From: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com (aml-list-digest) To: aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: aml-list-digest V1 #868 Reply-To: aml-list Sender: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-aml-list-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk aml-list-digest Monday, October 21 2002 Volume 01 : Number 868 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 13:07:58 -0500 From: "Preston" Subject: [AML] _Breaking Free_ (1995) (Movie Review) Film: Breaking Free Year released: 1995 Production company: Leucadia Film Corporation Director: David MacKay Producer: David Anderson Writers: Barbara Clark Wanbaugh and Virginia Gilbert Reviewed by Preston Hunter "Breaking Free" is probably the best movie ever made about a blind horse jumper. This might NOT be true if there are any OTHER movies about blind horse jumpers. Jeremy London stars as "Rick Chilton," a 17-year-old juvenile delinquent who gets a chance to work as a stable boy at a ranch for blind kids instead of having to stay in the detention center. I'd like to say that London is a "bad boy with a capital B," because I like the sound of that phrase. But it's completely untrue. If you put London's portrayal of "Rick" in a lineup, he'd probably be picked out to be the first counselor in the priest's quorum. He is locked up because his parents died or something and he ran away from his uncle, and did some petty crimes, but there's just no getting around the fact that he's really, really, really not a bad guy. Yet the plot seems to indicate that he's supposed to be worse than he seems. The adult detention counselor (warden?) seems to think that Rick is trouble with a capital T, but that animosity is never believable Rick was raised around horses, and loves working with them, so he is thrilled to have a chance to work at the ranch instead of digging ditches as part of work detail at the detention center. He is surprised when he arrives at the camp and finds that it is a camp for blind kids, but he soon settles in and turns things around in the neglected horse stable. He soon meets a new guest at the ranch -- a newly blind former gymnast named Lindsay Kurtz (played by Gina Philips). Lindsay is extremely unfriendly and doesn't even want to be at the camp. She hasn't adjusted well to being blind. She exhibits a major case of Bad Attitude. Well, if you've seen a few After School Specials, you know exactly where the whole movie is going. There will be attitude changes for Rick and Lindsay. They'll fall in love or something approximating it, share a kiss. There will be a bunch of horse riding, a harrowing rescue of a helpless little blind boy on a cliff above a raging river, etc., etc. I didn't know anything about the movie, so the biggest surprise for me was when Lindsay decides she wants to compete in a nearby horse jumping competition, as a regular competitor among sighted riders. Can a blind person do this? is a question many people in the movie ask. Lindsay is so determined to jump horses competitively because she misses the rush she got competing as a gymnast. So if I understand correctly... She can't do gymnastics as a blind person, but she can jump horses? I don't know if that makes sense, but I don't know a lot about blind athletics. To its credit, the movie really sells the idea of Lindsay training to jump horses. She uses auditory clues to keep her bearings, and she counts paces, etc. And, after all, the horse does much of the work. Few concrete details were provided, but there were enough that I was willing believe it. The whole thing about the little blind boy who goes horseback riding in the middle of the night and gets lost and attacked by wolves and ends up hanging from a cliff face. That was a bit melodramatic. And I wondered why in the world Rick took Lindsay with him to search for the boy. Other than the fact that she's the female lead in the movie, there seemed to be no reason to do so. I was also annoyed by Rick's juvenile delinquent friends who plan to help Rick break free from the ranch (which he actually enjoys being at), so they can escape to New York City. This is despite the fact that Rick has only a few weeks left to finish serving his sentence, and he'll be completely free anyway. Completely idiotic. But I guess if they were highly intelligent, they wouldn't be juvenile delinquents with warrants out for their arrest. There's also a stock character pretty-boy jerk camp counselor who resents Rick, a romance between the detention center warden and the camp director, and a few other plot elements like these which do little to enhance the movie. "Breaking Free" was directed by David MacKay and produced by David Anderson for Leucadia Film Corporation. Leucadia is the Utah-based film production company which made feature length family-friendly films, including Sterling Van Wagenen's "Alan & Naomi", Blair Treu's "Just Like Dad", "The Paper Brigade" and "Wish Upon a Star", and "Windrunner", written by Mitch Davis. Like all Leucadia films (except for the theatrically-released "Alan & Naomi), "Breaking Free" went straight to the video and TV movie market. That's a good thing, because by no means is it up to the standards of theatrically-released feature films. It should even be classified as a "lesser" Leucadia film. Although all of the company's movies are low-budget productions, most of them at least have a little more life and character than "Breaking Free." The acting isn't bad. The cinematography is very straight-forward and serviceable. The movie has no objectionable content, which is good. Unfortunately, the main character arcs for Rick and Lindsay, as well as their relationship, are predictable within the first few minutes of the movie. Overall, the film is competently made, but it just seems flat. Except for the unusual matter of blind horse jumping, "Breaking Free" is a forgettable film. