From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #964 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 Monday, February 3 2003 Volume 01 : Number 964 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:51:21 EST From: OmahaMom@aol.com Subject: Re: [AML] Black History Fireside I find it annoying when people refer to the Mormon people's racist past. We're taught that we are not accountable for Adam's transgressions, nor should we hold ourselves accountable for something people did 150 years ago. I don't believe that as a people they were any more racist than others of their time period. Not that it makes it right, but then there's a lot of stuff we've learned about how to treat people in the last 150 years--and some of us in and out of the Church still haven't got it right. There's still child abuse, spouse abuse, rape, incest, all kinds of junk in society. Some folks don't learn from the past, but continue to repeat it. That might have something to do with the Biblical injunction about the sins of the fathers visiting on the children to the third and fourth generation...unless someone says "the buck stops here," people tend to raise their children the way they were raised, and I've seen plenty of emotional abuse piled on LDS kids in active homes over the years, even though they weren't beaten black and blue physically. Thing is, a lot of people of all races and creeds have a lot of junk in their ethnic background, & some have it in their personal backgrounds. Many of our ancestors were driven from their homes for various reasons, and given ill treatment by somebody with more power than they. Didn't make it right then, doesn't make it right now. But whatever, it's time to get over it. How can we make a better future if we continue to flaunt the past as if it were the present and wear a chip on our shoulder because someone was mean to our gr granddad, or to us or whatever/whoever? At some point in time, we have to get over it and move on. And FYI, it isn't only whites that are racist. There's plenty of racists in other colors as well. Karen Tippets - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 21:54:20 -0500 From: "Jamie Laulusa" Subject: Re: [AML] Gospel Allusions in Films In the examples you refered to as more subtle, would you say that most of the correlations between these characters and Christ were intedned, or that maybe, because the characters are nice people (or nice pigs), that they ended up resembling Christ without any intention from the creators of the film? And which would be more valuable? Who makes a better Christ figure, the very blatant Aslan from Lewis's Narnia, or the more subjective Aerin from McKinley's Damar? Or does it even matter? ~Jamie Laulusa - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 02:58:42 +0000 From: "Andrew Hall" Subject: [AML] The RM and Mormon films (BYU Newsnet)=20 RM gets mixed reviews By Marie Davies BYU NewsNet Staff Writer 30 Jan 2003 "The RM," the latest movie from the makers of "The Singles Ward," hits theaters across Utah Friday, Jan. 31. Audience members at Wednesday's premiere offered mixed reviews. Actor Corbin Allred, best known for his supporting role in the film "Anywhere But Here," said he thought "The RM" compared well to big-budget Hollywood films. "We learned that we had a good thing with 'The Singles Ward' and we didn't want to reinvent the business model," director Kurt Hale said. "We could have easily pulled together more money and used a bigger budget for 'The RM,' but we still believe there are not enough movie-going Mormons that trust, quote, 'Mormon comedy' enough for us to risk a bigger budget." "The RM" had a $400,000 budget. "There's so much trash in Hollywood right now," Allred said. "I don't like going to a movie feeling like I need to go to church right after, feeling guilty. This is one of those movies where you can go take your family and laugh about it for awhile." Dorothy Lloyd, a 78-year-old extra in the Relief Society scenes, said she doesn't think the movie portrays Relief Society sisters accurately. "The whole thing is just all in fun," Lloyd said. "This is all a fluffy kind of thing." Like "The Singles Ward," "The RM" has several standout characters. Lincoln Hope, who played DaVerl, the love struck loser from 'The Singles Ward,'" has a small part as the Elder's Quorum President in "The RM." "I had fun being a little more normal," Hope said. One of the atypical characters in the film is a Tongan exchange student named Humuhumukunukunukuapua'a, played by radio disc jockey Big Budha. Budha's character eats unusually large amounts of food, and all the shots of him eating are real, Budha said. "I was able to maintain my weight. I did not lose or gain," he said. However, not all audience members were enthusiastic. "It was a little too long," Kelly McBride said. The movie has a running time of one hour and 51 minutes. "'Singles Ward' was a little bit more quick and crispy," McBride said. But Kirby Heyborne, the movie's star, said he thinks 'The RM' is a better film and insisted it has nothing to do with