Tetzlaff's remarks are not cynical, but realistic. Most of us who have lived through the period he outlines know that it's true.
One element he doesn't account for is that experimental film screenings, as events, are significant art world social experiences. And where we still find regular screenings, it's almost always because there is a core of art world folks in that locale--be it urban area or college town or art school--who want that experience. But that's not enough to sustain the long standing coop rental system. The nutty purism of Canyon (a function of the voting members, not the staff necessarily) had its ups and downs, but those downs included not carrying video copies of films made by its members, then sort of allowing them when some of the Big Boys started to do it, but then closing down again, and on and on. Repeatedly the pigheadedness of some of the most vocal members kept things from moving forward. Sometimes it takes a crisis to make things clear to everyone concerned. I absolutely endorse David's conclusion: "It's time to think outside the box, go back to square one, ask ourself what REALLY matters here, and figure out how best to achieve those ends in the real world of America 2012…" Chuck Kleinhans
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