coop22

I am listening to the commentary track from the Criterion Collection dvd of House of Games. David Mamet and Ricky Jay are providing the commentary and I have been very surprised to hear what Mamet has had to say. Amongst the most shocking:

"Never trust a Jew in a bowtie" (I'm guessing he meant this as a joke, at least I hope he did)

Comparing psychoanalysis to a con game and magic tricks

And stating that "in 100 years of psychiatry not one person has improved"

I cannot believe he is saying these things. I know it's an exaggeration to compare him to Mel Gibson or Tom Cruise, but these comments really irk me.

I would love to hear other's thoughts on this...

domino harvey

David Mamet is Jewish, so

coop22

thanks for the info...that takes care of one of my peeves...i thought he was being sarcastic about that one...

Cosmic Bus

I thoroughly enjoyed his comments about the execs at Orion Pictures.

domino harvey

As for your other thing, Mamet has repeatedly decried psychoanalytical interpretations of his plays, but I've always found that position a bit coy on his part-- he has controversial opinions but he can insult me by name in his next commentary if it's half as entertaining as the House of Games one

coop22

thanks for the opinions...i'm not going to stop watching his movies or anything...i just found him to be incredibly bitter and probably wouldn't want to have dinner with him...though i'm sure that many would argue that he would make quite an interesting dinner guest....

domino harvey

He's fascinating when he's with other people, but I dare anyone to make it through his solo commentary on Edmond, which is filled with minutes of silence punctuated by insights like, "No one walks out of an elevator like Bill Macy!"

john gilmore

One of my faves, but I haven't had a chance to listen to the commentary. Just curious: what does Mamet have to say about his ex-wife, Lindsay Crouse? She has some good things to say about him in the video interview, but he always seems a little "strained" in the past when I've heard him talking about his ex-wife. Just wondering if there is any juicy "drama" there :-)

domino harvey

It's been a few months since I listened to it, but I seem to remember him being very complimentary towards her

Mabuse

I happen to agree with his thoughts on psychiatry. And whether you agree with them or not, he crafted a well unified script that makes the arguement that the Crouse character is susceptable to con games because of her profession.

coop22

He is certainly entitled to his opinion about psychiatry (as is anyone)...it's not factually accurate though and is obviously overstated (no one has been helped? c'mon)...

I agree that the script is very clever, but not his rationalization for how psychiatrists would be more susceptible for con games...they might be more likely to get conned due to their desire to help others (which can blind people to certain risks)....some may be full of themselves and therefore overconfident that they themselves could not get conned, but that is true of just about any profession (each of which will have a certain segment that is overconfident)...

As far as his comments on his wife, I don't recall him disrespecting her at all...he was much more hung up on her wardrobe and how they didn't have a second (backup coat) for her since the first got blood on it...

Sex Fiend

Mamet = Scientologist?

james2025a

I can imagine that Mamet has very strong opinions about most things. I feel pretty stongly about shrinks.....and am even married to one. I respect that they can help people with serious mental issues, the problem is that it has become common place for anyone to go and visit them. A person might simply be having a bad day and feel a little depressed and they feel the need to go to a psychiatrist. Emotions and feelings are part of life....i guess there are just a hell of a lot of people around these days that can't control them. Why is it that only today do people feel it necessary to go see a shrink to discuss everything about their life? Fifty or a hundred years ago people didn't do this (or at least not on the same magnitude). I think therapy has become as ordinary to a lot of people as taking an asprin. Meanwhile these shrinks get rich and fat listening to other people problems and trying to relate it to something. My wife works in a hospital with real people with mental issues....not some dick that comes in because he feels he isn't getting enough love from his cat or some such rediculousness. I find that its a profession feeding off the weak and have little respect for the majority of them, so i can understand where Mamet is coming from.

Dr Mabuse

i liked the commentary... loved the criterion release of 'Games'...

Mamet is so cool...

did anyone listen to Val Kilmer's commentary on 'Spartan'?... talks about the pronunciation of 'Mamet', one for movies, one for theatre... pretty funny...

hilarious... i'm still laughing...