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Friday, June 28, 2002

Attack on the critics: Star system out of whack

I have become convinced that the Post-Gazette does not appreciate art.

Again and again its critics fail in their duty to honestly view and critique a film. Your critics have given many excellent movies the disparaging rating of only 2.5 stars. One of the movies, "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones," was belittled by the critics mainly because "Attack of the Clones" happens to be the fifth movie in a very successful series of groundbreaking films. "Attack of the Clones" was measured against its predecessors and found wanting. I beg to differ; the only thing missing in "AOTC" was a real "No, I am your Father" moment. That's it. The dialogue was memorable and witty, the chase scenes spectacular, and if the love scenes were not on par with the rest of the film, might I point out that in the Star Wars universe, for all we know suitors speak that way? I suggest Mr. Weiskind watch the movie again. Perhaps he would be able to appreciate it better the second time around.

Your critics also demeaned "The Sum of All Fears," a very good movie with a great plot and great acting. The PG's critic did not like it because of its ... star? The sole criterion for the 2.5 star rating was because Mr. Weiskind does not believe someone as cute and talented as Ben Affleck can act? Did Mr. Weiskind conveniently forget that Mr. Affleck has received an Academy Award [for screenwriting "Good Will Hunting"]?

As for "The Bourne Identity," which I loved, Mr. Weiskind gives no hint as to a legitimate reason for rating it only 2.5 stars. And Mr. Weiskind again mocks the star of the film, this time Mr. Affleck's good friend Matt Damon.

Yet, I see the PG critics giving horrendous movies such as "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron" and the nightmare-inducing "Lilo & Stitch" better ratings than the near classics I have listed above. But I'm sure the critics will say to this letter: "Critic business. Go back to your complaints."

LANNA MICHAELS
Monroeville

You'll love Scooby -- if you're a Satanist!

Avoid seeing Warner Bros. "Scooby-Doo" at the theaters. The movie is not of the same quality that played at the Benedum in March. If you're a Satanist you'll love this movie.

It has numerous out-of-body experiences of the characters in the movie. There were demons that were covered in spots as they were destroyed. There was partial soul repossession, and let's not forget the Daemon Riteous which became an idol for worship.

I definitely will not take my child to see this movie. Scooby-Doo has lost its innocence.

PHILIP VICKERY
Irwin

Smoking tent

Like many fans of The Clarks, I attended the June 22 show at the Amphitheatre at Station Square. While The Clarks are a tremendous local band, the Amphitheatre at Station Square continues to be a very bad venue for concerts.

It is bad enough that the prices for concessions are way overpriced. The presence of "no smoking under tent" signs are a big joke! Not only are people smoking under the tent, vendors and stage hands are also smoking. Amphitheatre employees who are working the shows do not enforce the "no smoking under tent" policy. Knowing the Pittsburgh and Allegheny flair for not obeying posted signs is common knowledge. If the policy isn't being enforced, please take down the signs.

I know you will never get people in Pittsburgh to be courteous enough to voluntarily comply to this policy, so please, either enforce the policy or take down the signs!

KEITH KOSHUTE
Plum

Hail to River City

Congratulations to the musicians of the River City Brass Band and conductor Denis Colwell for their outstanding performance at Thalian Hall in Wilmington, N.C., on the evening of May 30. Their professional skill was quite evident with the wonderful renditions of "American Eagle Waltz," "Georgia on My Mind" and many other selections, as well as their ability to make the audience laugh as they used comic relief by not taking themselves too seriously at times.

It was the first time I saw a performing group in our theater series receive a standing ovation at intermission, let alone at the program's conclusion. Pittsburgh should treasure the RCBB as it does their Steelers, as they perform at the same high level of energy and excellence!

ROBERT SEELING
Wilmington, N.C.

Beethoven and Gershwin were modern composers once

In his letter, "Modern music a turn-off to PSO fan" (June 21), Keith H. Sueker expresses his "disgust" at having to hear works by Newman and Hersch commissioned by the Pittsburgh Symphony.

Apparently, this disgust at hearing modern music was so great that Mr. Sueker has decided to no longer give any money at all to the PSO. But before he becomes too outraged, I think there are a number of things that Mr. Sueker should consider.

Beethoven was told when he first began writing music that it would be impossible for an orchestra to play it. But it was played nonetheless, and now he is considered one of the greatest musical minds in the history of the art. George Gershwin wrote jazz, an art form that originally was dismissed by many as nothing but tuneless noise. These artists and hundreds like them tried things differently, and because their music was played, they are now seen as the innovators they were.

But had all the symphonies in the world decided not to play their music, and instead just perform Mozart's "Requiem" for the umpteenth time, they never would have been heard. The PSO is a marvelous organization, and one that still plays the classics beautifully, no matter how much Mr. Sueker may think they have been corrupted by the addition of different music.

Although Mr. Sueker expresses outrage at being "told what I should like" by the PSO, the truth is that he is the one telling people what they should and shouldn't like. Mr. Sueker may believe that different music should be played in separate programs or not played at all, but this goes against all that music stands for as an art form. If new ideas aren't introduced, then the whole thing becomes stale and tired. Claiming that music by Hersch and Newman doesn't belong in the PSO's repertoire does not, as Mr. Sueker says, make him "musically uneducated," but it does make him musically closed-minded. And for him to deny the PSO support, and try to stop them from playing the music that he personally does not like, makes him musically selfish as well.

WALT McGOUGH
Shadyside

PSO not feeling Beatlemania

As a season subscriber to PSO concerts, I compliment the PSO's summer efforts to invite people to enjoy the wonderful world of classical music. I just attended its Classical Mystery tour featuring music of the Beatles and the four Beatle impersonators of Beatlemania. I offer some observations and advice in regard to this concert.

The PSO performers are so musically good they cannot be bad. But, most of them looked bored to death. Although I don't expect them to rock 'n' roll, their body language could get with it. One of the several exceptions was a young man in the first violin section; he showed appropriate appreciation and "life." Other PSO members could take a lesson from him.

Granted, the four singers, with the exception of Tom Teeby who played George Harrison, were not very good. They too seemed to want this hard day's night performance to end. I suspect the Beach Boys concert will be better. If not, the PSO will turn people away rather than entice them to attend their concerts.

WILLIAM F. KRAFT
McCandless