I agree with most of what you say. Lady and the Tramp, especially!
And I would have put Mulan below the line. Combine uninspired animation (given the potential of the content), a almost-wholly-cut-from-whole-cloth plot with a very careful nod to Political Correctness, a sound track that sounds like it was rejected by a Broadway musical, and a Beverly Hills Cop, and you end up with a snorer.
As would I. I don't even remember the exact format. Did the survey ask for favorite movie, and then tally which movies were chosen by the most people? Or were people asked for their top 5? I don't remember. I vaguely remember the list being in alphabetical order, but I may be wrong on that. It was not limited to current releases, though of course more recent movies were more likely to be chosen, given a random sampling. It is also possible that USA Today has made the survey more than once- it would be interesting to see how the list changes.
You liked it? I think the first few pages of the book (which correspond to the first 15 minutes of the movie) are exceptionally fine. The movie didn't do them justice, and I quickly lost interest in the movie after that.
You are right, it was music, not books. Music made for a more entertaining programme, especially on the radio.
I hesitate to be positive about your variety point, not having made up either a very extensive group of favorites, or DIL's. But I'm pretty sure that my DIL's would have more variety than my favorites. After all, having favorites doesn't preclude the enjoyment of a wide variety of non-favorites, while a DIL is exclusive.
But, please, let me pick my own DIL. The possible surprise of a undiscovered diamond would almost always be replaced with chagrin that I now really had 9 of mine, and one more that I wouldn't have picked. And think how I would feel, opening up my little chest and drawing out my precious nine companions, and finding that the 10th, selected by another, was American Psycho!
I didn't mean that a DIL should be as long as 100, but that even if it were that long (and combined), I likely wouldn't include any movies. The BBC used to have a radio (then TV, I think) programme that asked celebrities what their DIL (books only, as I recall) would be. I don't remember for sure how many were on the list, but I think it was at least 10. I think the salient difference between a DIL and a favorites list is that a favorites list is created knowing that there are also many many other things to read (view, listen to), while a desert island list must be differently selected because no respite from them would be possible. Given that, I don't think it likely that my top 10 favorites would be the same as my 10 DIL, for books, music or movies. To take music, for example- my favorites might include 5 Bach pieces, but my DIL would probably not be so heavily weighted.
Jail? I thought we were talking about desert islands.
I had originally read your first post as you now explain that you meant it, and continue to disagree.
Assuming that one could take x books, x pieces of music, and x movies, I would have as much difficulty picking movies as books or music.
But comparing movies to books or music is irrelevant, unless one is
only allowed a total of x of the three. In that case, for any x <= 100, I doubt that I would take any movies.
I haven't seen (and likely won't) the movie, but Jim's asking for intelligent conversation about the book is proof that he is is an eternal optimist.
I heard no intelligent conversation about it when (and before) it was published. That the release of a movie version would engender it is not likely.
You have confused me. In your original post you said:
An easier task with books and music than with movies, don't you think?
Now you say picking movies would be easier.
You then ask whether The Grand Illusion is endlessly re-watchable. Perhaps it isn't, perhaps it is, but a DIL isn't just what one item, but what very limited list of items, would one take to a DI. Citizen Kane might be endlessly re-watchable, but I would rather have Top Gun and Citizen Kane than just Citizen Kane.
My point is that while it is true that many movies are, as you said, "fast-food-for-the-mind" (though I disagree with the 'mind' part), so are many books and pieces of music. I don't think there is anything intrinsic about movies, as a form, and as a library, that would make picking a Desert Island List of them harder or easier.
The book, movie and music I gave were examples only- They would be on my DIL, but not necessarily number one.
Finally, I think that The Grand Illusion is one of the greatest movies ever made, despite
the fact that some think that it is an anti-war movie.
I agree that that is the purpose of a Desert Island list. But I disagree with what you say about movies. I wouldn't even consider including 95% of recently released movies, but neither would I consider 95% of recently published books or recorded music. I wouldn't take Top Gun, but I wouldn't take (ducking) any Carl Hiassen or (no longer ducking) Spice Girls, either. I would take The Grand Illusion, The King James Bible, and Bach's St. Matthew Passion.
http://www.chinapage.com/mulan-e.html is a non-Disney translation. The two are fairly close.
I agree with most of what you say. Lady and the Tramp, especially!
And I would have put Mulan below the line. Combine uninspired animation (given the potential of the content), a almost-wholly-cut-from-whole-cloth plot with a very careful nod to Political Correctness, a sound track that sounds like it was rejected by a Broadway musical, and a Beverly Hills Cop, and you end up with a snorer.
As would I. I don't even remember the exact format. Did the survey ask for favorite movie, and then tally which movies were chosen by the most people? Or were people asked for their top 5? I don't remember. I vaguely remember the list being in alphabetical order, but I may be wrong on that. It was not limited to current releases, though of course more recent movies were more likely to be chosen, given a random sampling. It is also possible that USA Today has made the survey more than once- it would be interesting to see how the list changes.
You liked it? I think the first few pages of the book (which correspond to the first 15 minutes of the movie) are exceptionally fine. The movie didn't do them justice, and I quickly lost interest in the movie after that.
You are right, it was music, not books. Music made for a more entertaining programme, especially on the radio.
I hesitate to be positive about your variety point, not having made up either a very extensive group of favorites, or DIL's. But I'm pretty sure that my DIL's would have more variety than my favorites. After all, having favorites doesn't preclude the enjoyment of a wide variety of non-favorites, while a DIL is exclusive.
But, please, let me pick my own DIL. The possible surprise of a undiscovered diamond would almost always be replaced with chagrin that I now really had 9 of mine, and one more that I wouldn't have picked. And think how I would feel, opening up my little chest and drawing out my precious nine companions, and finding that the 10th, selected by another, was American Psycho!
listologites? Isn't listologists much more mellifluous? And important-sounding, as well?
I didn't mean that a DIL should be as long as 100, but that even if it were that long (and combined), I likely wouldn't include any movies. The BBC used to have a radio (then TV, I think) programme that asked celebrities what their DIL (books only, as I recall) would be. I don't remember for sure how many were on the list, but I think it was at least 10. I think the salient difference between a DIL and a favorites list is that a favorites list is created knowing that there are also many many other things to read (view, listen to), while a desert island list must be differently selected because no respite from them would be possible. Given that, I don't think it likely that my top 10 favorites would be the same as my 10 DIL, for books, music or movies. To take music, for example- my favorites might include 5 Bach pieces, but my DIL would probably not be so heavily weighted.
Jail? I thought we were talking about desert islands.
I had originally read your first post as you now explain that you meant it, and continue to disagree.
Assuming that one could take x books, x pieces of music, and x movies, I would have as much difficulty picking movies as books or music.
But comparing movies to books or music is irrelevant, unless one is
only allowed a total of x of the three. In that case, for any x <= 100, I doubt that I would take any movies.
Would you like me if I said that I really like
Taxi Driver, hated Field of Dreams, and haven't seen Better Off Dead?
I haven't seen (and likely won't) the movie, but Jim's asking for intelligent conversation about the book is proof that he is is an eternal optimist.
I heard no intelligent conversation about it when (and before) it was published. That the release of a movie version would engender it is not likely.
1976
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Dimension/5357/
has a lot of information on it.
You have confused me. In your original post you said:
An easier task with books and music than with movies, don't you think?
Now you say picking movies would be easier.
You then ask whether The Grand Illusion is endlessly re-watchable. Perhaps it isn't, perhaps it is, but a DIL isn't just what one item, but what very limited list of items, would one take to a DI. Citizen Kane might be endlessly re-watchable, but I would rather have Top Gun and Citizen Kane than just Citizen Kane.
My point is that while it is true that many movies are, as you said, "fast-food-for-the-mind" (though I disagree with the 'mind' part), so are many books and pieces of music. I don't think there is anything intrinsic about movies, as a form, and as a library, that would make picking a Desert Island List of them harder or easier.
The book, movie and music I gave were examples only- They would be on my DIL, but not necessarily number one.
Finally, I think that The Grand Illusion is one of the greatest movies ever made, despite
the fact that some think that it is an anti-war movie.
I agree that that is the purpose of a Desert Island list. But I disagree with what you say about movies. I wouldn't even consider including 95% of recently released movies, but neither would I consider 95% of recently published books or recorded music. I wouldn't take Top Gun, but I wouldn't take (ducking) any Carl Hiassen or (no longer ducking) Spice Girls, either. I would take The Grand Illusion, The King James Bible, and Bach's St. Matthew Passion.