Normally I don’t address the various controversies bubbling up in my line of work. But in this case I am going to make an exception. <\/p>\n
Perhaps you’ve heard, but maybe not: Cinestate<\/a> (the production company) has been rocked by pretty horrifying sexual assault allegations. (There’s audio of one of them. And I’m now sorry I listened to it, but I am very glad she taped it.) It’s all been detailed in a heavily researched article on The Daily Beast<\/a>. Because of these allegations against Adam Donaghey (a producer there, and a general big-wig in the independent film scene in Texas), all of the subsidiaries of Cinestate have made statements criticizing Cinestate’s lack of leadership. Major players in the online film criticism arena, underneath the umbrella of Cinestate (Birth.Movies.Death and the mighty Fangoria) put themselves up for sale, distancing themselves from the parent company<\/a>. (Birth.Movies.Death had a very high-profile sexual assault scandal in the last couple of years, too.) This all happened in the last couple of days, but it’s a disgrace it hasn’t happened sooner, considering Cinestate management\/owners knew about the audio recording for 4 years now, and had even listened to it (although they are now denying they heard it). AND Donaghey was arrested in April for allegedly raping a minor. He’s out on bail now. The guy is bad bad news. It’s still “allegedly”, in all fairness, but once you hear the audio of the OTHER assault – one of the creepiest things I’ve ever heard – you know that there’s got to be a vast catalog of incidents behind what happened in that car. No way was that the only instance. It’s just the only instance where a woman secretly turned on her voice recorder. So anyway, this is a long preamble but I think it’s important news to share. <\/p>\n Some months back, under the umbrella of Cinestate, a new site was launched called The Rebeller. It was going to cover “outlaw cinema,” meaning movies that didn’t get the “love” from mainstream critics, like genre films, horror films, dirty cop films, films with “reactionary” politics, etc. I think this is a worthy cause. A lot of the stuff I write about (hello, Elvis movies) don’t get the “love” from critics and I think it’s not only valid to create a space for serious discussion of these films, I think it’s essential. The hermetically-sealed critical world can be stifling in its consensus of not only what is good but how you are supposed to write about what is good. (This is one of the many reasons I mourn my column. I could do my own thing there.) <\/p>\n Editor-in-chief Sonny Bunch reached out to many critics to write for them, including yours truly. Sonny had been very supportive of my crazy piece on Sucker Punch<\/i> and The Gold Diggers of 1933<\/i> for Oscilloscope (no longer online, since it was included in their book<\/a>). He has a very strong social media presence, lots of followers, and he linked to it multiple times, saying it was his favorite piece of film criticism that year. Now, listen: this is using your powerful platform for good. I appreciated it and I did not forget it. When he came to me, he had a specific idea of what he’d like me to write. It was an assignment, in other words. And sometimes editors come up with shit you’d never have come up with on your own, and sometimes the idea is so outside your wheelhouse you not only learn a lot in the writing of it, but you STRETCH as a writer. His assignment to me – to write on how Walter Hill uses costumes in his movies – was one of the funnest assignments I’ve ever had. I don’t spend my time writing about costume, although I am interested in all aspects of collaboration. So this would be fun. And I love Walter Hill. Sonny wanted to launch the site already robust with content and roll it out over the first month of its existence. He wanted me to be in that first round so I got to work. <\/p>\n Over the course of the month I watched (and in most cases re-watched) Walter Hill’s entire filmography, which I wholeheartedly recommend. I had no idea and no concept of how he might use costumes, but immediately I could understand why Sonny wanted me to tackle this. Because Hill really does use costumes in this very unique almost archetypal way. I kept copious notes, and had a blast. I didn’t start writing until I finished the filmography, although I was already crafting it in my head. Because, of course, it’s not enough to just say “the costumes are dazzling” or “the costumes help tell the story.” The important question is HOW do the costumes do that? HOW is Walter Hill collaborating with his incredibly talented costume designers? <\/p>\n So. I passed it in. And it eventually went up. And Rebeller PAID. This is another thing. And the pay was good, compared to other places. So all of it a win-win. Rebeller immediately made waves when it launched. There was some freaking out at its mission. There was some anger at some of