the fact that he plays the lead role. Supporting actor Will Swenson, who played the lead in "The Singles Ward," agreed with Heyborne. "We learned a lot of lessons about how to put a film together. The editing is stronger and the base is better," Swenson said. "I think it has a little more universal appeal. There was a lot of exclusive humor in 'The Singles Ward' and these jokes are easier to get." Some have been wondering if "The RM" is a continuation of the plot from "The Singles Ward." But Heyborne said he doesn't think people will have a problem differentiating between the two movies. "The Singles Ward" grossed $1.5 million in theaters. Jed Ivie, director of media and public relations for Halestorm Entertainment, predicted that because of increased publicity, "The RM" will do even better. Copyright =A92003 BYU NewsNet LDS-themed movies create opportunity, spark controversy By Marie Davies NewsNet Staff Writer 30 Jan 2003 Latter-day Saints are becoming a popular focus for movies, causing both excitement and controversy within the LDS community. "It sometimes seems as if everybody who took a film course at BYU or the University of Utah saw 'God's Army' and said to themselves, 'Hey, my buddies and I can do that!' grabbed their camcorders and hit the town," Sean Means said in a review of the LDS movie trend in The Salt Lake Tribune. BYU students, a target audience of LDS filmmakers, have much to say on the subject. "[The movies are] funny and I think so far they've been within OK boundaries," said MBA student John Wester from Boise, Idaho. "You hope they don't step over that line where you're taking sacred things too light." Wester, however, has only seen "Singles Ward." Many students argue that some other LDS films have already crossed that line. "I didn't like 'God's Army,'" said Josh Aston, a junior from Burley, Idaho, majoring in history. "I think some things relating to missionary work don't need to be portrayed to the public, such as priesthood blessings. My mission sure wasn't like that." Susan Curtis, a junior from Glendale, Wis., majoring in marriage, family and human development said she thought parts of "God's Army" were blasphemous. Yet many filmmakers said they have tried to stay away from controversy. The makers of "Singles Ward" said they purposefully avoided displaying anything about Latter-day Saint religion. "Singles Ward" director Kurt Hale said the movie didn't show any prayers or ordinances because there is not anything funny about those things and they aren't something that should be shown in a movie. However, Mormon culture is something completely different, he said. "Frankly there was just a lot of comedy staring us in the face, so we thought, 'Hey let's take a crack at it,'" he said. Richard Dutcher, the director of "God's Army" said he isn't happy with the trend of LDS films. "We finally get a chance to say something, and we're just reinforcing stereotypes," Dutcher said. But BYU students expressed support. "I like it because it provides entertainment that's a good alternative to what Hollywood puts out," said accounting major Andrew Averett, a sophomore from Springville. As yet, church officials haven't offered a position on films with LDS subjects, Hale said. However, Hale said David B. Haight's wife loved "Singles Ward," and President Gordon B. Hinckley's personal secretary called Hale and said President Hinckley wanted a copy of the DVD. "As a people we've come far enough to kind of have a good time with our cultural peculiarities," Hale said. The LDS film trend doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon. "The RM," directed by Hale, hits theaters Thursday. Another comedy titled "Church Ball" is scheduled for release in January 2004. "We can make 50 movies based on how strange we are," Hale said. Copyright =A92003 BYU NewsNet _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8.=20 http://join.msn.com/?page=3Dfeatures/junkmail - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:10:20 -0800 From: Jeff Needle Subject: Re: [AML] Black History Fireside These are great thoughts, and of course Margaret asks good questions. About confronting the past -- in today's open, wired society, be aware that, if you don't confront the past, it will surely confront you. Admitting a racist past, and simply doing what you demand of your people -- confession, repentance, etc. -- can cover a multitude of sins. Ironically, I've found that, when folks tell me a racist joke, or make some racist comment, I simply turn around and leave. It speaks more loudly than anything I might say and, by its nature, defies comment. - ---------------- Jeff Needle jeff.needle@general.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 19:12:50 -0800 From: Jeff Needle Subject: Re: [AML] Effects of DB Policy Yes, the book ought to be published. I also have read it, and I think I reviewed it. The problem, as I see it, is that it doesn't further the goals of the Church. I'm wondering what the real criterion is: does a work need to be simply non-offensive (passive support), or does it need to actively support the mission of the Church (active support)? I'm confused about how it all works these days. - ---------------- Jeff Needle jeff.needle@general.