Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 11:13:00 -0400
From: Steve Smith <sgs at aginc.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: MASH (Was: Grit and Punk)
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

"Strong, Lee" wrote:
>
>         Ted White provided histories of "grit" and "punk" in response to my
> question What realities do "grit" and "punk" reveal.  He asked if I would
> consider "M*A*S*H" noir?  Answer:  Based on my extremely limited viewing of
> the program, and Ted's definition of "noir", No.

Hmm.  My understanding was that "noir" was a visual description, as
opposed to a matter of plot or theme.  I think of "Casablanca" as the
prototype "noir" film -- black & white, lots of dark (as in low-light)
scenes, with large masses of undiffereintiatd single shades. [1]

MASH (the movie) was a very dark (not noir) comedy.  One of the best
ever, IMHO.  The TV show was Yet Another Sitcom.  I can't watch sitcoms
-- I haven't watched them in so long that I no longer understand the
conventions.  To me, sitcoms are kabuki -- it's obvious that the actors
are doing something purposeful with a great deal of skill.  It's not at
all apparent what it's supposed to mean.

>         My father ran a real MASH unit in the real Korean War, and he said
> that both Korea and MASH were a hell of a lot more fun on TV than in real
> life.  If the TV show "M*A*S*H" was supposed to be realistic, it failed.

The movie tries to be more realistic, but often, it's not really clear
what's supposed to be going on.  I'd be interested in hearing your
father's opinion of the book, which *was* intended to be realistic as
well as funny.

[1] May Ted Turner be nibbled to death by parakeets if he follows
through on his plan to colorize it.

--
Steve Smith                                           sgs at aginc.net
Agincourt Computing                            http://www.aginc.net
"Truth is stranger than fiction because fiction has to make sense."