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:39:38 -0400 From: "robert lauer" Subject: Re: [AML] _Finnegan's Wake_ and _Ulysses_ I wrote: > >A literary work must stand on it's own. to which Roberta Gomez wrote: >Nonsense. Taken to its logical conclusion, this argument would imply that >legitimate literary works must all cater to the lowest common denominator >of >readership. How is this the logical conclusion? You didn't build on my premise. I know that a piece of literature may not be read and fully UNDERSTOOD by everyone--or even a majority of te work's readers. The readers may not fully understand certain aspects of the story or the culture or historical period in which it is set; they may not have life experiences similar enough to those of the characters' to fully appreciate their situations, motivations, etc. But that is very different from not comprehending the LANGUAGE because it has been distorted by the "impish" author playing a game--in effect, using language against itself. This is nothing more than linguistic nihilism. >There's nothing wrong with a work being unable to purely "stand on its >own." I disagree. Can you give me some more evidence on why it is a virtue for a literary work to NOT stand on it's own? >Nothing does; all of our knowledge and experience exists in a complex web. "NOTHING does?" I disagree. I disagree because now you're talking "apples and oranges." The human faculty for LANGUAGE indeed IS something existing in a complex web. Nevertheless in that web, there is LOGIC at work. The very purpose of that web is to connect totally different existents to one --in the cause of language, connecting sounds and visual representations with concepts and abstraction, which in turn are connected to the information supplied by the physical senses to the brain. >The fact that a reader may have to put some work and study into >understanding a particular piece of literature can make it more valuable, >not less so. Having to study or work harder to understand a particular piece of literature has, in my opinion, nothing whatsoever to do with the value of THAT PIECE. Some may grasp a complex piece easily; other may have to study and work to understand a simple piece. The whole process is very subjective and based on the intelligence of the reader, not the talent of the author or the inherent literary value of the piece. The true test, I would think, is whether or not you are left >with a reward (knowledge or an aesthetic experience) that is at least >proportionate to the effort you have to make to understand the work. If the true test is regarding the literary value of the work, I would disagree because this is, again, too subjective an approach to making an OBJECTIVE evaluation. >(Though I think that many modern works of art and literature do in fact >fail >this test and are nothing but facades with no real substance behind them.) While rejecting the basis for the above True Test, I agree that many modern works of art are facades with no substance. I would place Joyce's later works in this category. QUestion: what is the real substance in these works? >On some level "Finnegan's Wake" is meant to be a sort of game, or even a >joke (it is filled with puns and word play). I agree. It is a nihilistic joke; an attack by an impish author on...on what? On language? On rational thought? Or perhaps it is Joyce's joke on the modernist literary critics of the early 20th century. \ Among the things they discovered was that, when closely read and >analyzed, Joyce's book made perfect sense, and they had a great deal of fun >deciphering it. I'm sure they had a ball deciphering it. I really would like to know more regarding what they discovered. What is the meaning behind the text? What is the "perfect sense" behind it all? The fact that this sort of effort may not be in your taste >or mine doesn't make the book any less of a true literary work. But I'm NOT making my judgment based on my subjective tastes. There are works of literature that I personally despise, but I nevertheless consider them great works of arts. The same goes with drama, film, painting and music. I never said that Joyce was nonsense based on my personal tastes. My argument has always been that based upon the purpose of language itself, Joyce's later works fail--not just as great literature, but as literature at all.It is a nihilistic attack on language and concept formation. I know this is blasphemy according to modernistic and post-modernistic philosophies. It's just a >_different_ form of literary work than one that may be more easily and >universally understood. I say it is universally incomprehensible--though I'd