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 20:45:03 -0700 From: "Kim Madsen" Subject: RE: [AML] R.M. Movie Soundtrack Mike, Thanks from taking a break from lurking to putting in your two cents. It always helps flesh out the stories behind the scenes to hear from people involved in various projects. Glad to hear from you. I was making assumptions when I posted my previous comments, and you know what they say about the danger of doing that... Kim Madsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 30 Jan 2003 21:33:35 -0800 From: Kathy and Jerry Tyner Subject: Re: [AML] Singles Ward We already do. His name is: "High Councilman" and he regularly apprears in The Sugarbeet. Now, if you mean one for kids........ (BTW, We love Veggie Tales at our house too). Kathy Tyner Orange County, CA - ----- Original Message ----- > The following link will take you to a sight that lists recent Christian > movies, their production costs and gross receipts. Our own LDS filmmakers > appear in the list, right along with Mike Nawrocki and the Veggie Tales > guys. (Now those are my favorite Christian themed movies--clever and a lot > of fun. I love Larry the Cucumber. One day we may have a cartoon hero of our > own LDS creation.) - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:14:29 -0800 From: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com Subject: Re: [AML] Slate Commentary on CleanFlicks Lawsuit 97,111-113,119-121,125-127,133-134,139-140,151-152,161-162,167-168,173-174 From: Harlow S Clark Sender: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: aml-list Back when DVDs were first introduced I was teaching freshman comp and got a student paper on the technology. One thing the random access of a disk makes possible is to separate the soundtrack from the image, so you can have, say, a dubbed Spanish version and a director's commentary. Random access also makes it possible to have an R-rated and PG-rated version of the same film, because you don't have to fast-forward through sequential tape. You just program the DVD to skip things you don't want. There was a lot of talk about that at the time, and I figured it could make the rating system irrelevant (if you love Groucho and Chico you can't say that word without saying, 'That's exactly what it is!") because if you can make a PG-rated version of an R-rated movie you can also make an R-rated version of a G-rated movie.=20 On Jan 23, first day of Sundance Film Festival, KUER (www.kuer.edu) broadcast Radio West from the festival, and discussed the issue of video editing. They had CleanFlicks CEO Ray Lines discussing how he got started. He thought it would be a win-win for him and Hollywood by increasing the sales of R- and PG13-rated movies. Lines mentioned the idea of DVDs allowing people to watch whichever version they would like, the uncut version or the airline or TV version, and said a couple times, "They could put me out of business tomorrow," if directors included those versions on the DVDs. Vince Horiuchi, a reporter fairly friendly towards video editing, said that the directors would rather not have different versions of their films, that they created those versions out of economic necessity, not as part of their vision. The panel also discussed the CleanPlay concept (a software template which "gives a set of instructions for bypassing parts you may find offensive," as Rich Hammett says in the post cited below) and Fred Von Loman (sp?) a lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, brought up something I've almost never heard, but have been thinking about (as I suggested above) for years. "I think in 10 or 15 years we'll have, with apologies to Ray for using his business name, DirtyFlicks." It was a rather one-sided discussion because the director they had invited didn't get there, but Von Loman's comment suggests one answer to Rich Hammett's 28 Jan comment: > As far as a moral right, I don't see any reason, as long as=20 > two conditions I enumerated above are met, [1) you are > still being paid for your contribution, and 2) it is marked > as being modified from your original creation,] that your=20 > works should be protected from the hands of others. =20 > The original will still exist, and the market can choose,=20 > n'est ce pas? One very good reason to protect my creations from the hands of others is that I may not want my name associated with a particular person or company or philosophical movement. Suppose that for some odd bizarre reason neo-nasties ("I was bored when I believe the nasties were still booming us, led by Madolf Heatlump, who only had one. Anyway, they didn't get me." (brownie points to anyone who can identify the play and/or book(s) the play was adapted from)) took a liking to my work and wanted to use it for their nasty porpoises. What gives them the moral right to co-opt my writing, use it for immortal porpoises, just because 1) they're willing to pay me for my contribution, and 2) they mark it as being modified from my original creation?