An Overripe Comparison

Kenneth Turan’s article complaining about hype replacing content in movies (“But What About the Movie?” Aug. 26) takes on a different perspective if a reader scans the reviews. Almost all of the movies he characterizes as shallow, pointless and propped up only by hype received good reviews from The Times. Could this have anything to do with that “big week followed by dip” syndrome?

Critics would rather die than admit it, but they are a major part of the Hollywood hype machine they all spit at so enthusiastically.

LINTON ROBINSON

San Diego

Turan should pose these questions to studio executives who green-light films at the highest level.

(1) Isn’t the person who green-lights a film supposed to be able to see when dialogue is dull, plotting is second-rate, when there’s a major lack of interesting characters? Doesn’t that come with the executive’s job description? Why would anyone knowingly put a weak script into full production when it will cost $70 million? Is this ethical in a high-risk business?

(2) If the script is bad, why don’t you fix it by hiring only good writers? Why would you knowingly hire a hack?

(3) Is high concept with the 18-45 demographic group incompatible with getting a decently written script? (Even so-called action films like “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” can have well-developed characters and fine storylines.)

Who came out of this summer’s big-budget movies saying they wanted to see them again? There was a crime committed this summer, the crime of really bad scripts being produced with amazingly high budgets, the crime of incredible talent being squandered on worthless moviemaking.

L. STUART BROOKS

Los Angeles

Turan’s “Perspective” was right-on regarding what seems to be the new movie marketing strategy of “hit and run.” What I personally find disappointing, however, is his comparison of movie content with tomatoes.

He is correct regarding their taste and consistency; however, they are not that way because the grower likes them. The next time you run into one of those “tasteless” bogus tomatoes, please thank your local chain-store executive and produce buyer, because that is the way they demand them to be.

Growers and shippers would be happy to provide only the great tasting produce you remember from your mother’s garden if there were actually a large enough market for it (maybe there is a parallel with the movie industry here).

DAVID COOK

Deardorff-Jackson Co. Oxnard