From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #602 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Wednesday, February 6 2002 Volume 01 : Number 602 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 15:19:33 -0700 From: Thom Duncan Subject: Re: [AML] Dynamic Relationships with God I'm as bothered by most Protestant (including ours) depictions of Christ as I am by the mamby-pamby Catholic versions. Ours no more depict what Christ was really like than theirs does. He was NOT a white man, six feet tall, light of skin with long (but not too long, mind you) auburn hair. In reality, judging from the part of the world he came from, he was probably somewhat short (around 5 feet 5) of dark complexion (almost Arabic) and probably had long scraggly very curly hair. We would probably call him swarthy today. The "Man's man" Christ does nothing but perpetuate the Western view of the ruddy, strong, handsome hero. Thus our stereotypes that only beautiful people are the real movers and shakers are perpetuated. We don't do much better with Joseph Smith. Most descriptions of him have him at around 6 feet, barrell-chested, with a prominent thin nose, piercing blue eyes, receding chin, weighing in at around 200 plush pounds. Yet most of our art portrays him with movie star good looks and a well-proportioned physique. (And, with the possible exception of Liz Swindle, he's portrayed as always wearing a clean, well-pressed suit, looking off into eternity with the BofM under his arm). We idolize our deities and our prophets at a level that is quite appropriate for fiction but not for reality. Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 17:45:31 -0500 From: "Tracie Laulusa" Subject: Re: [AML] Stephen KING, _On Writing_ I started listening to it on tape and couldn't take the swearing. Maybe in book form it wouldn't bother me so much. Tracie Laulusa - ----- Original Message ----- _On Writing_ was a fascinating and refreshingly honest book by an artist on how they create art, and how it effects them. I admired Steven King the man and artist much more after having read it. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 13:32:32 -0600 From: "ldsbox.com" (by way of Jonathan Langford ) Subject: [AML] LDS Film Festival on Tour MAILBOX NEWSLETTER #01/2002 http://www.ldsbox.com IN THIS ISSUE: 1. LDS FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR 2. FINALIZED TOUR DATES 3. COMMUNITY OF FILMMAKERS AND FILM VIEWERS 4. CALL FOR ENTRIES 2002 - ----------------------------------------------- 1. LDS FILM FESTIVAL ON TOUR - ----------------------------------------------- Now that the First LDS Film Festival has successfully been launched at the end of last year it will go on a national and international tour. The first venues are already scheduled. The tour starts in Provo with two free screenings at the new Provo City Library at Academy Square. It will then move on to Chicago and California. Academy Award winner Kieth Merrill ("Legacy," "Testaments") will host a screening near Sacramento, California, at the beginning of March followed by a panel discussion. Other national and international venues are opening up every week. Requests are coming in from as far as Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. The tour will continue until September 2002. The "Best of 2001" program contains twelve short films by young LDS filmmakers including the winner of the Lightbox Award "The Wrong Brother" by Chris Bowman. A jury and the audience of last year's festival selected the films based on originality, intelligence, authenticity, spirituality and artistic proficiency. The program includes comedy, drama, animation, documentary and experimental films. For more information, go to: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/bestof.php - ----------------------------------------------- 2. FINALIZED FESTIVAL TOUR DATES - ----------------------------------------------- The tour program is offered to high schools, university campuses, libraries, wards, stakes, institutes, media arts centers museums and independent theaters across the country and abroad. If you are interested in bringing the "Best of 2001" program to your city, stake or ward, contact us at feedback@ldsbox.com. For more information, go to: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/tour.php The following tour dates have been finalized: Wednesday, FEBRUARY 6 - 6.00 p.m. Provo, Utah - Provo Library at Academy Square Free Admission Saturday, FEBRUARY 9 - 11.00 a.m. Provo, Utah - Provo Library at Academy Square Free Admission Friday, FEBRUARY 15 - 7 p.m. Chicago, Illinois - Chicago 8th Branch (YSA) Free Admission Saturday, FEBRUARY 23 - 8.00 p.m. Rancho Cucomonga, California - Chaffey College Institute of Religion Free Admission Monday, MARCH 4 - 7.00 p.m. Citrus Heights, California (North of Sacramento) Mesa Verde High School This event will be hosted by Academy Award winner Kieth Merrill; some of the filmmakers will be present for a panel discussion after the screening. Saturday, JUNE 1 - 7.00 p.m. Bristol, England - Bristol Stake Center Free Admission - ----------------------------------------------- 3. COMMUNITY OF FILMMAKERS AND FILM VIEWERS - ----------------------------------------------- "It is one of our goals to bring the work of young LDS filmmakers to an LDS audience and build a community of filmmakers and film viewers that can appreciate each other," says Christian Vuissa, founder and organizer of the festival. Young filmmakers often struggle with finding an audience, although they have created thoughtful and professionally crafted films that are worth watching. On the other hand, a growing LDS audience is interested in seeing films that are produced outside of Hollywood. "An active LDS film community will automatically create more and better films and filmmakers. It's time to stop imitating Hollywood and start creating films that are imitated by others," concludes Vuissa. - ----------------------------------------------- 4. CALL FOR ENTRIES 2002 - ----------------------------------------------- Tell your own story and submit your own film or screenplay to the 2ND LDS FILM FESTIVAL 2002! The next festival will be held in October in Provo, Utah. Deadline for entries is September 15, 2002. No age limit applies. Everyone can participate and win! Prizes totalling $ 2000.00 will be awarded. For more information go to: http://www.ldsbox.com/cgi-bin/festival.php You either signed up for our newsletter or were recommended to us by a friend. If you would like to unsubscribe from future LDSBox mailings, simply reply to this message with the word REMOVE in the subject line. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 14:27:01 -0700 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: [AML] Meridian on _Singles Ward_ http://www.meridianmagazine.com/arts/020204singles.html - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 17:41:53 -0700 From: "Bill Willson" Subject: Re: [AML] Stephen KING, _On Writing_ King has had good and bad moments, but he is a very successful and prolific author. I think every aspiring writer can learn something of value from one as successful as he. As for the darkness, we need to expose our audience to darkness if we expect them to appreciate the light. Doesn't the Book of Mormon do this over and over again? I admire King for his ability to do this. Regards, Bill Willson - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 19:54:13 EST From: Turk325@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Dynamic Relationships with God In a message dated 2/4/02 5:38:44 PM, ThomDuncan@prodigy.net writes: << I'm as bothered by most Protestant (including ours) depictions of Christ as I am by the mamby-pamby Catholic versions. Ours no more depict what Christ was really like than theirs does. He was NOT a white man, six feet tall, light of skin with long (but not too long, mind you) auburn hair. In reality, judging from the part of the world he came from, he was probably somewhat short (around 5 feet 5) of dark complexion (almost Arabic) and probably had long scraggly very curly hair. We would probably call him swarthy today.>> I've always wanted to cast a movie of the Savior's life . . . . . . with Danny DeVito as the Savior. (All SORTS of interesting discussions might come from that.) Kurt Weiland. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 18:41:08 -0700 From: "Jacob Proffitt" Subject: RE: [AML] Dynamic Relationships with God - ---Original Message From: Thom Duncan > I'm as bothered by most Protestant (including ours) > depictions of Christ > as I am by the mamby-pamby Catholic versions. Ours no more > depict what > Christ was really like than theirs does. He was NOT a white man, six > feet tall, light of skin with long (but not too long, mind > you) auburn > hair. In reality, judging from the part of the world he came > from, he > was probably somewhat short (around 5 feet 5) of dark > complexion (almost > Arabic) and probably had long scraggly very curly hair. We would > probably call him swarthy today. How do you know that? He could very well have been white, six feet tall and all of that. Christ's genealogy is at least 50% entirely unknown. He could have been green (um, though that is admittedly unlikely). Just about the only thing he could *not* be is female. We just don't know what he was like physically because we don't have any contemporary descriptions of what he looked like. The reasons for the lack of description could be as varied as his potential appearance so I don't buy the "if he were odd, they'd have had to say something" argument, either. Joseph Smith described him a bit if I remember correctly, but who knows what change was made with resurrection? Jacob Proffitt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 4 Feb 2002 17:11:09 -0900 From: Stephen Carter Subject: RE: [AML] Dynamic Relationships with God How interesting that the comments on Shaw's quote all revolved around visual art depicting Christ and Joseph Smith. I sent it in thinking that it would spark conversations on how it is to truly live Christ's teachings (no picnic). The bringing the statue to life thing was just a metaphor. I found it fascinating to read that Shaw was under the impression that those who believe would actually be a bigger thorn in the side of he or she who brought Christ to life than the unbeliever. I guess that's what happened to Christ himself. He tried to bring God out of the written word and into life. It wasn't the non Jews who got on him for that, it was his fellow believers. I guess the same often holds true today. Every time someone tries to personalize some revered spiritual leader, the believers get angry. Consider The Last Temptation of Christ. Consider The Backslider. Consider A Little Lower than the Angels. The greatest lesson I learned from Christ was that an ounce of creativity is worth a pound of dogma (maybe more). Stephen Carter Fairbanks, Alaska - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 21:39:50 -0700 From: "Steve" Subject: [AML] Inteview with "Light of the World" Composers http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,370009233,00.html - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 09:00:25 -0700 From: "Brown" Subject: Re: [AML] Play at Little Brown Theater Barbara, I haven't read the THREE MEN books by Jerome. Has anyone else? The play is a morality play with layers. Marilyn Brown - ----- Original Message ----- > Is it as funny as the Three Men books by Jerome? > > barbara hume > > At 09:49 AM 2/1/02, you wrote: > >While we're on drama, come and see "The Passing of the Third Floor Back" by > >Jerome Jerome, done by a graduate group from BYU, held at the Little Brown > >Theatre, 239 S. Main in Springville, 7:30 on Thurs. Fri, Sat, Mon., this > >weekend and next. We're seeing it tonight. Marilyn Brown > > > -- > AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature > > - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 09:20:01 -0700 From: "Anne Bradshaw" Subject: [AML] Re: News from the AML If I could ride with a sister going from the Provo area (actually, Mapleton, but