=20 But rather than posing a hypothetical, let me tell a story. Oh, wait, before I tell the story, while I was installing the Church Mags cd to get a quote, I realized it's not a hypothetical. When we were starting up Eerie Ant Hums I approached a friend about publishing a brilliant gothic story I've admired for many years. He said he didn't want anything to do with Dialogue, Sunstone or the AML, considered them all apostate organizations. Now, should I have the right to appropriate his work and publish it, simply because I'm willing to pay for it? If the answer is no, can you frame the answer in terms that don't involve a person's right "to own and control" their artistic productions? Now for the story. I commemorated this past Sept. 11 by rereading (most of) Spencer W. Kimball's contribution to the US bison10eel, "The False Gods We Worship" (June 1976 Ensign). I love the following words:=20 >>>>> We are a warlike people, easily distracted from our assignment of preparing for the coming of the Lord. When enemies rise up, we commit vast resources to the fabrication of gods of stone and steel=97ships, planes, missiles, fortifications=97and depend on them for protection and deliverance. When threatened, we become antienemy instead of pro-kingdom of God; we train a man in the art of war and call him a patriot, thus, in the manner of Satan=92s counterfeit of true patriotism, perverting the Savior=92s teaching: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:44=9645.) <<<<< And I love the words that follow these for their insistence that the Lord has the power to defend us, and will if we choose to call on Him instead of our missile-idols: >>>>> We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us--and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas (see 2 Ne. 1:7)--or he will fight our battles for us (Ex. 14:14; D&C 98:37, to name only two references of many). This he is able to do, for as he said at the time of his betrayal, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" (Matt. 26:53.) We can imagine what fearsome soldiers they would be. King Jehoshaphat and his people were delivered by such a troop (see 2 Chr. 20), and when Elisha=92s life was threatened, he comforted his servant by saying, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2 Kgs. 6:16). The Lord then opened the eyes of the servant, "And he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." (2 Kgs. 6:17.) <<<<< I love the promise in these words, the boldness, the foolhardiness (in the great Pauline tradition of being a hardy fool for Jesus' sake) that rebukes both right- and left-wing politics, and thought about sharing them with family members, thought my niece in Berkeley and my sisters might like them. And then, after a nice opening about the connection between smell and memory, I found this passage:=20 >>>>> The Brethren constantly cry out against that which is intolerable in the sight of the Lord: against pollution of mind, body, and our surroundings; against vulgarity, stealing, lying, pride, and blasphemy; against fornication, adultery, homosexuality, (p. 4) <<<<< and wondered how my niece (who spent years as a social worker with AIDS hospice patients) and her partner would react to that. To borrow from Margaret Young's 27 Jan 2003 post, "Black History Fireside," would she say to the text, or to me, "I'm sorry, but that [phrasing] offends me in ways you probably don't understand, so I really cannot continue this conversation."=20 So what should I have done, just snipped the offending phrase and sent the essay along as an edited version? Or perhaps just sent the passages I quoted above? I think my niece's political sensibilities would have enjoyed the passages, but is it fair to only choose the passages that might resonate with her politics?=20 (BTW, when I went to the Duke U. Writers conference 20 years ago I spent a few hours in the BYU Library's rare book room reading parts of Edmund White's _States of Desire: Travels in Gay America_ since he was going to be there. He says in the Utah chapter that you can almost admire President Kimball for his old-fashioned forthrightness and conviction if you don't think about the harm his words and ideas have done to homosexuals in the church. White's words were strong enough that I was a little apprehensive. I took a story about a couple of high school kids trying to get a date with a BYU coed, and oddly, the conference member who understood it best, and was most sympathetic to it, was a gaybartender--who taught high school English by day.) Now you may think I'm just posing this to suggest that as we shouldn't cut the words of our prophets, we shouldn't cut the words of our artists, but the issue is much more complex, because the edited sermon is a major literary form among LDS, has been for the better part of a century, not only in terms of economic activity generated and distribution, but in how people study the words of our prophets. Go to the catalog of any good repository