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"post facto ascribed subtexts"

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In Reply to: :-) posted by sjb on March 19, 2007 at 08:28:45:

That's an important and accurate observation, I believe. Some offhand thoughts:
Film is art. In all its elements. But, as I briefly argued with tinear (Brando v Neuman), I really wonder how important it is for a particular viewer to be able to read deeply into the "art" of it to derive great enjoyment, or even inspiration.
Did Bergman or anyone associated with him set out to make great art, to make films filled with particular nuance. I really doubt it. I think he is inspired by an idea, and then he improvises using the resources available; imaginatively, intuitively. The result is so personal, so representative of his idosyncratic make up as to evade analysis or criticism, initially, by its very nature.
Artists labor to "discover" their creations, and as often as not are as surprised as the observer when they read the content. Greatness comes when excellence for its own sake is pursued and revealed. In a moment or over a career.
I believe the primary purpose of film - of art - is to appeal to the senses. I think the artist knows and intends this. On balance this appeal must be sympathetic, otherwise one walks away. Only after the fact should one -artist or observer - legitimately wish to ascribe deeper significance.

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"Did [Beethoven]... set out to make great art?" Certainly not *lasting* art; he had no concept. (But Mahler did...) nt - clarkjohnsen 10:54:51 03/20/07 (1)
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- Beethoven had no concept of lasting art? What's scary is that you mean it. nt - tinear 16:56:31 03/20/07 (0)
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Re: "post facto ascribed subtexts" - sjb 17:18:52 03/19/07 (0)
It hardly qualifies as "art" but, like many people, I wrote a fair amount when I was younger (mostly, mostly bad poetry) and to this day there are times when I look back on some of it and think... "Oh! That's what that meant!!" And that might change multiple times with the same piece.
Also, I work with, for and around a lot of creative people (and a lot of director's) and it's funny to see say a music video that eventually gets posted on youtube and to read people's comments about what they think it's about or what the references might be, etc. and they're almost always different from what the director was thinking (or at least what was shared about the thinking).
About Wild Strawberries... the commentary track mentioned that the dreams were replications of IB's own dreams (that he had a knack for remembering them in detail) which could well mean that even as he incorporated them he didn't REALLY know what they meant.

Don't piss on my shoe and tell me it's raining.

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