> What about Jacques Tati's reception here? He is, of course popular among > academics, etc., but I wonder about his popularity among more "general" > audiences. Part of what translates so well, for me, at least, is his debt to > silent comedy, which translates well across cultures. Same with Bean. I've always thought that Jacques Tati was a silent movie comedian. On his holiday, the fold-boat sequence requires no sound, and always leaves my smile muscles aching. Popularity, unfortunately, is often related to promotion; the work of Tati is likely to remain a special treat for film aficiondoes. > A bit off the subject, but, I think, relevant: I've seen the same type of > knee-jerk condemnation on this list regarding Elizabeth Berkley's performance > in SHOWGIRLS. I would venture to say that comparing her acting style to her > nipples speaks of an attitude at least as execreble as that of > Eszterhaus/Verhoeven. Granted, her performance was shrill, but judging by > all the performances in that film, the blame must lie solely with the film's > makers. Eszterhaus' full-page ad in VARIETY taking responsibility for her > performance was probably the only honorable thing he's ever done. Ah, the auteur hypothesis. The actor is a tube of paint; if the painter messes up, the tube has no responsibility. Contrariwise, most directors assert in print that casting is 90% of the job of directing. That is because they rely on the artist capabilities and collaboration of these people. Most books on filmmaking spend 75 pages on lens selection and 1 to 2 pages on talking to actors. The audience, however, couldn't care less if a 50mm or a 48mm lens was used, preferring instead to connect with the characters. What makes someone like Cassavetes so fascinating is that he made *performances* the center of his work, not things like nifty dolly shots. FILM THREAT MAGAZINE's comparison of Berkey's nipples to her acting talent is not execrable at all. It is a pungent comment on the observation that measurements, cup size, and a willingness to display them are more important than the ability to create a believable performance -- at least to a certain segments of the filmmaking population (such as megamillion dollar extravaganzas and two thousand dollar video porn shoots). For a screenwriter to take responsibility for a crappy performance may be noble, but it's also chauvanistic. The attempted silk purse that was produced from his sow's ear was *the movie*, not a particular player's contribution. Berkey, like all other actors, is not a marionette. Look at the work of Whoopi Goldberg. Her films of late haven't had much in the way of believable situations or dialogue, but she imbues them with life. Paul E. Clinco ---- To sign off SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]