Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!hsdndev!cfa203!thakur
From: chris@sloth.bc.ca (Chris Brougham)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.cinema
Subject: More Posts
Message-ID: <1991Jun8.222345.8252@cfa.harvard.edu>
Date: 8 Jun 91 22:23:45 GMT
Sender: thakur@cfa.harvard.edu (Manavendra K. Thakur)
Reply-To: chris@sloth.bc.ca (Chris Brougham)
Followup-To: rec.arts.cinema
Organization: sloth prince george, b.c.
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Approved: thakur@zerkalo.harvard.edu


[Moderator's note: I'll add my thoughts to Chris' comments in a
separate posting that will follow this one. -- MKT]

It's been about two years since I posted an article to r.a.c so I
think it's about time that I helped save this group from the rmgroup
gods...I have a number of suggestions and complaints I would like to
air, but first I have some questions.

I'd like to ask the readers of this group what *they* think is an
appropriate subject for r.a.c. Are you interested in "high brow" (a la
NY Times) type reviews of popular fiction films or perhaps are you
interested in film theory? Does the philosophical aspect of film
theory interest any of you...or would you prefer lighter critical
reviews which highlight such things like acting, musical score, or set
design in aesthetic rather than theoretical terms?

Who out there in netland is a "serious" student of film i.e. graduate
or undergraduate film or communication student or a faculty type
person?  If you are one of these "types" why not post an essay on film
or some thoughts on film in academe?

Now for some suggestions and complaints.

What do you think about the idea of a moderator for this group?
Perhaps Manavendra could respond here, suggesting possible ways in
which we could increase traffic flow. My vote would be to "unmoderate"
the group and let anyone post. I think one message every 3 months is a
little light!

Perhaps we could begin some sort of monthly summation of recent books
on film or reviews of movies...anything to get this traffic up. Any
suggestions here?

Are there any filmmakers that might want to contribute? Please send me
mail or post here with your ideas on film...

I would like to hear from as many of the r.a.c readers as possible
with suggestions and complaints--mail to me directly or post here.
[Manavendra please make sure these messages get posted!!!]

My bottom line is I want to see more articles on more topics. The
serious study of cinema provides us with an incredibly rich arena in
which to explore so many pressing issues of our day in ways that
really tax our critical capacities and allow us to explore areas which
we normally would not encounter. For example, when we analyze cinema
in aesthetic terms we examine fundamental notions of beauty or
ugliness that are a part of our cultural heritage (whatever culture
that might be) or when we analyze cinema in ideological terms we
express ideas about the structure of our society. At the root of these
ideas are philosophies which guide our understanding of cinema and
also tell us how we perceive our world.

Film theorists (either "professional" or "amateur") are a lot like
philosophers--but we don't have to be as pretentious |-).

Finally a little note about myself. I'm a graduate student at Simon
Fraser University where I'm studying film in the Department of
Communication.


---
chris brougham
chris@sloth.bc.ca