tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post2842088955012277979..comments2024-03-27T05:43:51.239-07:00Comments on The Invisible Ink Blog: A Genius - Part 2 (or Chaplin's Blog)Brian McDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-82270274239964339082010-04-13T11:24:37.778-07:002010-04-13T11:24:37.778-07:00I think that we basically agree here. My main poi...I think that we basically agree here. My main point is that I see awful things. Films that are convoluted or pointless or boring or whatever and people will make up all manor or excuse for them. <br /><br />In my years of talking to people about this with people there are two great artistic crimes one is to be clearly understood and the other is to be emotional.<br /><br />Norman Rockwell is Brian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-72486675752035841862010-04-12T22:06:16.567-07:002010-04-12T22:06:16.567-07:00I guess I'm torn on this. Considering the las...I guess I'm torn on this. Considering the laser focus on emotional appeal by most all media, I have a hard time believing that society values emotion less than logic and reason. But I do agree that folks at least *believe* they trust cold, hard facts more, whether they do or not. I know I trust facts more than emotional appeals, to the degree I can ensure they are actually the fact.<br /><Clinthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16131071036109081147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-69967055401041196172010-04-12T13:08:22.435-07:002010-04-12T13:08:22.435-07:00Hey Clint,
I think we are describing different pi...Hey Clint,<br /><br />I think we are describing different pieces of the same elephant. I do think people use emotion more, but I think we value it less. Emotion is thought of as cheap and manipulative. And to be fair it is often used that way. But so can cold numbers, facts and stats be manipulative. <br /><br />Mark Twain said, “There are lies, damned lies and statistics.”<br /><br />But weBrian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-53026689167755495732010-04-11T19:03:24.673-07:002010-04-11T19:03:24.673-07:00I realize this conversation is years old at this p...I realize this conversation is years old at this point, but I have to add something to it. In my experience, on the contrary, society has moved very much the opposite direction, from thinking to emotion. How a person feels is far more valued in our society today than how he thinks. The news we get, the talk shows we have, the magazines we have--all of it focuses on how people feel. The Clinthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16131071036109081147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-61788713630958395162008-01-14T12:52:00.000-08:002008-01-14T12:52:00.000-08:00Brilliant insights in their simplicity. And I rea...Brilliant insights in their simplicity. And I really enjoyed the discussion that came from this entry.Bobby Pontillashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07481827562096184709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-56146098742408479562007-06-21T22:41:00.000-07:002007-06-21T22:41:00.000-07:00I agree that film critics definitely play a part i...I agree that film critics definitely play a part in the phasing out of the acceptance of sentimentality, but I don't think they are a strong enough voice to really do the damage. <BR/><BR/>While those stuffy critics who would moan about the truly good sentimentality in films like ET, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, and THE IRON GIANT (films that completely EARN the right to use such sentimentality) Joon Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17333531860165969857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-79531821929820037492007-06-20T20:18:00.000-07:002007-06-20T20:18:00.000-07:00I don’t quite know when it happened, but I think i...I don’t quite know when it happened, but I think it was a slow transition. It’s not completely gone yet, look at Shawshank Redemption (the movie I like to call a “girl movie” for boys) it is a very sentimental film. But if things keep going the direction they have been in 30 years people may think it’s sappy. I think people we still like it, but they may call it sappy the way people do with Brian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-18394058753390610682007-06-20T18:02:00.000-07:002007-06-20T18:02:00.000-07:00Brian>> those are interesting points. I agree with...Brian>> those are interesting points. I agree with you that there is a bias towards being "intellectual" that sometimes bypasses "good", "satisfying" or even, ironically, "smart".<BR/><BR/>In place of my advertising theory, I guess my question to you should have been more like; when did this change come about? <BR/><BR/>It seems to me that our culture was more open to sentiment in the past and James Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18283687555480506116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-78064582909051159952007-06-20T17:18:00.000-07:002007-06-20T17:18:00.000-07:00Hi Brian,This is Bruce. Call me at (415) 609-6124...Hi Brian,<BR/><BR/>This is Bruce. Call me at (415) 609-6124 or email me at xobruce@well.com. I want to talk to you about a project.