Some reflection on Indy Coil's view of film critics

Posted by Shawnkara from spider-wm023.proxy.aol.com on July 01, 2001 at 15:19:31:

I totally agree with every word you said. I have NEVER understood the function, purpose or credibility of a 'professional critic'. Only in America could you ever possibly be paid for a loud-mouthed, ill-informed opinion of a creative work. It's not a toaster or a vacuum cleaner to which you can assign pros and cons, it's art, and art is subject to opinion, not formula. It's fact (not opinion in this case) that nearly every film critic aspired at one time to be a film maker but lacked the talent and vision to do so. The last person in the world I would want critiqing my writing is a bitter, pissed-off and failed writer who is still somehow convinced of his own imaginary genius. Contrasting example: 'The English Patient' is one of the worst films I have ever seen. And I hate to say that, being the Ralph Fiennes fan that I am, but for me it's true. It's supposed to be a powerful and moving love story, a story of a romance that can not be, given the moral constraints of the time. In a climactic scene towards the end of the film the woman (I forget who played the character) says to Fiennes' character, "I've always loved you." as she lay dying in his arms. The scene is constructed of fine acting and a selection of score that could not have been placed better. This scene is the heart of the film. It's the ENTIRE POINT. But I felt nothing for either character and the bulk of the emotion was lost on me. Why? Because between nurse Hannah's affair with the Indian guy, the political subplots and the over-blown development of Willem Dafoe's character the film spent hardly any time with with the lead characters, despite the fact that the film runs nearly three hours. By the time that pivotal scene I described comes around you're expected to tear your heart out and feel for two people you don't even know. Plot holes? That whole God damned movie was a plot hole. Just imagine if 'Raiders' had gone from the government meeting in the lecture hall to a an hour's worth of crap detailing the personal lives of the two G-men and the "I Love You" girl. Epic masterpiece, or long-winded crap?

Follow Ups:

I think this whole "anti-critic" stuff is overblown... Brett (Maverick) Lambert 03:01:21 7/02/2001 (0)
The slime of humanity... Katanga 15:38:56 7/01/2001 (1)
- FIGHT CLUB ROCKS!!! (nm) Shawnkara 02:23:01 7/02/2001 (0)
Yes...BUT (LOL, always a but...) Sean 15:34:45 7/01/2001 (0)

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: I totally agree with every word you said. I have NEVER understood the function, purpose or credibility of a 'professional critic'. Only in America could you ever possibly be paid for a loud-mouthed, ill-informed opinion of a creative work. It's not a toaster or a vacuum cleaner to which you can assign pros and cons, it's art, and art is subject to opinion, not formula. It's fact (not opinion in this case) that nearly every film critic aspired at one time to be a film maker but lacked the talent and vision to do so. The last person in the world I would want critiqing my writing is a bitter, pissed-off and failed writer who is still somehow convinced of his own imaginary genius. Contrasting example: 'The English Patient' is one of the worst films I have ever seen. And I hate to say that, being the Ralph Fiennes fan that I am, but for me it's true. It's supposed to be a powerful and moving love story, a story of a romance that can not be, given the moral constraints of the time. In a climactic scene towards the end of the film the woman (I forget who played the character) says to Fiennes' character, "I've always loved you." as she lay dying in his arms. The scene is constructed of fine acting and a selection of score that could not have been placed better. This scene is the heart of the film. It's the ENTIRE POINT. But I felt nothing for either character and the bulk of the emotion was lost on me. Why? Because between nurse Hannah's affair with the Indian guy, the political subplots and the over-blown development of Willem Dafoe's character the film spent hardly any time with with the lead characters, despite the fact that the film runs nearly three hours. By the time that pivotal scene I described comes around you're expected to tear your heart out and feel for two people you don't even know. Plot holes? That whole God damned movie was a plot hole. Just imagine if 'Raiders' had gone from the government meeting in the lecture hall to a an hour's worth of crap detailing the personal lives of the two G-men and the "I Love You" girl. Epic masterpiece, or long-winded crap?

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