bemore than happy to be persuaded otherwise. The criteria for being persuade must be based upon the same principles on which language itself rests. Until I am shown otherwise, however, I can only continue pointing that the Emperor is naked. ROB. LAUER _________________________________________________________________ Choose an Internet access plan right for you -- try MSN! http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/default.asp - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 22:16:35 -0600 From: "Scott Parkin" Subject: Re: [AML] Single Bishops Thom Duncan wrote: > Anyone on this list have a Bishop who wears a mustache? Yes. And the first councilor wears a full beard now and again. Scott Parkin - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 13:59:47 +1000 From: "Covell, Jason" Subject: RE: [AML] Single Bishops Not my bishop, but a friend's dad sported a neat, blond m[o]ustache all the time he served as bishop in an Alpine, UT ward. Now he's a branch pres at the MTC (I think). Jason Covell - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:33:48 -0600 From: "Jacob Proffitt" Subject: RE: [AML] Single Bishops - ---Original Message From: Laraine Wilkins > > I tend > to trust her since she knows all sorts of secret things as a > church employee. Hope you weren't being serious. I learned long ago that church employees can be some of the very least informed. I won't go so far as to impute motives, but this assumption that they have secret knowledge is, to say the least, unsupported. Frankly, I'm most suspicious of those who imply they have access to something others do not. Jacob Proffitt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:33:48 -0600 From: "Jacob Proffitt" Subject: [AML] RE: Membership Records - ---Original Message From: Greg Taggart > "BTW, no one has ever answered my question about how that > character could be > a bishop now that he's single. Am I wrong to think that > bishops must be > married?" > > I have a question to add to Barbara's list of one: Wouldn't > the Sheriff/Bishop have picked up on some discrepancies in > the murderer's membership records? Or maybe I simply live in > a la-la land where you can fool the Social Security > Administration, but you'll never fool the membership > department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day > Saints. Or maybe Dutcher has a pre-quel in the works: > "Snowflake Second Ward Clerk's Office." Speaking as a former Ward Clerk I have to say this brought a long chuckle. I spent more time trying to straighten out bad records than I like to think of. And the plain fact of the matter is that once you know how it works, you can pretty much change anything you want to if you have the top-level membership password. Once, as an intellectual exercise, I worked through the steps it would take to mess up the records for some unsuspecting General Authority. Fact is, it wouldn't take much, but then, it would hardly be undetectable either--let alone irreversible... Jacob Proffitt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 21:30:14 -0700 From: Jeffrey Needle Subject: [AML] WELCH & HALL, _Charting the New Testament_ (Review) Review ====== Title: Charting the New Testament Author: John W. Welch and John F. Hall Publisher: FARMS Year Published: 2002 Number of Pages: 490 Binding: Oversize Paperback ISBN: 0-934893-64-0 Price: $24.95 Reviewed by Jeffrey Needle The short form of this review is as follows: Buy this book! I suspect you want a bit more... "Charting the New Testament" follows "Charting the Book of Mormon" as a large volume of study aids for students and teachers of the scriptures. When I first saw the Book of Mormon volume, I thought it was enormously helpful and has a place in my permanent library. The New Testament volume surpasses the earlier effort and is highly recommended. Scripture study, as a rule, has been something of a linear practice in official Church publications. The presentation is familiar -- cite the scripture, tell us what the General Authorities have had to say about it, then apply it to our daily lives. Quite apart from the desireablity of this approach is the limited appeal it has to serious scripture scholars. A more analytic approach often yields added insights and opportunities for growth. "Charting the New Testament" offers this very approach (much as the Book of Mormon volume did for that work of scripture). A few random examples should suffice. One chart is titled "Witnesses to the Resurrection." The chart lists their names, and then in columns, the appropriate scriptural reference, the day or time of the witness, the place of the witness, what transpired, and other items of interest. An entire section details "Jewish Cultural and Literary Backgrounds," essential for understanding the New Testament documents in their own cultural setting. Included is a very helpful chart comparing and contrasting the beliefs of the three main Jewish sects mentioned in the New Testament - -- the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. This is followed by a section filled with information new to me -- "Legal Views of the Pharisees and Sadducees." What did they believe about capital punishment? What were their beliefs about the angels, about fate? This is an excellent summary of