Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

..and why not?
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Sneelock » 19 Jan 2018, 23:22

:lol:
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby BARON CORNY DOG » 20 Jan 2018, 00:18

Quaco wrote:
Very Stable Baron wrote:
Davey the Fat Boy wrote:How important is it to you to “get” the authors intent when you watch a film? Do you feel a need responsibility to yield to their vision?


It isn’t the slightest bit important, and I can’t really imagine why an “artist” would even get into that in public. I would be interested in it only as a footnote.

Often they are asked, right?


Maybe so, but it’s a silly thing to ask and I’d rather the director (or whomever) just evade the question.
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Goat Boy » 20 Jan 2018, 13:00

Q. Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

A. No
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Matt Wilson » 20 Jan 2018, 18:27

As usual, Davey is being a tad disingenuous in his assertion that I subscribe religiously to an artist's interpretation of his work. I teach English to high school kids - and literature is the mainstay of most of my courses. Often I am asked "when the question asks for our opinion on the piece, how can the the answer be wrong?" My answer remains stock: "I don't care what your opinion is, as long as you can back it up." You state your thesis, and back it up with facts from the text. It's how literature and writing is taught. I care not a whit for Davey's interpretations of Taxi Driver or The Conversation (I don't even recall our discussion regarding Taxi Driver - though I'm sure it occurred. But I do recall last year's Conversation discussion. He said the main point of the film was that Caul wasn't as good as he thought he was. I disagreed with Davey because I didn't feel he could adequately back up that assertion. It was Davey who went apeshit, not me - and he was the first with the name calling. Later claiming I said he was 'wrong,' when I didn't, of course, The discussion is right there for anyone to read. But I digress...).

So, to recap: One can certainly have any interpretation of art one wants to. But to convince others of the veracity of said interpretation, then one has to have evidence of the claim. It's up to the other person to be convinced or not. I don't feel Travis dies at the end of Taxi Driver. Davey is free to think whatever he wants to about the film, as am I. He gets upset when I tell him the director and writer doesn't share his views, claiming that I just won't step outside conventional wisdom or whatever. That's fine, too. I forget these discussions after a few months. He doesn't. :lol:

To show that I'm not always on the side of the director and his views, snee mentioned Blade Runner. Ridley Scott is clearly in the "Deckard was a replicant" camp. He says this in commentary on the disc. I think this is ridiculous. The whole point of Blade Runner, as I see it, is that the replicants are more 'human' than the humans. They're more alive, more emotional, they love and live, etc. To make Deckard a replicant as well serves no purpose. But then there you go - it's just one more interpretation. No more or less valid than anyone else's.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 20 Jan 2018, 20:57

You crack me up. You posted this six days ago.

I added the bold text for emphasis:

Matt Wilson wrote:
Not that this will ever sway you since not even a director's opinion of his own work counts more than yours does in Daveyland, but see how many of these lists puts Love above Van Halen.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby the masked man » 20 Jan 2018, 21:52

I can't it matters, simply because we cannot know exactly what the filmmaker means when s/he makes any decision in a film. So we have to make whatever we can of any film. As an aside, the same applies to any art form.

As an example, I've often said that my favourite lyric is Leonard Cohen's Famous Blue Raincoat. I love the mystery of all the in-jokes and secret references in this epistolary song. Yet I was a little disturbed when I found that the line about 'the night you planned to go clear' wasn't the poetic image of general escape I imagined but a reference to to Scientology, that dismal fake religion. I felt that devalued the song, that Cohen wanted to give credence to this nonsense. I preferred my version.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Matt Wilson » 20 Jan 2018, 22:38

Davey the Fat Boy wrote:You crack me up. You posted this six days ago.

I added the bold text for emphasis:

Matt Wilson wrote:
Not that this will ever sway you since not even a director's opinion of his own work counts more than yours does in Daveyland, but see how many of these lists puts Love above Van Halen.

https://www.google.com/search?client=sa ... GVh2VAKRFs


Yeah, that's because you act like it doesn't matter at all what the artist intends when he is presenting his work to the public, and that your opinion is more important. That's what I call 'Daveyland.' And you'd have me believe that even mentioning the artist's intention is paramount to non-thinking - as if only an outside the box interpretation of art is valid. I called bullshit then and I still do. One has to take into consideration the artist's intent when examining the finished product.

I added the bold text for emphasis.

Anyway, Todd - again, I couldn't care less what you think of a film. Knock yourself out with any views you can come up with. But if I don't subscribe to the same beliefs, starting a thread about it won't change my mind.
Last edited by Matt Wilson on 20 Jan 2018, 22:39, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Charlie O. » 20 Jan 2018, 22:39

the masked man wrote:Yet I was a little disturbed when I found that the line about 'the night you planned to go clear' wasn't the poetic image of general escape I imagined but a reference to to Scientology, that dismal fake religion. I felt that devalued the song, that Cohen wanted to give credence to this nonsense.

