30 Planet of the Arts / March 1997 WW Hegemonics Film Review Worth 1,000 Words by Erin Gillgannon A Contemplative Commentary on The People vs. Larry Flynt by Zuzana Kulhankova he reviews on Larry Flynt have been available to us for some time. They deal with Milos Forman and his special relationship to freedom of expression, the trip back to’Prague and President Havel suggesting that Courtney Love be cast as Anthea. And they were not bad at all, as far as they were willing to go. | think we can go further in asking what Freedom and this film is about. Yes, it is about American justice and/or freedom of expression, if you will. Yes, it is about Forman’s tongue-in- cheek observations of human nature — the wonderful scene in a Connecticut ballroom where members of Citizens for Decent Literature fight over issues of Hustler maga- zine which are supposed to disgust them is worthy of the creator of The Firemen’s Ball. Yes, it is about Forman’s wink to his origins (the Czech accent of the man selling the videotapes; casting Jan Triska as the assassin). This film, like most films and like most works of art, is about what we are capable of seeing in it. Without even making any ref- erence to Europe, save the question Larry Flynt asks his doctor about treatment for AIDS, Forman manages to liken the two con- tinents - America as a big nursery (see Scott Fitzgerald: Tender is the Night, corroborated by Larry Flynt wearing the American flag as a diaper), as a country which has not had a war on its territory for over a hundred years and whose imperfect yet functional democ- ratic system has been keeping its citizens and their freedoms safer than citizens of most other countries in the world (yes, there is Switzerland). And this includes Europe, with all its sophistication, tradition, culture and constant wars and political upheaval. Robertson Davies has written that one pays for mastering one’s craft by losing one’s innocence. | suggest that one pays for safety (of one’s person, one's rights, one’s property) by not growing up. | suggest that we pay for growing up with wars, political unrest and the possible loss of freedom, property and life. Growing up means, among other things, having higher aspirations than intercourse six times a day. The irony of Larry Flynt paying for becom- ing a pornography tycoon by being castrated should not be lost in the shuffle - it is the stuff Greek tragedies are made of. This is what | saw in the film, regardless of whether Milos Forman meant it. If it bothers you, you may consider seeing Taking Off, the first film he made after coming to America — pay special attention to Forman’s depiction of child-likeness as a metaphor for his own immigration to the U.S. Another issue that deserves comment is the level of social acceptance of depictions of sex as compared to the level of social accpetance of violence. Blood makes me wince every time but | have yet to be offended by non-violent depictions of sex. How do you respond to these stimuli? @ 30 Planet of the Arts / March 1997 Film Review Worth 1,000 Words by Erin Gillgannon ‘A Contemplative Commentary on The People vs. Larry Flynt iWW) Hegemonics l by Zuzana Kulhankova this film is about. Yes, itis about American justice andlor freedom of expression, i you he reviews on Larry Flynt have been wil. 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Without even making any ref ference to Europe, save the question Larry Fiynt asks his doctor about treatment for AIDS, Forman manages to liken the two con tinents- America as a big nursery (ee Scott Fitagerala: Tender is the Night, corroborated by Larry Fyne wearing the American flag a8 8 laper), as 9 country which has not had 3 war on its territory for over a hundred years and whose imperfect yet functional democ: ‘atic system has been Keeping is citizens and thei freedoms safer than citizens of most, ‘other countries in the world (yes there i= Switzerland). And this includes Europe, with all ts sophistication, tradition, culture and Constant wars and politcal upheaval Robertson Davies has writen that one pays for mastering one’s craft by losing one's innocence suggest that one pays for safety (of one's person, one’ rights, one's property) bby not growing up. | suggest that we pay for ‘growing up with wars, political unrest and the possible los of freedom, property and lite ‘Growing up means, among other things, having higher aspirations than intercourse six times a day. The irony of Larry Fiynt paying for becom: ing a pornography tycoon by being castrated should not be lost inthe shuffle ii the stuff Greek tragedies are made of This is what saw in the film, regardless cof whether Milos Forman meant it. bothers you, you may consider seeing Taking (Of, the frst flm he made after coming to ‘America ~ pay special attention to Forman’s depiction of cild-ikeness as a metaphor for his own immigration to the US. ‘Another issue that deserves comment i the level of social acceptance of depictions of 0x as compared tothe level of social actpetance of violence Blood makes me wince every time but | hhave yet tobe offended by non-violent epictions of sex. How do you respond to these stimuli?