this topic. We all know that heavenly beings appeared often in the New Testament. But can you name *all* of these appearances? This book lays it out for you, giving scripture references and other details of the visitations. "The Lives of Joseph and Jesus" is a terrific addition to this volume. Here we have analyzed the parallels between the two men, showing an amazing congruence that is worthy of study. And moving beyond the New Testament period, we have a comparative chart of the historic creeds of the Christian Church. You can easily compare the creeds and see how the different ideas are expressed therein. Enough of the detail. A few words about the general approach. First, let's say this. Given the time, money and motivation, you could probably save the twenty five bucks and flesh this out by yourself. You could probably also spend the next few years designing handouts for your classes with that information. Or, you could buy this book. You can reproduce any of the charts for teaching purposes, giving you a tremendous leg up on the task of producing interesting and innovative lessons. And that, I think, is the key. The Church has always been faithful in its production of lesson manuals for the various teaching levels. Those who observe such things cannot help but notice that the manuals are getting smaller. More is being left up to the teacher to make the lesson interesting and provocative. This isn't always an easy task. "Charting the New Testament" injects into the teaching curriculum an exciting, and in my opinion unmissable, addition to the resources available to educators. And it is presented in a concise, easily-understood format that will appeal to teachers and students alike. Another thought -- I found myself thinking how much non- Mormon Bible students and teachers would appreciate this book. There is some Mormon content -- for example, a study of Joseph Smith's understanding of Revelation as contained in the D&C -- but the vast majority of the book is solidly biblicist. I hereby declare this book to be an excellent Christmas gift for non-member friends who are Bible believers! I can't wait to see the Old Testament volume; I can only assume one is forthcoming. I highly recommend this book. All teachers and students of the scriptures will find something to celebrate in this series. - ------------------ Jeffrey Needle jeff.needle@general.com - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:33:48 -0600 From: "Jacob Proffitt" Subject: RE: [AML] _Finnegan's Wake_ and _Ulysses_ - ---Original Message From: Rob Lauer > > > 2. A literary work must stand on it's own. If the reader is > told that > > he, in order to understand the work, must read what critics have > > written or that he > > must understand the author's culture, religion, > nationality, personal > > history. etc, then such an argument makes the case that the > work CAN'T > > stand > > on its own. No work of literature stands on its own. The expectation that literature must stand on its own is absurd to me. At the very least you can't divorce yourself from language. To stand on its own, a work of literature would have to include everything from "See spot run" to classical physics (after all, what is this gravity people keep talking about?). I'm not a fan of James Joyce (I can't honestly remember ever reading any), but however impenetrable he may be, you can't discard him just because people find him inscrutable. Works have more and less dependence on outside works, but that's a sliding scale with no standard, a huge variance, and no absolutes. I have had extremely rewarding experiences with both T.S. Eliot and William Faulkner--both of whom are deemed rather obscure and certainly don't stand on their own. Jacob Proffitt - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2002 23:27:05 -0700 From: JLTyner Subject: Re: [AML] Johnny Lingo I'd have to say I agree with Craig about "Johnny Lingo" and how it could help a youth who struggles with self-worth because I was that kid. And for a change, it was something that didn't just say, "read your scriptures and pray about it and everything will juuust fine." Those are important concepts and I have found great strength, comfort and inspiration in that practice, but what if one does that and you are still teased, mocked and left out? The film acknowledged that some people's view of themselves is greatly affected by how they are perceived and treated by others. "Cipher In The Snow" takes into account what it's like to be emotionally neglected and feel like you're just part of the wallpaper. I saw it in my psychology class in high school. The teacher felt there the reaction by the stepfather was overdone. But she liked the movie overall and felt it had a good point to make. And for the record, I considered her an excellent teacher who liked to push us to think. (Tangent note: I was one of two top scores on a persistence test she gave all her classes). And yet, if one has a teacher, friend or mentor of some kind that comes along and sees beyond the facade, chip-on-the-shoulder attitude or whatever walls or defense mechanisms someone has developed to protect themselves and perceives the true potential that lies within and is somehow able to get past the barriers to help bring that person out of