"Those stupid people" (Calling annhell!)

[Gomess]

So most G1 enthusiasts are aware of the fact that the only insight into Floro Dery's designing of Galvatron is that he's based on "those stupid people". What bothers me about this is that everyone seems content to laugh at it but not actually analyse what he means.

This is why I'm giving a special shout out to annhell, as our only known contact in Dery's vague neighbourhood (I'd expect you guys to do the same to me if you had questions about Wales or Scotland). Now, I'm not saying, "Translate the original interview from Tagalog to English for me!" but perhaps annhell (or anyone) has a better idea of to what Dery's referring.

My immediate assumption is there's some Filipino stereotype of psychotic guys with horns I'm missing out on... And that raises another point; is Dery referring only to the visual design, or the personality? Galvatron's "stupid" come S3, sure, but not in the movie. The way Dery generally talks- and is credited- implies he only drew the characters and had nothing to do with their characterisation ("naked metal Princess Leia", "small-time demon"), so I think it's unlikely he's referring to Galvy's actual intelligence. Besides, the translation the fandom has to work with might not be perfect. "Those stupid people" may well be better translated as "Those bastards". But which bastards??

So, there's our mystery. Anyone got any ideas?

[Dominic]

I hate to say it, but the wiki is pretty good for questions like this.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Dery is apparently given to inflating his own influence on the franchise. That may complicate your sought after answer.


Dom
-admits to a bit of curiosity here...

[Gomess]

Uh, no, actually the Wiki shits no light on this problem at all.

And surely no amount of self-aggrandising can explain- or obfuscate, whatever- who Dery might be referring to as "those stupid people". This is clearly something a Filipino involved with TF is meant to "get", since that's all Dery and his interviewer had in common from what I can find. Either that, or Dery's such a jackass that he assumed the interviewer would get his injoke reference to some "stupid people" he had to work with.

Anyhoo, not exactly getting a big response on this, so I'm guessing the curiosity isn't widespread. But Dery's such a character, I can't help it. And the Movie really is a unique element of the G1 series, in all respects.

[Dominic]

What I was saying is that it might be a question of Dery just based Galvatron's look on one group of people that he dislikes. Or, it could be Dery (dishonestly) claiming credit for Galvatron's characterization after the fact by saying that Galvatron acts like a group of people that he dislikes.


Either way, the wiki is totally is a totaly shortpack. We should have known better than to trust them to be useful.


Dom
-shame on us both.

[Gomess]

Yeah, like I said, I can just imagine Dery being one of those people who assumes the other person in a conversation knows- and shares- all of his opinions, which would mean we'll likely never know who "those stupid people" are. But I thought there might just be a fleeting chance it was.. like.. a Filipino thing? =/

This is why I need annhell here. Is annhell even Filipino? Dangit, I know he lives in Southeast Asia... Right??

I would love for it to transpire that Galvatron is based on, like, a stereotype of a certain Filipino political group or subculture. That would actually be amazing. Imagine if, all along, Galvatron was just how Floro Dery sees liberals or punks or something.

[annhell]

Me no Filipino. No speak Tagalog. No understanding none of it. Me Chinese as chow mein.

Seriously, I can't help you there, Gomess. You probably know more Norwegian than I do Tagalog. And it's not just the langauage, but the fact that i'm not familiar with the culture enough to even tell if this is even remotely influenced by it.

[Gomess]

Well DARN IT

Now I'm annoyed I'll never know the answer AND that I got your entire nationality wrong. 8|

...I'm gonna have to ask my old kali teacher, aren't I??

[Onslaught Six]

Surely between all of us we know someone who's Filipino...?

[Gomess]

I know, right?! My old kali guru was a white English guy, and his wife was only (if "only" is the right word) English-born Filipina. Not even sure she'd know, since I don't think she ever lived in the Filippines.

WHERE ALL THE TAGALOG AT