as a great [but not uncritical] admirer of bordwell, i agree with don larsson
that bordwell's four types of meaning are insightful, important, a useful
analytic tool for helping us to think about movies, and i'm grateful to don for
pointing out this useful perspective  . . . but--unlike say pierce's
discrimination of symbol, index, and icon--there is really no way of knowing on
the face of it which meaning is operating at any given time . . . so it finally
cannot answer the question raised by the image of sarandon's comforting of penn
in DMW . . . it simply reconfigured the question into one which might be
formulated thus: which of bordwell's meanings is operating in that image?
 
the terms of inquiry change . . . the problem remains intact . . .
   . . .  plus ca change
 
mike frank
 
----
To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L
in the message.  Problems?  Contact [log in to unmask]