Good, but overrated

[Trin]

I'm a pretty big fan of GAR. I'm also one of the people that criticizes GAR's movies. And I'm also one of the people who criticizes GAR outside of commenting on the movies. I've expressed a fair amount of disrespect for the man, though I believe I've kept it balanced against the things he's done well, and I've kept it fact-based. What do I think about respect? I think respect is earned. I think respect is a two-way street. GAR's track record for being respectful of fans is weak. The respect he earned and deserved with the original trilogy has been spent. My rationale? Land was criticised for being too message driven, sacrificing plot for social commentary. So what did he do? He made Diary 10 times more message driven. We said Diary was too much nonsense, with gag kills and characters who acted ridiculously for implausible motives. So what did he do? He made Survival, which has significantly more gag kills and such implausible characters as to make Diary seem perfectly sound. We're not talking about a man who said, "I listened to the fans and I tried to improve." That would earn respect regardless of the quality of the movies. We're talking about a man who thumbs his nose at anyone and everyone who tries to influence him. Emotionally overblown hate-mail is never appropriate. However, expressing disrespect in a calm and fact-based tone is legitimate.

[darth los]

I'm a pretty big fan of GAR. I'm also one of the people that criticizes GAR's movies. And I'm also one of the people who criticizes GAR outside of commenting on the movies. I've expressed a fair amount of disrespect for the man, though I believe I've kept it balanced against the things he's done well, and I've kept it fact-based. What do I think about respect? I think respect is earned. I think respect is a two-way street. GAR's track record for being respectful of fans is weak. The respect he earned and deserved with the original trilogy has been spent. My rationale? Land was criticised for being too message driven, sacrificing plot for social commentary. So what did he do? He made Diary 10 times more message driven. We said Diary was too much nonsense, with gag kills and characters who acted ridiculously for implausible motives. So what did he do? He made Survival, which has significantly more gag kills and such implausible characters as to make Diary seem perfectly sound. We're not talking about a man who said, "I listened to the fans and I tried to improve." That would earn respect regardless of the quality of the movies. We're talking about a man who thumbs his nose at anyone and everyone who tries to influence him. Emotionally overblown hate-mail is never appropriate. However, expressing disrespect in a calm and fact-based tone is legitimate. But how is it disrespect if it's legitimate, fact based criticism? The truth often hurts but that doesn't mean it should not be said.

[Trin]

But how is it disrespect if it's legitimate, fact based criticism? The truth often hurts but that doesn't mean it should not be said. I tend to agree with you, but some of the previous posters have alluded to the idea that any remarks about the man himself are disrespectful, and criticims should be kept in the framework of the movies alone.

[Danny]

EVERY ONE OF THESE THREADS: a: "Nooooooo stop liking what i don't like!" b: MY OPINION> YOUR OPINION. c: STOP ENJOYING THINGS! d: my taste=only correct taste. It is a television show. i don't know what more i can say. it is an hour long television show.

[DubiousComforts]

I think a lot of what we see here is the "GAR camp" versus the "WD" camp. People who love GAR are passionate, and I count myself as one of that group. Not really. It's entirely possible to like both Romero's DEAD and TWD, or dislike both, or dislike one but not the other, without turning the discussion into the sort of fanatical ranting usually associated with pro-sports. The latter is simply lacking perspective. Liking/disliking, praising/critiquing a work because you are fan of the genre is supposed to be what the forum is all about. But that's not the same as purporting to know better than everyone else how a director should make his own film.

[Thorn]

Not really. It's entirely possible to like both Romero's DEAD and TWD, or dislike both, or dislike one but not the other, without turning the discussion into the sort of fanatical ranting usually associated with pro-sports. The latter is simply lacking perspective. Liking/disliking, praising/critiquing a work because you are fan of the genre is supposed to be what the forum is all about. But that's not the same as purporting to know better than everyone else how a director should make his own film. I agree completely, it is very possible to like both. I think that kind of goes without saying. I like both and have admitted as much so that is not even a question, but as you read the debates you do clearly see lines in the sand people are drawing. Those who defend GAR bitterly, and those who rush to crown a new zombie king whatever that means. Again reading the debates people say things like "bashing GAR on a site dedicated to him" and items of this nature, and that is one example. Any debate has more than one side. Here you have clearly two sides... and a lot of people in the middle. My point from the onset is why pick one? I enjoy both, and why shouldn't you?

[Trin]

GAR's work stirs up strong emotions. It has since NOTLD came out. When something touches you in such deep and meaningful ways as the original trilogy did for many of us it's impossible to be emotionless about new entries. Would I hate Survival if it was a standalone movie by anyone else? No. I probably wouldn't care about it much at all. But since it is GAR and a Dead movie it taps into that place the original trilogy owns. TWD, regardless of how much it resembles or does not resemble GAR's work, taps into the same place inside us. It's inevitable it'll be compared. And there's no reason we can't like both, yet still compare and contrast them, pick them apart, weigh them, etc. I'll admit I tend to get hung up when people make sweeping remarks, but a consise analysis of pros/cons and apples/apples comparisons is just plain fun.

[Neil]

EVERY ONE OF THESE THREADS: a: "Nooooooo stop liking what i don't like!" b: MY OPINION> YOUR OPINION. c: STOP ENJOYING THINGS! d: my taste=only correct taste. It is a television show. i don't know what more i can say. it is an hour long television show. No you're wrong! It's less than an hour long!

[bassman]

No you're wrong! It's less than an hour long! You're wrong! The pilot was a little bit OVER an hour. So there!

[AcesandEights]

You're wrong! The pilot was a little bit OVER an hour. So there! "Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river which carries me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire."

[Trin]

"Time is the substance from which I am made. Time is a river which carries me along, but I am the river; it is a tiger that devours me, but I am the tiger; it is a fire that consumes me, but I am the fire." What is bullshit, Alex.

[AcesandEights]

What is bullshit, Alex. I thought we were posting parodies of how people argue online. The style I chose to emulate was the ubiquitous quote dropper.

[DubiousComforts]

I thought we were posting parodies of how people argue online. The style I chose to emulate was the ubiquitous quote dropper. I believe the style that Trin chose to emulate is Jeopardy.

[mista_mo]

ur all so dum! I am clse frends w/ Fronk Darahbont, n i no that he thnks that hsi Tv movei si mcuh bettar then Jeorge Romeos dawn of teh lvign ded, er wtever it is called. Shit mna, I ply the film ass wel, n i wsa rigt tghere wen he waz filmign the episods. Don't fuck wit meh, i no all teh sekrts of the movies n film.

[DubiousComforts]

ur all so dum! I am clse frends w/ Fronk Darahbont, n i no that he thnks that hsi Tv movei si mcuh bettar then Jeorge Romeos dawn of teh lvign ded, er wtever it is called. Ha, mo gives the people what they want! We're not talking about a man who said, "I listened to the fans and I tried to improve." To be fair, which director does that?