Hatrack River Forum: Sndrake, you're in my state newspaper! (Million Dollar Baby)

This is topic Sndrake, you're in my state newspaper! (Million Dollar Baby) in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

I know you had a thread about this already, but I was so excited to see your name I had to start a new one.

On page 3 of The West Australian today - a half page article entitled "Clint fires mercy killing row: America's moral outrage over Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby expected to spill into Australia"

From the 7th paragraph in:

quote:
"Any movie that sends a message that having a spinal cord injury is a fate worse than death is a movie that concerns us tremendously" Marcie Roth, executive director of America's National Spinal Cord Injury association told the New York Times.
There was an even angrier response from Chicago-based activist group Not Dead Yet, which picketed the film last month. "The movie is a corny melodramatic assault on people with disabilities", wrote Stephen Drake on the group's website. "It plays out killing as a romantic fantasy and gives emotional life to the "better dead than disabled" mindset lurking in the heart of the typical (read: non-disabled) audience member."

I'd say you managed to get your review some attention. [Smile]

I'll let you know the response to the article if you wish. Also, if you keep clippings or anything I can send the page to you.

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

Wow!! [Eek!]

All the way to Australia!

That's awesome!

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

India, too, I gather.

Imogen, I would really be immensely grateful for the clipping. Please just mail it in whatever the cheapest postal option you have is.

You can check the NDY webpage for the address or email me: sndrake at aol.com

Posted by mothertree (Member # 4999) on :

Whoa. It's like a for real meme.

Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :

Great!

Posted by gingerjam (Member # 7113) on :

i just went through the house looking for a copy of the West Australian to see the article but didn't find one... congrats though!

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

Ok, now I am going to have to expose my ignorance and give up trying to figure it out in context.

On this board, what is the definition of "meme"?

(a google search for a definition was spectacularly unhelpful or too helpful, depending on how you want to look at it.)

*hides head in embarrassment*

*awaits answer*

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

A meme is the smallest unique unit of information, in a way analogous to a gene being the smallest unique bit of genetic information.

And like genes, all intelligent people wish to pass on their memes.

At least, that's what I think someone told me . . . [Wink]

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :

DAMN! That's awesome!

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

So, then, this would the meme? (the statement part)

quote:
"The movie is a corny melodramatic assault on people with disabilities", wrote Stephen Drake on the group's website. "It plays out killing as a romantic fantasy and gives emotional life to the "better dead than disabled" mindset lurking in the heart of the typical (read: non-disabled) audience member."

Did I really write that? [Wink]

It does seem to be the one statement - out of many made by me and others - that is getting the most play, although "vendetta" is running a healthy second. [Smile]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

*nod*

Also, I believe any sufficiently similar rephrasing would still be considered the same meme -- unless/until it mutates enough to no longer be recognizable (again following the gene analogy).

Posted by sndrake (Member # 4941) on :

So...

In other words,

my cooties are contagious!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

[ROFL]

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

Clipping sent.

[Smile]