BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 09:14 AM

I understand Gervase. I love Michael Moore, but not at the expense of loving other writers of merit. Remember too, he is writing non-fiction, so "Stupid White Men" isn't instantly comparable to the fiction writers on this (American) list of working class fiction writers:

Working Class Writers

Although I believe he fits just fine in that list!

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: Gervase
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:58 AM

I accept completely what you say, Guest.
Perhaps I would not have felt so punch-drunk had I read Stupid White Men more slowly. A chapter a day might have made the work more digestible - as it was, I became so caught up with Moore's undeniable energy that I wolfed the whole book down in a day.
My fault, perhaps, for being greedy. And for being an effete relic of "Old Europe" brought up on Orwell, Thompson, Hobsbawm and similar literary/academic writers - none of whom appears to have had the immediate impact of Moore.
And, whatever the style, I'm grateful that someone has the courage to do what he does.

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:38 AM

Gervase, your tastes regarding Moore are fine. But do understand that for many of us who enjoy and admire him, his appeal is that he DOESN'T write like Gore Vidal. Or other literary and academic writers.

I look upon his work as being in a long, noble tradition of working class journalists, interested in substance over style. There is nothing wrong with you expressing a preference for style, either with or without substance. But it seems to me, you rather miss the point of his success--he comes from a Catholic working class background in old industrial Flint, Michigan. How many writers like that ever make it to the NYT bestseller list, much less remain there for as long as Moore has with "Stupid White Men".

Speaking truth to power is what Moore is about, not literary style.

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: Gervase
Date: 24 Feb 03 - 08:26 AM

It's probably heresy in a largely liberal forum that sees Moore as a secular saint, but I think his writing stinks!
The ideas are wonderful, and the rage that impels them is awesome, but why the hell can't the guy find a voice that isn't constantly shouting? If only Gore Vidal could appropriate some of Moore's righteous indignation at the hijacking of the USA, then we'd see some elegant polemic by someone using a stilleto rather than a sledgehammer. Meanwhile, though, Moore seems to me to be like a tiresome single-issue fanatic, pounding out his rage at the manifest injustices in America in a tone that makes me want to break his fingers.
Sorry, just my two cents' worth!

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: Bobert
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 11:18 PM

Da Man!

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: Mudlark
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 10:31 PM

I believe he also pointed out in that speech that the scurrilous language being hurled now at the French is exactly the same brand that has been flung at liberals in this country by the far right. My Fr. friend Laetizia, in Paris, says the French don't really understand half the insults anyway...like scum-sucking cheese eaters....they are amused, disdainful, and rightly contemptuous of the childishness of it all. It *would* be funny if it weren't so serious...

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 09:16 PM

He'll be fine. I'm thrilled he is getting all these awards for the film. It really took a lot of guts to put it out, IMO.

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: GUEST,Taliesn
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 07:34 PM

I have so much rewspect for Micheal moore, but i'm genuinely afraid that his life may forever in danger when he returns to US soil so vehement are the heavily armmed far right wingers and the even farther out militia libertarians.

Perhaps Mssr. Moore should where fashionable bulltet proof vest, but then some smartass like G.Gordon Liddy will start espousing the beauty of the clean head shot.

Praise for Micheal Moore. He's been in the field and knows the naturee of the gun nut beast.

Subject: RE: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 07:28 PM

And I just found this, from his acceptance speech. I can just imagine the right wing talking heads exploding on this one tomorrow!

From Da Man:

"Thank you (France) for having the courage to stand up and say no" to US threats to attack Iraq, Moore said to cheers from the audience.

"One of the best definitions of an ally, of a friend, is that your friend is the one who can tell you when you're wrong," he said.

"So thank you for showing us the way, for standing up and for something very important... I want to let you know that there are tens of millions of Americans who feel the same way."

"The majority of us Americans never elected George W. Bush," he said.

"We've been surviving a coup now for the past couple of years and because of that we don't support coups instigated by us in other countries," the director said, admitting "I will be crucified in the press in America when I got home."

Subject: BS: Michael Moore wins Cesar!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Feb 03 - 06:44 PM

For the Best Foreign Film award for "Bowling for Columbine"!

Both Spike Lee and Meryl Streep were given Honorary Cesars.

Nominees and winners are here:

Cesar winners list

Nice to see that Polanski & "The Piano" did well. But I have heard nothing here in the US on the film "Amen" with screenplay by Costa-Gavras? I'm also looking forward to seeing "8 Femmes" one of these days too.