SPECIAL NOTE: Does anyone know what's happened to ARIZONA DREAM?!! Why hasn't it been released in this country, or has it, and is it possible to get a video copy, even on PAL, from France or England? On Tue, 19 Jul 1994, Guy Rosefelt wrote: > Another question would be: why can't we enjoy a film for it's own sake? I > dare anyone to fine the political ramifications in THE FLINTSTONES. > > Guy > Sorry this is all going to come out in response to your relatively harmless question, but I can't read any more messages without commenting. Okay, here goes...I haven't seen the FLINSTONES, or TRUE LIES, but silently taking in this discussion of 'entertainment's just entertainment, folks' will make me physically ill if I don't spew out my own view immediately. Of course there's nothing wrong with enjoying one'self, and I don't believe that's the point of these discussions. Perhaps one of the points is that people *do* enjoy discussing film seriously - Denise, I hope and pray that you win the lottery soon, because if you aspire to be a film critic, and only teach for the money, I would assume that you aren't very happy with you life, and it's too short not to do what you want. It also sounds as if your location is not making you very happy either. I always think living in the country would be great . . . I forget that there are disatvantages to all the quiet. Now, here's why we could look at entertainment as a source of valuable political and cultural information, even a film like THE FLINSTONES: Let's start with the less extreme quote, just to ease you in... This comes from Richard Dyer's essay, 'Entertainment and Utopia': Entertainment is either a highly developed form created by past-masters in the art of dialogue, geniuses at sensing the mood of an audience, or it is a drug which lulls the masses to sleep, bribes them with pleasurable dreams, and thus distracts them from the stern tasks which are their true destiny. In fact, these two statements are complementary rather than contradictory, yet rarely have the prejudices aroused by the mere mention of the term entertainment allowed this fact to surface. Here comes the more extreme quotes. . . These two gentlemen are far more eloquent than I. The whole essay is worth reading, but here are some aplicable highlights for skeptics of entertainment analysis: Adorno/Horkheimer - *Enlightenment as Mass Deception* The inferior work has always relied on its similarity with others - on a surrogate identity. Something is provided for all so that none may escape. . . . not to conform means to be rendered powerless, economically, and therefore spiritually. Amusement under late capitalism is the prolongation of work. It is sought after as an escape from the mechanized work process, and to recruit strength in order to be able to cope with it again. . . . All amusement suffers from this incurable malady . . . . Pleasure always means not to think about anything, to forget suffering even where it is shown. Basically, it is helplessness. It is flight; not, as is asserted, flight from a wretched reality, but from the last remaining thought of resistance. 'No one must go hungry or thirsty; if anyone does, he's for the concentration camp!' This joke from Hitler's Germany might shine forth as a maxim from above all the portals of the culture industry. The idolization of the cheap involves making the average the heroic. Had enough? Go ahead, rip it to shreds . . . I didn't write it! - Constance [log in to unmask] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ "I suppose you think that's very funny, Harold!" - Mom, HAROLD AND MAUDE