their hole, that's a good thing. I was lucky to have some of those kinds of people in my life at Church, school, and in the person of a dear friend and her family. FWIW, I walked away from class the day I saw "Johnny Lingo" feeling like somebody got it, somebody understood a person like me. Cinematic genius, it ain't. If I saw it again, I might come away thinking it's quaint, or sexist or whatever. But at the time I saw it, it gave me something I needed. "Brigham City" provided the depth and sophistication I crave and need as an adult. But sometimes even adults can use a simplistsic story too. Hope they do well with the movie version. Kathy Tyner Orange County, CA - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 09:26:43 -0600 From: margaret young Subject: [AML] The Bridge (was: Johnny Lingo) Yep, "The Bridge" (or whatever the title is) was made in the 1970's. It stars Chip Boynton. He used to be a BYU star. I wonder if he's doing theater anymore. Anyway, I've heard one of my colleagues talk about the story this movie tells--about the trainmaster allowing his son to be killed in order to save the train's passengers--as about the worst analogy in _Especially for Mormons_. This particular colleague lost a son years ago, and someone said to him, "You must really understand how Heavenly Father felt, then, when Jesus was killed." My colleague replied, "No, I certainly do not." He then went on to explain that our earthly losses do not in any way compare to the atonement. "The Bridge" was one of the stories which galled him the most, because it completely ignores the Savior's OWN CHOICE to be The Lamb. I agree with him. [Margaret Young] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 09:30:04 -0600 From: margaret young Subject: Re: [AML] Single Bishops One of my former bishops was a widower. He was told he needed to get married so that he could be called as a bishop. He did and then was. There's another story--the auditions for "Future Bishop's Wife." Every never-married, once-married, divorced, middle-aged person in the county tries out with brownies, green jello, and cross stitch. I definitely want to be in that cast. I want to be the feminist who actually marries the bishop--after he comes to a deep understanding of gender issues and realizes that he probably drove his first wife to an early death. [Margaret Young] - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 09:37:36 -0600 From: margaret young Subject: Re: [AML] Single Bishops Nope. June Oaks died while Elder Oaks was "in office." Elder Perry's wife also died. Both men have remarried. Elder Scott was a widower the last I heard. I don't know if he's remarried. He's fluent in Spanish, and I have a bunch of Hispanic friends who'd love to date him if he's available. Kathy Fowkes wrote: > Wasn't Elder Oaks a widower when he was called to be an apostle? I seem to > recall something about it, but can't remember for certain. > > Kathy Fowkes > > -- > AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature > - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 11:11:17 -0600 From: "Eileen Stringer" Subject: [AML] Types of Bishops (was: Single Bishops) > Anyone on this list have a Bishop who wears a mustache? > > Thom Yes my current bishop had mustache. In my sisters ward all members of the bishopric have some form of facial hair. I have also had a bearded bishop, a bald bishop, a bishop who wore only bolo ties, a bishop who wore cowboy boots and brightly colored western shirts, a bishop who was a sheriff, one who was a State Trooper, a bishop who was single (wife died of cancer) a bishop who was the water master, a bishop who was a magistrate and one who was a trial attorney, one who was the president of a credit union, one who owned the local bank, one who was deaf, but very deft at reading lips - he also had a mustache, and one who was a former Anglican priest, also bearded and single at the time he was called, but was engaged to be married. They were all good bishops, in their own right, with their own package of strengths and weaknesses and by and large attempted to do the best they could to bless the lives of the people in their wards. They each made some so-called "enemies" as most bishops do and each was a character worthy of a story. I admit to personally liking some better than others, but that is a normal course in human relationships. Their facial hair or lack thereof, jobs or background, or way of dressing attributed to their personality, but I do not think it diminished their ability to perform their duties as a bishop. Each was worthy of their own story or at least a chapter in "The Bishops in My Life." Eileen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 15:12:05 -0600 (MDT) From: Fred C Pinnegar Subject: [AML] Teaching at BYU (was: Mormon Culture, Good and Bad) Amelia Parkin said about BYU: =93That will only happen when fear is not the dominating motivation b= ehind what is and is not taught in the university, and when both professors and stu= dents alike approach their studies with openness and honesty.=94 Two aphorisms: First, people who complain about teaching at BYU have not taught long= enough elsewhere.