From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V2 #151 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 Thursday, September 11 2003 Volume 02 : Number 151 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 08:59:44 -0500 From: "Thom Duncan" Subject: RE: [AML] _Irreantum_ Issue on Romance - --- Original Message --- From: "Tony Markham" To: Subject: RE: [AML] _Irreantum_ Issue on Romance > >Barbara Hume wrote: I find it > >interesting, BTW, that a majority of romance readers are also SF/F >readers. Not true. Romance readers read SciFi, not SF, a world of difference. Not to downplay the wonderful efforts of my friend Dave Wolverton but a Star Wars story is not sf, it's scifi. (Dave has also written wonderful sf and incredible fantasy). If the opposite ever turns out to be true, that the majority of readers of SF (not scifi) ALSO read Romance, then I'm going into hibernation to wait for the Second Coming, because it will mean that the end of the world is well on its way. - -- Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 09:26:16 -0500 From: "Thom Duncan" Subject: Re: [AML] BofM Movie Anticipated - --- Original Message --- >Many of them plan to pay for another movie and then sneak into the BofM >movie. Now is that naughty, or what? Yes. >Then again, regarding the evil option of paying for another film while >seeing this one, do filmmakers not deserve such treatment when they market >substandard work to audiences the way this one appears to be doing? No. In that case, you shouldn't attend it. But, just because you can make a movie, regardless of the >quality, does that give you a right to make money off of it? No, but the market place is the only fair way to play this game. Bad movies won't get the attendance, even if they start Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. - -- Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 07:56:41 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] Death of the Road Show? [MOD: I really don't want to turn this into another let's-bash-Church-sports thread. In fact, I won't let it go there. However, Michael raises a legitimate question, which is whether literary/artistic activities are considered inherently more problematic for Church sponsorship than other kinds of activities, and if so, why. *That* is on-topic for AML-List, if anyone wants to pursue that question.] Tracie Laulusa wrote: > I don't understand why it seems the cultural activities are seen as to > time/resource absorbing, and yet the sports live on forever. Because cultural activities have the risk of introducing thought into people's minds, and that can be a dangerous thing. Basketball can't do that. It may cause swearing, vicious anger, hurtful comments, and gross unsportsmanlike conduct, but at least no dangerous thinking will occur. No, I'm not being facetious. I'm serious. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 07:58:35 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: Re: [AML] BofM Movie Fireside Thom Duncan wrote: BTW, this was a screening for everyone who worked for CES. It sounds to > me that, unlike what Thomas Baggeley claims, these producers have > managed to work their way into some sort of semi-official status. This _film_ has worked its way into some sort of semi-official status. The posters and firesides demonstrate it. I wonder if Richard Dutcher's film of Joseph Smith will receive the same quasi-official treatment. By the same logic, it should. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 08:32:30 -0600 From: "D. Michael Martindale" Subject: [AML] The Critic's Obligation (was: Honesty in Reviewing) Barbara Hume wrote: > What I plan to do is to drop a note to the author and say that I prefer not > to review the book because my comments on the style would not be helpful to > her. It would be dishonest for me not to let readers know in a review that > the prose is turgid and awkward, and that it's loaded to the max with > melodramatic adjectives and adverbs. I've had to send such notes abefore, > and the authors have always agreed. This presents an interesting question. If a critic agrees to review a book, should that critic decide not to review it if the book is bad? Consideration of other people's feelings might seem to suggest that the answer is yes. Why subject the poor author to such a dreadful experience? Many of us know that feeling all too well: after pouring our time and effort and very souls into a book which has little chance of ever repaying the investment financially, to be told our "baby" is no good is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a tender artist can endure. Who wants to inflict that on another human being? But as a critic, we have a responsibility