<BR/><BR/>Bruce.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04639280230073477180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-22578050254192753892007-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:002007-06-18T19:07:00.000-07:00I don’t think it’s a defense against advertising. ...I don’t think it’s a defense against advertising. I just we just created and live in a culture that values intellect over feeling. I think it’s been a long time coming. <BR/><BR/>I think it’s because we know our emotion can fool us, but we are not as hip to the idea that our intellect fools us all the time. I’ve mentioned before that I study magic and illusion and that art is all about Brian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-36184077880378630882007-06-18T16:45:00.000-07:002007-06-18T16:45:00.000-07:00hmmm... any ideas on why this might be so? Could i...hmmm... any ideas on why this might be so? Could it be that we have developed this "shield" against all the advertising that we are subjected to?James Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18283687555480506116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-5788993538259253942007-06-17T16:12:00.000-07:002007-06-17T16:12:00.000-07:00I agree, Jamie. I have never been a big fan of th...I agree, Jamie. I have never been a big fan of the word “manipulation” when it comes to film for the exact reason that you state – it is the nature of the thing to manipulate. And I agree too that it is when people are aware of it that they object the most. <BR/><BR/>But what I have seen over the years is that it is sentimentality that makes these people the angriest. They are not nearly as Brian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-75761488258791164692007-06-14T19:34:00.000-07:002007-06-14T19:34:00.000-07:00I enjoyed reading that article. Thanks for sharing...I enjoyed reading that article. Thanks for sharing.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Good points made by all.Dannyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16846265668377160152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-56238210028085540952007-06-14T16:24:00.000-07:002007-06-14T16:24:00.000-07:00Brian>> I have really been thinking a lot about th...Brian>> I have really been thinking a lot about this issue lately. <BR/><BR/>For one thing, I have always felt that the term "manipulated" is a strange one when it comes to assessing film (or perhaps ANY art form, for that matter) because it is an inherently manipulative medium. Every frame of film and all the elements within it, are arranged to get an reaction from the audience. Even the James Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18283687555480506116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-86752894069603189962007-06-14T15:06:00.000-07:002007-06-14T15:06:00.000-07:00For me personally, Keaton is great, but I feel ver...For me personally, Keaton is great, but I feel very little emotion when I watch his films.<BR/><BR/>I do think that Chaplin’s attitude may feel dated to us. We tend to see him as corny. We have also made a decision as a society that thinking is better than emotion. Chaplin himself said, “We think too much and feel too little”. I hear people all the time talk about how they were manipulated byBrian McDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14725832940943503641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-12378801177067411242007-06-14T13:47:00.000-07:002007-06-14T13:47:00.000-07:00I think it also depends on what you are watching. ...I think it also depends on what you are watching. If you want to see Chaplin really going for the funny-bone, and not at all for the heart-strings, then watch his series of MUTUAL SHORT COMEDIES. There are 12 of these, made in 1916, and they are all very funny.James Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18283687555480506116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-72368309085903398662007-06-13T16:45:00.000-07:002007-06-13T16:45:00.000-07:00I think it could possibly be because people are re...I think it could possibly be because people are resistant to sentimentality, which I believe Chaplin showed more of than Keaton. Though, I also haven't watched enough of their work to really speak with much authority.Joon Kimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17333531860165969857noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14646103.post-51028537535666706372007-06-08T21:23:00.000-07:002007-06-08T21:23:00.000-07:00so, heres a question for you - not trying to count...so, heres a question for you - <BR/>not trying to counter the fact that chaplin is a genious, and doing as someone else stated in mentioning them in the same breath - why is chaplin less funny today than buster keaton? feels like in the classes/screenings ive had where both of their films are shown, keaton gets more laughs. just wondering if you had any theories - i haven't seen enough of riley(kabear)https://www.blogger.com/profile/16065025295532475675noreply@blogger.com