Censoring

This article I read had to do with the concerns of ratings of movies and how it should be manipulated in order to keep those who do not want to view it from viewing it. The author is in support of being able to make certain material available and unavailable to certain audiences, to an extent; but at the same time, he feels that if people have a problem with what is being displayed, they should not view it, if they have the choice. Obviously, a ten year-old should not go into an R-rated film, because some of the material may be bad for him to know about. It can be available for certain audiences, but those who will be offended by it should avoid conflict and not see the flick. I totally agree with his ideas because so many people complain about some content in movies as not being appropriate, yet they are the ones who chose to see the movie. Honestly, it's a film, and part of being a film means that there are ideas that will be loved by some, and questioned by others. Like the author, I find this to be one of the fun parts of seeing movies. It fills your mind with a new set of ideas that you can accept or deny, and it is up the audience to decide which side they will choose. Not everyone is going to have the same opinion, and it is very possible that the majority of viewers who see a movie will not have the same viewpoints as the person who wrote it or directed it. The ideas in a movie are almost meant to challenge those of the audience. Obviously, this same idea applies to theatre and television. If some individuals don't want their ideas to be challenged, there's a solution: Don't watch a show that might do exactly that! And if you do, don't complain about it afterwards!

Brice Davis. "Easy on the Ratings." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Lake Times Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .

Don't blame Hollywood...

The final article I read today discussed the views on how sex and sex-related topics were depicted in film. The article I read was arguing that films should not be guilty of portraying unsafe sexual behavior and not showing the consequences. They talked about how the "opposing viewpoint" used several fims that were only to their advantage by displaying scenes that could be hazardous in one's sexual life, whether it is wearing a condom, or staying disease free. The side I read about believed that, not only should the media not be blamed for showing unsafe sex scenes, but there are so many movies they could've used to go against that statement. "Knocked Up", for example, is the perfect movie that is all about the consequences (and benefits, I guess) of not having safe sex. There are others that they mentioned, such as "Philadelphia" and "Forrest Gum", where Jenny dies from AIDS. I have to see that movie again because I never caught that part! Anyways, the other side only chose to view the majority of films which fit their side of the argument. You know what, who cares if there is not a sexual safety lesson being displayed in a film, because honestly, people don't go to the movies to see that crap, they go there to get away from those real life consequences and immerse themselves in a movie where four guys wake up in Vegas and have no idea what the heck happened the night before. That movie (The Hangover, in case you are one of 10 people who didn't see it) is not the least bit educational and it is one of the best comedies I've ever seen. People don't like to go to the movies for a reality check, so why should Hollywood be blamed for not displaying real-life situations. That's what MTV is for, but not really. I'm gonna wind this down because I need to go to be...If people engage in sexual activity at the age of 19 and end up having to support twins, that is their problem that they need to take responsibility for. Those lessons should not be learned from movies, anyways. Use real life situations to learn about the real-life consequences not film, people! Take responsibility for your own actions! Don't rely on people like Seth Rogen and everyone who gets killed in horror movies to give you a lesson in safety. And, scene....


David Goldenberg. "The Film Industry Should Not Be Blamed for At-Risk Behavior." Opposing Viewpoints: The Film Industry. Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .

Nude Entertainment

This other interesting article talked about nudity onstage and how the audience reacts to it. It also questions whether or not nudity is really necessary in a show, or if it’s something to make it unique. The truth is, nudity onstage has become more and more frequent, and it does not affect the audiences as much as it used to when it was seen in “Hair”. We live in a different era where certain things are more acceptable than they used to be. Swearing, for example, is much more common than before, and the same goes with m any other types of censorship. Nowadays, nudity onstage (male nudity, to be specific) is even more common in plays such as “Equus” and “The Full Monty”. This is proof that the times, they are are a-changin’ and the idea of censorship is becoming less and less significant in entertainment. In many ways, that’s pretty sweet, but for those conservatives, it’s probably a nightmare! But they can just close their eyes and ears!!!! And scene...

Zoglin, Richard. "Full-Monty Fever: Female nudity? Ho-hum. Now it's the guys who are baring it all in an effort to shock stage audiences.(The Arts/THEATER)(Brief Article)." Time. 160. 14 (Sept 30, 2002): 90. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .

Funding the Arts

One of the articles I read discussed the funding of federal arts and how it should continue in America. Obviously, I am in support of this article and I agreed with and related to many of the reasons they gave for it. It starts out by showing how the arts help in the understanding of different cultures, histories and people around the world. This is very true, because when people see plays like “The Color Purple” and “Les Mis”, they are able to get a better understanding of what those different people went through at that time.
Another point they brought up dealt with how the arts are good for the economy. One of the main things it does is it gives jobs to millions of people around the country, which is very important during this economic pickle we find ourselves in. It also attracts money from tourists, stimulates business developments, and more importantly, it helps younger kids to improve their ways of life by teaching them essential life skills. Some of these lessons involve kids learning how to express themselves in a healthy way and to not be afraid of doing so. It also gives them the abilities to reason and solve problems that occur in real life. I can easily relate to this idea because I have experienced the effect of it firsthand. Through theatre, I have been able to show more confidence in situations like public speaking and interviews, which comes as a struggle for many people. The popular fear of public speaking is up there with the fear of death.
It’s also important that these arts are funded because some of them are non-profit organizations, and they need those funds to remain in business and benefit those that they employ and entertain.
Personally, I believe that the arts are one of the MOST important recipients of government funds because they make a clear impact on so many lives. And, scene...


