Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Getting the Ball Rolling

I suppose I should reply to Mike's e-mail on the web page, and start his forum hopping! I agree that the cast of Catch 22 (the movie) was excellent (and you forgot to mention John Voight as Milo Minderbinder - a classic!), and Joseph Heller contributed to the screenplay, which should in theory have made it an ideal representation of the book. I think, however, that a lot of dark humor and irony were sacrificed, and that the movie could have been much stronger. I suppose my objection to the film comes from the youthful notion at which Mike has scoffed - this cherishing of "style" (imagine a sneering tone) running rampant in my generation. I admit, I'm of that school - I've read too much e.e. cummings, Allen Ginsberg, Don DeLillo, T.S. Eliot, Kafka, Vonnegut, Eggers, and even Heller, not to appreciate it. I don't think, however, that content need necessarily be sacrificed on the altar of style; great work should, of course, incorporate/achieve both. So, On with the radical STYLE movement, I say, and let's see what we get from it! And, on with Mike's content, because it's ALWAYS entertaining!

1 comment:

Mike Netherland said...

Here I am in the ridiculous position of commenting on my own Blog! Well, I can't admit to being as well read as my friend and colleague Dina Mac, not and look you in the eye anyway. However, my F&C takes my style-over-substance comment and throws it in my face wrapped up in a few lines I penned regarding the worthiness of the movie version of Catch-22. Brava (not wanting to sound French). In those lines I took issue with her implied disdain for the movie and I went on to extoll the overall cinematic tour de...er masterpiece.

Anyway, my main concern is that when there is a decision to be made regarding the way information is to be communicated, outside of art and architecture, it will be communicated with the prevailing notion of what will be perceived as insensitive, not "inclusive" or as an insufficient celebration of diversity. And the information will invariably become less important than how it is communicated.