The American Spectator

Reader Mail

(Page 5 of 16)

can come up with higher quality material than Larry Thornberry's article about AFI's "best movies" list. He gives us an angry rant that supplies very little intellectual fortitude to back up his opinions. Anyone can sit back and insult the work of others; but let's have some solid supporting evidence other than to say such things as, "Everyone associated with this truly awful experience should be hanged," or "Choose something else." I'm sure the editors can drum up better material than this. br> -- Will Traynor /p> p> Two thumbs up for Larry's critique on the critics !. If he did this regularly, I'd subscribe. Best read in a long while. br> -- Russel Ready /p>

Not being specifically a movie critic, just generally critical, I must say, though, that a certain statement peaked my curiosity: Just how would a "crossdresser" play a Sydney Greenstreet "roll"?

p>Animatedly? As in a quivering mass? Or inanimately buttered on a plate waiting to be eaten? Or crossly shredding the roll? br> -- Wolf Terner br> Fair Lawn, New Jersey /p>

While it is dated, among Citizen Kane's contributions are lighting and camera angles used to set tone and mood. This was highly innovative for its day even if they are the result of Welles's small budget more than genius. At least Kane has that much going for it. What, precisely did The Godfather contribute to the cinema? At its finest moments it is little more than a soap opera, and it is only fitting that the star is a man whose talent for superficial melodrama belonged in the soaps and only in the soaps. Isn't it time we took a more realistic look at the most overrated actor of all time, Marlon Brando, and stopped putting movies on "best" lists simply because he is listed in the credits? If there is a less interesting, more one-dimensional actor or actress to ever become famous, I'd like to know who it is. Maybe Meryl Streep. Watching Brando act is just that -- watching Brando act -- nothing more. It's like watching an auto mechanic change spark plugs: necessary work, but not really captivating. His characters seem intentionally dull. Don Corleone is the most intellectual of all Brando's roles, or it seems that way when compared to Terry "I cudda been a contendah" Malloy and Stanley (Stellah!!) Kowalski. And who can forget his timeless portrayal of Jor-el in the Superman Saga? Can we look at this man and then seriously criticize Kane as being famous for being famous without at least putting Brando and The Godfather in the same category?

topics:
Health Care, Business, Islam, Hollywood, Movies, Law, Military, Iraq, Iran, NATO, Socialism, Communism, Oil