of LDS books and type in the words, "Teachings of" and you'll find dozens of books of topically arranged sermon excerpts, nary a complete sermon among them. Now have I sufficiently undercut the questions I asked in response to Rich Hammett's comment? Or have I simply suggested that it's ok to edit your own words and create derivative words from them? Or have I suggested there's a certain poverty in only looking at excerpts, pastiches, derivatives and abridgements? My friend Jen Wahlquist always tells her students it's a big no-no to end an essay with a rhetorical question, but some essays are written to pose questions rather than answer them, and the questions posed by the ease and economy/economics of electronic editing are complex enough to deserve a good muddy discussion. H. Soderborg Clark ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 12:09:56 +0000 From: "Andrew Hall" Subject: [AML] HALE, "The R.M." (Newspaper reviews) FILM REVIEW: LDS cinema's latest earns genuine laughs ERIC D. SNIDER The Daily Herald on Friday, January 31 This time, HaleStorm Entertainment won't have to make up quotes from movie critics to use in its advertising. "The R.M.," HaleStorm's follow-up to the amateurish "Singles Ward," is an altogether amusing, nongrating, nonstupid comedy. It benefits from solid acting and sharp, good-natured humor. The script, again by John E. Moyer and Kurt Hale, is more focused than last time, and so are the cameras. It's an altogether enjoyable film -- not without its flaws, and some of them significant, but diverting nonetheless. Kirby Heyborne, who played a soon-to-be missionary in "Singles Ward," is back as a different character, Jared Phelps, just returned from the Wyoming Evanston South Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the airport, he finds no one to greet him. At home, he finds his parents have moved and forgotten to tell him. At his girlfriend's house, he finds she is engaged to someone else. With the exception of the last point, Jared's problems thus far are unbelievable, which makes it hard to find humor in them. (You have to believe a thing could happen before you can laugh at it.) But the film, directed by Kurt Hale, picks up steam from there, realistically and comedically conveying the frustration many returned missionaries feel as they adapt to the real world. I will even accept the airport-no-shows and the moving-without-telling because they set the tone for the film: This will be a one-thing- after-another comedy, where things continue to get worse for the protagonist despite the seeming fact that they couldn't possibly get worse. Jared's family includes multiple children and two extremely busy but loving parents (Tracy Ann Evans and Merrill Dodge). Mom is pregnant, while the oldest sister, Sariah (Maren Ord), is about to marry a doofus named Duey (Michael Birkeland). Jared's lifelong friend, the fun-loving Kori ("Singles Ward" star Will Swenson), wants to hang out with him, but Jared worries about the influence Kori will have over him. There are troubles with girls and employment, too, but most of the conflict is internal as Jared struggles to determine how, exactly, serving a mission has blessed him, when everything seems to have been screwed up by his going. These are weighty issues of faith, and while the film doesn't resolve them very well -- in the end, I can't tell why Jared has reached the conclusion he has -- it at least portrays his struggle convincingly. "The R.M.'s" best asset is Heyborne, who has a likable Everyman quality as Jared. His resolution despite constant setbacks, with an expression of growing weariness about his face, is both funny and appealing. When the film becomes too dramatic in its last act, Heyborne carries it well. Swenson, who almost made "Singles Ward" tolerable, is good again as Kori, and Tracy Ann Evans gets more than her share of laughs as Jared's indefatigable dynamo of a mother. Britani Bateman is charismatic as Kelly, Jared's new love interest. The celebrity cameos are kept to a minimum this time and do not generally get in the way of the story. The soundtrack, which again features familiar LDS tunes re-cast in modern styles, is fun on its own but distracting within the film. Johnny Biscuit played the most annoying character in "Singles Ward"; this time it is TV personality Scott Christopher, who is embarrassingly unfunny as an attorney, badly dragging down the film's finale. But then there are the plusses. One of the best gags involves Jared's visit to a jewelry store to return his ex-girlfriend's engagement ring. I won't spoil it for you, but it cleverly juxtaposes LDS culture with that of the outside world, taking what is familiar to viewers -- "it's funny because it's true" -- and tweaking it enough to earn real laughs. Jared's parents' involvement in selling a Nu Skin-type product, some ward members' commercial for a wedding Web site, his experiences as a telemarketer -- these are legitimately funny sequences, and the first half of the film, especially, is a treat to watch. What separates "The R.M." most from "The