Dead Teenager Wasteland

[jetpack_monkey]

Earlier this week, I sent an email to Roger Ebert taking him to task for denigrating "dead teenager" films in service of the AFI's most recent 100 Best Movies list.

He published it. As the first letter in this week's Movie Answer Man column. I don't like his answer, but dude. Ebert published my letter. Dude.

Also, he left my website URL on at the end.

Comments

[sarakat.livejournal.com]

Ha! That's awesome.

*squish*

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

*squishes back*

[happybydefault.livejournal.com]

You for the win! That's awesome!

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

*bows*

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

WOO HOO! Go you! :D

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

I know! OMG!

[lizbetann]

I saw that and squeaked with wild abandon! :)

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Really? Squeaked? Tee hee hee.

[fannishnonsense]

Awesome!

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Wheee! That is indeed awesome.

I think I disagree with his answer too; he's missing the point that no one is saying DTM's are the same kind of artform as the movies that make up his particular definition of 'classic.' The argument is that they have a value of their own, and a set of viewers who get pleasure out of seeing the changes rung on the formula.

[lizbetann]

Honestly? The way his answer comes off is, "If I like it, then ipso facto, it isn't a DTM." Which is... missing the point. How is 'Halloween' different from a slew of movies before and after? Because it was a REALLY REALLY GOOD DTM.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

His definition is also fairly broad. Lord of the Flies could (almost) be considered a "dead teenager" film. I don't see how Halloween isn't a dead teenager movie. It defined the dead teenager movie. It is the quintessential dead teenager movie.

[mpoetess.livejournal.com]

Unless he's only considering Halloween on its own, and not counting the sequels, but that would be some interesting mental gymnastics considering his definition includes a reference to same.

*is amused to be trying to thunk this out when I'm not actually a fan of DTMs as a genre, though I'm a fan of a number of the films that qualify*

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

You can't consider Halloween on its own in this context -- although in other contexts, I'm more than happy to disregard the sequels entirely. He's defined something, he should either stick to the definition or clarify it. Making exceptions like that just makes him look close-minded.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

*Woo-Hoo!*

*twirls in your honor*

That is made of gleeeeeeeee right there.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

Seriously. Me = stoked = true.

[invisionary.livejournal.com]

Coolness!

[midnightfae.livejournal.com]

HOLY SHIT! You win at awesome.

You see that people! MY ROOMMATE WINS AT AWESOME!

*squeee!*

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

*G* *G* *G*

[bellatemple]

Fantastic! And yeah, jumping in with all the disagreeing with his answer. He really kind of brushed you off, there.

And I would agree with whoshisface there, calling "Vertigo" cowardly. I would actually venture to say that cowardly behavior is a main theme of the film and drives the whole bizarre Hitchcock story. . . . But that's just me.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

I wonder if he meant to call Vertigo a cowardly movie in that it doesn't go far enough (which, uh, what?) or whether he meant to call out the theme of cowardice in the film. My guess is the former, although I think you may be onto something in the latter.

*ponders* Is Jimmy Stewart's vertigo a psychological extension of his cowardice, then? Interesting how he only overcomes it properly when he goes all freaky-vengeful.

[bellatemple]

*nods* It's been awhile since I've seen it, but between the actual vertigo Jimmy Stuart's character experiences and the whole trying to transform the woman into someone he already knew and missed to both be extensions of cowardice.

But, yeah, whoshisface was probably referring to the former. Still it was a good thing to ponder while waiting through two hours of nothing to do at work.

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

*wades through two hours of something -- would still rather be talking about Vertigo*

[thebratqueen.livejournal.com]

I saw that! And I was all "Hey! It's Nate!"

[jetpack-monkey.livejournal.com]

One of my writers emailed me and was like, "Dude, congrats on getting your letter posted by Ebert!" And I went "Bzuh?"

And I was overcaffeinated at the time. So I basically went completely squeeful in a heavily testosteroned no-squee environment.

[kenobi.livejournal.com]

CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRR

[kittycat22.livejournal.com]

Oh, now that's fucking awesome! Go Nate! Go Nate! :D

i lokimikoj

[(Anonymous)]

Hello

Perfect work!