So some questions have once again been brought up concerning the purpose of this forum, the proper etiquette for it, etc. So, to be absolutely clear about things, here (to the best of my knowledge) is a summary of the intent behind this here online marketplace of ideas...or at least the intent that Bruce, Dave, Jen and I have had since we restarted it in this venue...although Bruce might disagree with me a bit...and who knows, maybe Dave and Jen also have some qualms............but hey, run with it, okay?
1. Obviously, this forum is designed for discussion of all aspects of the Marathons. From veteran Marathoids to the new blood, everyone should be welcome to share their ideas, opinions, memories, bad video links, etc.
2. As part of this great exchange of ideas, gregarious (some may say cantankerous) debate should be expected to surface sometimes. Most of us who end up posting here have strong feelings about the legacy and future prospects of the Marathons, so as a result, we tend to be very passionate in expressing those feelings. And ya know what? There's nothing wrong with that. I feel like sometimes we get a bit too touchy about any kind of real debate, but in my book, there's nothing wrong with the occasional semi-heated arguments. Mutual respect doesn't necessarily have to equal zero conflict. And if you don't enjoy reading some of these debates...don't. That's why there are many threads in which you can engage.
3. On the other hand, there are times when some posters can't let subjects drop...or who react to a strong opinion with a brusk brush off or rebuke. Folks, our hope is that this forum can be better than much of the internet when it comes to debate and discussion. Prove us right. I know too many former posters who no longer participate here because the level of discourse often sunk much lower than it should be.
4. That being said, I feel that it's especially important to state the following: this forum is not a giant PR campaign for the Marathon. Each of you is more than welcome, nay, encouraged to disagree with the film choices, the direction of the event, etc. Doing so doesn't mean that you're hurting the image of the event. Trust me, if we wanted this forum to just be an artificially enhanced environment in which we only present the rosiest aspect of the Marathons, we'd have done it long ago. We often stress how the Marathons are like an extended family; well, families often fight or disagree. And, more often than not, they remain families.
I would never want to be part of a forum in which I couldn't disagree with the organizers of a Marathon. I say that as an audience member of 20 years and as an organizer of 14 years. I feel like there are too many instances where posters view even the mildest criticism of the event as pedantic and treasonous. Hey, I get it: if you want to just focus on the positive aspects of the Marathons, that's cool by me. But please don't shut people down just because they're concerned about the direction of the events. I've been harshly critical of some of the Drexel's decisions over the years. I've also continued to attend the SF Marathons. We're all able to hold these two separate ideas in our heads. And I'd like to think that we can all house these separate ideas in this forum.
5. Okay, Tim, this one's for you. Yeah, we've never made any pretense of this forum being a venue to vote for what plays at the Marathons. But I can assure you (and everyone) that Bruce and I don't just ignore the brainstorming that goes on here. It might not always be obvious, but that's often because of complicating factors (in the past, factors like print availability, etc.) Like it or not, we're trying to serve several different audiences: the veterans, the newbies, the prospective newbies that are still out there. Offering a wide variety of film, genres, etc. has always been the philosophy we aim for. Sometimes, there are films that are suggested here that we want to play, but that we want to hold back on for a year or two (see last year's Horror Marathon, where we had the chance to screen some very rare 35mm films, prints that we might not have had access to after last October.)
Now, I can't speak for the Drexel, as ultimately they make the final decisions on the Sci-Fi lineup. But I guarantee you this: Bruce and I both watch this forum and don't engage in a blanket discounting of the views expressed here.
So does that help any? Okay Mr. Bernstein, redo the front page one last time. And yes Mr. Leland, you can save this for posterity.