Apotheosis of Dreck

Lieutenant Colonel T.E. Lawrence

Surprise, surprise, I have an axe to grind.  Exceptional individuals have been romanticized since before Homer took that strange odyssey.  Movies continued this tradition of elevating individuals to Olympian proportions.  Lawrence of Arabia exemplifies this romanticized view that is created by films.  David Lean placed T.E. Lawrence on a pedestal, while at the same time exemplifying some of the man's flaws.  Those halcyon days of healthy hero worship are over.  Instead of complex characters portrayed by talented actors, we have a celebration of highly paid actors, most of whom appear in subpar features an deliver mediocre performances.  We need to romanticize people, wether fictional or real, that we strive to be like because we admire their accomplishments and contributions to the world.  We idolize Angelina Jolie because she is rich, famous and beautiful, and not because she is an extremely talented actress, who also has many philanthropic causes.  Exceptionalism reigns on high,  yet the arts remain in the gutter.  Give me Jef Costello over Robert Downey Jr.