Singles Ward" is its attitude. In "The Singles Ward," things were thrown haphazardly onto the screen with regard only for whether the filmmakers thought they were funny. There was a smugness about it: If you don't laugh, there must be something wrong with YOU. "The R.M.," on the other hand, reaches out to its audience and actually wants to be liked. It is not a great film, but it's a good one, a pleasant one. The parts that make you laugh outnumber the parts that make you roll your eyes. B- (1 hr., 42 min.; PG for mild thematic elements) Star of 'Singles Ward' and 'R.M.' has even more films coming soon ERIC D. SNIDER The Daily Herald on Friday, January 31 By this time next year, Kirby Heyborne may have appeared in six motion pictures, all of them about Latter-day Saints, all of them shot in Utah, and all without the aid of a high-priced Hollywood agent. "I don't want to get pinned into the Mormon cinema thing, but while it's around, it's good," said Heyborne, 26, who lives in Sandy with his wife and young son. The recent flurry of films about the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been good indeed for Heyborne. In "The Singles Ward," he played a young Mormon who was thrilled to receive a mission call to Boise, Idaho, getting laughs in a film that went on to gross more than $1.2 million at the box office, making it the third highest-grossing Mormon- centered film so far (after "The Other Side of Heaven" and "God's Army"). He has the starring role in "The R.M.," which opens today and which, like "Singles Ward," was directed by Kurt Hale and written by Hale and John Moyer. Between now and June, he will shoot "Saints of War," set during World War II, and the mission-themed "Best Two Years of My Life." He is also tentatively appearing in a film based on the first part of the Book of Mormon, as well as in Moyer and Hale's "Home Teachers." A year ago, Heyborne was selling life insurance and mutual funds. ("It was boring," he said matter-of-factly.) He had acted in school and in community theater, but "then I got married and decided I'd better get a business degree to support the family. So I put everything on hold." He said his wife, Trisha, whom he married five years ago, encouraged him to finally go for it. He auditioned for "The Singles Ward" and soon found himself part of a Utah phenomenon. "It's amazing, I never thought it would be such a cult hit," he said. "People are quoting lines from it, kids are coming up to me and saying, 'You went to Boise! Hee hee!' It's huge. It's cult." Heyborne, affable and good-natured in conversation, said that while he realizes his fame doesn't extend very far beyond the borders of Utah, it's a little disconcerting to be noticed so much here. "Now that the posters are up for 'The R.M.,' people really recognize me," he said. "I love making people feel special, taking the time to say hi to them, but when you're there with your family trying to get somewhere, it's kind of intrusive." After "Singles Ward," director Hale said Heyborne was a shoo-in for "The R.M." "He was just so natural in front of the camera," Hale said. "So much of his ability lies in his body language, his face. He didn't even read for 'R.M.' When we were writing it, he came to mind immediately. We thought, 'This is Kirby all the way.' " Hale also praised Heyborne's professionalism. "He's a standout in that he takes his craft very seriously, coming memorized and all," he said. "I think that's part of why he's getting so much work." Heyborne is already making a living at acting, doing some voice work and commercials in addition to the film roles, and he doesn't rule out a move to Los Angeles at some point. "I like to think people see that I work hard, that I'm professional," he said. "I want to make this my career. I hope they see that I'm rising. I want to get better with each performance." In response to the critics who panned "The Singles Ward," he is diplomatic. "You look at Adam Sandler, he very rarely gets more than half a star, but people go back and see the comedies," he said. "People like to laugh, and critics have their opinions." That said, he feels "The R.M." is a better film. "A lot of people might think I'm biased, but I think it's a lot funnier than 'Singles Ward,' " he said. "It's not as many inside jokes. It's more character-based than Mormonism-based." Hale is hopeful that "The R.M.," which opens on 15 Utah screens today and will spread out from there, can duplicate at least some of the success of "The Singles Ward." " 'Singles Ward' is just a weird thing," he said. "It's not a great film, we can all agree on that, but it hit cult status. People were going back and seeing it 12 or 15 times. Yeah, we're hoping lightning will strike twice." "The comedy is more situational," he said. "We took a lot of heat (with 'Singles Ward') for being too insider. Hopefully we can kind of bridge that gap here." If the success of "The R.M." is anything close to what "The Singles Ward" experienced, Heyborne will be even more noticeable. Putting things in perspective, he said, "I'm going to be