MovieChat Forums > Six Degrees of Separation (1993) Discussion > 6 Degrees =Stanley Milgram

6 Degrees =Stanley Milgram

posted 18 years ago by ArsLonga
3 replies | jump to latest

pisses me off that he got no mention in the film, since it was his seminal work in social psych that originated the concept. (btw, he was the researcher who did the infamous "nazi" cooperation experiments in the 60's...)

i respect David Guare, as well as all of the actors involved in this film, more than i can express...but to leave Milgram's name out, to me, is unspeakable. i come from a similar circle, and when i discuss things like this, with my kids or friends, i always cite the source(s), as in, "I was just reading an article in the NYT/NY'er/etc. about xyz, i read about a study by Stanley Milgram..." etc. etc. etc.

point being: he was very well known prior to the stunning Six work, and anyone who went to college in the parents' era -- as well as the kids' -- would know of him.

p.s....it's really more like 2 or 3. i have so many scary examples in life.

[–] localolo88 18 years ago

i wouldn't say it's necessarily "unspeakable." I think that because the concept of 6 degrees of seperation is so widely known, further explanation and citation wasn't needed.

[–] Lane10-1 17 years ago

People knew the phrase, but I think it was rather new at the time, public-wide. And besides, face it, most people think of Kevin Bacon and that's the end of the story.

"Stanley Who? What are you telling something about a guy named 'Stanley' for, like huh?"

Ars and localolololo, ya both know I'm right.

[–] zachanscom 15 years ago

it's assumed that one either knows about it already or will be interested enough find out afterwards. seriously, not everything needs to be spelled out for the audience. it's popular in some circles to think a ww2 film isn't complete without depictions of every major faction involved. i just find that ridiculous, and your argument is made in that same vein. you basically want your idol/nation/idea to be payed lip service in a movie. you feel people don't know/understand/appreciate enough about him/her/it.

bottom line, consider the context. going into this whole stanley milgram worship thing will only distract from the film, take away the mystique about the concept, and be a tacky irrelevant way of "informing" the audience. it might belong in documentaries, but not in drama.