Which would you keep?

[jandl100]

Indeed not, if that's your 'thang'. The latter, however, doesn't interest me one iota; in fact it can quite often bore me to tears, especially when snobbery rears its ugly head!

Well, some folks can get snobbish about anything ... music or hifi or anything else.

Sensible folks just like to have a friendly and informative chat and exchange views and information about things they are passionate about.

[Marco]

Hi Griffo,

I've had a problem with films. Having watched some very serious cinema in my formative years it became very easy to dismiss a lot of Hollywood as being cheap and having no real depth to it. It became to a point where it was pure snobbery on my part. I still enjoy serious cinema but I've learnt to switch off and enjoy a good action film for what it is (I still struggle with some of the crude stuff they regard as comedy though at the moment).

It's interesting that you say should that, and I know exactly what you mean. I would never judge or condemn anyone for what films or music that they enjoy. However, it's the snob-factor/elitist aspect you mention with music or films (or indeed, as Jerry says, it can also apply to many things) which turns me right off. As a wine connoisseur, for example, I often encounter those unfortunate traits in aspiring 'wine buffs'.

With regard to films, there's nothing more boring for me than listening to a bunch of bow-tied 'luvvies', pretending to be Barry Norman, critiquing some obscure French film, and chuntering on about the complexity of the plot, dialogue used, or its 'production value' - often simply for effect, in a futile attempt at being clever. For me, that is serious yawnsville, not to mention pathetic!

Even though I can both write and speak French to a reasonably high standard (Italian fluently), and so don't always need subtitles, I would rather spend the time bottling my botty burps, than sitting through much of that, IMO, pretentious foreign film shite. Some French films, however, can be quite good. I very much enjoyed Amélie, for example. But for me, they are few and far between.

Nope, generally when it comes to films, I have simple tastes. Give me a good black comedy, thriller, war film, western, science fiction or horror movie (not really the gory stuff, based on thrills from special effects, but the really dark psychological shit that fucks with your head) any day!!

When I indulge in recreational activities, such as watching films, I like to relax, chill-out and be entertained informally, not 'intellectually challenged' or participating in exercises in academia - and the same applies when I'm listening to music

Marco.

[griffo104]

I quite enjoy listening, reading or watching something challenging that can make me think (Tarkovsky's wonderful films for instance) but you have to know where to draw the line between listening to something challenging simply for the sake of it being challenging - there's only so many times you can listen to Schoenberg before you realise not only is it challenging but it's bloody boring as well

tha same can be said of that great work of literature Joyce's Ulysses. you read it for the challenge, but would you read it to entertain yourself ? I'm sure some would, personally that's the line in the sand for me - Pynchon is just as challenging and far more entertaining, imo.

[MartinT]

there's only so many times you can listen to Schoenberg before you realise not only is it challenging but it's bloody boring as well

LOL - I hear you. Then again, I like Ligeti which some would find difficult. Or Portishead, for that matter. Each to their own.

[griffo104]

LOL - I hear you. Then again, I like Ligeti which some would find difficult. Or Portishead, for that matter. Each to their own.

I like Portishead (their last album was sublime) and Ligeti too

[Marco]

I'm unfamiliar with Ligeti... Could someone point me to examples of his best work?

Marco.

[Joe]

If you had to choose b/w them, which would you keep, your hi-fi or your music collection? And, why. (Please no comments like "What good's a music collection without a hi-fi?", or vice-versa. You can sort out what's missing later...)

I'd say 'the musc', but having said that, I know my favourite recordings so well I can play them in my head anyway (and they often sound better that way).

[MartinT]

I'm unfamiliar with Ligeti... Could someone point me to examples of his best work?

His Requiem. It is quite unlike anything you've ever heard. Mesmerising and quite disturbing in places.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ligeti-Requi...9934649&sr=8-1

[Marco]

Cheers, Martin. I'll check it out. From your description, it sounds like my sort of thing

Marco.

[snapper]

Yes, I listen to a fair bit of non-classical - Nazareth,

Rock on, Jerry.