on Love Of Cinema

Started by SoNowThen, September 10, 2003, 11:24:16 AM

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SoNowThen

September 10, 2003, 11:24:16 AM
I'm writing this in general response to a few snippets of things all over the site, and from discussions with people in general. Nothing makes me more upset (not angry, but confused and sad) when people nitpick films I love. As in my talks with GT about Stanley "I fucking hate everything" Kaufmann. Then shit on culturevulture website about them thinking PTA is a hack. There's a bad vibe about this shit. Why can't we just love movies and not impose our own shit on them? I'm in a place right now, whereby I go get a ton of movies a week from the library, then also add some dvds of my own, into a orgy of viewing. I'm just loving all of them right now, getting something out of each flick. It may be because I know generally what I like, and I've been watching a bunch of Italian Neorealist stuff and French New Wave stuff. But folks might go off on this whole pretentious kick, well fuck that, I love these movies. I wouldn't spend so much time if I wasn't enjoying myself. And at the same time I'm feeling my movie-consciousness is expanding. It feels fucking fantastic. That's what it is, I feel like an emotion-bundled pregnant woman you see who cries at everything. Damn damn damn I love movies!!!!!

Last week I told some old friends that I realized that there's so many good films out there, even if I spent all day watching movies, I still wouldn't see even 25% of them in my life. That means that I have to miss out on 75% of the great movies out there. Totally miss out. Never have a chance to experience. I told my friends that when I think about this I wanna cry. They looked at me like I was an idiot, and we had a long uncomfortable silence.

As we grow older and are forced to enter the "real world", I find that the 20-somethings around me yearn for financial success, families, security, whatever. All I want right now is to be exposed to more films, more art, more music, more literature. And yet I can't even find the time to fucking fully appreciate and take in the shit I'm on now, AND accomplish what I need to in terms of making my own movies and writing and music.

I think what other people get in terms of the anxiety in realizing that they will one day die, I get when I think of all the movies I could be watching right now. I don't care about my mortality, I care about my entertainment.

Gaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh...........
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Find Your Magali

#1
September 10, 2003, 12:00:54 PM
I understand what you're saying and I thought you stated it eloquently. I can relate somewhat, even though I'm 32 and that age feels about 40 years removed from "twentysomething."

Of course there are more great movies than you or I will ever see. Even crazier: If that's the case, why the hell do I sit around sometimes and watch "Con-Air" for the 11th time, when I've yet to get to "The Straight Story"? Because, like you said, I want to be entertained, and sometimes "entertainment" is comfort cinema.

Anyway, I guess I would say a couple things in response to your post:

(1) I applaud your attitude that you love movies, and you're not going to apologize for it. Hold onto that spirit.

(2) Don't spend an ounce of angst or sweat on the folks who hate this or that. As you said yourself, life is too short.

(3) You'll never see every great movie, so revel in the thrill of knowing that, if you wanted to, you could see a great movie that's new to you every day of the rest of your life, and never run out. Embrace the possibilities. Enjoy the fun of jumping from genre to genre, from director to director...

(4) Life, however, isn't just about movies. Or even just about art. That doesn't mean you can't love movies. But don't grow up to be like a certain 32-year-old I know, who has a huge DVD collection, a 70-hour work week and two cats. Get outside in the fresh air. Meet people. Fall in love.

That's all.

SoNowThen

#2
September 10, 2003, 12:04:15 PM
beautiful response.


as to #4: my life is my art, and my art is my life. I'd much prefer to be an observer than a doer, life-wise.

70 hour work week? What do you do?
Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Vile5

#3
September 10, 2003, 12:45:07 PM
i understand you well SoNowThen
and i think 'that love' some people, like you, feel for Cinema or art in general makes the difference between viewers and creators
"Wars have never hurt anybody except the people who die." - Salvador Dalí

Find Your Magali

#4
September 10, 2003, 01:13:26 PM
Quote from: SoNowThen70 hour work week? What do you do?

Sports editor at a medium-sized newspaper.

Far, far, far less glamorous than it sounds....

Redlum

#5
September 10, 2003, 02:03:27 PM
Quote from: SoNowThen

As we grow older and are forced to enter the "real world", I find that the 20-somethings around me yearn for financial success, families, security, whatever. All I want right now is to be exposed to more films, more art, more music, more literature. And yet I can't even find the time to fucking fully appreciate and take in the shit I'm on now, AND accomplish what I need to in terms of making my own movies and writing and music.

I completely appreciate what you're saying here, but I think I'm too young and lacking enough experience to pass any kind of judgement on these things. Best I can do right now is rely on films...

Rushmore
Mr. Blume: What's the secret, Max?
Max Fischer: The secret?
Mr. Blume: Yeah, you seem to have it pretty figured out.
Max Fischer: The secret, I don't know... I guess you've just gotta find something you love to do and then... do it for the rest of your life.

Lost in Translation
Bob: The more you know who you are and what you want, the less you'll let things upset you.

