Flipside Movie Emporium

matt header · Posted: 03.01.2004 4:12 pm Post subject: The Art of Writing

Hello all. I write for the UWM Leader (a newspaper here on campus) in the film and editorial department, and recently I wrote an article about film criticism: what it should be, how it is an art form, etc. I was kind of interested in seeing what you film fans thought of it, so if you'd like, you can read it here:

http://www.uwmleader.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/02/25/403d2808bd669

Hope you enjoy.

Jim Harper · Posted: 03.01.2004 4:19 pm Post subject:

An interesting read. I hope that my work, even the negative reviews, manages to convey the fact that movies (along with music) are the most important things in my life (obviously after wife, children, etc etc).

I also had an epiphany (first time I've ever used that word) recently. I've written an estimated 300 reviews, and I still thing I have no idea what I'm doing. Has anyone else experienced this?

beltmann · Posted: 03.01.2004 4:23 pm Post subject:

An amazing article, Matt. You got it exactly right: the best criticism qualifies as good art, because it captures something intensely personal while simultaneously offering new perceptions.

Eric

Jim Harper · Posted: 03.01.2004 4:27 pm Post subject:

I hadn't thought of it that way. I'll go back and reread your article Matt.

beltmann · Posted: 03.01.2004 4:32 pm Post subject:

beltmann · Posted: 03.01.2004 4:39 pm Post subject:

Matt, your article reminded me of something I wrote about Pauline Kael a few years back. I just re-read it for the first time in a long while, and many of my ideas coincide with yours, particularly regarding the virtue of exploring our personal, emotional relationship with cinema. Seems relevant to post a link:

https://www.flipsidearchive.com/paulinekael.html

Eric

matt header · Posted: 03.02.2004 12:52 am Post subject:

Hi Eric,

Sorry it took so long for me to reply. I remember reading your article when I first joined flipside movies (about two years ago), which is approximately when I was really getting into Kael. Your article is excellent, and summarizes everything that I love not only about her, but about movies (and film criticism) in general: especially the theory that art only has meaning when it elicits strong emotions. And yeah, whenever I write about film I have doubts about what, exactly, I'm doing, but writers like Kael go a long way in reminding me. (My personal favorite film writer? Francois Truffaut. A genius in every way! Man, I love that guy.)

Michael Scrutchin · Posted: 03.02.2004 1:14 am Post subject:

Fantastic piece, Matt. I agree with most of your thoughts. In fact, one of the reasons I haven't been writing many reviews lately is because my stuff always fails to live up to my own standards of what criticism should be -- then again, so does most of what passes for film criticism these days.
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Michael Scrutchin
Flipside Movie Emporium
www.flipsidearchive.com

the night watchman · Posted: 03.02.2004 5:02 pm Post subject:

Good article, Matt. I have to admit I've never quite understood the critics or scholars of any artform who didn't participate in an artform themselves, either the one they comment about or a neighboring one. It's like people who obsessively watch and talk about sports, and know the history and players' stats, and who are repositories of trivia, and yet never go out onto the field themselves. Why bother if you're not going to contribute? But I?ve never thought of criticism as a form of self-expression, or, at least, a legitimate one anyway, which all true art ought to be. I suppose the very best can strive for that. Thanks for broadening my horizons.
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"If you're talking about censorship, and what things should be shown and what things shouldn't be shown, I've said that as an artist you have no social responsibility whatsoever."

-David Cronenberg

beltmann · Posted: 03.02.2004 5:45 pm Post subject:

the night watchman · Posted: 03.02.2004 6:46 pm Post subject:

beltmann · Posted: 03.02.2004 9:11 pm Post subject:

matt header · Posted: 03.04.2004 3:15 pm Post subject:

By the way, thank you all for your feedback, and for reading my article. I appreciate it!

beltmann · Posted: 03.06.2004 5:08 am Post subject:

matt header · Posted: 03.06.2004 2:59 pm Post subject:

I've read excerpts from it (tragically, I've never read a whole Truffaut book from beginning to end - only excerpts) but I've loved every one. I'm going to have to pick up one of his books sometime soon.