Adrienne: A defense of "film as a museum tool," or even discussing a
museum film collection, are quite different from a recommendation to go
to a theater, see a commercial movie that depicts "a culture" (don't
they all, including Beavis and Butthead?), and put money in the
producer's pocket. If a movie relates generally or specifically to a
museum exhibition, or if a movie is ABOUT a museum (take "Chances
Are"--please!) these are also valid topics for Museum-L. I think,
however, that recommending people go see a movie, apropos of no specific
museum-related connection, using only the amorphous and flimsy excuse
that it's about "culture" or "a culture," and gosh, aren't museums about
culture too (well, some are, some aren't) is really stretching the
concept of relevance. How about discussing strategies for attracting
movie fans to museums...?

--David Haberstich