Re: a simple fine

Ok, I get you. I have mixed feelings about historical films -- for
example, Oliver Stone took some heat for factual inaccuracies in JFK and
Nixon. I've only seen the first of the two, but even if you don't buy
the premise of the film, I thought his fiction caught something of the
essence of the mystery surrounding the whole event. I very much suspect
the same is true of Nixon. On the other hand, if he's representing
history...isn't there some obligation to the facts? I think the most
meaningful fictional representations of historical events, I think,
stays within factual boundaries, adding details, of course, that mere
historical research can't provide, and makes its point by the way the
facts were presented.

The specific article Daniel linked to, I thought, made some valid
criticisms of the film _Inherit the Wind_. Yeah, we can always dismiss
these kinds of criticism saying, "It's only fiction." But that usually
only happens about fictions we don't care about. When we do, we dislike
it. _Inherit the Wind_ seems only able to make its commentary by
ignoring the facts (to appeal to popular biases), and that's pretty,
pretty sad...

But I don't think you were arguing this point, really.

Jim

Omlor@aol.com wrote:

> Hi Jim,
>
> Of course, the scientists always debate away, often in a most
> unfortunate manner (although I suspect they rarely seriously accuse
> each other or their theories of causing lawlessness, increased
> abortions, etc.). But, as you'll notice from the quotes, the farcical
> stuff on this website is of an all together different and delightfully
> absurd order.
>
> And there is no question that the drama I mentioned was second-rate.
> That's one of the reasons that I thought it related so perfectly to
> the sad and useless conversation I was having with Daniel.
>
> And Daniel's response, including his citing of the hilarious website
> (and including this discussion which is now following it) only serves
> confirm my initial inclination.
>
> Soon, though, they'll wrap up the cords and pack up the microphones
> and the cameras and take them all away, I hope, and we can get back to
> discussing slightly less stupid stuff.
>
> Thanks for the evening's fun,
>
> --John
>

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Received on Fri Aug 22 23:47:23 2003