Central Machine Works
Little Regard for Horror Genre
RECEIVED Mon., June 3, 2013
Dear Editor,
It is with great frustration that I write this letter regarding Steve Davis' review of Jen and Sylvia Soska's American Mary [Film Listings, May 31] .
I completely believe that it is the job of any critic or reviewer to express their opinion of a work, positive or negative. There is little validity in doing otherwise lest they become a panderer. However, this duty is not grounds to lazily meander around a pile of half-formed thoughts and fling petty insults at a film, the filmmakers, and a genre Davis clearly has little regard for. He admits as much, noting “for those of us on the squeamish side,” as if that makes it okay.
Further, the use of the term “WTF moment” and a reference to Tod Browning out of context suggest a quickly assembled but poorly arranged list of bullet points that amount to little more than smirking elitism. Worst of all, Davis seems to think it is appropriate to channel his inner hateful Rex Reed and insult lead actress Katharine Isabelle with an utterly classless line about Botox that speaks to a general lack of professionalism that should not be acceptable in any forum, let alone The Austin Chronicle.
I would suggest Davis look up Andy Webster's review in The New York Times (of all places) to see how to apply more thought and less shallow vitriol to writing about the horror genre, should he, in the future, have to stoop so low again.
It is with great frustration that I write this letter regarding Steve Davis' review of Jen and Sylvia Soska's American Mary [Film Listings, May 31] .
I completely believe that it is the job of any critic or reviewer to express their opinion of a work, positive or negative. There is little validity in doing otherwise lest they become a panderer. However, this duty is not grounds to lazily meander around a pile of half-formed thoughts and fling petty insults at a film, the filmmakers, and a genre Davis clearly has little regard for. He admits as much, noting “for those of us on the squeamish side,” as if that makes it okay.
Further, the use of the term “WTF moment” and a reference to Tod Browning out of context suggest a quickly assembled but poorly arranged list of bullet points that amount to little more than smirking elitism. Worst of all, Davis seems to think it is appropriate to channel his inner hateful Rex Reed and insult lead actress Katharine Isabelle with an utterly classless line about Botox that speaks to a general lack of professionalism that should not be acceptable in any forum, let alone The Austin Chronicle.
I would suggest Davis look up Andy Webster's review in The New York Times (of all places) to see how to apply more thought and less shallow vitriol to writing about the horror genre, should he, in the future, have to stoop so low again.
Sincerely,
Charlie Buttermann
Charlie Buttermann