I hear it as a snarky reference. Even if one buys into Scientology, how does one "plan" to Go Clear on a particular night? It's ridiculous - it's like planning on attaining a state of grace.
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 20 Jan 2018, 23:15

Matt Wilson wrote:
Yeah, that's because you act like it doesn't matter at all what the artist intends when he is presenting his work to the public, and that your opinion is more important. That's what I call 'Daveyland.' And you'd have me believe that even mentioning the artist's intention is paramount to non-thinking - as if only an outside the box interpretation of art is valid. I called bullshit then and I still do.


:lol: :lol: :lol:

Matt - that’s absolute crap, and everyone here who has ever discussed film with me knows it.

Now go find a Top 10 list that affirms your position on something!
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Matt Wilson » 20 Jan 2018, 23:21

Well, actually Todd, I've discussed film with you and I can say with all confidence that you value your opinion above all others.

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who feels that way either.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 20 Jan 2018, 23:24

Charlie O. wrote:
the masked man wrote:Yet I was a little disturbed when I found that the line about 'the night you planned to go clear' wasn't the poetic image of general escape I imagined but a reference to to Scientology, that dismal fake religion. I felt that devalued the song, that Cohen wanted to give credence to this nonsense.

I hear it as a snarky reference. Even if one buys into Scientology, how does one "plan" to Go Clear on a particular night? It's ridiculous - it's like planning on attaining a state of grace.


I have no idea what Cohen was thinking, but you have to imagine that the poetic quality of those words meant as much to him as their actual mundane meaning.

I could even imaging the whole song being born from the desire to ask “did you ever go clear” in a lyric.
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 20 Jan 2018, 23:27

Matt Wilson wrote:Well, actually Todd, I've discussed film with you and I can say with all confidence that you value your opinion above all others.

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who feels that way either.


Yeah..I know. You get PM’s agreeing with you about me. :D Say hi!

I think it’s hysterical that you think know what I value more than me. You should really yield to the author’s intent!
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Matt Wilson » 20 Jan 2018, 23:33

Well, I least I don't dwell on these things like you do - starting a thread about the artist's intent years after our initial discussion in order to... clear the air? draw me out into another one of these pointless back-and-fourths? Surely, you knew I'd respond.

Anyway, It's just as funny that you think I feel that individual interpretation is fruitless. As long as you can prove your thesis, then going against the artist's intention is fine. Your problem is, your points lack credibility. As soon as you realize you're failing to convince me of anything - your anger flares and the deprecation begins - exactly like you've done in the last few posts. I don't know why you give a shit what I think, but apparently it gets under your skin. Cue the denials to the contrary...

Anyway, I leave you now to your little thread. You can have the last word and then back to Daveyland you go.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 20 Jan 2018, 23:45

Not everything is about you Matt.
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Dr Markus » 22 Jan 2018, 13:44

It's important to me anyway. I'd like to find out what the director/writer meant after I make up my own mind. It's interesting to see how far off or close you were to what they were trying to put across. In saying that some directors/writers couldn't give a shit what people think and like fans wreaking their brains trying to figure stuff out. Look at Twin Peaks the return, does anyone really fully understand it?
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 22 Jan 2018, 15:47

The Great Defector wrote:It's important to me anyway. I'd like to find out what the director/writer meant after I make up my own mind. It's interesting to see how far off or close you were to what they were trying to put across. In saying that some directors/writers couldn't give a shit what people think and like fans wreaking their brains trying to figure stuff out. Look at Twin Peaks the return, does anyone really fully understand it?


I doubt that David Lynch fully understands it.
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Dr Markus » 22 Jan 2018, 16:01

Davey the Fat Boy wrote:
The Great Defector wrote:It's important to me anyway. I'd like to find out what the director/writer meant after I make up my own mind. It's interesting to see how far off or close you were to what they were trying to put across. In saying that some directors/writers couldn't give a shit what people think and like fans wreaking their brains trying to figure stuff out. Look at Twin Peaks the return, does anyone really fully understand it?


I doubt that David Lynch fully understands it.



:lol:
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby The Modernist » 22 Jan 2018, 17:30

I'm sure that he doesn't.

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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Dr Markus » 22 Jan 2018, 17:36

I reckon he does, he just can't explain it, but it makes perfect sense in his own head. You know, like some posters on here. :D
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Re: Does it matter how the filmmaker interprets their work?

Postby Davey the Fat Boy » 22 Jan 2018, 17:59

The Great Defector wrote:I reckon he does, he just can't explain it, but it makes perfect sense in his own head. You know, like some posters on here. :D


I suspect that he’d say that it operates on drewm logic, or something like that. Which is why it’s often fruitless to try to arrive at a definitive interpretation.
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