As many of you know, I am no longer a practicing member of the church. The private answers to the questions I have asked in my prayers, and in my films, have led me on an unexpected journey, a spiritual path which may ultimately prove incompatible with Mormon orthodoxy. This understanding has brought me some of the most profound surprises and also the deepest sadness of my life. It is very hard for me to say goodbye to something that I love.
Who knows? Maybe, like Oliver Cowdery (to whom I've always felt an uncommon kinship), my travels will someday lead back to Mormonism and to this effort. Such an end would be beautiful and, in a strange way, an answer to my prayers. But I don't know. One fundamental thing I have learned over the past few years is a genuine humility regarding my spiritual beliefs.
I know that some of you will not understand my decisions. Please know that I will always be not only a great friend to the Mormon community, but also one of its strongest defenders.
He also said 'goodbye' to Mormon cinema.
Man, that's too bad. I thought States of Grace was a really good flick.
WK: "Joseph Smith asserted that the Book of Mormon peoples were the original inhabitants of the americas"
Will Schryver: "No, he didn’t." 3/19/08
Still waiting for Will to back this up...
As many of you know, I am no longer a practicing member of the church. The private answers to the questions I have asked in my prayers, and in my films, have led me on an unexpected journey, a spiritual path which may ultimately prove incompatible with Mormon orthodoxy. This understanding has brought me some of the most profound surprises and also the deepest sadness of my life. It is very hard for me to say goodbye to something that I love.
Who knows? Maybe, like Oliver Cowdery (to whom I've always felt an uncommon kinship), my travels will someday lead back to Mormonism and to this effort. Such an end would be beautiful and, in a strange way, an answer to my prayers. But I don't know. One fundamental thing I have learned over the past few years is a genuine humility regarding my spiritual beliefs.
I know that some of you will not understand my decisions. Please know that I will always be not only a great friend to the Mormon community, but also one of its strongest defenders.
He also said 'goodbye' to Mormon cinema.
Man, that's too bad. I thought States of Grace was a really good flick.
Interesting. Well, along with Neil LaBute, there goes Mormondom's best filmmaker. (Well, there's Jarod Hess, I suppose [that is the name of Napoleon Dynamite's director, no?]) It reminds me of the quote from Eugene England, who said that he felt that the first great Mormon writer would be excommunicated from the Church. The bottom line, I suppose, is that the Church is not conducive to quality artistic work.
My goodness.... Check out this asinine post from juliann on the aptly named MADboard:
juliann wrote:I think anyone who puts all their ambition into a Mormon box is going to have trouble. Why is "Mormon film" a life and death matter? A good story is a good story no matter who does it. If the Mormon experience isn't compelling enough to market and make a living it doesn't matter how good a film is. I found this attitude unfortunate:
Richard Dutcher wrote:Concentrate on the presence of positives in your films, not merely the absence of negatives. Focus more on the presence of good acting, writing and cinematography and less on the absence of profanity, women's breasts and gunfights. Passionately adhere to the guideline that it is better to tell an R-rated truth than a G-rated lie.
It really is possible to have it all without going to R ratings. Some of the best films were made in the G rated era. We call them classics now. I am glad that there are entertaining films around but with all the fuss it makes me wonder how civilization ever made it for thousands of years without them.
(emphasis added)
Can someone explain to me what the bolded portion means? Am I mistaken, or is our dear juliann saying that Mormonism is "too boring" to make for interesting movies? (Or at least the TBM version of Mormonism?)
Napolean Dynamite was the absolute worst film I've ever seen. I literaly almost cursed out the person who wasted 30 mins of my life in an attempt to watch it. If it had not been my own mother, i would have done so. (sorry for the O/T)
One nice thing is, ze game of love is never called on account of darkness - Pepe Le Pew
Can someone explain to me what the bolded portion means? Am I mistaken, or is our dear juliann saying that Mormonism is "too boring" to make for interesting movies? (Or at least the TBM version of Mormonism?)
Sure seems that way. By the way, Ducher was not forced to leave the Church so why did you imply the Church is not conducive to artistic works?
Can someone explain to me what the bolded portion means? Am I mistaken, or is our dear juliann saying that Mormonism is "too boring" to make for interesting movies? (Or at least the TBM version of Mormonism?)
Sure seems that way. By the way, Ducher was not forced to leave the Church so why did you imply the Church is not conducive to artistic works?
Because I don't think it is. I do not think that the LDS Church is conducive to art for a number of reasons. If it were, no doubt LaBute, Dutcher, Judith Freeman, and Brian Evenson---to name a few---would still be loyal TBMs.
Am I mistaken, or is our dear juliann saying that Mormonism is "too boring" to make for interesting movies? (Or at least the TBM version of Mormonism?)
