LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Film column full of bad journalism

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Posted: 1/13/09

To the Editor:

As a former Justice editor and a highly active participant in the film program, this article ("Film major should be promoting film, not fluff," Dec. 9 issue) troubles me greatly. I'll begin with the journalistic issues and move on to my own, more personal response as a filmmaker.

This article is highly evocative of the distasteful, ill-informed journalism that was practiced under the banner of "opinion writing" before the years I served on the board. I hope the Justice still remembers the lessons of the Dusty Baker scandal, which was about more than just racism. Fortunately, editors in chief David Fudman '07 and Dan Hirschhorn '07 worked hard to eradicate this kind of irresponsible journalism. As a board, we cut down on damaging "opinion" columns whose writers knew only enough to form an opinion and not nearly enough to provide the reader with any meaningful information. It's a shame to see the Justice move away from these sound journalistic practices. Mr. Lawrence, did it even occur to you to contact program founder Prof. Alice Kelikian (HIST) or the other faculty in the program? Or to do any research into other schools whose film programs might be similar to ours and could serve as a basis of comparison? It did not, and your piece is meritless as a result.

Now, onto the specifics. As a Brandeis alumnus who finds himself navigating the murky seas of Hollywood as a graduate film student at the University of Southern California, I believe I can provide you with some perspective. First, anyone who is serious about filmmaking has a deep admiration and appreciation for the work of both Werner Herzog and Errol Morris. Even if they are not quite household names, they are still two of the most respected directors working today. Brushing off the merit of bringing them to Brandeis and having them speak to students, as you did, is ridiculous. This would be akin to mocking the political science department for hosting Alan Dershowitz.

Furthermore, you seem to dismiss the work and merit of Kate Beckinsale, openly mocking an actress who is considered one of the finest, most genuine actors in Hollywood. Beckinsale, if you are familiar with her work, has labored much of her career in the garden of critically acclaimed, low-budget independents. Even after her commercial success, she has continued to pursue independent features that offer her artistically challenging roles as well as the opportunity to work with some of the finest directors in the business, such as Martin Scorsese and Davie Gordon Greene. To suggest that there is no academic value in giving Brandeis students a chance to learn from her is absurd.

I won't even get into your na've dismissal of the Oscars or the studio system, except to point out that, like all other departments and programs at the University, a film program works best when it achieves relevance within the field it is studying. Whether the discipline is film or engineering, this is how students learn from working professionals and gain valuable connections. If the best or only way to get films to screen at Brandeis and filmmakers to accompany them is to target the Oscar contenders, than so be it.

Mr. Lawrence, next time you choose to write a column on a subject you know little about, please do your homework, contact those whom you are casting judgment on, and try to provide at least some balance and accurate information.

-Jon Zimmerman '07