Parish
Not a Rodriguez Fan
RECEIVED Tue., Aug. 28, 2012
Dear Editor,
Re: “A Career Hooligan Looks Back, But Mostly Forward” [Screens, Aug. 24]: A presumably minority take (in Austin) on Robert Rodriguez. I'm for anything promoting local film awareness but I wonder about this guy. If you were scribing from the Chronicle clone in, say, Chicago, Miami, or even Los Angeles, would Rodriguez qualify for more than a few paragraphs? Commercially savvy, no question, and we admire any independent filmmaker creating a brand in today's corporate film culture. But what about the films? Critically, what? In 10 years will any Rodriguez film be remembered or even considered? Less an auteur than a sequel schlockmeister, the Texas Roger Corman. We need another Machete like we need another Saw, probably less. If Sarris were around we would find Linklater in The Far Side of Paradise, Malick in Strained Seriousness and Rodriguez in, umm, Oddities along with Corman. No problem with the fine article. But let's retain our perspective. Rodriguez, a major player and a minor director. Unless he delivers on his primal creative potential.
Re: “A Career Hooligan Looks Back, But Mostly Forward” [Screens, Aug. 24]: A presumably minority take (in Austin) on Robert Rodriguez. I'm for anything promoting local film awareness but I wonder about this guy. If you were scribing from the Chronicle clone in, say, Chicago, Miami, or even Los Angeles, would Rodriguez qualify for more than a few paragraphs? Commercially savvy, no question, and we admire any independent filmmaker creating a brand in today's corporate film culture. But what about the films? Critically, what? In 10 years will any Rodriguez film be remembered or even considered? Less an auteur than a sequel schlockmeister, the Texas Roger Corman. We need another Machete like we need another Saw, probably less. If Sarris were around we would find Linklater in The Far Side of Paradise, Malick in Strained Seriousness and Rodriguez in, umm, Oddities along with Corman. No problem with the fine article. But let's retain our perspective. Rodriguez, a major player and a minor director. Unless he delivers on his primal creative potential.
Terry Schnell
