front of the protagonist in the
summit scene, we just smiled
shyly, knowing that we fell
asleep, because the movie was
horribly boring.
My Filter Box
In some vague childhood
memory, I recall that my
father had in his studio many
round cases, each containing
a photographic filter. One was
for when there was a lot of
sun, another for when there
was not, another for the shines
to fade, one more polarized,
that one raised the reds while
another, just for the pleasure
of opposing it, lowered them.
In this infinity of filters there
was always one for every
situation created or provoked.
It was fascinating to know
how to play with the light.
As an adult, I have put a
filter box in my brain, which
allows me to «filter» almost
any circumstance to have the
right perception according to
the moment and environment.
Cinema is no exception.
These filters help me to enjoy
cinema more, or the art of
cinema, when perceiving in
its right dimension a film. It
would be ridiculous of me to
use the Coppola filter when
watching a Zucker brothers
movie, since it would never
have even a chance to have
fun. So I put on the spoof
movie filter and, along with
a bag of popcorn, I press
the magic button to enjoy
Airplane (Jim Abrahams,
David Zucker & Jerry Zucker,
88 .)1980 minutes of some of
the best stupid movies.
Change filter and, this
weekend, will watch Terry
Gilliam›s marathon. The trick
is deciding whether to first
Brazil (12 ,)1985 Monkeys
(1995) or The Meaning of Life
(1983) with the magnificent
Monty Python. Everything,
always, with homemade
popcorn, butter flavor (if there
is a psychologist in the room,
who can explain this cinema-
popcorn codependency).
In my very personal definition,
then I think that art, and in
this case, the art of cinema,
should amuse you, frighten
you, tear you away, at the
same time that makes you
think, challenges you, teaches
you or, simply, leads you to
another reality for a couple of
hours.
Commercial is not
synonymous with bad movies,
as a Famous name does not
imply that the work has to be
good. That a film is comic does
not mean that it is a minor
genre, as is demonstrated
in Young Frankenstein (Mel
Brooks, 1974), in which
they add to the argument
photography and scenery of
excellent levels.
And this is my proposal for
San Miguel Art Magazine, that
optics of the cinema, through
my box of filters, shaped
month by month with the only
purpose that our readers, like
myself, can have fun for a
while talking about what we
like, The cinema, without false
poses nor complications. And
with popcorn, of course.
Stanley Kubrick, self-portrait. 1948
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