I can probably get a ride to Provo) to the Annual Meeting on March 2nd in SLC, I'd love to attend. Please email me at annebradshaw@connect2.com if this is possible. Many thanks, Anne Bradshaw http://www.mountainash.org/Anne_Bradshaw/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 5 Feb 2002 09:50:12 -0700 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: RE: [AML] Missionaries Returning Home When I worked as an Ensign editor, we tried to get the missionary department to go along with an article about how to nurture and support missionaries returning home early for whatever reason. As with almost all other missionary-related topics, they flat out refused (about the only thing they will go along with is propaganda to get couples onto missions). I suppose they are extremely worried about anything that could give anyone an excuse to quit their mission early. I remember one time I edited a Mormon Journal about missionary companions who weren't getting along and then prayed (or read a scripture--I can't remember the details) and overcame the problem, but the missionary department killed it because it portrayed some disharmony among companions. I think that department was the most protective, least open department of any that I encountered at the Ensign. The missionary program is a sacred cow and is one of the strangest, most unnatural and intense parts of our whole culture, I find. I think countless people--whether they lasted their whole mission term or not--carry lifetime baggage and scars from their missionary experience. I know I do. Are there any former or current Ensign editors on the list who remember differently and want to correct me? Chris Bigelow - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 12:26:29 -0700 From: "Eric R. Samuelsen" Subject: Re: [AML] Responding to Critics Eric Snider and I have been going back and forth, and I can't resist one = more salvo: Of course we like positive reviews, and of course we think that anyone who = praises us is an astute and thoughtful critic and anyone who doesn't like = our work just doesn't understand us sensitive artists, but what do you = expect, the Philistines. Mostly, I want to know, will this review sell = tickets. (I'm actuallly more interested in the headline, which the critic = has nothing to do with, than the content of the review itself). As a = theatre guy, my interests are purely pragmatic. So let's consider this = another way. A critic can tell you four things: He thinks stuff that I thought was really good is really good. I think = this moment in the show works; a critic confirmed it. I haven't learned = much. He thinks stuff I thought was really good wasn't very good. In which case, = I'm not likely to be persuaded; I'm going to assume that he's wrong, and = that I'm right. He tells me that stuff that really didn't work at all really didn't work = at all. I knew that moment was weak, but I just couldn't fix it; I = miscast the role, or I just never found a solution for that scene. Most of = the time, I know that that moment wasn't effective and I know everything I = tried to do to fix it. Nothing worked, so I did my best, crossed my = fingers and hoped the audience didn't notice. Ah well, someone noticed. = Again, I haven't learned anything from the criticism, nor am I overly = concerned by it. Usually the problem is I cast someone who couldn't handle = part of the role. My bad. Or, maybe, just maybe, the critic points out something that I never = noticed was a problem, but it turns out it was one. This is very very = rare, in my experience, but it does happen. And on those occasions, I = learned something, and I'm grateful. =20 I don't mean to be so adversarial. I like Eric Snider, and I have said on = many occasions that I think he's a good critic and that he's good for = theatre in our area. And I'm delighted that he's stopped grading plays; I = hadn't noticed, and I sincerely apologize. But I've been in theatre my = whole life, and my response to critics is pretty mainstream. I don't know = many theatre people who wouldn't agree with me. I know how hard I workd = on the show, how hard I worked each moment of it, how many different = choices I tried and rejected, why I stuck with the choice I made. It's = going to be a rare thing for me to have a review change my mind. =20 On the other hand, I'm very much a neophyte novelist. I don't really know = what I'm doing as a novelist, and I'm nowhere near as confident. And so I = take criticism of my prose very seriously, and learn a lot from it. Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 05 Feb 2002 12:47:23 -0700 From: "Eric R. Samuelsen" Subject: RE: [AML] Stephen KING, _On Writing_ I've said it before, but it bears repeating; Stephen King is a wonderful = YA writer. He understands childhood like no one else, and his best work = deals with children trying to make sense of a dangerous, frightening = world. And he communicates childhood friendship superbly. Yes, he uses bad language. Kids love bad language; they love shocking = adults with it, and they love the liberated feeling of using profanity = creatively. Yes, his books are very scary. Kids love a good thrilling = chill down their spine. Yes, his books are full of product placement; = consumer labels and the like. Kids respond to references to cultural = products. =20 Lots of people on the List (and lots of people in the Church) despise = King. I loved him when I was a kid. I was turned on to him by a = wonderful aunt who said 'this is a good author for teenagers to read. You = should give him a try." Now that I'm sort of an adult (not really, but I = do play on on TV), I find King . . . nostalgic. I just finished The Girl = Who Loved Tom Gordon, and was reminded once again what a wonderful writer = for and about children King is. And the single best piece of sportswriting= I've read in years was a piece he wrote about his son's Little League = team. =20 Would I let my kids read him? Of course. Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #602 ******************************