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Our Shrinking Culture: Movies and Cultural Literacy
BreakPoint ^
| 4 August 03
| Chuck Colson
Posted on 08/05/2003 9:36:47 AM PDT by Mr. Silverback
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Wonder how many folks there are who don't know Michaelangelo as anything but a ninja turtle.
To: agenda_express; Believer 1; billbears; Cordova Belle; DeweyCA; FourPeas; Jemian; jude24; ...
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2
posted on
08/05/2003 9:38:53 AM PDT
by
Mr. Silverback
(Conservatives are from Mars and liberals are from Uranus.)
Comment #3 Removed by Moderator
To: Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard
I saw it three times in the theater. For my money, it was a great adventure film and well-worth the time.
4
posted on
08/05/2003 9:45:27 AM PDT
by
TheBigB
(Heh heh heh....)
To: Mr. Silverback
Dorian Grey wasn't in the comic.
This is a gripe that seems to cycle back around every few years. Primarily it's an elist gripe and completely silly. Does it really matter if no one gets a bad reference to Moby Dick? No. Yeah Moby Dick is a pretty good book with good lessons on obsession and human falibility, but there have been good books and movies made on that theme a tad more recently so it's not like someone who never read Moby Dick will never learn these lessons. And it's not like the reference carried any meaning, none of the emotion of Moby Dick was in the reference or the story at that point, it was nothing more than a Hollywood script writer proving he'd done his research, BFD.
5
posted on
08/05/2003 9:54:24 AM PDT
by
discostu
(the train that won't stop going, no way to slow down)
To: Mr. Silverback
>> "I hope, and I pray, for a Hester to win just one more 'A.'"
Neat example. But The Music Man was set in 1912, when even Iowa bumpkins knew classical allusions and enjoyed chautauqua. And one must note that Miss Marion Paroo did NOT give in to the traveling salesman! No more "A's" for Hester :-)
6
posted on
08/05/2003 9:55:16 AM PDT
by
T'wit
To: Mr. Silverback
A little more than ten years, I was working with a Mr. "Know-it-all." He was singing the praises of a profound musical piece composed by "The Byrds."
"To every thing , turn , turn , turn
There is a season , turn , turn , turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
A time to be born , a time to die
A time to plant , a time to reap
A time to kill , a time to heal
A time to laugh , a time to weep
...
I pointed out that King Solomon wrote the words over 4000 years ago and showed him Ecclesiates 3.
Mr. "Know-it-all" was quite surprised and exclaimed: "Well, I be d@mned!"
7
posted on
08/05/2003 9:55:16 AM PDT
by
NEWwoman
To: Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard
It was a horribly dumbed down version of the graphic novel. If you haven't read the graphic novel (by Alan Moore one of the true masters of the industry the last 20 years) it's probably OK as a brain dead action movie, though you'll get the same thing from Lara Croft with better window dressing, as an adaptation it was horrid.
8
posted on
08/05/2003 9:56:28 AM PDT
by
discostu
(the train that won't stop going, no way to slow down)
To: Mr. Silverback
"Early in the movie, Nemo introduces the others to his first mate who tells them, "Call me Ishmael" -- the first line from MOBY DICK." It shows a certain lack of respect for the "cultural literacy" of his target audience to feel that he MUST inform us that "Call me Ishmael" is the first line of MOBY DICK. If I had written this, I would have made the assumption that my intended readers already knew little things like that...
To: Mr. Silverback
Publik ejukashun rools
10
posted on
08/05/2003 10:00:02 AM PDT
by
rudypoot
(99% of the lawyers make the rest look bad.)
Comment #11 Removed by Moderator
To: discostu
I remember, some 40 years ago, being in trouble in lit class in high school by asking "If the great authors are so great, why do we have to search for the meanings in their works." I had just read Moby Dick and still couldn't find all eight levels in the book.
I agree that there are newer titles that can convey the same lessons, but many of the old works are just a great read.
12
posted on
08/05/2003 10:04:44 AM PDT
by
Big Mack
To: Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard
I wonder if today's mall rats even know the name Jules Verne "Oh yeah dude...isn't he, like, the lead singer for the Dirty Mops?"
13
posted on
08/05/2003 10:05:06 AM PDT
by
TheBigB
(Heh heh heh....)
To: discostu
It was a horribly dumbed down version of the graphic novel. My 15 year old daughter, who got almost all of the literary references (I'm an obsessive educator of my children and have passed on lots of eclectic knowledge to them) was really bugged by the audience of her peers who didn't have a clue what any of the references were.
The thing that bugged her the most, however, was the credit alluding to the movie being based on the "graphic novel." She heard others muttering "what the heck is a graphic novel?" She wanted to stand up and scream "It's a comic book, you morons!" She restrained herself and kept peace with her friends and classmates.
14
posted on
08/05/2003 10:05:29 AM PDT
by
Phsstpok
To: Big Mack
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."--Freud. Similarly, sometimes a story is just a story.
15
posted on
08/05/2003 10:06:04 AM PDT
by
TheBigB
(Heh heh heh....)
To: Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard
Many of the critics are culturally illiterate as well.
I saw the film with my sister and we both liked it. I do think that the film suffered from too much Hollywood action...in other words, WAY too much time on the Mr. Jekyll monster smashing things. I imagine that was done to appeal to the adolescent crowd.
Those who are unfamiliar with 19th century literature wouldn't have understood Dorian Grey's fear of his painting, nor the portraits of previous "Leagues" on the wall of the headquarters, one of which contained the portrait of the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh. I am also certain they were confused about the Carnival in Venice, the Ishmael reference (which at an afternoon matinee most people in our audience laughed at, since most were over 45) and the references to Alan Quartermain's adventures.
The acting was excellent. Sets and special effects were fabulous.
I think I would grade it as a B. See it at a matinee or with discount tickets. It is better than much of the schlock out this summer, however.
To: TheBigB
"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."----"but a good cigar is a smoke!"
Hah! Name THAT allusion!
Dan
(c;
17
posted on
08/05/2003 10:08:01 AM PDT
by
BibChr
("...behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD, so what wisdom is in them?" [Jer. 8:9])
To: Miss Marple
Don't forget the point where, upon being told of his enemy's name--"The Fantom"--Quatermain says, "How operatic." I loved that. :)
18
posted on
08/05/2003 10:08:44 AM PDT
by
TheBigB
(Heh heh heh....)
To: BibChr
Geeze, you got me. I'm stumped. :)
19
posted on
08/05/2003 10:09:24 AM PDT
by
TheBigB
(Heh heh heh....)
To: Nayland Smith of Scotland Yard
www.lxgmovie.com
20
posted on
08/05/2003 10:10:44 AM PDT
by
TheBigB
(Heh heh heh....)
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