tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8627322010786735293.post5066874970483482883..comments2023-10-01T09:35:35.894+02:00Comments on Antipodes: Big movie messWilliam Skyvingtonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10052367756561555096noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8627322010786735293.post-61179153474226957242009-01-04T16:01:00.000+01:002009-01-04T16:01:00.000+01:00Here's an interesting critic about this film (when...Here's an interesting critic about this film (when I tried to find out why and how in the world this film could be so bad):<BR/><BR/>"FEMINIST Germaine Greer has savaged Baz Luhrmann's outback epic Australia, branding it a "disaster".<BR/>Joining a chorus of critics who have panned the movie, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh<BR/>Jackman, Greer picks apart its storyline and accuses Luhrmann of glossing over the exploitation of Aboriginal workers.<BR/><BR/>She describes the film as a "fraudulent and misleading fantasy" designed to promote the Federal Government's policy of reconciliation. <BR/><BR/>... (more) http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,24811051-7485,00.htmlCatherine Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16106773955427187343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8627322010786735293.post-71969711313072351172009-01-04T15:50:00.000+01:002009-01-04T15:50:00.000+01:00Dear William,You wrote: "The authentic story of Au...Dear William,<BR/><BR/>You wrote: "The authentic story of Australia is light years away from the superficial camp spectacle of Baz Luhrmann... which is no more than a gaudy bunch of clichés crammed into a cardboard box and tied up with pink ribbons."<BR/><BR/>Where did you learn to write so well? Do you have a hidden novel or biography in the works (or something out there, unknown to us)?<BR/><BR/>Love the definition by Mark Twain. I had no idea; he must have gone there himself at some point in time. Ah, yes: "Matilda: Mark Twain in Australia" Nov 29, 2006 ... Melbourne University Press recently released a new edition of The Wayward Tourist by Mark Twain, an account of his travels in Australia in ...<BR/>www.middlemiss.org/weblog/archives/matilda/2006/11/mark_twain_in_a.html <BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Thank YOU for your "perspicacious" post and comment! I had to look up the definition myself, and here it is below. I would say that this applies to you, more than me, although I wish it did! So thank you... (here we go adding to my vocabulary):<BR/><BR/>"define: perspicaços <BR/><BR/>Definicions de perspicacious a la xarxa en anglès:<BR/><BR/> * acutely insightful and wise; "much too perspicacious to be taken in by such a spurious* argument"; "observant and thoughtful, he was given to ...<BR/> * clear-eyed: mentally acute or penetratingly discerning; "too clear-eyed not to see what problems would follow"; "chaos could be prevented only by clear-sighted leadership"; "much too perspicacious to be taken in by so spurious an argument"<BR/> wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn<BR/><BR/> * Of acute discernment; having keen insight; mentally perceptive; Having the power of seeing clearly; quick-sighted; sharp-sighted<BR/> en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perspicacious<BR/><BR/> * perspicacity - shrewdness: intelligence manifested by being astute (as in business dealings)<BR/> * perspicacity - judgment: the capacity to assess situations or circumstances shrewdly and to draw sound conclusions<BR/> wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn<BR/><BR/> * perspicacity - Acute discernment or understanding; insight; The human faculty or power to mentally grasp or understand clearly; Keen eyesight<BR/> en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Perspicacity<BR/><BR/> * perspicaciousness - Perspicacity<BR/> en.wiktionary.org/wiki/perspicaciousness<BR/><BR/> * perspicacity - intensity of judgment or observation<BR/> www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Clerks<BR/><BR/> * perspicacity - adverb form of perspicacious, meaning to have insight or knowledge. Used by Fields in film and radio.<BR/> louisville.edu/~kprayb01/WCWords.html"<BR/><BR/>--- <BR/>*spurious:<BR/><BR/>*# specious: plausible but false; "a specious claim"; "spurious inferences"<BR/># bastardly: born out of wedlock; "the dominions of both rulers passed away to their spurious or doubtful offspring"- E.A.Freeman<BR/># inauthentic: intended to deceive; "a spurious work of art"<BR/>wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn"Catherine Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16106773955427187343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8627322010786735293.post-65611053323940590162009-01-04T15:07:00.000+01:002009-01-04T15:07:00.000+01:00Catherine: Thanks, once again, for your perspicaci...Catherine: Thanks, once again, for your perspicacious comment. I couldn't agree more with your all-important rhetorical question:<BR/><BR/><I><B>Will anyone ever dare to try to retell the story of Australia, and do it well?</B></I><BR/><BR/>The authentic story of Australia is light years away from the superficial camp spectacle of Baz Luhrmann... which is no more than a gaudy bunch of clichés crammed into a cardboard box and tied up with pink ribbons. Our true tale, on the other hand, is profound and fabulous. Listen to the great American writer Mark Twain [1835-1910]:<BR/><BR/><B>Australian history is almost always picturesque; indeed, it is so curious and strange that it is itself the chiefest novelty the counry has to offer, and so it pushes the other novelties into second and third place. It does not read like history, but like the most beautiful lies; and all of a fresh new sort, no mouldy old stale ones. It is full of surprises and adventures, and incongruities, and contradictions, and incredibilities; but they are all true, they all happened.</B><BR/><BR/>I'm an optimist, convinced that, one day, an inspired cinéaste (not necessarily—and probably not—a home-grown Aussie) will finally depict our true story.William Skyvingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10052367756561555096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8627322010786735293.post-23417789544569779482009-01-04T09:13:00.000+01:002009-01-04T09:13:00.000+01:00I was so disappointed in the film "Australia" myse...I was so disappointed in the film "Australia" myself, including the scenery. It was ridiculous and made a mockery of everything, including the Aborigines. What a terrible waste of multi-millions of dollars and time and effort... what could have gone so wrong for this film to be such a complete disaster? Will anyone ever dare to try to retell the story of Australia, and do it well?Catherine Toddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16106773955427187343noreply@blogger.com