[NEohioPAL] Got Milk? MY last word, at least.

[Ensemble Theatre]

It is highly doubtful that this is your last word, Robert, as you are the
quintessential man of words. I sincerely mean that as a true compliment.
However, much 'Milk' was spilled on Sean Penn, it seems to be worth it, 
as he is, as you mentioned, the bankable 'commodity.' And, as the saying
goes, money talks and bullshit walks. . .
 
In the ultra-high finance world of Hollywood movies, as opposed to the legitimate
stage, there is operating a totally alien ethic with regard to the ancient craft
of live performance. It is the IMAGE that rules, absolutely, and maybe it is
the film editor, ultimately, who determines what is defined as 'art.' It is a well
worn cliche that Hollywood actors, as well as television, embody the glitz and
glamour, as well as the mind-numbing 'group-think' that has an alarming 
portion of the population in permanent paralysis. As the 'star system' still
can crank out billion dollar blockbusters, then maybe that 'group-think'
MUST come before a true individual is formed, by his OWN effort, and thereby
he or she might be guided to a live performance of Shakespeare or O'Neill,
thus separating the wheat from the chaff. 
 
We are the 'voices crying in the wilderness.' those that make their livelihood
and even avocations on the live theater stage. It is a totally personal world, 
full of immediacy, total human contact, and the fleeting 'live' performance -never to 
be witnessed again. With all of its beauty - and its warts, it is infinitely preferable
to the 7-second-byte/no attention span 'flick' (a totally appropriate word!!!) and all
it implies. If the weasal goes 'POP' then the culture has gone 'FLICK' and it is WE
who are at the periphery of the wheel, and the 'flick' at the center.And, as Jimmy
Durante so aptly phrased it. . . .WHAT A b    

--- On Fri, 12/19/08, Robert Hawkes <rhhawkes at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Robert Hawkes <rhhawkes at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NEohioPAL] Got Milk? MY last word, at least.
To: "Fred Sternfeld" <fsternfeld at gmail.com>
Cc: neohiopal at listserve.com, KevinJosephKelly at aol.com
Date: Friday, December 19, 2008, 11:53 AM


Well, I replied privately to Mr Kelly, and he to me. We seem to have an understanding. What we have (mostly) is a DIFFERENCE of experience, point of view, agenda and possibly taste. Just facts, like eye color or a liking for broccoli, and so not arguable.

Mr Sternfeld and I seem to have a DISAGREEMENT about the merits of the film as film, which we could possibly argue if we were so inclined.

My hope is that we live happily and productively with both our differences and our disagreements, however much our culture still encourages us to retreat into name-calling and put-down rather than actual discourse. Cf. most sitcoms, not to mention political campaigns. 

We're ALL agreed, I think, that Mr Penn's performance as Milk is very persuasive indeed - as is the work of the rest of the actors in the piece. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences may well nominate and even award him the Prize, but let's remember that this is the same group that nominated but did not award Ian McKellen for Gods and Monsters and David Strathairn for Good Night and Good Luck. So their judgment can be trusted only half way, at best. 

Stay safe, all. As I used to say to my students before I retired (halleluia!): Watch out for drunks on the road, and don't be one of them. 

RHH
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