Alan Meyerson and "Mank"

[Macker]

In reply to Dietz's news on Academy nominations for "Mank".

I do hope this film wins the "Achievement in Sound" Oscar, because what Meyerson's expert craft achieved (assisted by Mir) in getting the score recorded and mixed under lockdown conditions, was pretty much a miracle.

 

But on the other hand, Best Lead Actor? NOPE: Gary Oldman has been my fav actor for years (and still is) but even he couldn't breathe life into the appallingly dessicated screenplay in that horribly clanky film. And Best Original Score? Good grief, just about every original work I've heard on VSL's forum is way better artistically. If Mank wins Best Score (or any other award ostensibly for artistic talent) it'll merely be in keeping with what we've seen happening to Hollywood lately, i.e. the wokies have taken over. Today, official judgments and awards have hardly anything to do with artistic excellence, but much, much more about how well the 'artists' fit into the Procrustean bed of far-left neo-Marxian ideology. It's already looking painfully similar to conditions in which the fine arts struggled for their very existence under Second World regimes, back when the Second World was a thing.

[Dietz]

I watched the movie twice, but I have a hard time to recognize any "far-left neo-Marxian ideology" being shown there.

[Macker]

Dietz, I sincerely hope we can agree to disagree on matters of art, artists and politics. I've stated my opinion, you've stated yours, and they differ, and that's fine with me. Also, I certainly do hope you can bask in a bit of the glory if Mank wins the Achievement in Sound Oscar.

One point though, just in case we're talking apples v oranges here.

I was referring to artists working in the mainstream US film industry, and to the political ideologies and agendas they must absolutely consent to nowadays or else be 'cancelled' by the 'woke stasi'. Those artists who comply very well are rewarded (perhaps with trinkets such as Oscars) according to their propaganda value. You've not noticed any evidence of ideologies or leftist agendas in this film, and that's good news, job done and situation-normal for the 'wizards' behind the scenes; they put all their skill into keeping the propaganda (oops - I mean Public Relations) schwerpunkt as sly and underhand as possible (as Hollywood has done for decades, ever since Vienna-born Edward Bernays showed the way). I really don't think they want or expect any suspicious and naughty little Toto (such as me) sniffing around and pulling aside the curtain like in the Wizard of Oz.

(BTW, I seriously doubt if sound mixers or any of the other craft masters in the film biz are perceived by the 'wizard' oligarchy as any kind of political threat or asset, so I'm hopeful Meyerson's work will be judged fairly.)

Fingers crossed for that Sound Oscar. 

Now this old Cold War warrior will shaddap.

[PaoloT]

My best wishes for the movie! If not else, for the great technical achievement that was the work on the soundtrack (as well for all the other contributions).

I've not seen the movie, but being based on a screenplay some decades old, I don't expect to be too mainstream. Also, the idea of doubtful authorship seems to be attractive for how it denies a monolithic reality and too many absolute certainties.

Paolo

[Dietz]

@Macker said:

[...] political ideologies and agendas they must absolutely consent to nowadays or else be 'cancelled' by the 'woke stasi'. [...] according to their propaganda value. [...] leftist agendas [...] any suspicious and naughty little Toto (such as me) sniffing around [...]

We should indeed agree to disagree, and I will lock this thread to disallow all those keywords to trigger my (or anyone else's) contradictory spirit. 🎉

Kind regards,