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Cinema in Focus Reelin’ In the Years with 15th Anniversary
The year 2010 marks the 15th anniversary of the movie commentary Cinema in Focus.
Invited to write a column by Allen Parsons, the then-executive editor of the Santa Barbara News-Press, a New York Times-owned newspaper at the time, Denny Wayman and Hal Conklin began writing a new type of movie review. Wanting the column to speak to the values presented in film, Parsons invited Wayman and Conklin, as a pastor and a politician, to address the spiritual and social messages in film. Originally published under the name Cinema of Values, the column soon changed its name to Cinema in Focus as its authors focused on the values presented in the movies they reviewed.
This unique perspective on films gathered an immediate audience and, instead of fulfilling the original intention of writing only a three-month column, Cinema in Focus is now beginning its 16th year and is published in print and online in a variety of outlets, including on Noozhawk. The column has also become a part of university training and film school examination, both in the United States and around the world. In 2009, more than 1,493 cities were represented in its readership from many nations of the world.
As lovers of film, Wayman and Conklin take note of the directing, acting, screenwriting and cinematic arts, but these factors are not the primary basis on which the films are rated. Using a four-star rating system, the spiritual and social values are the basis for giving a film a 1 Star — Degrading designation, or a 4 Star — Inspiring one. If a film is simply entertaining but offers little to help us understand ourselves or the human condition, then it is given a 2 Star — Entertaining rating. But if the film causes us to look at ourselves and our values, spiritually and socially, even if we do not agree with the perspective of the director or writer, then it receives a 3 Star — Thought Provoking description.
The goal of the column is to encourage public discourse about the most powerful art form yet created. In its “larger-than-life” experience in the theater, cinema has the power to invite its viewers into a vicarious experience that can only be paralleled by literature. Unlike the smaller television screen that can provide a continuous influence but is less engaging, cinema has the power to affect the way we view ourselves and the world.
Because of this unique power, the social and spiritual values in a film come across loud and clear and need to be discussed. This discussion is not about viewing the film “rightly or wrongly” — as though art has a “right” and “wrong” form, but rather to accept the art as it is and then look at its impact, message, worldview and influence. Such an examination is necessary for us as viewers to be able to thoughtfully engage the film’s message without being seduced by or reactive to its values.
As the column enters its 16th year of publication, Cinema in Focus also celebrates its 13th year on the Web by launching a renovated Web site, www.cinemainfocus.com. Providing opportunity for the world to engage in the discussion, as American filmmakers are the primary source of cinema throughout the world, our readers are invited to consider how these messages affect their own spiritual and social values and cultures. Translated into several European languages, the column is also available in Asian characters on the Web.
— Cinema in Focus is a social and spiritual movie commentary. Hal Conklin is former mayor of Santa Barbara and Denny Wayman is pastor of Free Methodist Church, 1435 Cliff Drive. For more reviews, visit www.cinemainfocus.com.
Comments
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» on 01.25.10 @ 11:38 AM
Congratulations on keeping a faith & values based film review column alive so long.
Could you devote a column to the life and work of recently deceased French director Eric Rohmer?
His “Six Moral Tales” (among his many other goodies) were a high point of thoughtful movie making about average people trying to negotiate through the temptations and
frustrations of “everyday life”.
Good luck for your next fifteen years of film reviewing.
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» on 01.27.10 @ 08:05 PM
Much appreciate these reviews, please keep ‘em coming!
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» on 03.23.10 @ 05:48 PM
Gents:
Sincere congratulations on 15 years of groundbreaking achievement. Forgive me for being late in sending a note, but I’m just catching back up with your column again after being off the Santa Barbara grid a few years. Many thanks for mentioning my small part in the column’s launch, which I’m proud of. But the props belong to you for conceiving the column and breathing life into it. I’d never considered reviewing movies in the way you proposed. I was immediately intrigued, however, by your intention to add a dimension to film criticism that wasn’t taking place anywhere else. I seem to recall from time to time you ticking off readers, who didn’t necessarily want to consider the values embedded in films. You didn’t—and and still apparently don’t—shy away from your commitment. Good for you. Best wishes for continued success.
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