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August 1998, Week 5

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From:
"Edward R. O'Neill" <[log in to unmask]>
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Date:
Fri, 28 Aug 1998 23:06:14 -0700
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While _Mortal Thoughts_ does seem to end up by revealing a
"truth" about the events which unfolded before the film
begins, for me this makes it neither (aesthetically)
superior or inferior to _The Usual Suspects_.
 
One could certainly argue that _The Usual Suspects_ is more
radical, in a sense, because there does not seem to a final
organizing perspective which could make sense of the entire
film. Or one could argue that it's either a 'cheat' or
incompetent--according to traditional canons of taste.
 
But then what should one make of the relative success of the
latter film over the former?
 
Sincerely,
Edward R. O'Neill
UCLA
General Education Program
 
 
Deron Albright wrote:
>
> I think its important to note that while _The Usual Suspects_ draws us
> into Spacey's narrative, _Mortal Thoughts_ never allows us this pleasure,
> constantly providing skepticism through Harvey Keitel's character. The
> revealing of "the truth," then, functions not as a major discovery and
> plot turn, but rather as simply an admission of what actually happened -
> the possiblity of which we have been led to throughout most of the film.
>
> Deron Albright
 
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