From: il@bambam.u.washington.edu (Il Hwan Oh)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies
Subject: Re: spike lee &  boston celtics
Date: 21 Nov 92 07:06:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: u.1992Nov21.070657.454
Organization: University of Washington, Tacoma

isbell@ai.mit.edu (Charles L Isbell) writes:
>il@bambam.u.washington.edu (Il Hwan Oh) writes:
>|myra@saul.cis.upenn.edu (Myra VanInwegen) writes:
>|> iho@cac.washington.edu writes:
>|> >I've seen a few of his films (_Do_The_Right_Thing_, _Mo'_Better_Blues_,
>|> >and _Jungle_Fever_) and have to disagree with you.  While they were
>|> >interesting to watch, I wouldn't have minded missing them.  
>|> >  His movies incorporate a lot of very
>|> >stylistic elements and uniquely innovative techniques.  
>|> You wouldn't have missed them despite their use of these uniquely
>|> innovative techniques? Maybe your disagrement with the content is
>|> blinding you to their artistic merit, which even you admit.
>
>|Maybe I misstated my feelings.  I don't feel like I really need to
>|see his movies any more because they all tend to be about the same
>|subject.  It's this limited scope of subject matter that I have a
>|problem with.  For me, it gets old really fast.  The innovative
>|techniques are nice, but they should be used to enhance the movie
>|rather than become the attraction in the movie, in my opinion.
>
>I'd love to see you explain how _She's Got To Have It_ is "about the
>same subject" as _Mo Better Blues_, _Do The Right Thing_, or _School
>Daze_ or how any of those movies is about the same thing.

I listed the Spike Lee movies I've seen.  You list 2 others I have not
seen.  As for MBB and DTRT, I'll admit that MBB was different from the
other 2 I've seen, but it was still not to my liking.  In my opinion,
he doesn't use his techniques very well in his movies.  In fact, I
think they distract me from the plot itself.  I thought I was very
careful to state that these were just my opinions on movies made
by one particular director, but I guess it wasn't clear enough.  I
don't think that I made any objective critiques of his movies.  The
only objective statement I've made was that he uses innovative
techniques.  Gee, I never thought I'd be crucified for saying I
didn't like any one particular movie (or three).

>The only common thread is that there are Black people in the lead
>roles.  This does not make them the same.

I didn't say that they were the same, but that they were about the
same subject.  You helped me discover my error WRT _Mo'_Better_Blues_,
but there is a recurring theme in his movies.  Furthermore, This
particular recurring theme does not hold any particular attraction
for me that I should keep going back for more.  This is, of course,
just personal opinion.  I'm sure there are movies I like that you
(and many others) don't, but it's a free country.

>|[descriptions of some of S. Lee's techniques deleted]
>|> >It's also blatantly obvious that
>|> >the movies were written and directed by a black person,
>|> Am I supposed to think that there's something wrong with this?
>
>|There's more to a person than his/her color.  If he/she can't get beyond
>|that, he/she is cheating him/herself as well as the world of lots of
>|potential
>
>And if critics cannot get beyond this then they are cheating
>themselves of lots of potential.

You can't possibly begin to imagine how little what critics think matters
to me.

>|My problem is that his subject matter is always about racial conflicts/
>|problems.  There are many other stories to be told.  As you said, there
>|are countless white directors and writers, but very few of their movies
>|are about the same subject.  Their subject matters cover a much broader
>|spectrum.
>
>You're being narrow.  Linking _School Daze_ to _Mo Better Blues_ or
>_Jungle Fever_ is a huuuuge stretch.

Whatever.  I never saw SD, didn't care very much for MBB, and even
less for JF.

>Show me PLEASE how these are "about the same thing."

I've seen 3 of his films: _Do the Right Thing_, _Mo' Better Blues_,
and _Jungle Fever_.  I observed what I thought was a repeated
underlying theme in both DTRT and JF (one I don't care all that much
about).  Different strokes for different folks.

I've admitted I had a memory lapse about the contents of MBB.
In fact, I do remember thinking that I'd have really liked MBB if
someone else had directed it.  Those innovative techniques I admire
so much were distracting for me.
-- 
Il Hwan Oh                              | "You live and learn.
Computer Facilities Manager             |   At any rate, you live."
University of Washington, Tacoma        |            -- Douglas Adams
iho@cac.washington.edu                  | 
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies