Monday, September 06, 2004
The best I can do is a series of unconnected thoughts in lieu of a real post.
Vanity Fair is one of those movies that, as you're watching it, you know is going to leave a bad taste in your mouth for months. It's painfully anachronistic, and there is this grotesque Bob Fosse-esque dance number in the middle that turns what was the experience of seeing a merely dull movie into a new experience in torture. And then, in the closing credits, the filmmakers give a credit to that despicable little fraud Edward Said for "inspiration," which inspired me to hate this crappy film even more.
The most interesting thing to me about the Swift Boat Vets controversy that has torpedoed the Kerry campaign is the viciousness of the attacks by certain segments of the Democratic party on the Swifties. "Not interested in the truth," says James Carville. "Ugly," "Dishonest," "Dishonorable," "Bitter," "Nasty," "Shameful," "Sham," says the Kerry campaign.
Hearing this kind of hysterical fury, I was struck by one thought: that the appearance of the Swifties was in one sense a great psychological relief for many Democrats. That is, they had to endure a Democratic convention in which they all had to grit their teeth and pretend to love the military and to love defending America. It seemed to me that the hateful reaction to the Swifties was, by contrast, completely sincere: It represented what the Left really thinks of the military.
There were only two good things about going to see Vanity Fair: First, it didn't cost anything, as I had passes from the marketing company that gives them to us in return for putting movie posters in the store window. Second, I went with my sister, who is seemingly miraculously liberated from EverQuest these days.
Vanity Fair is one of those movies that, as you're watching it, you know is going to leave a bad taste in your mouth for months. It's painfully anachronistic, and there is this grotesque Bob Fosse-esque dance number in the middle that turns what was the experience of seeing a merely dull movie into a new experience in torture. And then, in the closing credits, the filmmakers give a credit to that despicable little fraud Edward Said for "inspiration," which inspired me to hate this crappy film even more.
The most interesting thing to me about the Swift Boat Vets controversy that has torpedoed the Kerry campaign is the viciousness of the attacks by certain segments of the Democratic party on the Swifties. "Not interested in the truth," says James Carville. "Ugly," "Dishonest," "Dishonorable," "Bitter," "Nasty," "Shameful," "Sham," says the Kerry campaign.
Hearing this kind of hysterical fury, I was struck by one thought: that the appearance of the Swifties was in one sense a great psychological relief for many Democrats. That is, they had to endure a Democratic convention in which they all had to grit their teeth and pretend to love the military and to love defending America. It seemed to me that the hateful reaction to the Swifties was, by contrast, completely sincere: It represented what the Left really thinks of the military.
There were only two good things about going to see Vanity Fair: First, it didn't cost anything, as I had passes from the marketing company that gives them to us in return for putting movie posters in the store window. Second, I went with my sister, who is seemingly miraculously liberated from EverQuest these days.
Comments:
Post a Comment
