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October 1998, Week 1

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From:
Damian Peter Sutton <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Mon, 5 Oct 1998 10:51:55 +0100
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On Wed, 30 Sep 1998 19:17:28 -0400 Joshua Redmond <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
 
> Charles Derry, Professor of Film, Department of Theatre Arts, Wright
> State University wrote:
>
> Why does an American university use British spelling?
>
> > ... I often find the PR machines of Hollywood peculiarly offensive,
> > selling and hyping the worst components of their own films, diminishing
> > that which is interesting and unique, in favor of highlighting the
> > easiest sale.
>
> That seems like an easy statement for one who hasn't risked millions on
> a film.
>
> > When Spielberg was hoping for an academy award for Schindler's List, he
> > gave interviews in which he widely announced that he could never again go
> > back to making a film like Jurassic Park.  After he got his Academy award,
> > presto, he decided to make a Jurassic Park sequel and out comes The Lost
> > World.    If Spielberg was himself disingenuous, must we now see this
> > insincerity in Schindler's List itself?
>
> Why would one assume that Spielberg spoke dishonestly?  He is entitled
> to change his mind.
>
> I've read off-center remarks about SL, but never an implication that
> Spielberg's goal was a ploy to make Academy members feel glorified as
> ambassadors of a humanitarian community.
>
> > ... one of the best professors I ever had once said ... "If we were to
> > discover a letter indicating that Shakespeare thought HAMLET was the best
> > comedy he ever wrote, would that affect our judgment of the work as
> > perhaps the greatest tragedy of all time?"  The answer, I think, is no.
>
> True.  And one would commit serious misinterpretations if he or she did
> not know that Shakespeare's intention deviated from the theme of the
> play.
>
> > And as hard as it can be, we need to struggle to separate the work from
> > the hype.
>
> Nevertheless the analogy to Shakespeare seems odd.
>
> - Josh
>
> ----
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I may be a little cynical, and just a little bit suspicious
of the Academy, but I feel I must comment on this. I've
always understood there to be a very lively debate as to the
political nature of the Academy Awards, and that rumours,
substantiated or no, have often abounded as to the expediency
of awarding the prizes. It would be foolish to assume that
Spielbergs SL Oscars were purely motivated politically, and
that the Academy pays special attention to films which make
political statement; that is not my point. But, call me
cynical, I've always suspected that the Academy consider
themselves moral exemplars when the moment suits them, and
even more appropraitely when there is a genuine attempt to
portray a difficult and necessary subject for discussion. I
would very much like it if my suspicions were proven to be
wrong.
 
 
----------------------
Damian Peter Sutton
[log in to unmask]
 
----
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