observe that However, Tickell contradicts The remains locked in individualism..and its message seems to be: Don't mess around from the — it's too big for YOU If that is the message, then it only collective I also don'T understand the objection to showing workers with work. who are 'real characters'. The "masses' aren't just grey blobs criticism WOIN.
Tickell clearly doesn't understand much of what he's seen.
about the fatalistic struggle be- pessimistic. tween young and old, black and As the accompanying interview with the film's director, Paul Schrader, makes clear, it tory estate.
in their sell-out.
strength.
solution.
Street, marketi COVENTRY Socialist Challenge group Tor details COLCHESTER readers can y ay Challeng regularly LONDON Socialist Challenge from the 02 Shor WIGHT readers buy TOWER SOUTHAMPTON Socialist Challenge oaturday trom toant-s pu above bar, Post Ottice, Bargate Challenge Socialist ттаm-1om Saturdays Rd, London NW6.
FOR INFORMATION on activities ON on to to 2, c/o Fullmarks, 110 Cheltenham Road, Britannia NukwiCH socials Challence sales meeting. every saturday in wavey race ope UNTIL I read Paul Tickell's review of Blue Collar I had thought that Socialist Challenge was attempting to break left's tradition merely seeing cultural artifacts as political tracts The failure of Tickell's review stems from his refusal to recognise that he was reviewing a film, a Hollywood movie at was that, which attempted to deal As he didn't approach his within that framehe produced misinformed nonsense coming to the incorrect conclusion. that was fatalistic and The film's locations and shots are all derived from the factory: the first shot of Detroit focussing on the exterior of the factory; the bar (and meeting place) next to the factory; the homes of the workers on a fac What leads Zeke and Gerry, two men, to their decision to rob the union office is their role families and the needs of those Gerrv's daughter needs dental treatment the state won't provide; Zeke's large family can't exist on his wages, and it's his concern for them that leads to his ultimate The film offers no clear-cut solution and herein lies its All three men reject the FBI attack on corrupt unions as a They believe In maiversiy of East AngliThursdays at uesdavs. Contact MICKY Socialist SW LONDON sales every Saturday Calls outside Oval tube HAMLETS Socialist Chalsell every Saturdays meet 10 1Dam, Brick Lan office, Hoe St, Walthamstow, Londor TOWER HAMLETS Socialist Challenge 24 217 for detary meets ever fortnight W11 HACKNEY supporters meet fortnightly Mare E8.
sime: Speaker Piers Cordy plus vide HACKNEY Socialist Challenge pubil wnw me counci can an must Dav ine run buoic sector clai the opportunity to make it' because he is black Although the men are seen as individualistic this is not pre sented as an innate quality, but one produced by their changing situation. Their attitudes are a combination of resistance as well as resignation.
The last shot of the film - a frozen frame with Zeke and Gerry poised to attack each other - has the voice over of Smoke, not as a fatalistic jibe but to underpin the film's illustration of how individualism is produced.
The interview with Schrader presented in Socialist Challenge crude ductionist way. Although he may think I hate unions we should, as Marxists, apply the same criteria to him as to anyone else; judging people by what they do rather than what they say.
Although subjectively Schrader may hate unions, that no way serves as an explanation of Blue Collar, which is in objective contra diction to his own statement.
Similarly, the interview with Robert Altman (18 January) implied by merely using his own words that he allied himself with a feminist perspective. Yet there Was critique of his latest film, A Wedding, to show what (if anything) this meant in practice I hope in future you will be able to get reviewers to criticise films as film rather than seeing them as political pamphlets.
BLUE COLLAR is showing a Gate 2, Brunswick Square, London WC1 and is likely to be given a limited regional release Speakers include Cir John Sweene and public sector workers. Thur Mare 5t, En 7.30pm, in the Britannia pub HACKNEY Sainsbury's meet outsid HARINGEY Socialist Challenge group public meeting: Huntley Street strong state Green community centre, staniey r N15 (Turnpike Lane tube)
Bookmarks, Finsbury Par WALTHAMSTOW Challenge -reader: can Enran wagents,
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