one of the most recognizable faces in Mormon comedy ... which is only two movies, really." Copyright 2002 by HarkTheHerald.com 'The R.M.' Has a Comedy Mission, But Can't Convert Premise Into Laughs BY SEAN P. MEANS THE SALT Lake Tribune 2 stars (out of four) Some improvement from "The Singles Ward" crew, but still an amateur effort. Rated PG for some thematic elements; 102 minutes. When you spend $400,000 to make a movie, then make $1.25 million at the box office, the predictable response is to make another movie using the same formula. That's what director Kurt Hale and his co-screenwriter, John E. Moyer, the Utah filmmakers behind "The Singles Ward," do with "The R.M.," another comedy targeted to locals looking for squeaky- clean LDS-themed entertainment. Alas, their new movie bears many of the same problems as their first one: amateurish performances and production values, pointless local cameos and a parochially exclusionary tone that penetrates all the way to the movie's title. The good news is that the boys are learning filmcraft and show they can at least set up a humorous premise -- even if they don't yet know how to make it pay off. The title, Latter-day Saint code for "returned missionary," refers to young Jared Phelps (Kirby Heyborne), who is completing his two-year stint seeking converts in Evanston, Wyo. He is preparing to return to Utah, his loving family, his faithful girlfriend Molly (Erin M. Robert), his old job and studying at BYU. But Jared's plans fall short of reality. His girlfriend got engaged, his family has moved into a new house, his room is occupied by a Samoan exchange student (Leroy Te'o, a k a KISN-FM's "Big Buddha"), and his old boss (ex-Major Leaguer Wally Joyner) has left to start his own small business. As for his BYU aspirations, Jared is encouraged by his Jack Mormon best pal Kori (Will Swenson, the lead in "The Singles Ward") to enroll at the U. and join Kori's beer-happy frat. Meanwhile, Jared meets Kelly (Britani Bateman), who makes his heart flutter - -- especially when he learns her father is a General Authority. Hale and Moyer's script has flashes of humor -- like the scene where Jared tries to return the engagement ring meant for Molly, and the jewelry-store clerk listens to his plight with a bartender's sympathy. But many jokes play out longer than necessary. For example, when Joyner's character and his wife (Sherry Leigh) start describing their new business -- Utahweddings. com -- as if starring in their own infomercial, it's funny for a few seconds, but the joke goes on until it turns into an informercial. The Utah celebrity cameos are plentiful. A few have some nice irony (hey, who wouldn't want to see LDS boy band Jericho Road behind bars?), but others -- like WB morning star Mitch English or Utah actor Scott Christopher -- are embarrassingly unfunny. "The R.M." makes strides toward universality -- the central conflict between Jared and Kori, though a bit smarmy, nicely transcends LDS jargon -- but too often plays to its built-in audience. "The R.M." shows Hale & Co. at a crossroads: Start reaching to a crossover audience or stagnate until their LDS fans get bored with the same old stuff. Copyright 2003, The Salt Lake Tribune. _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 07:36:00 -0800 (PST) From: Ed Snow Subject: [AML] Re: Disappointing People Stephen, your story reminded me of some interactions I had with "disappointing people" about one of my Sugar Beet articles a while back. In my piece, I had a Mormon scripture tote bag manufacturer producing a novel new tote bag design by copying a Jewish phylactery (which anciently carried small passages of scripture wrapped around the head or arm) but enlarging it to hold a small Mormon quad. The company called it a "Prophylactery" with pride because it protected the scriptures *and* had a tie into a venerable ancient Hebrew form of scripture "toting." Several Mormons were irate about this, claiming I was making fun of Jewish people. I wasn't, I was making fun of Mormons. They thought it was the moral equivalent of a Baptist making fun of the Mormon endowment, or garments. My response: no, it's like a Baptist making fun of Baptist marketing schemes like copying Mormon garments for a Baptist product. I could not convince them otherwise. Maybe they were right. I was just trying to juxtapose two incompatible concepts to create a comic effect. There are some disappointed people out there who now think I'm a religious bigot. Ed ===== Read free excerpts from _Of Curious Workmanship: Musings on Things Mormon_, no longer a Signature Books "best seller," but now dubbed a "classic" http://www.signaturebooks.com/classics.htm __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 08:34:30 -0700 From: AML Subject: [AML] Mormon Literature Conference at UVSC Please join us for Passing the Portals: Mormon Literature in the 21st Century A two-day conference cosponsored by the Association for Mormon Letters, the Center for the Study of Ethics at Utah Valley State College, and the English Department at UVSC Friday, February 