Eric Rohmer passed away on January 11th, 2010 and I didn’t even know about it until Friday February 19th, at 3:48pm. How did this happen? One of the most influential and creative minds in the film world, and there wasn’t even a single blip on my radar for an entire month… I could actually see myself still going on blindly until another month from now when the Oscars annual tribute to those who have passed is screened. But what the hell!? Really? How did I not know about this?
Do I not read enough news? Yes, I can honestly say I don’t follow the news as much as I’d like. Do I not watch enough television? Certainly not. Although I don’t watch much news, I do watch entertainment channels. Even they cover important details about people like Rohmer…. Or so I thought… So what happened? Was his death simply washed over by more important and significant information like Tiger Woods’ pending apology (which was a disappointment as expected anyway)? Or Kourtney Kardashian’s baby’s father being an insolent prick? Or the Olympics for that matter? Was everyone so caught up in the hype of international athleticism that this incredible man’s death was just swept under the rug with all the other things I feel I should know?
The New York Times published a lovely obituary. But why didn’t I receive an email update when it was put out!? I got an email when Bill Clinton went to the hospital. I got an email when Sean White won a gold medal. I get an email every time civilians are injured in the Middle East. So how is it that Eric Rohmer wasn’t considered important enough to warrant an email alert?
I feel confident saying that this clearly isn’t just a case of my laziness to collect and absorb news. There was a serious case of inactivity on the media’s part which allowed this information to go unnoticed for over a month. This particular situation leads me to believe that there is something terribly wrong with today’s media priorities. Obviously I don’t believe a singular man’s death is more significant than the crisis in Haiti, or our country’s internal battle over healthcare reform. However, how is it that even entertainment news – “news” which is supposed to cover important details about the inner workings of the industry – did not make any significant mention of Rohmer’s passing? This boggles my mind. There’s something terribly wrong with the system if one of the men who led the way for today’s filmmakers is overlooked. Forty years from now, will Almodivar be so overlooked by American media? Will Quentin Tarantino’s films be all that’s left when he dies?
Okay kids, bold statement… Today’s media doesn’t have the respect for amazingly talented people like Rohmer.
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