Dear Shah,
It is good to hear from you. Yes it is cold and wet. We have just returned from Mum's and the world is shrouded in a white mist that creeps through the winter trees -- English weather. We took Molly and Frisky for a walk in the early afternoon and got soaked, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. Now, I have washed my hair, rugged up, warmed my study and am ready to work. I hope you found a warm spot to work at Uni and managed to dry your laundry.
It is good to hear from you. Yes it is cold and wet. We have just returned from Mum's and the world is shrouded in a white mist that creeps through the winter trees -- English weather. We took Molly and Frisky for a walk in the early afternoon and got soaked, an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. Now, I have washed my hair, rugged up, warmed my study and am ready to work. I hope you found a warm spot to work at Uni and managed to dry your laundry.
The conference on Literature and Sensation is next week. I am looking forward to it. Sam has organised time off to do some sightseeing in Sydney while I am busy. He has just received a traineeship with the office of a state Labor politician -- three days on the job and two days at Uni to finish his degree. He is very happy about this. Unfortunately, he cannot sew and I had the arduous task of turning up several pairs of new 'business' pants for him. I hate sewing. Fair exchange though, he took Molly and Frisky for their walk yesterday.
I went to see "Tales of Earthsea" by Goro Miyazaki last week. The film was OK, but not as good as those turned out by Hayao Miyazaki. However, not a bad first effort. Sam and his friend Matt thought it was good, so they have borrowed my boxes of Studio Ghibli films and intend to watch them all. Twice I have written to you about your study question -- cinema based on the pleasure principle -- and twice the composition failed to send because I worked on the email over the hour limit. The concept of female pleasure is difficult to discuss in a cross cultural context. Psychology, sociology, feminism, so many areas of study inform the subject. Two informative Western women authors on the subject are Teresa de Lauretis and Elizabeth Cowie.
Suffice to say, Cinema has the power to seduce through sensual engagement. The libido is brought in to play. Knowledge of dreams and desires -- fantasies -- is used to construct interesting and appealing narratives. Cinema may also be used purely for entertainment -- nothing wrong with that. There is a power of good in pleasure and laughter. The concept of catharsis is worth exploring. Troubling subject matter and themes are exposed and brought to conscious resolution in a non-threatening artspace. Tension is released and reason may be brought to bear on issues. This state is achieved by a combination of educational themes and entertainment.(Here I am talking about fictional/narrativecinema not straight documentary cinema). A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, to quote Mary Poppins.
In the hands of dedicated and ethical professionals the medium is a two way contract with the audience. The experience lightens the burden of living -- problems -- an individual or group may, perhaps, have faced alone. The intellect is engaged as well as the senses, to find equipoise, that is a balance of all things material, intellectual and moral. Society and the individual must learn, through experience and negotiation, to use the space of cinema in the best way. Such decisions are culturally determined.
Enough of that. My words are running in circles, and probably not answering your questions. Read. There are books. Ask me little questions that don't take spiels to answer. I am enjoying my study of Haruki Murakami. Nick Prescott is a good supervisor who, although busy, has taken trouble to motivate and further my interest in Murakami's style of literature. Will go now before I am wiped again.
Cheers,Christine
PS Keep in touch
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