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August 2000, Week 3

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Subject:
From:
Klaus Bardenhagen <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 18 Aug 2000 13:45:00 +0200
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Quite frankly, the idea that a student could object to certain films (and
the teacher changes his course schedule) seems ridiculous to me. Whoever
decides to do film studies is a) a grown-up person, b) does not have the right
to force his moral standards onto others and c) cannot limit his studies to
just the films or subjects he likes or finds acceptable. Banning "Clockwork
Orange" is like studying English literature and not reading Shakespeare,
because of the violence in his plays.

I am studying film history & criticism in Mainz, Germany. Last spring, I
attended a course on thrillers and gave a presentation on Argento's
"Tenebre". Not for one second did I hesitate to show the film's crucial scenes of
murder and sexual humiliation. Neither did the teacher. Some students felt
repelled, but what the heck - they have to KNOW films like this exist, and they
have to SEE them.

By the way, the subject of our final exam in the introductory course was
the love scene from "Don't Look Now". Could anybody with a sane mind object
to that? (Sutherland and Christie are married, you know)

I know there may be different standards in Europe and the US as to what is
acceptable. I am just wondering how far this will go... freedom, in my
opinion, also means the freedom to not attend a particular course or quit your
studies if you don't like it. And not being a nuisance to all the students
who take their subject seriously.

Klaus Bardenhagen

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