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July 1994

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Subject:
From:
Edmond Chibeau <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 10 Jul 1994 16:02:21 +1000
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Recently, Edmond Chibeau wrote:
==================================================
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT TOM HANKS ISN'T TRYING TO SPEAK TO THE HARD-CORE QUEER
COMMUNITY IN PHILADELPHIA, OR TO SPARTICIST REVOLUTIONARIES IN GUMP
BUT HE IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE MIDDLE OR AVERAGE MIDDLE CLASS MOVIEGOER
WHO GETS MOST OF HIS/HER INFORMATION ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE FROM RAMBO MOVIES
I THINK THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO WATCH AND ARE INFLUENCED BY
HOLLYWOOD MOVIES
AND WHO TEND TO BE FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE IN THEIR SOCIAL VIEWS
 
I THINK HANKS IS TRYING TO GENTLY INFLUENCE THAT MIDDLE GROUND TOWARD A
SLIGHTLY MORE OPEN-MINDED ATTITUDE
==================================================
On first blush this sounds good. But somehow I think that the people that you
are describing would have skipped this movie in the first place. They would
have gone to see that Rambo movie you mention. Wouldn't you agree?
 
Response to Ara Rubyan:
 
I think that Philadelphia and Gump have an audience of middle class folks
who can be nudged into a feeling of openness, the movies are
sophisiticated texts and can be given various reading and many of those
elements may have elements of truth But no, I don't think that the
audience is made up of people who already think the way the movie "thinks"
. Major distribution, Academy Award, famous actors , havy promotion in
mainstream press; I think the audience has more middle of the roaders than
dedicated gay activists
                                                      Edmond Chibeau
Let me quote J. Metz who says...
 
"... the points of contrast are not necessarily shown to alleviate the
discomfort associated with 'taboo' homosexuality and its 'evil' nature, as
you seem to imply by the use of cuts, but rather to more dramatically reflect
the emotional differences we as an audience associate with the two men.
 
    I thought the juxtaposition of the more traditional values in light of
human tragedy to be wonderfully demonstrated, because it dared not neglect
the story as two men with different lifestyles brought together under
terrible circumstances, rather than just a pity plea for AIDS victims. Much
more effective.
 
J Metz
Department of Telecommunications
University of Georgia"
 
or P J Springer who responds to Kyle William
 
"... Good grief, this ongoing argument against
Philadelphia and Tom Hanks reveals some of the most paranoid, precious,
overanalyzed nonsense ever. It almost makes one want to take sides with
those rightists who point out the dangers of political correctness. If
anything, Philadelphia gave viewers the opportunity to identify with Denzel
Washington's fears or with Hanks' loving family and in the process
aligned our relationship and identification with gay people in a way
previously never allowed in a Hollywood movie."
 
SO THERE IT IS
 
EDMOND CHIBEAU

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