Full Frontal
Gus: Dont be one of the confused people. If you have purpose you can just wade right through. Its like running past people who are asleep.
\"I wanted to make a film for kids, something that would present them with a kind of elementary morality. Because nowadays nobody bothers to tell those kids, \'Hey, this is right and this is wrong\'.\"
  -  George Lucas

Ghostboy

#6
September 10, 2003, 02:13:51 PM
I agree with everything said in this thread and it all makes me feel happy (just like...gasp...movies!).

Ravi

#7
September 10, 2003, 02:32:48 PM
It's a great feeling watching a good movie.  But it is a pretty depressing feeling to watch one that stinks, especially if it had potential.

Alethia

#8
September 10, 2003, 04:26:05 PM
im still young, only seventeen.  some days i just thank christ that movies exist, because it gets me through alot of tough shit.  and some days i despise my love for movies because it gets in the way of growing up in many certain ways.  that's my fault, i know, but it's overwhelming and sometimes i just - i dont know.  i guess i just feel like, you know, maybe, if i go see kill bill opening night like i really want to on october tenth, i'll regret it, because homecoming is that night, where all my friends will be (they don't really give a shit about it, but everybody goes anyway), and my girlfriend will be there, and just all of these wonderful people that i love and who give my love for movies and my drive to make them some meaning.  but would it be so bad if i went to see it on the eleventh?  i dont know.  its really stupid, but i dunno.  its the truth.  i fucking love movies so much i cant even tell you.

Banky

#9
September 10, 2003, 04:46:25 PM
Quote from: ewardim still young, only seventeen.  some days i just thank christ that movies exist, because it gets me through alot of tough shit.  and some days i despise my love for movies because it gets in the way of growing up in many certain ways.  that's my fault, i know, but it's overwhelming and sometimes i just - i dont know.  i guess i just feel like, you know, maybe, if i go see kill bill opening night like i really want to on october tenth, i'll regret it, because homecoming is that night, where all my friends will be (they don't really give a shit about it, but everybody goes anyway), and my girlfriend will be there, and just all of these wonderful people that i love and who give my love for movies and my drive to make them some meaning.  but would it be so bad if i went to see it on the eleventh?  i dont know.  its really stupid, but i dunno.  its the truth.  i fucking love movies so much i cant even tell you.

i totally agree and used to face similar dilemmas.  I would miss events to go see Matrix Reloaded the night before at the midnight showing ect. ect......I really just gave up and let go and now movies hold more weight over just about anything

ShanghaiOrange

#10
September 10, 2003, 04:51:27 PM
Movies :)
Last five films (theater)
-The Da Vinci Code: *
-Thank You For Smoking: ***
-Silent Hill: ***1/2 (high)
-Happy Together: ***1/2
-Slither: **

Last five films (video)
-Solaris: ***1/2
-Cobra Verde: ***1/2
-My Best Fiend: **1/2
-Days of Heaven: ****
-The Thin Red Line: ***

Teen Wolf

#11
September 10, 2003, 05:07:36 PM
Word. I love movies to death. Only problem is that unless you have people in your life who share this passion, you end up spending a lot of time alone. Like last night I turned down an offer to hang out with some people at a bar in favor of watching Arizona Dream by myself.

rustinglass

#12
September 10, 2003, 05:11:12 PM
That's a fucking great film! you did good!
"In Serbia a lot of people hate me because they want to westernise, not understanding that the western world is bipolar, with very good things and very bad things. Since they don't have experience of the west, they even believe that western shit is pie."
-Emir Kusturica

Find Your Magali

#13
September 10, 2003, 05:18:28 PM
Quote from: ewardim still young, only seventeen.  some days i just thank christ that movies exist, because it gets me through alot of tough shit.  and some days i despise my love for movies because it gets in the way of growing up in many certain ways.  that's my fault, i know, but it's overwhelming and sometimes i just - i dont know.  i guess i just feel like, you know, maybe, if i go see kill bill opening night like i really want to on october tenth, i'll regret it, because homecoming is that night, where all my friends will be (they don't really give a shit about it, but everybody goes anyway), and my girlfriend will be there, and just all of these wonderful people that i love and who give my love for movies and my drive to make them some meaning.  but would it be so bad if i went to see it on the eleventh?  i dont know.  its really stupid, but i dunno.  its the truth.  i fucking love movies so much i cant even tell you.

My two cents, as someone who has a good bit of distance between himself and the "high school experience," --- Go to your homecoming. The movie can wait one day. You only get one shot at the memories & experiences your teenage years have to offer.

Pas

#14
September 10, 2003, 05:22:16 PM
Quote from: Banky
i totally agree and used to face similar dilemmas.  I would miss events to go see Matrix Reloaded the night before at the midnight showing ect. ect......I really just gave up and let go and now movies hold more weight over just about anything

Obviously not over your careful choosing of avatars ... god bless you
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