Letters to the Editor

• Mega-response Part 3

  [Read the article: Art movies: R.I.P.]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  (21) Why do you think "secular humanism has reached a dead end." Has it, really? Do you even think most people understand what the words "secular humanism" even mean? I'd wager most people don't have a clue. Nor do most people understand fundamentals of philosophy. The dead-end might just be in people's awareness, not in the ideologies themselves. Does that mean that these ideologies have "failed"? You're going to pit thousands of years of religion against a few decades of something else and call the winner when the fight has barely gotten started?

  (22) "The human quest for meaning is innate and ineradicable." Yeah, so? It sounds like you're just being a defeatist, Camille. It sounds like you're saying, "People want meaning therefore religion is terrific." Welcome to last century and the century before that. You're not saying anything useful, nor anything that most of us don't already know.

  (23) Your take on rock music is pretty empty. The Rolling Stones aren't still around because their style is so pure. They're still around because millions of people are still fond of their songs, and they're still able to play them. The songs could be any other style and as long as they were catchy and memorable and performed by the same sexual icons who haven't become fat and bald, people would show up for the concerts.

  (24) Thanks for the Kelly Clarkson recommendation; maybe I'll begrudgingly listen. But I'm doubtful it's all that -- what little I've seen of "American Idol" is just vigorous formula. But I'll check it out. Ever listen to indie rock, Camille? Ever read up on the bands that are reviewed on Pitchfork Media? There's a whole world of music out there that has completely slipped past your radar.

  (25) Matt Drudge's radio show? Really, Camille? He's your source for music? Next you'll be telling us about your new fondness for Klaus Nomi because you heard one of his songs on Rush Limbaugh. ("Hey, did anybody hear the new Timberlake song on Bill O'Reilly the other day? Oh wow, Glenn Beck just played the coolest new Pink song....")

  (26) Regarding "Factory Girl," try reading the reviews next time, it'll save you from a shoddy film. The critics already pounced all over it. There are several Warhol films out there: Do you like any of them? How about "Basquiat"? Which film best captures the scene and vibe, for you?

  (27) Thanks for the YouTube links. Did you see the one where the angry zebra gets loose in the shopping mall? Or where the guy's skateboard catches on fire? Or where Billy K. responds via webcam to Tracy P's rant against the "haters" who trash-talk Lindsay Lohan? There's so much Warhol aesthetic on YouTube.

  Permalink Thursday, August 9, 2007 09:08 AM

• Kielowski

  [Read the article: Beyond the Multiplex]
  [Read more letters about this article: Here]

  As long as we're talking about Krystov Kielwoski (is that even close to the right spelling?), don't forget to mention his "Decalogue" series. I haven't seen it but it's in the Netflix queue and I can't wait. Ten hour-long films (made for French or Polish TV, I think) each based on one of the Ten Commandments.

  Oh yeah, the music for his films is exceptional, especially "The Double Life of Veronique." The composer is Zbigniew Preisner (again, not sure on spelling) and the music is very Gothic and portentious....in a good way. If you liked the music to "Wings of Desire" (Jurgen Knieper, etc.) you should definitely pick it up.

  Permalink Thursday, August 9, 2007 05:51 PM