Points of view – so often so opposed. So easy to find others that disagree. I went off to the London Imax cinema today to see “Ghosts of the Abyss”, James Cameron’s 3D film of the Titanic. Had I read Edward Porter’s review in the Sunday Times beforehand, I might not have gone … “hard to get hugely excited”, “recreations of the ship’s former glories … weakens the verite”, “3D effects only compound failing”. Thank God I don’t listen to other people, especially ones with views as warped as this. Go and see this. It’s a beautifully filmed, magical film that transports you 3 miles down to the bottom of the Atlantic, getting shots of the interior for the first time using very clever remote cameras (ROVs). The overlays showing people moving around on the decks, in the rooms, stocking the fires are exceptionally well done. I was left filled with wonderment, awed at the majesty of the vessel and of how much remains startlingly intact. I could have watched six hours more of footage. It’s poignant, transfixing and truly magical.
I mention this here for two reasons, (1) so that you go and see it and (2) because POVs are fine, everyone has one, we all have arseholes too, but we don’t get them out and show them to everyone at the slightest opportunity. Care must be taken in expressing a point of view, checking the facts, making sure the argument hangs together. That’s not always the case sadly. I refer to the marker I left a week or so ago on the recent article in the Grauniad. Factually wrong and consisting of a single point of view. Unbalanced and misleading. But there you go. POVs are a vital part of how we make progress. If we all thought the same, noone would ask questions and we would not move forward. That would be no fun at all.
