Yes, I agree with you very much. (Though at the moment I'm in full backlash mode against priggish Repubs.) Felt the same way about Clinton's centrist deals with the Contract with America Republican reform ideals. Good job.
A good example of the near censorship which even now occurred because of some of these RR forces, is the recent British film version of Nabokov's Lolita. You know, starring Jeremy Iorns. It was released on Cinemax (or HBO), but no American film company dared pick it up for distribution. It was widely shown in Europe to art film audiences.
I saw it on Cinemax. Thought it was truly excellent. And true to Nobokov's book, one is lead to understand not only how such illicit urges can exist, and get all mixed up with nobler feelings (in Humbert, the character Iorns brilliantly plays). But also the horrible damage, to all, that results. The ultimate smallness, and sadness of it. And the damage I'm referring to is not the crude, common place, and simple damage of being caught. Its the much more profound damage to all, including both Lolita herself and Humbert, of NOT being caught.
It is this seering honesty, and depth, that makes it a great work. That fightens many. But is in reality very, very far from pornography. And certainly in the case of this work at least, not at all advocating what it portrays. The opposite. Which this film makes anyone feel.
The genius of THIS film version (unlike the first one) is that in a necessarily much shortened and collapsed version, it captures that essence.
Doug |
