Draw your own conclusions.
As founder of The Warren Report, Warren Etheredge hosts over 250 events every year,
a podcast and television series. The Warren Report promotes "slow culture" through commentary, outreach,
events and education. Our principle: Smarter audiences make a better world!
Left-leaning Hollywood has done as much to undermine tolerance in this country as the Christian Right it so often seeks to pillory. The standard romantic comedy cements puritanical views of Love rather than expand upon our understanding of its limitless permutations. Instead of same-sex, mixed race, polyamorous or unorthodox unions, filmmakers subject us to rotating couplings that continually enforce the ideal as Older-White-Man meets Younger-Adorable-White-Woman-Who-Is-Neither-As-Intelligent-Nor-Accomplished-Thus-Unequal-And-No-Threat-To-Her-Mate. Thus, we see umpteen pairings such as: Meg Ryan & Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan & Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan & Her Genetically-Altered Lips. Is it any wonder the divorce rate is as high as it is? Rather than blame a national decline in church-going or the proliferation of porn on the internet, perhaps we ought consider that men, as much as women, are repeatedly sold a stale, fairy tale version of Romance that allows for limited, healthy(!) exploration of individual predilections and paraphilic erections?
Jeannie Yandel invited me to discuss my take on traditional coupledom by offering three movies that dare swim up the mainstream to examine love affairs that defy traditional coupledom. Listen here for my spin on these Loves for which there are no Hallmark cards. (The piece aired originally on KUOW Presents, Friday, February 12th, 2010.)
Once you have listened in, please share your Valentine’s views on sweet-spirited kink, full-blown fetish and hard-core romance. Trust that I’ll love you for your candor. And, feel free to nominate your own favorite, offbeat on-screen love stories.
Happy Valentine’s Day,
Warren
Order the three movies I highlight on KUOW Presents below. They’d make great gifts for your loved ones!
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February 12th, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Not first and foremost a love story, but Jackie Brown had one of the hottest couples ever in Pam Grier and Robert Forster. I was heartbroken for days when he didn’t run away with her. Also adore Jack Skellington and Sally in Nightmare Before Christmas. (Who says Valentine’s Day is the only romantic holiday?)
February 13th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
As much as I currently hate James Cameron, may I also nominate his depiction of estranged loves Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in THE ABYSS.