to a lot more people than the author. In fact, a critic is primarily a servant of the reading audience. Shouldn't we be considerate of those whom we are primarily obligated to serve? The reader walks into the bookstore, clutching his hard-earned money that he gave up time out of his life and away from his family to accrue, purchases that bad book, then goes home and spends more of his valuable time reading it, with the expectation of having a pleasant experience, only to have his hopes dashed and to learn he's wasted his time and money. Don't we owe consideration to that person? Don't we have an obligation to warn the reader of a bad book? My policy: if someone wants me to review their book, they get a review, no matter what kind of review it is. To me, any other policy is dishonest. If I only write a review on the books that are good or at least passable, and remain quiet about the bad books, I'm lying by ommission. I'm also losing credibility with the readers I'm supposed to be serving. If all my reviews come out more or less positive, no one will trust me. If I've written scathing reviews, then they know I mean it when I praise a book. An author (or more relevant to this moment in time with the BOM movie coming out, a filmmaker) ought to know going in what the game is all about. By seeking publication, he is declaring that his product is of professional quality. Too many authors (and filmmakers) jump into the water arrogantly believing they can write a great novel without paying the price to become great. Perhaps all writers feel that way at first. I know I did. But the good ones eventually get their rude awakening and realize they have a lot to learn and a lot of practicing to log before they become great. The ones that pay that price do become great. Now a fledgling author with a developing manuscript ought not to be critiqued publicly. (They still ought to be critiqued honestly and bluntly, or they'll never learn.) The learning process should be kept private. But we're talking about authors with a published book they want reviewed, right? They have offered their product publicly with the implicit claim that it's of professional quality. Under those circumstances, all authors ought to understand that the reviewer is obligated to respond publicly, no matter the response. It's the only honest thing to do. - -- D. Michael Martindale dmichael@wwno.com ================================== Check out Worldsmiths, the new online LDS writers group, at http://www.wwno.com/worldsmiths Sponsored by Worlds Without Number http://www.wwno.com ================================== - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 07:58:24 -0700 From: Jeff Needle Subject: Re: [AML] Honesty in Reviewing Well, what can I say? My loud thanks to all of you for the support. I recently received a book from a fellow who had it published privately, and whose cover contained extraordinary praise for the work. I began reading it, and actually finished it, and wondered how anyone could have written such a bad book. Rather than write a review, I communicated with the author, explaining my problems. His response was very instructive to me: "All the other reviews were very positive. But, then again, I sent out a LOT of review copies, and only received a handful of responses. Do you suppose the others didn't want to hurt my feelings?" I have mixed feelings about "hurt feelings." You never want to discourage someone from doing better, but you also want to be honest enough to express your feelings. Wouldn't it be nice if the process weren't so darned subjective? Thanks again to all. At 10:19 PM 9/10/2003, you wrote: >[MOD: This is a compilation post.] - ---------------- Jeff Needle jeff.needle@general.com jeffneedle@tns.net - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 09:49:26 -0600 From: Gideon Burton Subject: [AML] Recommendations for Translation? What LDS Lit should be translated into French? Spanish?=20 I was recently contacted by someone starting a business translating LDS titles first into French and then other European languages. He is asking = for recommendations for what works should be translated. I suggested to him = the Standing on the Promises trilogy by Young and Gray. Anyone else want to offer their opinion? I am appending his query to me below. Gideon O. Burton 3113 JKHB Department of English Brigham Young University Provo, UT=A0 84602 (801) 422-3525 Visit Silva Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric http://rhetoric.byu.edu The Mormon Literature Database http://MormonLit.lib.byu.edu Hello,=20 I am starting a business of translating LDS books from any authors interested to the French Language. Then, it will expand to any other European language.