the pieces allowed to run. I believe in freedom of speech, though, even speech I disagree with. HOWEVER. The site attracted a certain crowd – which may very well be under-served by mainstream criticism – but … well, here’s just one example of the response to my piece. It was not a controversial piece. It was about costumes. A Rebeller reader found his way to my site and left the following comment<\/a>. That was just the tip of the iceberg. A couple guys responded to it on Twitter with such hostility you would have thought I had written about Maxi Pads or something. I was a WOMAN infiltrating their big-manly-man-fortress. I responded to one of their Tweets, very politely – I am rarely rude on Twitter – and the guy was like, “Not what I was talking about. You’re wrong. But thanks for playing.” It was so fucking rude, and no WAY would he have talked like that to a man. I blocked him. Sonny did intervene. I also got many VICIOUS emails. Only one guy was dumb enough to comment in plain sight on my site, but the rest sent me emails saying essentially “NYAH NYAH you’re not wanted here” or – and this is a direct quote – “fuck you dumb cunt”. For writing a piece about COSTUMES. And these men think they’re big strong macho dudes. Why can’t they see this sort of thing makes them look tremendously fragile? They’re telling on themselves and they don’t even know it.<\/p>\n I’ve been online a long time. I remember what it was like when one of the big dude bloggers used to link to me. It was exactly the same thing. We’re talking 2003, 2004. He’d link to some post I wrote about Humphrey Bogart and hordes of raving misogynists would descend onto my site, calling Bogart “okay for a libtard.” Tiresome. I am very wary about giving any credence to “guilt by association” – Stalin killed untold millions because they were guilty by association – but sometimes, yeah, you don’t want to be associated with something. And I wanted no part of being associated with that guy’s audience, and I wanted no part of The Rebeller’s audience. I am not interested in trying to convince people like that that they are rude and awful and wrong. I consider them to be lost causes, and even if they aren’t, then I sure as hell am not gonna waste time arguing with them or trying to combat them point by point. I operate with a One strike you’re out policy. If, in your first interaction with me, you are rude, contemptuous, sexist, anything: Block. Ban. AND I do so, let’s not forget, understanding that by “talking back” to them, I risk doxxing, I risk stalking (I’ve had the same stalker for YEARS now, I have never interacted with him, it doesn’t matter), I risk them trying to ruin me, slander me, because I “talked back.” So here I am: this post is, in part, leaving a paper trail. I have learned, through making mistakes in the past, that the best and most effective way to respond to stuff like this is strongly, aggressively even, and out in public where all can see. I never respond to vicious emails. I never get in a back-and-forth over email, where no one can see but “the two of us”. There IS no “two of us.” You don’t GET to email with me if you call me a “dumb cunt.” It’s akin to having a guy maneuver you away from your friends into an isolated spot. I learned to not do this. I also learned it’s best to leave their comment up, even if it’s vile. Because you want evidence, just in case they go psycho later. This is the reality for women online. <\/p>\n So Rebeller is no more. Sonny made a series of Tweets addressing the issue at Cinestate (he did a good job in a very stressful situation) – and while it is sad, and I am mostly sad for Sonny – I really liked working with him – the site had become a little “fuck the SJWs” for my taste. That’s just not my style, not my thing. I don’t have people like that in my real life, so I don’t really want to associate with them online, especially not when people call me a “dumb cunt” or scream in my comments “you’re only good for costumes and sucking dick” – which makes no sense anyway. <\/p>\n Sonny gave me permission to post my piece wherever I want, in essence giving me the copyright, so that was very kind and I will post it here (Rebeller was behind a paywall). It’s a good piece and I am happy to have written it. I learned a lot and it gave me the opportunity to do nothing but watch Walter Hill movies for a month. A wonderful way to spend your time, all told. <\/p>\n No regrets. <\/p>\n And I hope Donaghey gets what’s coming to him. Sounds like it’s long overdue. <\/p>\n Update: A couple parts edited for clarity, and one name removed because it’s not worth the potential hassle.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Normally I don’t address the various controversies bubbling up in my line of work. But in this case I am going to make an exception. Perhaps you’ve heard, but maybe not: Cinestate (the production company) has been rocked by pretty … Continue reading