Mormonism, boring? How could that be so? Early church history would make a great film or even a series of films like LOR! Where else can a person find characters like Porter Rockwell, egos like Brigham Young's, treachery like John Lee's and the MMM, loyalty like Emma Smith's in the face of repeated and serial infidelity like Joseph Smith's? Where can you find fathers trading their young daughters to 30 year old men in return for a leg up on the social ladder in the afterlife? There's tragedy (the exodus from Nauvoo and Winter Quarters), rescue from certain death (the Willie handcart company), excess to major proportions (56 wives? how can that not be excessive?). Of course it isn't boring. We need to hire Mel Gibson. Now there's a man who'd know what to do with Brigham and his wives!
Am I mistaken, or is our dear juliann saying that Mormonism is "too boring" to make for interesting movies? (Or at least the TBM version of Mormonism?)
Mormonism, boring? How could that be so? Early church history would make a great film or even a series of films like LOR! Where else can a person find characters like Porter Rockwell, egos like Brigham Young's, treachery like John Lee's and the MMM, loyalty like Emma Smith's in the face of repeated and serial infidelity like Joseph Smith's? Where can you find fathers trading their young daughters to 30 year old men in return for a leg up on the social ladder in the afterlife? There's tragedy (the exodus from Nauvoo and Winter Quarters), rescue from certain death (the Willie handcart company), excess to major proportions (56 wives? how can that not be excessive?). Of course it isn't boring. We need to hire Mel Gibson. Now there's a man who'd know what to do with Brigham and his wives!
I agree that Mormonism is utterly fascinating and compelling, and loaded with all sorts of rich dramatic material. However, I think juliann may have a point in suggesting that the expurgated, "squeaky clean," white-washed TBM version of Mormonism is quite boring.
Am I mistaken, or is our dear juliann saying that Mormonism is "too boring" to make for interesting movies? (Or at least the TBM version of Mormonism?)
Mormonism, boring? How could that be so? Early church history would make a great film or even a series of films like LOR! Where else can a person find characters like Porter Rockwell, egos like Brigham Young's, treachery like John Lee's and the MMM, loyalty like Emma Smith's in the face of repeated and serial infidelity like Joseph Smith's? Where can you find fathers trading their young daughters to 30 year old men in return for a leg up on the social ladder in the afterlife? There's tragedy (the exodus from Nauvoo and Winter Quarters), rescue from certain death (the Willie handcart company), excess to major proportions (56 wives? how can that not be excessive?). Of course it isn't boring. We need to hire Mel Gibson. Now there's a man who'd know what to do with Brigham and his wives!
I agree that Mormonism is utterly fascinating and compelling, and loaded with all sorts of rich dramatic material. However, I think juliann may have a point in suggesting that the expurgated, "squeaky clean," white-washed TBM version of Mormonism is quite boring.
Heck, even the recent history would be worth a film or two. We could have one about Mike Quinn's life, and I know a guy in Twin Falls who'd be a great Daniel Peterson... or maybe we could talk the Great One into a cameo, whispering with his buddies behind everyone's backs? And George Lee's shortened term as a GA would be a great drama. Scandal, sex, and minorities. And how about the secret polygamy from the turn of the 20th century? Drama, intrigue, secrecy, lies... what else is needed for a great soap opera? How about Troy Aiken's college years at BYU? Or maybe the Donny Osmond story? (I won't pick on Marie, because she's got more than enough troubles as it is). I've got a 2nd cousin twice removed of the Osmond's in my ward. Maybe they could be a consultant or something. Or maybe a documentary on the Road to the Road Shows? Or singing and dancing with the next music video from the MoTab Choir?
harmony wrote:Heck, even the recent history would be worth a film or two. We could have one about Mike Quinn's life, and I know a guy in Twin Falls who'd be a great Daniel Peterson... or maybe we could talk the Great One into a cameo, whispering with his buddies behind everyone's backs? And George Lee's shortened term as a GA would be a great drama. Scandal, sex, and minorities. And how about the secret polygamy from the turn of the 20th century? Drama, intrigue, secrecy, lies... what else is needed for a great soap opera? How about Troy Aiken's college years at BYU? Or maybe the Donny Osmond story? (I won't pick on Marie, because she's got more than enough troubles as it is). I've got a 2nd cousin twice removed of the Osmond's in my ward. Maybe they could be a consultant or something. Or maybe a documentary on the Road to the Road Shows? Or singing and dancing with the next music video from the MoTab Choir?
I gotta ask - who's Troy Aiken (google is not helping me figure it out)?
I may be going to hell in a bucket, babe / But at least I'm enjoying the ride.
-Grateful Dead (lyrics by John Perry Barlow)