American Arts Alliance. "Federal Funding of the Arts Should Not End." Current Controversies: Free Speech. Ed. Scott Barbour. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2000. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Deerfield High School. 6 Feb. 2010 .

Craaazy Sunday

So, I read this short story called "Crazy Sunday" by F. Scott Fitzgerald. When I was reading it, I was wondering if this was a good story to analyze because it seemed to focus more on the relationships of the characters rather than show business itself. When I finally finished and thought back upon this story with my thororough analyzation skills, I realized that the reason that this had to do with show business is because of how it affected the character's lives. The main character is named Joel Coles, and he is a new screenwriter in Hollywood. Like many newbies in this business, he is struggling to impress the right people. On one Sunday,Miles Calman, a director he admires, invites him over. There, he is reunited with Miles' wife, Stella, whom he knew as a struggling actress in New York. Cole later learns that Miles has been cheating on her, and despite his attraction to Stella, he does not want to get on the bad side of someone who could him find more success. She is attracted to him as well, but also does not want to do the same thing to her husband that he did to her. Joel and Stella hang out together more often, until they finally get drunk and have sex. Coincidentally, Joel later gets a phone call that says Miles was killed in a plane crash. Although Stella wants Joel to comfort her, he leaves because he knows that she will never really love him, so there is no point.
See what I mean? This story has so much to do with the relationships of characters, but when I finally thought of the setting, I realized how much of an influence that had on those relationships. Obviously, when someone's in Hollywood, or New York, they are usually willing to do (or not do) a lot in order to find fame. This seemed to be the case for Joel, who resisted his lust for Stella not only to free his conscience, but also to make sure he did not ruin his chances with Miles, who could help him find success and happiness. He is trading love in for these two goals of his, and when Miles dies, he may have also left because he did not see a point in being this close to her if it would not benefit his career.
Similar to Joel, Stella also seemed to depend on Miles for happiness. Although she may have loved him, she also loved the life that he gave her, meaning she could have loved him for his success, rather than who he was. Her history as a struggling actress definitely has an influence in how she may perceive happiness in her future. If she married a famous director, theen she will obviously be happy with what she always wanted, right? WRONG! This story shows that even those who are the most successful and the wealthiest can have problems like anybody else. Fame and money does not bring happiness, and this story (as well as many true stories today) perfectly shows that. The life of a movie star or Broadway actress can be tough, especially with relationships! You may think Brad Pitt and and Angelina Jolie would be happy with huge mansions in France and children from every continent, but evidence has illustrated their unhappiness. It does not matter how many movies one makes or stars in; they cannot rely on their fame and money in order to gain happiness. A celebrity has to find happiness like everybody else. And that starts withing themselves...But admit it, it does seem like being rich and famous would help someone to feel at least a little bit better about themselves! And, scene...

The Short Stories, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
p.713-728

My Progress

So far, this has been very interesting. I have learned a lot about actors, actresses, composers, etc. Since this is one of my passions, it does not seem to be as much of a research project as it is looking up things that I am ointerested in. The only difficult aspect is that there are so many directions that I can take this, and I am not sure which one I want to do. I was thinking about digging more into major evolvements in theatre and different ways that theatre has changed through the years. I was also thinking about looking into significan milestones in the theatre industry, as well as cinema. I enjoy researching this topic and it really does make it easier since I am so attatched to it

The Business of Broadway

This article talks about how theatre (Broadway, in particular) has changed over time. At first, it used to be for pure entertainment, but now it is often seen as a way to make a profit. Not saying that it wasn't before, but it seems that those in charge are more focused on that than providing quality entertainment. The article also talks about how the audience for theatre has declined, which probably came as a result of not having the best shows to perform.
There is also Off-Broadway, which, as the article suggests, has become an alternative to regular Broadway. It usually is cheaper and is considered the second-rate Broadway. These are shows that could not quite make it to that highest level. Then, there is Off-Off-Broadway, which was created in the 1950s for shows that could not make it to Broadway or Off-Broadway. They are usually shows that "are unsuitable for commercial theatre." But people should not take this info to heart, because there could be some very nice productions in te Off- Broadways that did not please one audience. Who's to say it will not please another. It's not a popularity contest, it's entertainment, and the two get very mixed up nowadays.
Another reason theatre is not as popular as it used to be is because of technology and how we are able to rent movies or watch them on Demand, and DVR TV shows such as 24, Chuck, Heroes, The Office or Lost (season premiere is tomorrow! So excited!). All of these options are significantly cheaper than paying around $100 for orchestra seating to Jersey Boys, and that seems to be the problem. In this economy, many people worry more about their money than the type of entertainment they are watching. For my family and I, we choose to enjoy ourselves and not worry as much about the cost, which benefits both us and the theatre production.
In the end, I agree that theatre is still a business. Sometimes it booms when a new hit musical comes out; other times, like now, some people are cautious about their money and may not be willing to spend it at a theatre. Either way,the business of theatre has not changed significantly, and it probably will not for a long time, if ever. And why should it? And, scene...

Adams, Brooks. 1971 [1896]. The Law of Civilization and Decay. New York: Books for Libraries Press.