Goodbye “Citizen Kane,” Hello “Night at the Museum”
To re-watch the “Night at the Museum” movies is what many would call a “life changing experience.” Many of us remember the movie from childhood as the fun story of a nightguard (Ben Stiller) stumbling upon a museum in which the exhibits come to life at night; upon re-watching, so much more can be learned. “Night at the Museum” is a beautiful and heart-wrenching series. It tackles love and loss brilliantly, and the characters will stick with us for a lifetime.
Loss
There is a moment in the first movie (an unforgettable scene which has stuck in my mind since childhood) where a living exhibit is lost. As a member of the caveman exhibit dashes towards the open doors of the museum, Larry stands helpless. He knows and we know that this caveman will not make it back in time. There is a moment of resignation where the caveman stops running. He stands in the street, he faces Larry: acceptance. His fate has been realized by him now. He turns to ash as the sun hits his waxen skin and we the audience are left with a gnawing pit of loss. A sweeper truck goes by and the ashes of the caveman go with it, all evidence of this person’s existence erased completely.
This is the first instance in which the movie confronts its audience with such permanent loss. We are reminded that no one is safe, that there are rules that must be followed, and that there are consequences for Larry’s actions. This threat follows audience for the remainder of the movies. The loss of this caveman can be interpreted as the loss of personhood. The tablet grants consciousness and free will to previously non-living things. These exhibits have thoughts and feelings. They mourn, they fall in love, they forge memories. These exhibits are just as human as Larry is, when we see the caveman turn to ash we see a person turn to ash. Personhood is granted to these exhibits only within the confines of the museum, during a very specific time. Personhood is granted by an outside force, and it is taken away if the rules set by that force are not met. This ultimately leads to the questions: What is personhood? What rules must I follow to retain it?
Love
The comraderie and love that occurs within the films cannot be rivaled by any other major motion picture. Feelings of love are ever-present in the “Night at the Museum” movies. Specifically, these movies portray the forging of love and comradery. Two characters that have stuck in the minds of many are Jedediah and Octavious (the cowboy and the Roman), who begin as rivals. This relationship builds slowly throughout the three movies and the two become a power couple by the third. The homoerotic tension between the two builds until it reaches a breaking point during the third movie. Octodaddy (Octavious’s screen name for YouTube) asks for Jedadiah’s hand, which Jedadiah refuses initially. He is afraid of the consequences of this partnership, although their friendship has already been accepted. Within the museum (as it is on the outside world) there are social “norms” which are expected. The fear of breaking these norms threatens to destroy the relationship that the two have so carefully cultivated. At the end of the movie, when all seems lost, Jedadiah accept’s Octavious, takes his hand, and they face the threat of death together. As Tumblr user dicaeoplis said, “F*** all romance except whatever the f***that lil cowboy and roman guy from night at the museum had going on.”
The relationship between the two has sparked a dedicated and still active fanbase. One fan writes in a story about the two,“Just as light began to flood the museum, Jedadiah and Octavius’ lips met in a kiss. They would probably never have known how that felt considering they were no longer alive at the time, but that was strangely okay. And be assured, more was going to follow later that night. Hopefully Larry wouldn’t wander into anything awkward later that night like he always seemed to do” (MidnightSakuraBlossom, “The Five Times Jedediah and Octavious Kissed).
The way in which “Night at the Museum” handles such complex topics is astounding. It is worth the re-watch, and Ben Stiller also kisses a monkey for way longer than he should have.