---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 14:23:29 -0500 From: Steven Mintz, U. Houston <[log in to unmask]> To: Multiple recipients of list H-FILM <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Audience manipulation in recent film From: priscilla stearns barlow <[log in to unmask]> Patrick Bjork wrote: perhaps movie-going, pre-WWII Americans were more readerly, more literate and, if so, it may stand to reason that they could more readily appreciate subtlety and nuance, and could also more comfortably absorb a slower, more dialogue-laden pace. Anyone care to play around with this conjecture? _______ I'd add that they also listened to the radio a lot, and therefore were more accustomed to having stories narrated via dialogue than audiences are today. I say this even though I don't want to add to any we're-going-to-hell in-a-handbasket handwringing sessions. It's just that it's easy to overlook those aspects of popular culture that have died out when we analyse a situation--I'm thinking not just of radio drama, but also serial publication of novels, movie fan magazines--stuff like that. Priscilla Barlow [log in to unmask] "Beauty like hers is genius."