=20 I was curious to know if any authors on this site would be interested in such an opportunity as members in Europe would love to have some LDs literature. I would like to know if anybody would be interested to have their books distributed to Europe. Please contact me:=20 My name is Roland L=E9por=E9=20 rolandlep1@yahoo.com=20 Roland L=E9por=E9=20 =A0 - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 16:20:06 GMT From: cwilson@emerytelcom.net Subject: Re: [AML] Death of the Road Show? We did a road show in our stake almost a year ago. Most of the entries were deadly--in one case literally as there was a long monologue from a deceased ancestor. We did a bright, dancy, funny roadshow with prerecorded music and LOTS of participants, including lots of teenagers. It was about a garden and which plants were allowed to grow and which not (dandelions being weeds, you see). My favorite bit was the Wicked Witch of the West bursting in several times and saying, "Heh heh heh! I'll destroy you and your little dog too," to which the narrator, then the cast, then the whole audience roared, "You're on the wrong show!" The Stake President said parts of the show were so funny (like the Pansy Song, where the biggest guys in the ward sang and danced the woes of being Pansies) that he laughed till he almost wet his pants :). I like road shows--at least the kind we did :). Cathy Wilson - --------------------------------------------- This message was sent using Endymion MailMan. http://www.endymion.com/products/mailman/ - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 12:03:06 -0600 From: "Eugene Woodbury" Subject: [AML] DAICHI, _Now and Then, Here and There_ (Review) Thanks to Neil Aitken for reminding me of Now and Then, Here and There. = I wrote up these notes a while back and never got around to posting = them. While Voices of a Distant Star captures the "look and feel" of = Ender's Game, Now and Then, Here and There follows more closely upon its = moral conclusions. // Now and Then, Here and There ("Ima, soko ni iru boku") Directed by Akitarou Daichi Central Park Video 1999 13 1/2 hour episodes on 3 DVDs: 1) Discord and Doom, 2) Flight and Fall, = 3) Conflict and Chaos In a water-starved, other-worldly future, the pursuit of absolute power = has corrupted absolutely, from the generals down to the foot soldiers. = The vast majority of these soldiers are children, impressed into the = army against their will, yet who have become the willing executioners of = a mad king. Into this dystopian universe are transported Shu and Sara, = innocent bystanders caught up in the king's desperate search for LaLa = Ru. LaLa Ru is, except for her permanently vacant eyes, an ordinary-looking = girl (her age, she later reveals, can only be counted in millennia). In = the possession of an equally unremarkable pendant, though, she becomes a = kind of Neptunian goddess, who can fill entire seas with water. It is an = power she executes rarely and capriciously. For when she does, she tells = Shu, it is a gift first welcomed, then fought to the death over, and she = has no interest in exchanging one brand of suffering for another. Everything Shu experiences proves her point, as he is punished to an = inch of her life by the king's henchmen in order to find out what he = knows of her, and what he honestly doesn't. Shu resists his persecutors with a simple courage, an inviolate sense of = right and wrong, a never insipid optimism. He would choose to light = candles in a hurricane rather than curse the darkness. A realist would = accuse Shu of naivete, for he never questions the metaphysics of his or = anybody else's suffering. His role is instead to serve as a unwavering = beacon in a tripolar world of good, evil, and desperate accommodation. Also caught up in these moral force fields is a deeply tragic figure, = Nabuca. Nabuca is the leader of the platoon of child soldiers Shu is = conscripted into (after his usefulness vis-a-vis LaLa Ru is exhausted). = Nabuca could be labeled an optimist as well, but for all the wrong = reasons. He has bought into the lie that his work will be rewarded and = he will be allowed to return home if he only follows orders well enough. = In order to coax this untruth into being he has become the = quintessential "good Nazi." For Nabuca, sentimental ends justify cruel means, a moral calculation = that brings him and Shu into constant conflict. Shu does not bother at = all with Tabool, who has already seen through the facades and has made = the cold Machiavellian calculation to become the lord of whatever swarm = of flies he finds himself in at the moment. Ends and means make no = difference because all that matters to Tabool is what benefits Tabool = this minute and perhaps the minute after that. Nabuca and Tabool represent the utter failure of compromise when = Manichean forces are at play. Shu's becomes the only valid solution: to = fight or flee, facing certain death on the one hand, or nearly almost = certain death on the other. He chooses the latter, in the act of = rescuing LaLa Ru--which, typical to his character, he does not because = he has any idea of what will happen next, but because he must always do = something, anything, no matter how purposeless, rather than do nothing. Sara arrives at the same conclusion, but with suicidal intent born of = utter hopelessness. Unlike Shu, she lacks (she believes) the = stubbornness, the insane faith that she alone might be capable of = changing her ruined fate. Shu first meets her in Hamdo's prison between = torture sessions. Her sole crime is her resemblance to LaLa Ru--she was = kidnaped in a case of mistaken identities. And now she exists only to be = prostituted by her jailers to a motley assortment of mid-level = functionaries. Director Akitarou Daichi thankfully spares us the raw details, focusing = more on her existential despair rather than on the specifics of the = violence. When she escapes, her only thought, understandably, is of = self-annihilation. She suffers the trials of Job, and even after she is = dug half-dead out of the sand by the motherly Sis, she continues to rage = against God, against LaLa Ru's seeming indifference to the horrors her = indifference continues to perpetuate, against Shu's pointless = positivism. Yet, unlike Shu, whose outlook changes little from beginning to end--he = is essentially as static a character as the mad king Hamdo--Sara's = outward expressions of a broken inner world evidence a soul struggling = to heal from harsh truths harshly inflicted. By acknowledging her own = survival of the worst that can be visited upon another human being, Sara = becomes the person capable of tending to other crushed spirits like her = own, and when Sis can no longer look after her small, misbegotten flock, = Sara steps ably into her shoes. When we last see Shu, in contrast, we are left with the sense that wiser = though he may be, he is little changed at the core. That is not = necessarily a bad thing because he is, at the core, a good person. But = the essence of human drama is not only challenge but change, making Sara = the story's true protagonist. As Nabuca is to Shu, Sara's morally tragic opposite might have been = Abelia, Hamdo's inexplicably loyal lieutenant. She is potentially the = most interesting of all the characters in Now and Then, Here and There. = Unfortunately, the depths of her mind and personality are little = plumbed. No reason is given for Abelia's allegiance to Hamdo, nor why = anybody, for that matter, should listen to anything the man says. = (Though this can easily be read as a criticism of the unquestioned = authority of the emperor, and the often irrational obeisance of his = generals, during the Second World War.) While a lack of underlying motivation does erode somewhat at the = substance of the "bad guy" characters, it fits into what may be called = the "fairy tale logic" of the story as a whole: "Once upon a time, a mad = king desired to rule the whole world." The magical introduction of Shu = and Sara into the narrative additionally provides for the necessary = aesthetic distance--as it does in Grimm's Fairy Tales (the original, not = expurgated, versions)--that allows the brutality of the tale to be told = without forcing the viewer to wallow in it. It is nevertheless hard going at times, drama that can be exhausting in = its intensity, and you may fear that the whole thing will collapse into = pretentious nihilism. But the reward of the experience is to witness the = transformation of Sara's nightmare world into a hope-filled one that is = truly earned and deserved, not conveniently tagged on in a = happily-ever-after coda. Eugene Woodbury - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 12:27:42 -0600 From: "Annette Lyon" Subject: Re: [AML] Uplifting Writing Scott: "I believe that a population will naturally produce a wide variety of stories given time, opportunity, and encouragement. I believe people can and should advocate any book or style or literary school moves them. By the same token I don't see much point or value in condemning readers for their tastes or choices. Good literature comes not from constant withering rejection of bad literature, but from aggressive praise of good effort combined with critical examination of ways to improve." Annette: YES! This is why, Jeff Needle and Katie Parker excepted, I have a tough time with so many reviews and comments I see, which seem