grrrl interrupted

[GREATwarEAGLE]

This reminds me of Spike Lee's outrage that Michael Mann was the one who got to make ALI. Spike wanted to do it, and was not pleased that a white man was chosen over him. Kinda funny since, at that time, THE SUMMER OF SAM was Lee's most recent film. A film based on real events dealing with white people.

If a filmmaker is making a film about police officers, does that filmmaker need to have ever been a police officer? Or a film about someone dealing with the effects of being raped - does the filmmaker need to have been raped in their life?

The best filmmakers can relate to any subject matter and find their own way to personalize it.

[Queen Frostine]

did anyone in england watch that last night?? it was ok...but one thing really got to me and i know you all probably don't care but i really need to get it off my chest.

the film is called girl interrupted and it's all about female psych patients so how come it was directed by a guy. i felt like it was a kind of unpersonal film, like maybe a woman could have gotten in to the heads of the characters better maybe made something more of it. i'm not criticising the style of direction, as in camera, sequences etc or even the production design, just maybe it's integrity.

to me it's just another example of the fact that there are not enough women in hollywood. if there were, maybe one could have directed the movie, mayeb it would have been better, blah blah blah...rant rant...inequality....

any thoughts?? am i imagining the whole women in film thing?? by boyfried says i should just let it go. but i think there is an issue here.

[belovedmonster]

no matter how good you are as a film maker you can not truelly know what its like to be a girl or a black guy or whatever. Being a police officer is in a different league entirely becos its only an occupation

[GREATwarEAGLE]

You're right. A white man will never know what it's truly like to be a black girl. But what does that mean in terms of approaching a script? I'm a single white man from America who has no children. So I can't direct a film concerning a married black woman with kids from Egypt?

If that's the case, then filmmakers are restricted to autobiographies only.

Maybe a white man... can't relate to the specificities. But more than likely, there's common ground in the essence of the subject matter. It's up to the filmmaker to find it. Some can. Some can't.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> Being a police officer is in a different league entirely becos its only an occupation </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Only an occupation? A florist is an occupation. A cabinet maker is an occupation. Maybe it's because I live in New York City, but I'd like to see the reaction from a cop after being told what he/she does is only an occupation.

I'm not trying to dismiss Frostine's and belovedmonster's posts. They're both good points. I think this topic is interesting and worth some discussion.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 26, 2003 12:53 PM: Message edited by: GREATwarEAGLE ]</font>

[emjen]

With a little research and imagination I can get into Ted Bundy's head.

[Generic Skinhead]

It disturbs me that you'd want to.

[Paul Mack]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> This reminds me of Spike Lee's outrage that Michael Mann was the one who got to make ALI. Spike wanted to do it, and was not pleased that a white man was chosen over him. Kinda funny since, at that time, THE SUMMER OF SAM was Lee's most recent film. A film based on real events dealing with white people. </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

Spike Lee had the exact same fit when Spielberg made Amistad and to a certain extent I can understand his frustration. Only recently have minorities been able to really get good movies green lit w/ minorities at the helm. Antwone Fisher comes to mind immeaditly and Julie Taymor's movies (Titus and Frida) also are worth mentioning. There are a lot more women being allowed at the helm and it will only grow w/ time.

Now to the autogbiography question. Some of the most succesful and best realized experiences in movies are the ones that have been lived by the participants such as Tom Hanks inCast Awayand Edward Burns in The Brothers McMullenand I do agree that by living an experience makes it that much more real on screen. So would have a woman director made a difference in "Girl Interrupted". Yes. But it is still a good film.

Paul Macomber

[GREATwarEAGLE]

I certainly agree that the more in common a filmmaker has with the material, the better the chances that they will do it justice. But I don't think it's guaranteed.

Oliver Stone, a Vietnam veteran, has his little Vietnam trilogy. PLATOON. BORN ON THE 4th OF JULY. HEAVEN AND EARTH. All three are excellent films. But many people consider Coppola's APOCALPSE NOW and/or Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET to be superior. Of course these are just opinions, but you can't deny the critical success both films have seen. Neither Coppola nor Kubrick fought in Vietnam.

POINT BREAK. Not exactly as esteemed as the above films. Nor did it do so great in theaters. But overtime, has built quite a following of thrill-seeking, adrenaline-junkie movie lovers. That's saying something, considering it's macho testosterone theme. And it was directed by a woman.

I've never seen GIRL, INTERRUPTED. I don't know - it just doesn't appeal to me. But can you really say that if a female director, any female director had done it, it would be better? Maybe. Maybe not.

[Queen Frostine]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><table border="0" width="90%" bgcolor="#333333" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0"><tr><td width="100%"><table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" bgcolor="#FF9900"><tr><td width="100%" bgcolor="#DDDDDD"><font size=2 face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> If that's the case, then filmmakers are restricted to autobiographies only. </font></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></BLOCKQUOTE>

don't you think that all films ARE in a sense autobiographies, variations on similar things, issues that are close to the director: spielberg: parent separation etc etc.

i like what war eagle said about good directors being able to personalise stuff BUT having a subject that has nothing to do with the director just makes it that little bit harder. wouldn't you all agree that the best films from the best directors are always themes/stories/characters that are close to the directors heart. personal films are usually good ones becuase they are sincere...

[Queen Frostine]

ME!, supergrRRl, i would have done it better...