Apparently there was some LDS Film Festival recently in Utah. That would explain the recent flurry of articles on Mormon movies--and all the Richard Dutcher quotes.
Honestly, one of the questions in my mind lately is whether there should be "Mormon Movies" at all--maybe that's a silly question that no one but me thinks should be asked.
Dutcher's criticism that making "Mormon Movies" has made it possible for mediocre films to thrive--a point I think is true of many many LDS Musicians and Authors.
My problem with Dutcher though, one who frequently depicts mock priesthood ordinances in movies, might not be mediocrity so much (I've never seen any of his movies) but that his depictions of priesthood ordinances trifle with sacred things. The very title of his first movie made me uncomfortable, since it seemed he may be taking the Lord's name in vain.
Those potential problems are magnified in my mind when Dutcher brazenly shows off some of the "warts" of Mormonism and the LDS culture--all the while apparently unfettered by the need to "make more Mormons in the world" with his movies. I guess I'm not sure if that obligation, so eloquently put by Dutcher, is one that can simply be shaken off--and even if it can be, whether it should be. (Question: If Dutcher is really unconcerned with whether his films attract people to the Mormon faith, could there be eternal repercussions if his films actually turned would be investigators away? These are the kinds of things I think about).
When it comes down to it, Dutcher's comfort in displaying the warts of Mormonism, for instance just how foolish and stupid missionaries can be when they get together or live in the same apartment, were what made me uncomfortable about his first movie and kept me away from it.
This all leaves me wondering out loud if there can be a Mormon genre of movies that can be decidely Mormon and tastefully done. I guess I thought "The Other Side of Heaven" came closest to that, but maybe that's simply because I'm so fond of Elder Groberg's book (on which the movie was based), and the fact that the movie used a Toad the Wet Sprocket song in the trailer. I'm anxious to be enlightened.
4 comments:
Aaron, you need to watch a Dutcher movie if you think they're about "mock priesthood ordinances" and missionaries goofing off. Yeah, there's some goofing in "God's Army," and there's a heck of a lot of cheesiness, and there's some slightly disturbing violence in "Brigham City." But both of these movies strengthened my testimony. In fact, it was the priesthood blessing scene in "God's Army" and the sacrament scene in "Brigham City" in particular* that made me understand what these particular priesthood ordinances mean. Because Dutcher is able to control the events in his story, he sets up situations that beg for these ordinances to be performed, and you realize their true power and worth.
In my opinion, "The Other Side of Heaven" was way too watered down and meaningless. I read a comment about it online once that decried it as a portrayal of western imperialism over pristine native island cultures. That's because the glorious message that Elder Groberg was teaching the Tongans is meticulously excluded from the movie. Each time I've watched that movie, I've ended up with the same thought: "Guy goes on mission. Guy overcomes rats nibbling his toes and a hurricane and a hot girl. Guy gets even hotter girl. So the heck what?" He didn't change himself or the people around him except that he got the one guy to shave and stop drinking. Big whoop. If I had been told about how the gospel of Christ had changed their lives and ensured their salvation (something I'm sure is in Groberg's book), it would have been a much better movie.
I guess my point is that there is a place for LDS-themed movies that are in a position to tell a different story than is appropriate to tell in church, or in a church-produced propaganda movie. To me, there's nothing wrong with showing warts IF you also show how Christ can help us overcome our warts. That's what "Brigham City" does in spades, what "The Other Side of Heaven" does very badly, and what "The Singles Ward" doesn't even try to do, aiming instead for a cheap laugh provoked by the sight of LaVell Edwards playing miniature golf.
There need to be better Mormon movies. Hopefully Dutcher and my baby brother (see the cited Post article) will bring them to us.
* Please note that priesthood blessings, sacrament meetings, and baptisms--the ordinances Dutcher portrays in his movies--are events to which we are encouraged to invite non-Mormons. It's not like he's taking a camera into the Celestial Room of the temple.
Oh, and to answer your existential question of whether Mormon movies should even exist, I quote for you Elder Ballard and President Kimball:
"In the name of Jesus Christ and through the holy Apostleship I invoke a blessing on each of you: That your minds may be clear, your lives pure, that revelation may pour into your souls, that you may have the power of the pen to take that inspiration from heaven and write beautiful music, beautiful poetry, great drama, and create dance and art and sculpture all of which would declare that Jesus is the Christ, and that the fullness of the Gospel is once again upon the earth." M. Russell Ballard, to Mormon artists at Tuacahn, April 8, 1995. [OK, so he's talking about art in general, but film is a category of art.]
And even better:
"The full story of Mormonism has never yet been written nor painted nor sculptured nor spoken. It remains for inspired hearts and talented fingers yet to reveal themselves. They must be faithful, inspired, active Church members to give life and feeling and true perspective to a subject so worthy.
"Our writers, our moving picture specialists, with the inspiration of heaven, should tomorrow be able to produce a masterpiece which would live forever. Such masterpieces should run for months in every movie center, cover every part of the globe in the tongues of the people, written by the great artists, purified by the best critics." Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign 1977.
Matt, I appreciate the quotes. Reading them my reaction is "Oh yeah, that makes sense."
I'm hoping you can help me figure out then how it is that I can completely agree with that quote, and yet still cringe at the thought of a Mormon genre of movies? Maybe I just haven't seen something that hits the mark.
If all you've seen is "The Other Side of Heaven," you surely haven't seen anything that hits the mark. Try "Brigham City" or "The Best Two Years" or even "Charly" (yes, "Charly" in my opinion does it fairly well). I've heard "States of Grace" is fabulous in this regard too, but I haven't seen it.
Of course, my little brother will tell you that Mormon movies are not a genre. "Brigham City" is in the genre of a murder mystery and "Charly" is a romantic comedy. They just have Mormon themes woven into other genres. It's like the difference between "You've Got Mail" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." The former is not in a genre of "New York movies," and the latter is not in a genre of "Greek movies." They're both romantic comedies--they just feature characters saturated in a particular culture. One of the cultures in which movie characters can be saturated is the LDS culture. Does that make you feel better?
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