21, 9:00 A.M. to 4:40 P.M. (No registration or entrance fees required) * Location: All Friday sessions will take place in the South Presidential Suite at the David O. McKay Special Events Center, Utah Valley State College, Orem, Utah. * Keynote speaker: Emma Lou Thayne, poet and essayist, on "Messianic Mormon Literature" (please be seated by 9:00 A.M.) * Other presentations: Novelizing Richard Dutcher's film "Brigham City," the emerging Mormon murder mystery genre, Brady Udall's nationally well-received novel "The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint," Orson Scott Card, and much more Saturday, February 22, 8:45 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (Registration table opens at 8:00 A.M.; scroll down for preregistration info) * Location: Saturday's conference will convene in UVSC's Computer Science Building, large lecture hall (CS 404), and then split into concurrent sessions there and in the Student Center (206A and 206B). * Keynote speaker: Writer and scholar Marilyn Arnold on "Art and Soul: Lessons from Willa Cather for Mormon Writers, Critics, and Audiences" (please be seated by 8:45 A.M.) * Other presentations: Non-Mormon perspectives on writing from a religious tradition, Mormon folklore, young-adult writing, a new Mormon literature database, essayist Eugene England, and much more * AML luncheon: Featuring award presentations and the AML presidential address by Gideon Burton * Complimentary evening buffet: After the conference, this complimentary gathering at a nearby home will feature readings from award winners and a light supper. Preregistration for Saturday Events Deadline: Feb. 14 Note: At-the-door Saturday registration will be available at a higher rate than listed below, but extra luncheons may not be available. Following are PayPal credit-card preregistration links for the general public, AML members, and full-time students: GENERAL PUBLIC Saturday conference only, no luncheon ($15) http://click.topica.com/maaaOqraaVIXDbatlYAb/ Saturday conference and luncheon ($30) http://click.topica.com/maaaOqraaVIXEbatlYAb/ AML MEMBERS Saturday conference only, no luncheon ($10) http://click.topica.com/maaaOqraaVIXFbatlYAb/ Saturday conference and luncheon ($25) http://click.topica.com/maaaOqraaVIXGbatlYAb/ FULL-TIME STUDENTS (No preregistration or fee required for attending the Saturday conference.) Luncheon for full-time students ($15) http://click.topica.com/maaaOqraaVIXHbatlYAb/ To preregister by mail, send a note stating which of the above options you are preregistering under, along with your check payable to AML, to AML, PO Box 51364, Provo, UT 84605. For more information, including a complete agenda, visit http://click.topica.com/maaaOqraaVIXIbatlYAb/ If you have questions, contact us at irreantum2@cs.com. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [Advertisement] The nonprofit, independent CENTER STREET THEATRE of Orem, Utah, announces the opening of its third production, the award-winning "The Way We're Wired." Following is the AML 1999 drama award citation that playwright Eric Samuelsen received for this play: "The Way We're Wired" does what all plays should and only the best few do: it takes us deeply and satisfyingly into the minds and hearts of real people, posing as theatrical characters; it lets us take the measure of their pain and joy; and it causes us to discover that they are us. "Andy and Katie, Terrell and Darlene: these are people inside our wards, our workplaces, and finally, our own skins. We take their problems seriously; we take their failures hard; and in the end we whoop over their successes with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for a family member who, after years of heartache and struggle, finally lands a job with medical benefits, or does some other amazing, impossible thing. "With this play, Eric Samuelsen has taken drama of the contemporary Mormon scene to a whole new country, where the coinage is neither propaganda nor criticism, but, actually, love. "Everyone, Mormon or non-Mormon, who is thinking about trying to become a human being should see this extraordinary play about every six months." ATTENDANCE DETAILS The play opens Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Center Street Theater, 50 W. Center, Orem, Utah. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. and will play Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays through March 1. Tickets are $10 general admission, $9 for senior citizens, and $8 for students. Group rates are $6 for groups of 10 or more on any night and for families attending on Mondays. No children under age 12 are allowed. To reserve tickets call 801-225-3800. ==================================================================== Update your profile here: http://topica.email-publisher.com/survey/?a84D2W.batlYA.YW1sLWxp Unsubscribe here: http://topica.email-publisher.com/survey/?a84D2W.batlYA.YW1sLWxp.u Delivered by Topica Email Publisher, http://topica.email-publisher.com/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #964 ******************************