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- Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies
- Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!torn!nott!bnrgate!bcrka451!cadnews
- From: simpson@bnr.ca (Scott Simpson)
- Subject: Re: The Player (was Re: Academy Awards)
- Message-ID: <1993Jan3.070531.18560@bcrka451.bnr.ca>
- Sender: 5E00 Corkstown News Server
- Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada
- References: <1993Jan01.202821.13401@microsoft.com> <1993Jan2.200530.13182@daimi.aau.dk> <1i5dvtINN5vk@shelley.u.washington.edu>
- Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 07:05:31 GMT
- Lines: 47
-
- In article <1i5dvtINN5vk@shelley.u.washington.edu> twain@milton.u.washington.edu (Barbara Hlavin) writes:
- >In article <1993Jan2.200530.13182@daimi.aau.dk> rorschak@daimi.aau.dk
- >(Jesper Lauridsen) writes:
- >>
- >>Having seen 103 movies (video not counted) in 1992 I think that I qualify
- >>as a "movie buff" (or on my way to be one), and I really can't see what
- >>is so great about The Player. It was funny, entertaining, a bit predictable
- >>but overall well made. Good professional work, but great? No.
- >>
- >A hilarious delight in and appreciation of THE PLAYER depends to
- >a large extent on one's sense of movies as a separate art form,
- >with its own history, and a profoundly satirical and even cynical
- >understanding of exactly how deeply Americans have been affected in
- >many aspects of both their public and their private lives.
- >
- >A *bit predictable*?? If there was anything predictable in THE PLAYER
- >it came from its way of playing games with our knowledge of older and
- >classic movies.
-
- Having seen as many movies as Jesper, I must agree with Barbara-- almost the
- whole point (and entertainment value) of "The Player" was how much it took digs
- at traditional Hollywood formula movies and their stars. From seeing stars of
- "old Hollywood" quarrantined to a corner of the room at a swanky party to the
- innumerable cameos of high-falutin' stars, "The Player" presents to us just how
- *some* of the system works. Heck, one of my favourite snippets of the movie
- (and there are numerous snippets) is in the final scene, when Tim Robbins is
- kissing Greta Scacchi, holding his hand on her (obviously) pregnant tummy in
- the usual "They Live Happily Ever-After" (TM) moment, as a taunting "na na na
- na naaaaa na" chorus sounds over the scene. Altman is almost insulting us for
- accepting such a happy ending. I loved it.
-
- Anyway, everyone is entitled to their opinion, and Jesper just didn't find
- "The Player" one of his hundred best. No problem. Just as long as he rates
- it higher than "Shining Through"... ;-)
-
- Anyway, just thought I'd add my thoughts on the subject (like anyone cares)...
-
-
- Later,
- Scott
- -----------------> rec.sport.hockey Ottawa Senators Contact <------------------
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- - CAD Operation Tools Development | donuts | potato(e) chips | -
- - Bell-Northern Research Ltd. | crumbled-up cookie things | -
- - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada [CRK 043] | beer | hog fat | boobies]." -
- - simpson@bnr.ca (613) 763-9243 | - Homer, hero to men everywhere -
- ---> In case it's not obvious, BNR and I may or may not share these views. <---
-