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Author	Topic: New Movies
Heathertx Member #: 85 # Posts: 31	James Rocchi Film Blog And now we have a re-make of The Amityville Horror. As my review tomorrow notes: "The Amityville Horror is, as the promotional materials so breathlessly tell us, "based on a true story" involving ghosts, possession and undead communication -- which is like saying "based on a true story" involving flying elephants, talking cats and the magical land of chocolate, but never mind. " I don't think you can legislate honest storytelling and artistic sincerity -- it'd be like signing a law making politeness and fresh breath mandatory -- but it worries me when movies are taking very substantial liberties with the facts -- not out of a need to compress the story in any way, just as a pure quid pro quo so they can get the movie made. It also worries me when studios are trying to sell stories about ghosts and demons as "based on a true story." In a time when IMAX theaters are afraid to show films that mention evolution for fear of offending some audience members with, you know, reality, I think that there's a significant chance that some people are now going to have new visions of the afterlife and the nature of how life and death work based not on a new scientific or philosophical idea but rather on a film produced by Michael Bay. "As you know, 'Amity' means 'Friendship,'" 4/18/2005 8:16 AM

Author

Topic: New Movies

Heathertx
Member #: 85
# Posts: 31

James Rocchi Film Blog

And now we have a re-make of The Amityville Horror. As my review tomorrow notes: "The Amityville Horror is, as the promotional materials so breathlessly tell us, "based on a true story" involving ghosts, possession and undead communication -- which is like saying "based on a true story" involving flying elephants, talking cats and the magical land of chocolate, but never mind. " I don't think you can legislate honest storytelling and artistic sincerity -- it'd be like signing a law making politeness and fresh breath mandatory -- but it worries me when movies are taking very substantial liberties with the facts -- not out of a need to compress the story in any way, just as a pure quid pro quo so they can get the movie made. It also worries me when studios are trying to sell stories about ghosts and demons as "based on a true story." In a time when IMAX theaters are afraid to show films that mention evolution for fear of offending some audience members with, you know, reality, I think that there's a significant chance that some people are now going to have new visions of the afterlife and the nature of how life and death work based not on a new scientific or philosophical idea but rather on a film produced by Michael Bay.

"As you know, 'Amity' means 'Friendship,'"

4/18/2005 8:16 AM

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