More TV Film Critics

Calendar’s Jan. 3 cover story bemoaned the state of serious criticism in America, which has declined to mere reviewing (“How Criticism Got Glitzy. Film at 11,” by Patrick Goldstein).

Aesthetic criticism, however, could hardly be expected to be any healthier than the art it examines and, in a capitalist society, the arts can not be better than the audience that is to consume it.

I note that The Times devotes much column space in Calendar and View to the reviewing of Hollywood films, television serials, popular music recordings and best-selling novels, while its Food section contains no reviews of catering trucks, greasy spoons, soda pop, snack packs or candy bars.

This leads me to conclude that The Times is written for a public that has all its taste, literally, in its collective mouth.

MARK WREDE

Los Angeles