I considered employing a "Dumont for Dummies" metaphor but wasn't sure if that'd travel very well. 

No, I don't think you're off the mark. I remember Dumont saying somewhere that he thought about the area and what it signified and wanted to draw a parallel of sorts.

Flanders will probably be looked upon more favorably (perhaps even by me) after the upcoming string of Hollywood films that deal with the Iraq/M.E. conflict. But Humanit it aint.