dear filmmakers

[somedaybitch]

how 'bout you guys concentrate a little harder on, oh i don't know, telling an actually good story, and leave the overt political statements to politicians? maybe you could remember that, should you focus on the craft of storytelling, on building genuine character and universe, cause and effect, character arc and story arc, that what you personally believe will subconciously infuse your story anyhow, because it all comes from the same so-called brain. then that way, you aren't beating an audience over the head with A MESSAGE that simply serves to disguise the fact that you have made a crappy film. and while you're at it? actual, historical research is your friend. mmkay? thanks.

Comments

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

which movie is it this time?

[themonkeycabal.livejournal.com]

George Lucas. Apparently he's worried the Sith are about to take over our country.

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

d'oh

[themonkeycabal.livejournal.com]

I know I was worried, but thankfully, with brave Jedi like himself to defend us and speak out against the encroaching Sith menace, I'm sure we'll all be saved. Yay.

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

light the fires 'n all the saints be praised!

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

*whew*. i feel soooo much better now. glances lovingly at Jedi protectors.

[thevaliumsofalj.livejournal.com]

Did you see Chrenkoff's open letter to Lucas?? I love this guy!

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

But if in your mind, it's the United States that has slowly transformed itself into an evil Empire, and therefore, logically all those who stand up to it are our story's true heroes, than I have to say that the Dark Side is very strong indeed, and I have crossed over a long time ago. If America is the Empire, then please prepare a black helmet and uniform for me too.

sign me, Arthur. i'm gonna fight you for that helmet, bad boy.

[thevaliumsofalj.livejournal.com]

right there with ya ;)

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

to be fair, it's not just Lucas, but he is the most recent example....and what irks me the most about him is that he DIDN'T write the film that way, because as he states, none of that had happened yet. he's just taking advantage of what critics are projecting on to his movie and that irks the hell out of me.

the biggest examples that come to mind are Kingdom of Heaven, which i have not seen, and Troy, which i did see. previous to KoH, Ridley had reached deity status in his film making abilities with me. i may just have to ignore KoH and keep my little world in tact. it's one thing to make a film, (which cannot help but be infused by the creator's personal beliefs}, where the audience is left to interpret what they have just seen in their own way, and quite another to overtly craft a film with "a message" to make a point. they aren't the same thing. one is storytelling, the other is proselytizing.

and Scott managed just fine in Blackhawk Down. it mattered to him that the story was nothing more than the men involved. not the outside politics, not the familial melodrama. none of that was present. it was simply these men and their duty and their mindset to never leave their own behind. the film was unbelievably compelling and heartwrenching as a result. and so accurate that the Army is now using the film as a training tool because there has never been anything prior to it that shows an extended fire fight so realistically.

Wolfgang Peterson, unfortunately, went the "club viewers over the head" route with Troy, and it shows. not only did he fail to convey his "message", but the film is mindnumbingly bad, and worst, he hired a stellar cast and then utterly wasted them.

Peterson is currently in pre-production on the remake of The Poseiden Adventure. i can't *wait* to see what that political metaphor turns out to be.

[boofadil.livejournal.com]

fun times

[thinkum]

what irks me the most about him is that he DIDN'T write the film that way, because as he states, none of that had happened yet. he's just taking advantage of what critics are projecting on to his movie and that irks the hell out of me.

This strikes me as curious. Why is it Lucas, rather than the critics, that irks you? Hasn't Hollywood always loved to milk controversy for its commercial value?

[somedaybitch.livejournal.com]

because i expect it from the critics, and it's not what the film's about.