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erastesI've finally got around to reading the Observer review of Lumos and I found it brilliant, actually. I can understand completely that the woman found the entire thing completely baffling and not a little amusing. I would too, if I hadn't been aware of Slash and/or the phenomenom of HP4Grown ups.
I loved this : And, even in Vegas, one of the oddest places on earth, the barmen in the hotel casino shake their heads at me when they see my name tag. "You're with the convention?"
"I am," I say. They give me a long, hard look. "You've heard of Star Trek conventions", I say. "It's not so different."
"Nuh-huh," says one. "There it's all about the merchandising and maybe, you know, you get to meet William Shatner. It's not about wearing a cape and going to lectures."
And those lectures - OMG. I'm so glad I didn't go. 'Muggles and Mental Health: Rites of Transformation and A Psychoanalytical Perspective on the Inner World of Harry Potter'......'Comrade Potter: A Marxist Reading' in which the speaker claims that a Nimbus 2000 broomstick is 'coveted not because of its usefulness but because of the value assigned to it by society'. .... And then 'Disney does Derrida', which is subtitled 'Joanne Rowling as a Writer of Our Times'
What ? I mean. WHAT??? I'm not even intelligent enough to understand the fucking TITLES. And I really would NOT want to travel 6000 miles or however far it is, just to have British Food cooked by Americans. I feel sorry for her.
I don't think the fact that she's not a "fan" matters. If I had no knowledge of fandom, I'd want to read this type of review, written by someone who is seeing it for the first time and is amazed by what she sees. She mentions Beatlemania, and she's not far out, I guess. Except of course the fans could actually SEE their idols back then. If I were dropped back on the tarmac when Beatlemania hit, I'd probably just as bemused as this reporter was about Potterdom.
But as usual, the rabid in our midst are horrified by this review. OH NO! Someone doesn't GET that we take kiddie books and write porn! Let's get her!!!
Really. *rolls eyes* Mr Opinion? Meet Mr Someone Else's Opinion.
I loved this : And, even in Vegas, one of the oddest places on earth, the barmen in the hotel casino shake their heads at me when they see my name tag. "You're with the convention?"
"I am," I say. They give me a long, hard look. "You've heard of Star Trek conventions", I say. "It's not so different."
"Nuh-huh," says one. "There it's all about the merchandising and maybe, you know, you get to meet William Shatner. It's not about wearing a cape and going to lectures."
And those lectures - OMG. I'm so glad I didn't go. 'Muggles and Mental Health: Rites of Transformation and A Psychoanalytical Perspective on the Inner World of Harry Potter'......'Comrade Potter: A Marxist Reading' in which the speaker claims that a Nimbus 2000 broomstick is 'coveted not because of its usefulness but because of the value assigned to it by society'. .... And then 'Disney does Derrida', which is subtitled 'Joanne Rowling as a Writer of Our Times'
What ? I mean. WHAT??? I'm not even intelligent enough to understand the fucking TITLES. And I really would NOT want to travel 6000 miles or however far it is, just to have British Food cooked by Americans. I feel sorry for her.
I don't think the fact that she's not a "fan" matters. If I had no knowledge of fandom, I'd want to read this type of review, written by someone who is seeing it for the first time and is amazed by what she sees. She mentions Beatlemania, and she's not far out, I guess. Except of course the fans could actually SEE their idols back then. If I were dropped back on the tarmac when Beatlemania hit, I'd probably just as bemused as this reporter was about Potterdom.
But as usual, the rabid in our midst are horrified by this review. OH NO! Someone doesn't GET that we take kiddie books and write porn! Let's get her!!!
Really. *rolls eyes* Mr Opinion? Meet Mr Someone Else's Opinion.
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-13 06:43 pm (UTC)I'm actually going to Sectus only to hang out with fandom friends; I expect that sightseeing in London would win out over panels, if they're like that.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-13 07:37 pm (UTC)I felt much the same when I went to an Engish Civil War re-enactment weekend. I was all for the dressing up and sitting on officer's knees, but I was jaw-droppingly gobsmacked at the utter geek obsession that some people raised it to, instead of just having a good time.
And we all know that kind of thing happens in fandom, particularly at the Het end of the market....
However at this re-enactment, this woman (in this INCREDIBLy detailed dress, the sort of thing you see in films) started talking to me - I squeed over the frock and she said "So what made you come here?"
That stumped me and I burbled something about having seen Cromwell and it was one of my favourite films (not wanting to mention the beer and officers' knees) and she went into an hour long tirade on the "inconsistencies of the film Cromwell and why it wasn't considered a good authority on the subject."
So, yes, I understand that reviewer's bafflement, completely.
*G*