=20 Having taught at three major institutions and a dozen smaller schools= , I love BYU. They pay me three times more than any other place I have worked= , they treat me well, no topic is closed to discussion and analysis in my cl= assroom, and no one has ever hassled me about the content of my courses. If t= here are occasions when you get brutalized there, it is no worse than what hap= pens to you at any other institution of higher education. That is the nature of = the higher education beast where, as Nibley pointed out to us, we are clothed in= the robes of a corrupt and fallen priesthood, and, as Dr Finstermacher at the U= niversity of Arizona was fond of saying, the mitre was invented to protect stu= dents from the contents of chamber pots emptied upon them by the towns people as= the senior class passed by on their way to the graduation ceremonies. Second, if you think a climate of fear dominates BYU and you lack aca= demic freedom there and can=92t talk openly about things there like you can= at other institutions, try talking about the Restoration at a state-sponsored = institution and convincing your students that Jesus is the Christ and that we oug= ht to give heed to the words of his apostles and prophets=96try that and see wha= t happens.=20 You have infinitely more freedom at BYU to cover all aspects of knowl= edge than you do in a state school. I taught English 252 and several other English courses at BYU between= 1991 and 1996, and I currently work for GE and Honors teaching intensive writi= ng classes and a few literature courses. English 252 was a second semester writi= ng course for English majors with a literary criticism emphasis. We used one o= f the best literary theory texts I=92ve ever seen: David Cowles The Critical Exp= erience, and we covered 13 major theories in the class. I also touched on a dozen= others. =20 Historical Criticism Moral/Philosophical criticism. Rhetorical criticism Mythic and Archetypal criticism. Marxist criticism Psychoanalytic criticism Feminist criticism Structuralist criticism New Historicism Post-Structuralism Reader Response criticism=09 Multicultural criticism/ Ethnic Studies =09Chicano =09Native American =09African American =09Asian American Pluralism Religious Approaches (LDS aesthetics) Cultural/Gender Studies Comparative Literature Genre Studies, such as: =09Gothic =09Fantasy =09Folklore=20 Film Studies Queer Studies etc My students wrote 4 papers, selecting a different theoretical perspec= tive for each one. Students of literature should know and understand literary= theory and criticism, since theory is always applied whenever we talk about Lit,= either implicitly or explicitly, and whether we know it or not.=20 The problem is, however, that for some people their literary theory b= ecomes their religion, and they are no longer able to see it as theory. The= ory becomes ideology.=20 I think it is important for students of literature to know and unders= tand literary theory, for it provides a framework for talking about and un= derstanding literature, and lacking it most people slip instantly and instinctive= ly into plot summary and moralizing. In literary criticism your objective is = to create a four way dialogue between the literary text, the critical tradition a= ssociated with that text, literary theory, and your own voice as critic. Ultima= tely, one involved in the discipline should be able to identify herself by the = critical theory or theories she uses. You are also known in the discipline by= the theory or theories you espouse. =20 Regards Fred Pinnegar - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 15:20:21 -0600 From: Christopher Bigelow Subject: [AML] Irreatum Editorial Positions Open Irreantum, the AML's printed literary quarterly, has as many as four editorial positions we're looking for volunteers to fill. If we don't find enough volunteers, it's possible that some of the following positions could be combined (such as memoir/essay editor or film/drama editor). Following are some specific details about what each editor would do. In general, all editors work with authors to refine pieces, follow up with authors on assignment, and turn in finalized, proofread copy for their department on four annual deadlines (March 15, June 15, Sept. 15, Dec. 15). MEMOIR EDITOR (Irreantum uses the term "memoir" to cover personal essays, creative nonfiction, and any other narrative writing that primarily tells stories of actual personal experience, mostly autobiographical but also biographical.) * Reviews unsolicited submissions and notifies authors of acceptance or rejection * Actively seeks good pieces by contacting prospective authors and other means * In coordination with the review editor, recommends book-length memoirs to be reviewed and suitable reviewers * Recommends memoirists to be interviewed and conducts the interviews ESSAY EDITOR (This department includes all article-length nonfiction that doesn't primarily tell a narrative story. In other words, articles in the primary mode of literary analysis, literary philosophy, literary criticism [including review-essays, as opposed to simpler, shorter reviews], literary reportage, etc.) * Reviews unsolicited submissions and notifies authors of acceptance or rejection * Actively seeks good essays, including contacting prospective authors with suggested ideas FILM EDITOR * Finds stand-alone