To the Esteemed Regular Membership of Movienight:

I am writing in support of my bid to participate in Wednesday's (7/26/06) regular Movienight as a Guest SELECTOR.  Although the inner workings and deliberations of this arcane cabal are unfortunately invisible and somewhat inscrutable to the applicant, it is my sincere hope that I may clarify my hopes and intentions in begging admission of this charmed cinematic circle.

I should perhaps begin by clarifying for the benefit of the record what I am emphatically NOT pursuing, by means of the instant petition: namely, permanent membership in Movienight, with all of the attendant privileges and responsibilities.  Such an application would of course be subject to summary denial, as recent deliberations of Movienight's ad hoc Grievances Committee have underscored the importance of regular attendance to maintaining good standing among the membership.  Though my work schedule and increasing professional responsibilities among Los Angeles-based clients may well result in an increased visibility in this august institution as a devoted guest viewer, an application for full membership is surely premature and indeed unsupportable at present.

No, submitted for your favorable consideration is an application to participate in your “Guest SELECTOR” program, established by decree of ruling committee and first memorialized by blog entry dated May 4th, 2006.  Under the auspices of this sensible program, absent regular members may designate a surrogate selector for their designated selection night.  Although the “Guest SELECTOR” program decree was not accompanied by any sort of findings establishing rules and regulations applicable solely to the program, one may infer that, except as discussed in more detail below, the program is subject in all respects to the body's governing By-Laws.  Thus, a guest selector would not speak of his or her movie selection (a directive that bears re-emphasis pursuant to Rule #2), must not disclose the title or nature of the film being presented, would watch the entire feature, obtain express consent of viewers in the event the selection were to exceed 130 minutes in running time, comply in all respects with the rigorous standards set forth in Rule 5, invite outside guests only with express permission of MOMO/ Coolbaugh, arrive promptly, and not interrupt the screening once commenced absent one of the unusual circumstances contemplated by Rule 10.

It is my understanding that Wednesday, July 26th is the scheduled evening for Ben Wiener's selection.  By felicitous circumstance, this is precisely the night that I will be presenting on fees and assessments to an audience of special district administrators.  Prior to his departure, Mr. Wiener informed me by telephone that he would designate me to select in his stead.  It is the applicant's sincere hope that this information was transmitted to Movienight administration and MOMO in a timely fashion.

A possible exception to strict By-Law compliance may be inferred from the above-referenced May 4th, 2006 Blog Entry, which, in addition to establishing basic parameters for the administration of the Guest SELECTOR program, set forth a tentative calendar for designated guest selectors, including film titles (this entry informed membership, for example,  that Joby Eisenberg would present the seminal ‘Strange Brew’ on behalf of her husband, while Guest SELECTOR David -underlying selector unknown- would present ‘The Usual Suspects.’  It is uncertain whether Guest SELECTOR Monika Wiener publicly disclosed her intent to screen her timely selection of underdog-triumph master narrative ‘Breaking Away’ prior to the actual screening.  Details surrounding the screening are clouded to the layperson by an apparent dispute among membership regarding treatment of Guest SELECTOR Monika, resulting in Mr. Wiener's tender of resignation, which resignation has been hitherto unrecognized by membership).

If granted provisional selection privileges, I will of course abide by all applicable rules and regulations concerning the Guest SELECTOR program, whether enacted by written ordinance, informal resolution, or even matters of interpretive application as established by the officials charged with administration of the program.  If asked to by membership, I am willing to disclose the title of my tentative selection in advance of Wednesday's screening. For purposes of this application, however, please allow me to express my sincere belief that such action would contravene both the letter and spirit of Rules #1-3 of the Movienight By-Laws.  Although such foundational, constitutional documents are necessarily drafted in a broadly applicable manner that wants of subsequent construction, I do not believe that the relatively straightforward wording of these provisions supports a requirement that Guest SELECTORs must disclose their selection in advance of screenings.

It is my sincere hope that the membership and viewing committee will afford this application favorable consideration.  Please know that I have nothing but respect for Movienight, and that I have invested a considerable amount of reflection in settling upon a final slate of potential selections that I feel skillfully resolve the difficult negotiation between mandarin filmic obscurity and hackneyed mainstream oversaturation (a negotiation that MOMO/ Coolbaugh discusses knowledgeably in his treatment of ‘The King of Comedy’).  Any selector, be he regular or guest, must navigate the treacherous waters between the Scylla of Spielberg and the Charbydis of Godard.  I am confident that I can successfully pilot that metaphorical course, and would welcome an opportunity to make what little contribution I can to this venerable society.

Respectfully submitted,

Peter Spoerl

*Editor’s Note:

While Mr. Spoerl’s petition is well considered and honors the Crew with its attentiveness to the minutiae of our myriad rules and regulations, it fails to acknowledge the expiration of the three week long Guest SELECTOR program. Monika Wiener in fact did not screen ‘Breaking Away’ as a Guest SELECTOR, but rather as the proxy of member/SELECTOR Ben Wiener. This fact prompted our MOMO to draft the following provisional language:

“Spouses of official members may select films, but only during the week of official member’s selection, hence taking that couple’s selection for said given week.”

It is this provisional rule that is being cited by the membership as the precedent which allows Peter to screen his Selection, and as such we are granting Mr. Spoerl with all the rights and responsibilities afforded a Wiener. His pick Wednesday will be, unlike those screened during the Guest SELECTOR Program, an Official Pick. It is the sincere hope of the membership that Mr. Spoerl carefully consider that whatever film he chooses will, like Monika’s ‘Breaking Away,’ enter the Movienight Canon and become a part of Wiener’s permanent record.

See you Wednesday.