condescending and downright caustic. They offer nothing to help improve the quality and instead seem bent on cutting down the work and/or author. And forget finding any "aggressive praise of good effort." Let's remember that LDS literature isn't all that old. It still needs time and encouragement to mature. Some reviewers refuse to grant either. Scott: "But I don't tell people they're not reading the right kinds of books, or that the books they're reading aren't challenging enough. I ask them about their own reading, then offer opinions when asked. I show up each Sunday with a different book in hand. People have learned that I'm a literary omnivore who won't make fun of them for what they read, so they feel safe in asking for my recommendations." I agree completely. The very idea of trying to "correct" someone's perception implies that your perception is correct--something I hope none of us are so arrogant to think. I don't know if Scott intended this post to be a defense of the current LDS market, but I'm taking it as such. The quality has come lightyears from where it used to be, and continues to improve in spite of little or no encouragement from other writers. I am the first to admit that there is plenty of room for improvement. I've been reading more LDS romance authors lately in an attempt to be better versed in the market (figured that might be a good things, since I'm part of it), and more than once I've been tempted to take a red pen and mark the book up--or throw it against the wall and yell, "THIS is why the genre has a bad name!" (For what it's worth, it made my day when a professional editor wrote me to say mine was the first LDS novel she had read in ages that didn't drive her nuts, because it was so clean. Yea!) Recently I looked over some excerpts from an LDS romance published in the 70s--it was nothing but drivel--and I realized just how far we have come. Even so, I firmly believe the market could improve at a much faster rate if writers banded together to help each other out, to give constructive criticism instead of negativity bred from sour grapes or whatever. I am so lucky to belong to a talented critique group that has made my work improve by leaps and bounds--but that improvement has happened only because everyone around the table sincerely cares about everyone else's manuscripts and wants each to be the best it can be. That's not to say the members of the group simply give lots of strokes. Far from it--I have gotten some intense criticism that's been tough to swallow. But it has always been given with a clear intent to help build, never to tear down or mock. And that's why it works. That's how all criticism is supposed to work. Kudos to Jeff and Katie who have the right idea. Annette Lyon - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 12:27:45 -0600 From: "Annette Lyon" Subject: RE: [AML] _Irreantum_ Issue on Romance "Translation: Men may not read romance, but they'll still read crap." Translation: romance is crap. Now THAT'S offensive. Yes, much of romance is crap (see Sturgeon's Law). But there is also a lot of very good writing in the genre. (Yes, it is a genre.) Annette Lyon - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 11:34:00 -0700 From: "Susan Malmrose" Subject: Re: [AML] BofM Movie Anticipated The amount of criticism this film has generated before anyone's even seen it is convincing me more and more that it's must-see. :) Susan M - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 22:51:11 +0000 From: "Elizabeth Petty Bentley" Subject: Re: [AML] AML-Review Archives Update I just joined the list, checked the archives, and discovered my book has never been reviewed. Horrors! Would anyone like a PDF copy? Beth (Elizabeth Petty Bentley: THE FLY ON THE ROSE) > >Ok, so after many months, I have finally carved out the time to update the >AML-List Review Archive. To the best of my knowledge, the archive now >contains every review posted to the AML-List up through yesterday. > > _________________________________________________________________ Compare Cable, DSL or Satellite plans: As low as $29.95. https://broadband.msn.