Snobbery, movies with MMI insert, they-who-must-not-be-named

[Tabouli]

Curiously, though I can happily read a book fifty times (I started this habit young - at 6 I boasted that I had read Charlotte's Web 28 times), and find or focus on something different each time, there are very few films I can watch more than once.  Films are too complete for me - there's not enough to discover the second time, unless it's a very dense and complex film.

That said, I'm very fond of films.  Highbrow intellectual literature makes me impatient - I feel I *ought* to appreciate the stuff, but in all honesty, I can rarely be bothered with a book that takes a lot of effort.  I could blame doing a postgrad degree (struggling through oceans of dreary articles by pedantic, boring academics whose grasp of jargon greatly outclasses their grasp of writing... blaaagggh), but the truth of it is, I've always liked my reading for entertainment accessible and digestible.  The problem is more that a succession of people whose judgment I've feared and respected (perhaps without good reason), have consistently sneered at my taste for light reading, implying that this somehow means that I'm lazy and immature and plebian and of inferior taste.

I really dislike this attitude, but try as I might I can never totally shake it off.  (Mind you, as these are also the sort of people who either refuse to sully their pure, sophisticated intellects with the hoi polloi's Harry Potter or, if they've deigned to read them, dismiss the series patronisingly as a bit of fun, but really they're just children's books after all, not to be confused with, say, Beowulf...)

Anyway.  To go back to my point about films, I *can* quite happily watch heavy, highbrow intellectual films, and occasionally catch myself indulging in a little sniffery about Hollywood movies.  I do try to catch myself and stop it.

As for films I like (though stop watching after once or twice in almost all cases):

- The social observer in me enjoyed "American Beauty" very much, for reasons I've mentioned elsewhere.

- I'm also with Catherine on "Sliding Doors"... John Hannah's lines are just priceless ("If you don't finish your fatty drinks, you'll never achieve quality cellulite!"), and I have a weakness for Scottish accents.  I only saw this recently, on video, and I had a revelation... maybe Gwyneth's not so bad after all!  I've always found her exceedingly limp and unconvincing (classic case of someone trying to act who'd be better off just being seen), but in this film she did the nice English girl with more oomph than I thought she was capable of.  Any UK comments on her English accent?  Someone told me it was bad, but it sounded OK to me...

(as an aside, I remarked on this to some American guy I met at a party, and he said "That Scottish guy was totally out of his league with her.  No guy like that would stand a chance with Gwyneth in the real world.  No way Jose.  A girl like that wouldn't give a guy like that a chance."  What?? I replied.  Most women would kill for a man that witty!  Not to mention kind, caring and good-natured...  but no.  Didn't believe a word of it.  Not good-looking enough to be worth a second look, let alone a date, he repeated with conviction.  Phew. I mused that this said a huge amount about said American guy, in my book, but I tactfully refrained from telling him this.  Any thoughts?)

- Loved "Edward Scissorhands".

- "Proof" (early nineties Australian film) was similarly excellent... hey, a story about a blind photographer has to have something about it!

- "Raise the Red Lantern".  In Australia any film critic with pretensions to class sees it as de rigeur to fawn on any film made in and about Asia, which must by definition be a ground-breaking subtle aromatic five star masterpiece of cinema beyond any of the hackneyed middle class drivel produced in the West.  This is very irritating.  RTRL is the only one of these "masterpieces" I've seen thus far which lives up to the hype.

- "Back to the Future"...a true 80s classic!  Clever.  Very clever.

I'm sure there must be heaps more, but I'm suffering that amazing tendency film titles have of evaporating totally from the mind the minute I step into a video shop.  Any other time I could probably list a dozen films I'm dying to see or particularly like, but as soon as the pressure's on I go blank.

> A** Z
a.k.a. "She Who Must Not Be Named" <grins at Tabouli while inking out the 
Tom Bombadil scenes in FotR>
D***d:
> They-who-must-not-be-named, eh, Tabouli? Always call things by their proper names.

Normally I reject the idea of inserting asterisks to render something less offensive.  However, some views are so reprehensible that even I feel compelled to use asterisks to protect those who promote them from the retribution many may feel their actions deserve.  I feel it is my duty to warn people who show their support for the foul and abominable slaughter of Tom Bombadil, either by casting aspersions on his good name and character or defacing his likeness, that their crimes are fully punishable by poetry.

Tabouli.

"First of all, I see from our instruments that we have a couple of hitchhikers aboard.  Hello, wherever you are.  I would just like to say that you are not at all welcome (...).  I have sent out a search party, and as soon as they find you I will put you off the ship.  If you're very lucky I might read you some of my poetry first." 

Chapter 6, Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams (sadly missed).


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