The Film Spectrum began as a labor of love in May 2005, and after years of obsessive research, launched in October 2011. Two months later,
The Washington Post praised the site for offering "lengthy, spirited reviews ... with the ethos of a true film aficionado."
The site now serves as a meeting ground for serious critics and casual moviegoers, for I believe academics rarely speak the language of the mainstream, and the mainstream is not yet equipped to digest the academic. Yet.
Our goal is to help you navigate the two extremes: the pretentious and the ignorant, the engaged and the passive, the elite and the mainstream. Martin Scorsese called it the “eternal battle between personal expression and commercial imperative." I call it The Film Spectrum. For more, check out our Mission Statement.
Jason Fraley holds an M.F.A in Film & Electronic Media from American University and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Maryland. He has contributed to
USA TODAY,
The Baltimore Sun and is currently the Film Critic for WTOP Radio, where
The Washington Post observed: "Fraley, a film buff, is known for his savantlike ability to name every Best Picture winner in history, by year."
Thanks to Baltimore Sun critic Michael Sragow, University of Maryland professor Joseph Miller, AMC Filmsite founder Tim Dirks, former Washington Post critic Desson Thomson and American University professors Larry Engel & Claudia Myers for their guidance in this endeavor.