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 17:02:48 -0600 From: "Thomas C. Baggaley" Subject: RE: [AML] BofM Movie Anticipated Dianna Graham wrote: >David is in the shoot of "Eat, Drink, and Get Married" (aka "Baptists at our Barbecue"), and he said that everyone on crew is planning to see the Book of Mormon movie. The punch line is: Many of them plan to pay for another movie and then sneak into the BofM movie. >Isn't that so mean? Is that actually very wrong? These people go out on a limb and put a tremendous amount of work into making this big, costly movie, and some are considering seeing it while paying for another film?" Yeah, I actually think it's kind of wrong. Kind of wrong? It's dishonest - plain and simple. Regardless of what you think of the potential quality of a film, if you don't want your money going to support that film, don=92t go see it. A portion of each ticket sold goes to the distributors and production company of a film, so while you may think you can justify this action by saying you DID pay the price of a ticket, the people who should rightfully have received money for your having watched the film do not receive it. Would you justify stealing a candy bar from a grocery store if you left enough money to pay for that candy bar on a competing store's counter? You MIGHT actually be cheating the theater owners too, because they very likely will have a different deal worked out for whatever film was actually paid for. For example, if you buy a ticket to see a film where the theater owner only gets a 10% cut of the ticket price and then go see a film where he would normally get a 30% portion of that same ticket price, he has lost money. > Then again, regarding the evil option of paying for another film while seeing this one, do filmmakers not deserve such treatment when they market substandard work to audiences the way this one appears to be doing? But, just because you can make a movie, regardless of the quality, does that give you a right to make money off of it? It does not give you the right to make money off of it, but it DOES give you the right to make money off of the film IF PEOPLE GO SEE IT. Why is everyone convinced that The Book of Mormon Movie is even going to make money anyway? It might. It might not. In my opinion, it's an enormous risk - and a gutsy one at that - and I very much respect Gary Rogers for being courageous enough or na=EFve enough - whichever the = case may be - to take this project on in the first place. In order for this film to be financially successful in the theaters, as small as its budget was compared to most Hollywood budgets, it will still need to do as well in the theaters as "God's Army" did. Whether it can do so or not is still in question. One more thought. I hear people talking about the LDS market audience as a "gullible" audience. I don't think that audience is gullible at all. I think it's an audience with certain specific priorities when it comes to choosing which films to watch, which might be different, at least with regards to which are the highest priorities, than many of the contributors to this mailing list. I think these audiences recognize the shortcomings of LDS cinema films which have been released so far, but they are willing to overlook some of these shortcomings because these films do provide something that they have a very difficult time finding anywhere else and which they value even more than a well-told story - the ability to go and see a movie without worrying about the content of that film, whether it be profanity or any number of other things that many people in the LDS market just do not want to be exposed to. Do I think there is room for improvement in LDS cinema films? Absolutely! Are these different sets of priorities in conflict? Probably not. Should we strive to improve the quality of these films? Definitely! But don't underestimate the intelligence of that audience. They are not stupid. They were not duped into seeing these films. They CHOSE to see them. Thomas - ---------------------------- "Of course, there should be a structure, an architecture to any score. It's not a piece here and a piece there. It has to be thought out. You can't approach each cue as a separate piece of music." - Jerry Goldsmith, composer Contact info: Thomas C. Baggaley Composer 9446 Fox Hunt Drive Sandy, Utah 84092 Tel: (801) 942-3580 E-mail: thomas@baggaleymusic.com Web page: http://www.baggaleymusic.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 17:08:27 -0600 From: "Thomas C. Baggaley" Subject: RE: [AML] BofM Movie Fireside I saw the film last night. The very first thing that is said in the film is that "This film is neither produced by nor endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Blair Treu's "Little Secrets" also had a screening for the CES employees when it came out (which I was able to attend as a film critic). Does that also give it a semi-official status with the church? Thomas - ---------------------------- "Of course, there should be a structure, an architecture to any score. It's not a piece here and a piece there. It has to be thought out. You can't approach each cue as a separate piece of music." - Jerry Goldsmith, composer Contact info: Thomas C. Baggaley Composer 9446 Fox Hunt Drive Sandy, Utah 84092 Tel: (801) 942-3580 E-mail: