Miguel's recommendation of the Selena film is perfectly valid for this
list.  Museums do many things, one of which is the documentation of
culture, be it popular culture or whatever.  One of the movements in our
profession today is to document the 20th century and all of it's nuances.
To recommend a film which is a commentary on today's popular culture seems
to serve the profession, not unlike recommending a book such as _Cultural
Literacy_.  The Selena film is a document of a culture, much like old
Milton Berle clips document a culture.  Documenting meaning and experience
of culture is at the very heart of why museums exist.

The popularity of Selena (her life and talent) could be a theme for a
wonderful exhibit/study on the role of culturally-based popular music in
our society (or any world society for that matter).  I hope the R&R Hall of
Fame is listening.

I have to admit that I never heard of Selena until after her death made the
headlines.  I know nothing of her life or her music.  I would see the film
to enlighten myself to what all the fuss was about for the last couple of
years.  We in the museum business are obligated to experience cultures in
whatever medium that experience manifests itself.  The cinema is one means
to fulfill that obligation, for it is very much a cultural art form.

Carl Sandburg once said the most offensive word in the english language is
"EXCLUSIVE."  The one thing museums can't afford to be is exclusionary.

Cheers,
HBC

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Henry B. Crawford        Curator of History
[log in to unmask]     Museum of Texas Tech University
806/742-2442           Box 43191
FAX 742-1136             Lubbock, TX  79409-3191
*******   Life is a trip. Enjoy the ride!   ***********