screenplay excerpts to publish in Irreantum, and occasional full-length screenplays if space and editorial plans allow * Lines up film reviews, deciding which films to review and who to review them * Lines up and conducts interviews with film screenwriters and/or directors * Provides film-related news items to the literary news editor DRAMA EDITOR * Finds stand-alone script excerpts and one-act plays to publish in Irreantum, and occasional full-length plays if space and editorial plans allow * Lines up drama reviews, deciding which plays to review and who to review them * Lines up and conducts interviews with playwrights and/or directors * Provides drama-related news items to the literary news editor If you are interested in one or more of the positions, send a detailed note to chris.bigelow@unicitynetwork.com. Your physical location doesn't matter because all our editorial work is conducted via e-mail (although in the case of film and/or drama editor, someone on Utah's Wasatch Front will be preferred because he or she can more easily attend Mormon-related films and plays that premiere mostly in Salt Lake and Provo). Chris Bigelow - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 16:29:37 -0600 From: "Eric R. Samuelsen" Subject: [AML] Re: Membership Records I like this idea, the female bishop. A comedy based on membership = records, hmmm . . . . Actually, see, I'm dead. I was listed on my old ward's membership records = as 'deceased.' Been quite an experience, being dead. I'm not sure what = to do with it fictionally speaking, but it's interesting. As far as single bishops go, though, here's my question. What's the = difference between an active, devout, caring, spiritual single man and a = married one? The single one, presumably, has never had sex. So am I = missing something, or is it the official position of the Church that sex = confers wisdom, or spiritual insight, or some other bishoply attributes?=20= Eric Samuelsen - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 15:32:31 -0700 From: JLTyner Subject: Re: [AML] Mormon Culture: Good & Bad Or try reading a feng shui book in church. ;-) Kathy Tyner Orange County, CA Barbara Hume wrote: > At 03:07 PM 10/15/02 -0600, you wrote: > >> The sf paperbacks, especially, have back covers that >> are every bit as lurid as the fronts (though I was able to >> successfully read >> a couple of Orson Scott Card's paperbacks anyway; when asked I reminded >> folks that Card is Mormon). > > > Just try reading a romance novel in church. > > barbara hume - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 17:54:06 -0500 From: "webmaster" Subject: [AML] Re: Mormon Villains in Movies Tony Markham: I'm reminded of >a film I worked on years ago, fresh out of BYU film school based on the >Martin and Willie companies. Called "Perilous Journey," written and >directed by John Linton in Sandy, UT. We have long had "Perilous Journey" listed among straight-to-video dramas made for Latter-day Saint market on our page about films with Latter-day Saint characters: http://www.ldsfilm.com/lds_chars.html - - Preston Hunter www.ldsfilm.com There is information about "Perilous Journey" here, on the website of its apparent current owners or agents: http://www.filmsourceco.com/titles/aec/PerilousJourney.htm The Film Source Collection "Tragedy and Triumph on the Pioneer Trail" (Based on Historical Fact) Western - Family Adventure USA / 1984 /95 mins / Color / Rated Starring DAVID ELSE, JANENE PEARCE with Karen Thomas Tisha Reed and Curtis Linton Written and Directed by JOHN LINTON Executive Producer Ken Israel Director of Photography Michael L. Schaertl Associate Producer Paul Del Ray Smith Production Executive Blanch Yardley In 1856 Samuel and Margaret Pucell decide to join a hastily formed band of Mormon pioneers who wish to escape religious persecution by crossing the Rocky Mountains and settling near Brigham Young's community. With their children - Ellen, Maggie and Arthur, the Pucells build a crude handcart and set out on foot with their meager possessions. Having left in haste ahead of the cold weather, the pioneers are poorly prepared for the hardships of the journey. Provisions run low and the group is trapped in the mountains of Central Wyoming by early blizzards. Samuel Pucell is killed in a tragic accident and Margaret Pucell succumbs soon after from the rigors of the cold and hunger. With both parents buried along the trail, 18-year-old Ellen Pucell is forced to care for her younger brother and sister. Some days later, Ellen's heightened sense of responsibility leads her to heroically, but foolishly, leave camp with food for the group leaders who had departed earlier in search of a path out of the mountains. When the leaders return with a rescue party from Sall Lake City, they learn that Ellen has been lost in the wilderness for three days. Extensive efforts to find her prove unsuccessful, and the pioneers soon give Ellen up as another trail tragedy. But as the group renews their journey, one young man teaches them a lesson in courage and fortitude. Through his faith, the Pucell family is spared another death. - -- AML-List, a mailing list for the discussion of Mormon literature ------------------------------ End of aml-list-digest V1 #868 ******************************