Letters to the Editor
Xrandadu Hutman
Published Letters: 2714 Editor's Choice: 52
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Down with 'pulp Ficton'!!!
[Read the article: "Grindhouse"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I have barely scratched the surface of why I am not a fawning "Pulp Fiction" devotee and take issue with the sheep-like cinematic dittoheads who seem to think not liking "Pulp Fiction" invalidates your viability as a sentient hominid. "Pulp Fiction" had some pretty sucky after-effects that include the following crappy results:
(1) 50% of all film students in America quicky gave up on mature, thoughtful storytelling and replaced their creative aspirations with Mexican standoffs and in-jokey "homages" to violent films that weren't that special to begin with.
(2) 50% of all filmmakers followed the same predictable pattern, eschewing original personal filmmaking for empty, violent spectacles often featuring amoral sensibilities and "funny and/or sympathetic hit-men." Renny Harlin made that crappy Geena Davis spy movie; William H. Macy played a gay hitman; Mel Gibson's "Payback" featured dozens of hitmen, with everybody dying, "Two Days in the Valley" was full of hitmen....hitmen, hitmen, hitmen, everywhere... Then Donna Summer came out with her hit song, "It's Raining Hitmen!" and it only got worse from there. Of all the "Pulp Fiction" inspired movies released in its blockbuster wake, how many can you rememeber? Yet there were scores of them.
(3) Tarantino's own success destroyed him as a filmmaker. This is what happens when somebody rockets to the A-list instead of working their way up while honing their craft -- they stop growing, they get spoiled, they lose patience with the important nuts and bolts that hold a story together. While directors like Curtis Hanson have emerged as dependable, mature artists after decades of smaller-scale films, Tarantino has turned into a hack version of himself, struggling to hold basic scenes together. The most important story moments of "Kill Bill" thud on the screen, and EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER speaks not like a unique individual, but like the pop-cultural mouthpiece of Tarantino the man. Jackie Brown's one attempt at a real crime drama set-piece (the shopping-mall robbery) was so amateurish it might have been a film-school project. With "Reservoir Dogs," Tarantino looked to become a really gutsy, innovative artist (even though he stole most of that story from a Japanese film). Then he became a "name" and it ruined him.
(4) Tarantino's success meant he subjected his hyper personality to the world at every available opportunity. Tarantino started believing that people's love for "Pulp Fiction" meant that people loved HIM. He decided to become an actor and the result was "Destiny Turns on the Radio." Didn't see it? Don't remember it? You're in luck -- it features Tarantino trying to play Elvis. It's reaaaalllly bad. Tarantino turned up in some other schlocky films that were of little note. Robert Rodriguez joined Tarantino on the path of stylistic excess instead of meaning, craft or depth. Tarantino influenced then-girlfriend Mira Sorvino to pretty much sabotage her up-and-coming career by trying to become an action star. Tarantino is lucky that he still has his raw talent to draw from to make up for his lack of restraint.
(5) "Pulp Fiction" meant that the world would no longer be safe from the terrors of John Travolta. Prior to the film, Travolta was safely ensconced in the ghetto of "Look Who's Talking" movies. Then "Pulp Fiction" came out and Travolta's faux-cool ego was unleashed like a giant steaming tongue upon the cultural landscape. We had to sit through Travolta's preening anti-heroics in everything from "Broken Arrow" to "Swordfish." Then Travolta did a new-age-Messiah schtick in a double-whammy of "Phenomenon" and "Michael," and crapped his Scientologist inanity all over audiences with "Battlefield Earth." Now, after "Wild Hogs," the world is begging Travolta, "Won't you please - for the love of god please - go make 'Look Who's Talking 4: My Diaper Is Far From Achieving a State of 'Clear'."
For these sins alone "Pulp Fiction" should be stricken from the "classics" list.
Incidentally, somebody else mentioned that "Pulp Fiction" has a terrific soundtrack. I agree -- and I think it boosted the film's cool points well beyond what they'd have been with a conventional score. You might be interested to know that much of the music for the film was selected ("curated") by Chuck Kelly, a man who worked with Tarantino at the same video store where he attained the bulk of his knowledge and appreciation for cult cinema.
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I like him and would vote for him
[Read the article: A conversation with John Edwards]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Of all the candidates he seems the most presidential to me. He also seems the most real. He's got a little of that Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter vibe, but not too much. He's been through the mill a few times and seems to have been toughened and refined by it.
You know what would be a great ticket? Gore/Edwards.
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What exactly is the problem here?
[Read the article: Is my 13-year-old son gay?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Okay, so your 13-year-old son is looking at gay porn.
First of all, fix your internet security so that even your own account can't get on gay porn sites.
Secondly, what if your son is gay? What can you do about it? Not much, other than trying to guilt him into a life in the closet, or brainwash him into thinking that straight is the only way to be a man. Or you could disown him. Those reprehensible courses of action aside, your son's sexuality is completely beyond your control.
Just keep setting a good example for him as a parent. Continue being his friend. Continue providing HUMAN guidance that knows no discrimination based on sexual preference.