thomas@baggaleymusic.com Web page: http://www.baggaleymusic.com - -----Original Message----- From: owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com [mailto:owner-aml-list@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Thom Duncan Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2003 7:20 AM To: aml-list@lists.xmission.com Subject: Re: [AML] BofM Movie Fireside I'm not bothered at all by the nude scene Nephi may have filmed. I care not one whit about a particular actor's private life. All I care about is that the actor does a good job. What bothers me most about this film is probably what it's going to be like, based on a preview that a friend of mine who works for CES says about it. According to him, all of our greatest fears will be realized. Such things as, in the same scene, modern dialogue in BofM scenes that have no dialogue and then abrupt switch to King James English quoting from the Book. I shudder just thinking about it. BTW, this was a screening for everyone who worked for CES. It sounds to me that, unlike what Thomas Baggeley claims, these producers have managed to work their way into some sort of semi-official status. Thom Duncan - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 18:35:34 -0600 From: "Bill Willson" Subject: [AML] Book Burning Justified? (was: Honesty in Reviewing) >From wwbrown@burgoyne.com Tue Sep 09 13:52:53 2003 > I vote for you and for throwing bad books in the D.I.=20 > pile! Cheers!=20 > Mariliyn Brown Well I guess a bad book to read is better than no book at all, but = personally I'd rather read the nutrition information on a cereal box = than a really bad book. As far as sending them to the D.I. I'm not too = sure about that; isn't that kind of like giving them a box of Play Boy = magazines that you found in the basement of the house you just bought?=20 Now there's a subject we might want to explore in Mormon literature. = With the stigma against book burning, what do you do when you are given = or somehow acquire a book or books that are, in your spiritual heart of = hearts just plain evil? Even back in the days of the Gadianton Robbers = and their secret combinations, the work was preserved. I'm not sure why, = but I think it was so the righteous would not forget about the wicked = deeds of the abominable. Bill Willson, writer http://www.iwillwriteit.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 16:11:27 EDT From: RichardDutcher@aol.com Subject: [AML] Dutcher at Orem Library Hey gang, If anyone's interested, I'll be speaking at the Orem Public Library Friday (tomorrow) at 7:00 p.m. on "The Art of Spiritual Filmmaking." (It's free!) I'm hoping someone other than my wife and son will attend. So come on out. Did I mention that it's free. No refreshments, though. I apologize for my absence on the list. But I'm back. I just couldn't miss the Book of Mormon Movie discussion. It's going to be fun... Richard Dutcher - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 21:10:01 -0400 From: "Tracie Laulusa" Subject: Re: [AML] Uplifting Writing Man, you need some better friends. Write on. Tracie - ----- Original Message ----- > Like many, I've felt condemnation from members of the learned literary > establishment. I write science fiction and fantasy in addition to other things, > and as a result I've been publicly ridiculed and dismissed by some in the > academy. But worse, I've been actively and pointedly ignored by people whose > opinions matter to me; apparently my ugly little sf secret is too shameful to be > acknowledged in polite company. Because I both read and write sf, apparently my > other opinions are equally tainted. To make it worse, though I'm reasonably > well-read, I've never completed an undergraduate degree so I have only a limited > critical vocabulary and even more limited exposure to the general critical > establishment. > - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 20:40:55 -0500 From: "webmaster" Subject: [AML] _Eat, Drink, and Get Married_ Press Release Press Release Eat, Drink and Get Married Faith, Hope and Charity are great, but what this town needs is a miracle. (I7(J Starring Heather Beers, in her first feature film since "Charly" (I7(J Based on the best-selling book by Robert Farrell Smith: "Baptists At Our Barbecue" (I7(J Directed by Christian Vuissa, award-winning and critically acclaimed director of Roots & Wings, Unfolding and Given. (I7(J Media Day On the Set in Lehi, Monday, September 15, 3 (IP(J 4 BEST-SELLING BOOK BECOMES MOVIE Popular Humor Title Now Being Filmed in Utah Contact: Blue Crow Productions 505-239-4268 or 801-354-7850 As "The Book of Mormon Movie" debuts for strictly LDS audiences in Utah, a warm yet gut-busting novel by one of the region(IU(Js hottest authors begins its transformation to film intending to climb right over the intra-faith fence. "Eat, Drink and Get Married," based on Robert Farrell Smith(IU(Js best-seller "Baptists At Our Barbecue," is now being shot in Utah as a feature film. "Baptists at our Barbecue" was Robert's debut title in 1996," says Deseret Book publicist Kathie Terry. "Deseret Book republished it in 2002 due to its popularity and charm. Robert is considered by many to be the Mormon Mark Twain. He has had many best sellers for us, including (IT(JAll is Swell,(IU(J (IT(JFalling for Grace,(IU(J (IT(JCaptain Matrimony,(IU(J and the recent (IT(JNever Can Say Goodbye.