newsweek... ;)
But seriously though...
Quote from: Mr. Analog on July 15, 2008, 04:15:08 PM
we have a term for taking a concept too far already, it's called "jumping the shark" (as the article points out) and it works just fine...
For the record I enjoyed Crystal Skull, but there is no way it could have topped Last Crusade.
JTS is for TV, NTF is for movies. That's what the web says, so it must be true ;D
Oh, and FTR I enjoyed Crystal Skull too -- but a hearty "+1" on the "didn't top Crusade" opinionation.
- - - - - - -
PS:
Quote from: Mr. Analog on July 15, 2008, 04:15:08 PM
- The Ark of the Covenant is full of face-melting ghosts
prove that it ain't, buddy!
Oh, and not-exactly-striving-for-realism, yeah, I know I know...
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That there is an outer-space theme to "The Crystal Skull" seems fitting, as the movie confirms the idea that Indiana Jones exists in its own, alternate universe, impervious to the passage of time or box office trends, with its own unique logic and rules.
- Touche, sir. (http://www.newsweek.com/id/137805?tid=relatedcl)
Quote from: Darren Dirt on July 15, 2008, 04:52:56 PM
Quote from: Mr. Analog on July 15, 2008, 04:18:34 PM
Actually looking at it a little more closely, these guys are memewhores trying to get their meme around the net.
What do I mean? They have a store for @%&#s sake!
You are now a meme carrier DD, seek a clinic!
Newsweek and many others in the "mainstream" have talked about this...
http://www.newsweek.com/id/143782
Hard to argue with Newsweek... ;)
There is a WORLD of difference between talking about a meme and actually using it.
If Newsweek prints an article that was passed through an editor that states something like:
The new Widget has "nuked the fridge". I would be very,
very surprised.
Also it would be very interesting to find out who this Sarah Ball person is anyway and if she has connections with the site that is making money off of hapless hipsters seeking to claim a phrase for the modern age.
methinks this forum thread has nuked the shark.
Quote from: Darren Dirt on July 15, 2008, 08:23:10 PM
methinks this forum thread has nuked the shark.
No a shark jumped over a pool of Fonzies on a motorcycle.
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Now get outta here before you get a punch-a-rino!
Quote from: Mr. Analog on July 15, 2008, 04:15:08 PM
For the record I enjoyed Crystal Skull, but there is no way it could have topped Last Crusade.
Finally had a chance to read this thread. This statement is exactly how I feel about the movie as well.
I was just discussing this with a friend last night. He felt ripped off with the latest film, feeling that the Alien theme killed it. Well that was until I pointed out almost the same list Mr. Analog posted above. By the end of the discussion he was more disappointed they went the route of Aliens than being completely at a loss on the whole movie. He still feels that with the previous three, it was more about legend and mythology, where the last one is more about extraordinary possibilities - which I can understand and agree with. This is probably why the film feels like it has separated itself somewhat from the previous movies.
Keeping in mind what the Indie Universe was when I went to see the movie, is probably why I enjoyed it in the theatre. I knew it had an Alien theme going in, and took it as just an evolution of the Indie story.
And that is my 2c
Quote from: Melbosa on July 16, 2008, 08:46:02 AM
Keeping in mind what the Indie Universe was when I went to see the movie, is probably why I enjoyed it in the theatre. I knew it had an Alien theme going in, and took it as just an evolution of the Indie story.
Grammar Police have arrived.
"Indy" = the universe of Henry "Indiana" Jones (Jr.)
"Indie" = the type of music that Indie Rock Pete (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_Sweeties) is notorious for never actually getting around to producing.
I'm an optimist... I opt out.
Quote from: Darren Dirt on July 16, 2008, 09:54:09 AM
Grammar Police have arrived.
"Indy" = the universe of Henry "Indiana" Jones (Jr.)
"Indie" = the type of music that Indie Rock Pete (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_Sweeties) is notorious for never actually getting around to producing.
I'm an optimist... I opt out.
Wow... I didn't know you could be such a Jack Ass DD :P :D :P... did it really matter if it was Indy or Indie :P Neither really represents anything to do with Indiana Jones officially at all.
Shesh :P
Quote from: Melbosa on July 16, 2008, 10:25:11 AM
Wow... I didn't know you could be such a Jack Ass DD :P :D :P... did it really matter if it was Indy or Indie :P
nah, just jabbing you amigo; hence the wink in the post.
Damn you, sarcasm that doesn't always come across in the text!
Quote from: Darren Dirt on July 16, 2008, 11:12:08 AM
nah, just jabbing you amigo; hence the wink in the post.
Oh you mean the wink at the top of the post reply title... I didn't even notice that at all... never look there.
When you said wink in the post, I couldn't find it at first.
Darren, you pretty much have to assume that we won't get what you're trying to say unless you're blatantly obvious, y'know? What with it being the Intarwebs, 'n all...
For the record, I'm with Mr. Analog - just because someone is talking about a new saying, doesn't mean it's a new saying.
Nuking a fake town...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltK7ClQW6Lw "Survival Town" Atom Test
...but no fridge.
It's an old newsreel that I'm guessing George and Steven had stumbled upon at Archive.org or something, after having a few too many, and history was made, they came up with a brilliant idea ::)
PS: hilariously naive/optimistic, "...the wreckage in the desert held vital information on how to survive an 'enemy attack'..." (as a woman touches her bare hands against a cracked concrete wall... :sigh:
Propaganda at it's absolute best!
Insert Fallout 3 music selection...