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Klein Goes Down
Andy Klein, one of the wisest and most smoothly readable film critics in the known universe, has been whacked. LACitybeat, which he's been reviewing for since '03 or thereabouts, has cut him loose. Jesus, it's the damn bubonic plague out there! L.A. Observed says he'll continue with KPCC's FilmWeek segment and "Off-Ramp." Andy, if you're reading this...we'll talk soon. Hang tough, stand tall, wait for the next turn.
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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 14, 2009 at 2:47 PM
comment #1
shawn
says ...
Editing Andy at American Film lo those many years ago was one of the great joys of my professional life: he is a hilarious and insightful writer and a real gent. This is a crying shame is what it is.
Posted by shawn
at January 14, 2009 2:59 PM
comment #2
DeafBrownTrashPunk
says ...
lots of people are losing their jobs... these times are tough.
Posted by DeafBrownTrashPunk
at January 14, 2009 3:04 PM
comment #3
MickTravis
says ...
Ricardo Montalban doesn't feel so good, either.
The "Battleground"/"Star Trek"/"Fantasy Island" vet is dead at 88.
Posted by MickTravis
at January 14, 2009 3:18 PM
comment #4
Ray
says ...
Why are there any journalists still attempting to work for established media outlets in a cubicle-like state of decay???? Was the handwriting on the wall not legible??
Note to all writers out there: Start establishing your own brand right this second or get out of the business. The old media style model is quickly going out of business ... ABANDON SHIP!
Posted by Ray
at January 14, 2009 3:59 PM
comment #5
George Prager
says ...
Movie critics? Don't get Joe the Plumber started:
"I'll be honest with you. I don't think journalists should be anywhere allowed near movies. I mean, you guys report where the movies are at. You report what's happening in the movie. You make a big deal out of it. I think it's asinine. You know, I liked back in World War I and World War II when you'd go to the theater and you'd see your movie, you know, the screen and everyone would be real excited and happy for 'em. Now everyone's got an opinion and wants to downer, ah, down movies. You know, American movies or cartoons.
I think media should be abolished from, uh, you know, reporting. You know, movies are good. And if you're gonna sit there and say, "Well look at this atrocity," well you don't know the whole story behind it half the time, so I think the media should have no business in it."
Posted by George Prager
at January 14, 2009 4:21 PM
comment #6
LYT
says ...
A great writer, a good guy, and one of the rare critics of his generation who can appreciate a good action movie.
He was a major asset to CityBeat, too. Now I won't be checking their site every Thursday any more.
Posted by LYT
at January 14, 2009 4:28 PM
comment #7
MindlessObamaton
says ...
KHANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by MindlessObamaton
at January 14, 2009 4:48 PM
comment #8
LYT
says ...
KLEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by LYT
at January 14, 2009 5:00 PM
comment #9
clancy
says ...
How smart does Wells look now for having gotten out of the print side and moving to what once seemed like the ghetto of the internet.
Posted by clancy
at January 14, 2009 5:50 PM
comment #10
byanyother
says ...
I want to help all of them. They should all get together and start their own media/movie site. Call it the Skeleton Crew. The trouble we who blog for a living do it 24/7, five days a week - we don't see a movie and turn in one column every week and get paid a full salary plus benefits. I think that is asking a lot, especially when the web is full of continual content by people who essentially work for free.
Critics, for the most part, get paid to go see movies and write about them. Do they really want to start back at ground zero and becoming an "up and coming film blogger"? Probably not. Perhaps now is a good time to secure a job at a university teaching film writing.
Posted by byanyother
at January 14, 2009 7:07 PM
comment #11
Gaydos
says ...
This isn't about the death of old media, this is about idiot editors who haven't EVER been bold enough to embrace a critic who could be populist, elitist, arthouse, outthere, write with encylopedic knowledge of film while also breezily popping in whimsy and taking the mickey out of the stale overseriousness that gets mistaken for gravity.
Andy Klein was an expert on Asian cinema when 99% of the newspaper editors in America didn't even know it existed. His hipness and refusal to knit his brow and curry favor with whatever trendsetter was getting stroked at the moment probably doomed him long ago. He's always been one of the greatest film critics in the world, but he never took things TOOOO seriously so here we are.
Too hip for the kiddie room where mainstream tastes are mandated like leg irons and too spirited and straightahead for the holier than thou stuffed shirts that populate too many newsrooms equals so here we are.
Andy, call me, we need you in print and I will be the first to see that your freewheelin' freelance prose will grace our pages. Eff all the dimwits past and present who are not worth the lint in your keyboard.
Posted by Gaydos
at January 14, 2009 10:17 PM
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