Thursday, June 15, 2006
Hilary Duff makes me sad
according to IMDB.com, (http://imdb.com/news/wenn/2006-06-15/), Hilary Duff is upset that New York Times film critic Stephen Holden has criticized her acting ability. She said, "He doesn't really fit the demographic. So I could really care less. Look at me, and look at where he is - sorry! Would he prefer that I take some super-adult role that is inappropriate so I would have no place to grow? Suppose the next thing I did was this super-edgy independent movie where I was pregnant or shooting up. What would that do to my fanbase?" i hope that i am not the only person that takes issue with this. the problems i have are 3 fold (at least) -
first) it is one thing if a middle-aged white man in a reasonably high tax bracket doesn't fit your demographic, but the fact of the matter is Stephen Holden is a FILM CRITIC. and you have just acted in a FILM. film critics by definition are part of the demographic when a film is made. and while i will admit the quality of reviews that ms. duff's films recieve probably don't change the amount of money that they make that dramatically, I would be shocked to find that the commercials for those fims did not include some reviews from some critics somewhere. shitty, backwater, KCLFUCKYOU-TV in the middle of nowhere reviews, but reviews nonetheless.
second) i wonder if hduff knows who jodie foster is. i haven't seen Taxi Driver in some time so i can't say that she was either pregnant or shooting anything up in the film (for the record i don't believe that she does or is ((the pregnancy thing sounds real familiar, but i'm gonna say no)) - although i think she does drink, smoke cigarettes and maybe use other kinds of drugs) but i would still like to point out that ms. foster did this when she was 14 years old. 14. now, she certainly had a healthy resume before doing that film (mostly tv) but considering she went on to win 2 academy awards for best actress be nominated for a third, and another nomination for her role in Taxi Driver, i somehow can't help but think that taking on more serious roles is not, as ms. duff would like me to believe a bad career move.
three) "what would this do to my fanbase?" i don't know . . . expand it? maybe there are some 11 year old girls who's parents wouldn't let them go see something edgy and dare i say, realistic - but i don't understand how gaining credibility in her acting is going to be a bad thing. but let's set the logistics of the quote aside for a second. that's not even what upsets me. it's the idea and principle behind the quote. essentially the duffer just admited to making films without artistic intent behind it. if she can be in a film that has been packaged around her and suited to her fanbase then she'll make it. she wouldn't dare make a film that has artistic merit if it didn't fit her fanbase. now i understand there are economic realities of the film industry and that a lot of time studios do try to fit "stars" like her into films that would fit them and a demographic they're pursing. and while that alone makes me sad about the film industry as a whole, it makes me really sad that the mentality has filtered down to the point where not only is it something that hi-du thinks about and knows about, but that she's comfortable with telling the world about it. and that we're fine with it. we're accepting of that attitude. and that is what makes me saddest of all.
first) it is one thing if a middle-aged white man in a reasonably high tax bracket doesn't fit your demographic, but the fact of the matter is Stephen Holden is a FILM CRITIC. and you have just acted in a FILM. film critics by definition are part of the demographic when a film is made. and while i will admit the quality of reviews that ms. duff's films recieve probably don't change the amount of money that they make that dramatically, I would be shocked to find that the commercials for those fims did not include some reviews from some critics somewhere. shitty, backwater, KCLFUCKYOU-TV in the middle of nowhere reviews, but reviews nonetheless.
second) i wonder if hduff knows who jodie foster is. i haven't seen Taxi Driver in some time so i can't say that she was either pregnant or shooting anything up in the film (for the record i don't believe that she does or is ((the pregnancy thing sounds real familiar, but i'm gonna say no)) - although i think she does drink, smoke cigarettes and maybe use other kinds of drugs) but i would still like to point out that ms. foster did this when she was 14 years old. 14. now, she certainly had a healthy resume before doing that film (mostly tv) but considering she went on to win 2 academy awards for best actress be nominated for a third, and another nomination for her role in Taxi Driver, i somehow can't help but think that taking on more serious roles is not, as ms. duff would like me to believe a bad career move.
three) "what would this do to my fanbase?" i don't know . . . expand it? maybe there are some 11 year old girls who's parents wouldn't let them go see something edgy and dare i say, realistic - but i don't understand how gaining credibility in her acting is going to be a bad thing. but let's set the logistics of the quote aside for a second. that's not even what upsets me. it's the idea and principle behind the quote. essentially the duffer just admited to making films without artistic intent behind it. if she can be in a film that has been packaged around her and suited to her fanbase then she'll make it. she wouldn't dare make a film that has artistic merit if it didn't fit her fanbase. now i understand there are economic realities of the film industry and that a lot of time studios do try to fit "stars" like her into films that would fit them and a demographic they're pursing. and while that alone makes me sad about the film industry as a whole, it makes me really sad that the mentality has filtered down to the point where not only is it something that hi-du thinks about and knows about, but that she's comfortable with telling the world about it. and that we're fine with it. we're accepting of that attitude. and that is what makes me saddest of all.
// posted by dimes @ 12:43 PM 
