Can't help but notice the disappointing figures for Johnny Lingo.

I finally saw it. It was attractively filmed, a very pretty film, reasonably acted, with the story expanded and deepened. And it's still Johnny Lingo.

And I don't get it.

Why would someone go to see this film? That's an interesting question, isn't it, why would someone go to see this film? Or read this book, or attend this art opening; why?

I went to Temple Square last night, to hear a high school choir sing in the Assembly Hall. A lovely Christmas concert, very well sung, got me in the Christmas mood. Why did I go, why drive 45 miles through a blizzard both ways to hear a high school choir sing? Because I wanted to feel the Christmas spirit? Because I felt the need to hear good choral music well sung? Because I feel like good wholesome entertainment is good for my soul? No. All those things are true; none of them are sufficient. I went because my daughter was part of a string sextet accompanying the singers. I went to support my daughter. And, a nice plus, got to hear a great concert.

Why did I go see Bad Santa? Lots of reasons. I like Billybob Thornton. I think the director is interesting. I read five reviews, all which said it was disreputable, gross-out, vulgar fun. I was in the mood to laugh. I love the title. The previews made it look funny. =20

Why would anyone want to see Johnny Lingo? Not because it's a clean family movie; that's never sufficient. People (Mormons included) generally don't want to see clean family movies. They want to see good movies, with entertaining and involving stories, well acted, well written, well shot. If it's also clean, great. If it's also appropriate for the family, great. But people would rather see Elf than Johnny Lingo, because there are lots of reasons to see Elf (the story looks intriguing, the actors are famous and famously funny, the previews are compelling, the reviews have been positive), and only one reason to see Johnny Lingo (beloved Mormon classic.)

Now, in my circles, JL is NOT a revered Mormon classic. It's a much-made-fun-of Mormon classic. I teach at BYU, and I have never yet met a single BYU student (or anyone else, for that matter) who didn't think Johnny Lingo was funny; an embarrassingly bad film, with a terrible message, which is worth watching because it's campy fun. Kind of like, I don't know, Grease.

But, okay, here on the List, we talked about JL, and lo and behold, I learned something brand new--there are people out there who like that film. There are reasonable and intelligent people who think it had a good message, and who were able to look past its various aesthetic ineptitudes because the message resonated.

So, okay, I think it's got a lousy message (the "value" of a woman is that value placed upon her by the patriarchy, based on physical appearance); others think it's got a great message (no matter how awful you feel about yourself, someone will see how great you actually are, and love you, and when they do, everyone else will see what they'd been missing all along.) Okay, we disagree; no problem. My point is, we've all already made up our minds. We've already decided what we think about the message of JL, and the main thing it's got going for it IS the message. So why go see the new one?

No reason at all, as far as I can see. Or at least, we can say that since few people DID see it, it's because few people had a reason to see it. And that's too bad. 'Cause it's a nice looking film; I enjoyed the scenery, and put up with the story and the message.

Eric Samuelsen