‘Battlefield’s’ Budget

It is only natural for any creative person to wish that the original intent of their work be appreciated and valued. As such, director Roger Christian’s defense of “Battlefield Earth” as comic-strip fun is perfectly fine (“ ‘Battlefield’ Was Meant to Be Low-Budget Fun,” July 3). Mentioning positive input on the film from established film directors is perfectly fine.

But please, on behalf of struggling, as-yet-undiscovered filmmakers everywhere who negotiate tooth and nail for every reduced rate or freebie they can to make their short or first feature for a few grand, do not refer to a $52-million budget as “shoestring and ceiling wax,” no matter how it compares to the current norm in action-film budgets.

JAMES NAPOLI

Los Angeles

Regarding Roger Christian’s “defense” of “Battlefield Earth”: Twenty years ago, Roger Corman produced a film titled “Battle Beyond the Stars” that was everything Christian claimed “Battlefield” to be and then some--even though it was shot entirely in a converted lumberyard in Venice for less than John Travolta spent on fuel for his jet to take him to Canada.

RICK MITCHELL

Los Angeles