Why is there no longer interest in the Film Club?

[sunnye]

Re: Having a break

good luck to you!

 

[GrantG]

Where's the February Film?

While we're at it, where is the January Film? Maybe I'm missing it or something. I'll admit I kind of just posted this rather than looking too hard.

Also, why doesn't 2001: A Space Odyssey have a dedicated sub-forum? It's only, like, the greatest movie ever made, dude.

 

[Rodders]

Re: Where's the February Film?

I haven't seen anything on the film club either. I would've thought that this would have been a very popular subject.

I suspect that AE35Unit would agree on the 2001 sub-forum too.

 

[j d worthington]

Re: Where's the February Film?

The Film Club has been defunct for some time. As with a Book Club to discuss a choice made, there is always a lot of enthusiasm about getting such going, but once it is set up, almost no participation, which then dwindles quickly to absolutely none.

As a result, it has long been decided to simply let it die, as revivals (which have been tried now and again) simply have the same result.

 

[Rodders]

Re: Where's the February Film?

Now that you mention it, i've noticed the same with the Book club too.

Shame

 

[j d worthington]

Re: Where's the February Film?

Agreed....

 

[Rodders]

Is there not interest in the Film Club?

The title says it all really. I'd have thought that the film club would have been a hot bed of discussion about some of the older much loved SF films, yet no one posts there anymore. Is the film club dead? Surely there are some older films that you'd like to discuss or share?

 

[j d worthington]

Re: the title -- short answer: no, there isn't.

I don't mean that to sound as flippant as it comes across, but it just seems to be the case. As with the Book Club, this is one of those areas in which your question periodically arises, there's a brief flurry of activity, and it quickly dies down. Until someone else raises the question, and then there's a brief flurry of... etc.

I fear that few people have either the time or the willingness to commit to such an activity these days, so they (unfortunately) just don't prove viable.

However, I'd be happy to be proven wrong....

 

[Rodders]

Thanks for the reply J.D. it's a bit disappointing to say the least. You've probably noticed already, i like to talk about some of the older films and TV shows. I don't know anyone else that's into SF so this is my first real opportunity. Altogether now. Aaaarrrhhh

 

[Dave]

I would have thought the film club might be easier to organise than the book club though - the point being that you don't need to go out and buy the book, just choose an old film that is going to be on an obscure TV channel soon! And you don't have to invest days/weeks reading something you may not like - one and a half hours would be average. Why not start with something most people will already have on DVD or VHS?

 

[Rodders]

Yes, i've tried to invite discussion a couple of times with films like Logans Run and Silent running. It just seems that everyone is more interested in the newer stuff. I'll see how it goes.

 

[Dave]

Well, I don't own either of those. I've seen them many times, but don't know them well enough to start some philosophical discussion. There are existing threads on them that I have contributed to. I got the impression, somehow, that you were thinking more of 1950's B movies. I don't own many of them either - I think I have Forbidden Planet somewhere.

The majority of our membership are young. I would put the interest in newer stuff down to that. Not to say we can't have some more detailed discussion on the themes and influences of those though. I'm all for that, rather than the "that was way cool!" kind of posts.

Another thing, I've already made 11,921 posts, mostly in film and TV. On some subjects I think I've exhausted what I have to say.

 

[Shadow Trooper]

It might not be that people are more interested in the new films over old, it may just be that because a film is relatively new more people are likely to have seen it and therefore feel able to comment.

When you mentioned Silent Running in a thread I ended up watching the film on YouTube! I am assuming that many out there may not have had the time that I had to spare LOL.

I find many members give a bit of a review of a film they watched on the 'Whats the last film you saw' thread. Guess you could comment about a re-watched classic there

 

[Foxbat]

A short history of the film club.

I used to carry the responsibilty of organising the voting, nominations etc.

It started off with a few enthusiastic members. We had some interesting discussions but, slowly, it petered out. The final straw for me was that, one month, despite a movie being nominated and voted for, there was absloutely no input. I decided that the time had come to call a halt.

You have to be philosophical about these things and it had just come to the end of its natural life.

A couple of years ago, I probed the possibility of resurrecting the club but there was just not enough interest to make it worthwhile. I believe that things have not changed and that there would still not be enough interest in such a venture. However, if anybody feels they wish to take on the task of resurrecting the film club, the best thing to do would be to contact Brian and discuss it with him.

 

[Rodders]

I'm surprised to be honest. I thought that it'd be a great conversation point what with everyone adding their bit on the same film. Wouldh've been interesting to see other peoples view points.

 

[j d worthington]

Rodders, I'm with you on that impression; but, having been a member of such clubs (both book and film) before, this tends to be the usual run of things: initial enthusiasm, mild but interesting input, and a gradual fading of interest until something is picked but no comment whatsoever is forthcoming. It is, I fear, a sign of the times that people really can't retain an interest in anything like this for very long, but simply drift off into other areas.

As said before, though, I'll be more than happy to be proven wrong....