(IU(J The film should have a huge built-in audience," she adds, "but it will surely attract a whole new crowd of believers, so to speak." "This is new ground in Utah filmmaking," says Matt Smith, one of the film(IU(Js producers. "This is a story that has already proven itself a hot commodity. Robert is one of the best-known names in regional fiction. He practically owns the Mormon humorous-fiction genre." But (IT(JEat, Drink and Get Married(IU(J is not strictly Mormon fare, says Matt Smith. "This is just a good, warm-hearted story about life in a small town. Okay, a slightly eccentric small town. The process of putting the book to film, actually seeing it acted out," he says, "has everyone on the cast and crew frequently laughing." Says author turned-screenwriter Robert Smith, "This is the story of a single guy nearing thirty who escapes the social pressures of Mormon Utah only to end up in Longwinded, an isolated place populated equally by feuding Mormons and Baptists. Of course, he ends up saving the town and finding the girl. Sort of the quintessential quest for love, peace and a better burrito." The film will be released next spring. The crew began filming last week in Layton with Christian Vuissa directing. "Christian, who is Austrian-born, is one of the prize names in Mormon cinema," says Farrell Smith, executive producer of Blue Crow Productions. An honors graduate of BYU(IU(Js film school and founder of the LDS Film Festival, Vuissa (Voo-EE-suh) has earned honors with his short films and documentaries nationwide. His film Roots & Wings won several prestigious awards, including the highest LDS award for filmmaking, the Association for Mormon Letters (AML) Award for Best Film 2002. This award has only been given once before, to God's Army in 2000. Roots & Wings also won the Gold Aurora Award for Best Foreign Language Film 2002 and Best Director/Best Screenplay at the Eclipse Film Festival 2002. . His short film A Given won at the Christophers(IU(J Festival 2001 in New York and was aired nationwide on PBS in 2002. "This will be Christian(IU(Js feature film debut," says Farrell Smith, "and Christian doesn(IU(Jt do anything second-rate." Co-leads are Heather Beers and Dan Merkley, "an impeccable, electric pairing," says Vuissa, "This will be Beers(IU(J first film since her dazzling debut in (IT(JCharly(IU(J and she looks good. It will be fun to see here back on screen in such a lighthearted role." Dan Merkley, as ED&GM(IU(Js Tartan Jones, was "just" a popular regional comedian until he assumed a starring role in the much talked about upcoming "mockumentary" "The Work and the Story." Like the book, the movie will be family-friendly, yet anything but saccharine. "Spark and flame are built in," says Robert Smith. "There are some fights, some profound messages and some really good kissing." But with this, its first film project, Saipan-based Blue Crow Productions adds a unique dimension to the family film genre: Rob Smith and Matt Smith are brothers; Farrell is their dad; and younger brother Mike is a production coordinator. As a unit, the Smiths are loath to drop this film into any sort of niche. "On one level it is very clearly a Mormon film with a built-in Mormon audience," says Matt Smith, "but the nature of the story--- boy meets girl, falls in love, saves town--- should propel it into far larger audiences. You make a good movie with good acting, a good story, and competent production elements and it will cross those lines under its own momentum. We have all of those things in abundance." Think: "My Big Fat Mormon Barbecue" and you(IU(Jll be getting the picture. Coming soon to a theater near you. NOTE TO MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES: Credentialed media are invited to a special on-set Media Day Monday, September 15th, beginning at 3 p.m . Meet the actors, crew, producers; interview and photo opps. Come to 7525 W. 7550 N. in Lehi (I-15 Exit 282, west on Main St. to the far side of town). - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V2 #151 ******************************