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"When I go to the movies, I don't want to think..."

 
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Michael Scrutchin
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Joined: 26 Jun 2003
Posts: 832
Location: Pearland, TX

PostPosted: 04.11.2006 2:39 am    Post subject: "When I go to the movies, I don't want to think..." Reply with quote

On his blog, Dave Kehr quoted the following from a Harold Ramis interview at The Believer:

Quote:
BLVR: Rumor has it that you turned down the chance to direct Disney's remake of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner because you felt they weren?t interested in really exploring racism.

HR: The way they wanted to do it didn't have a lot to do with the colossal amount of pain and violence that swirls around racial injustice. It would've been like an episode of The Jeffersons. What's the point? But who knows, maybe that's as much as most people want. I can't tell you how many people have told me, "When I go to the movies, I don't want to think."

BLVR: Does that offend you as a filmmaker?

HR: It offends me as a human being. Why wouldn't you want to think? What does that mean? Why not just shoot yourself in the fucking head?


Comments? Smile
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beltmann
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Joined: 26 Jun 2003
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Location: West Bend, WI

PostPosted: 04.11.2006 3:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I watched Saw II over the weekend.
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juhsstin
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Joined: 07 Jul 2003
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PostPosted: 04.12.2006 5:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sometimes i go into a movie wanting to think, other times i do not. the best movies though are the ones that spurn you to think because they successfully penetrate your barriers and tap into things which truly interest you. in other words, you start thinking without actually realizing that you are thinking, even though we all are thinking all the time, which raises the question of what is "thinking" really? Shocked
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the night watchman
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PostPosted: 04.13.2006 10:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I like to "think" when I see a movie. But there are "big thinks" and "little thinks." Naturally, a movie that delves into an issue and leaves me with a new perspective to consider is a "big think." On the other hand, a movie that uses a familiar convention in a clever way, puts a spin on a genre or character, or just presents something on an aesthetical level that I haven't experienced before is a "little think." Some recent examples of the former would be A History of Violence, Munich and the first story in Three... Extremes; of the latter Toolbox Murders and Lucky Number Sleven.
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beltmann
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PostPosted: 04.13.2006 11:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree about the distinction between "big thinks" and "little thinks," and would add that I enjoy the full spectrum, from Stan Brakhage to, say, Jim Carrey. Generally, the only movies that I find difficult to sit through are the "no thinks."

Like juhsstin, I sometimes welcome simplistic escapism--recent movies that I can't really defend except to say that I had a good time include The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Transporter 2--but if there's nothing for the brain to latch onto, intellectually or aesthetically, I get antsy fast. That might explain why many teen and action flicks have lately become a chore for me.
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the night watchman
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PostPosted: 04.14.2006 2:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

beltmann wrote:
If there's nothing for the brain to latch onto, intellectually or aesthetically, I get antsy fast.


I know what you mean. I got this same "antsiness" while I was watching Cinderella Man, a movie that I thought was well-made, well-acted, beautifully shot and directed. There were so many aspects to appreciate here, so why, I wondered, was my foot tapping through the whole thing? After I read some politically conservative reviews, it occurred to me: the movie didn't offer me anything I don't already know. Yes, the character of Jim Braddock is a good man. Yes, he looks after his family and does everything he can to support them financially and emotionally. Yes, he pays his debts. Yes, he deserves to succeed. And the movie is on his side, so we can be certain that everything will be all right in the end. So what's left? Pretty pictures and nice acting. I suppose that's not quite enough to hold me. Conservatives have been complaining that Hollywood doesn't make enough (or any) movies that reinforce "positive ideals." But I suppose I don't want a movie to tell me something I already know.
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beltmann
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PostPosted: 04.14.2006 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the night watchman wrote:
I know what you mean. I got this same "antsiness" while I was watching Cinderella Man, a movie that I thought was well-made, well-acted, beautifully shot and directed.


Although I deeply enjoyed Cinderella Man--partially for reviving classic tropes with spirit--I can certainly understand your reaction to it. I experienced a similar impatience with Brokeback Mountain, which I found skillfully and beautifully made, but far less intriguing than the critical hosannas would suggest. To use your phrase, Brokeback didn't get me thinking about anything that I didn't already know. As someone who sees a lot of independent movies, including many milestones of queer cinema, I don't think Brokeback's real accomplishment has to do with daring or with art; its significance is instead cultural, as the first film with these themes to connect with a wide mainstream audience. Still, while Brokeback may state the obvious in a fairly conventional way, that's not really a criticism--I suppose there are plenty of people in this country who need to hear the obvious. In cultural terms, something like Brokeback has a better chance of changing minds than something by, say, Gregg Araki.
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