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In Reply to: Woody Allen:::/Long.... posted by gware on February 06, 2002 at 02:16:59:

He-he, Eric, looks like we touched the nerve here.
Anyway, I am still a bit puzzled by your rejection of Woody, but let me emphasize the point I was trying to make. He is not a great director in the ever-lasting sense, not one of the titan what walked the Earth (mostly the European part of it). However he is in my view a rather interesting director with a unique approach and vision.
However, his main role to me ramains that of an outsider and the leader, the speerhead of a small "democratic" opposition if you will, to the well-oiled juggernaut that has managed to destroy almost any chance of good fimls appearing in America. In that particular case the pray turned out to be too stubborn - not did it not just disappear, but it kept making films, each one of which is still an event.
So let's look at the same question from the different perspective - is he not the best director in the US today? Let's give him his true and well deserved credit - in the sea of french fries, Tarantinos, Spielbergs, Lucas', Stones, Scotts, etc, etc, etc who else produces films like Woody? Noone, unfortunately. And as I mentioned before, I presume the pressure on him is relentless.
So I am thankful to the man for keeping the US still on the map as a country where at least *some* good films would be made. Sometimes that in itself is a tremendous achievement.
Regarding your interesting observations about Schindler... I agree, BUT... remove that sentimental note and you have a marketplace bummer. Here in the US the only way to score high with the public was to throw them that stale "feel good" bone.
As a general rule, the American public can't take the reality. They universally see the reality as gray, pale, boring. They see the emotions and sufferings of normal, real human beings as trivial and lacking zest. So the industry delivers the spice. It comes in many forms and we know them all.
Bad spice is used in bad films, and there is no ambiguity. But what usually passes here for "good" film, a film that generates huge profits and creates crowds, is usually full of *good* artificial sweetener.
Usually that is the feel-good theme, of which the Americans are the Grandest of the Grand Masters. Where else would you see produced such marvels like the Rain Man? Jeez.... What would be left in that "film" if one were to remove the most silly scenes of counting matches, etc? Just another cheap cliche that works like a charm.
That good spice is actually the reflection of the basically good and humane nature of the Americans, it is just kept undeveloped, unfortunately, at the rather naive level. Why? Because it is easier to make another Schindler than another Autumn Sonata.
You see that theme in many recent films. It is the same in the Private Ryan, and there the syrup is dumped by truckloads - all those most idiotic and in poor taste scenes at the cemetary were beneath any serious filmmaker.

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Re: Woody Allen:::/Long....