History can be defined as the continuum of triumphs and tragedies over time. These triumphs include the bold and wonderful creation of film, triumphs that can be seen in films such as The Birth of a Nation in 1915, a film often identified as being the first ‘blockbuster’.
The American Film Industry is regarded by many to be the best in the world. Why else would Raiders of the Lost Ark have been translated into dozens of languages worldwide? However, over the past few decades the industry has eroded into the filth we observe today. From this filth comes movies such as The Dark Knight and any number of the repulsing “horror films” to which we have grown accustomed. ‘Why?’ one might ask himself. The answer is a long one and can not be fully dissected within this column; however, the explanation can be simplified to: low quality writing, poor directing, boring dialogue, and idiot prima donna actors whom our culture worships profusely. These all culminate into the state we see our film industry today.
What happened to the Rod Serlings? The Steven Spielbergs? The Martin Scorseses? They are either dead due to destructive habits or no longer producing movies. But the fact remains, our beloved American movie media has declined. No longer is a horror movie built around the mind games that the movie plays with its audience leading them to anxious, legitimate fear. In this era the “horror” movies are filled with brief, gross, immature images meant to shock the audience into disgust. Action movies have departed from a focus on dialogue, story and quality scripting to the present day special-effect-driven monstrosities that show all kindsof quick-paced, seemingly magical explosions resulting in no benefit for anyone, least of all for the audience that suffers a sharp drop in its collective IQ—without insulting the beloved Dark Knight, of course.
When given the unique opportunity such as the one The Review has given me, I write columns as to dissect and distill modern movies, mainly so that you as the reader know which ones you should see or those you should blindly ridicule without seeing. The American movie industry is dying. Will you help to save it? Or will you just spend $10 to see the newest, greatest, poorly conceived action movie?
–John Ready
October 25th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
“From this filth comes movies such as ‘The Dark Knight’. Really? I would consider Dark Knight to be a movie that forces the audience to think about the meaning of the movie. And then “The Birth of a Nation” is your example of a great movie? A movie that prominently advocates a position of white supremacy? The one thing that Birth of a Nation is most famous for (other than its controversial message) is its innovative (for the time) use of camera angles and its use of, hey, special effects, which is one of the things you rail against modern movies for depending upon. While I agree with your message (although I don’t think anyone could disagree wtih it), you may want to spend more time considering the structure and examples you use for your articles.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
i agree, george, i found the dark knight to be a very thought provoking commentary on human nature. I would respond to the article with three thoughts. First, by nature, only the popular movies stand the test of time so when we compare older and newer movies, it must be said that we are comparing the best of the old with the entirty of the new. Just a thought. Second, i think that john doesn’t make a good argument as to exactly why A) the ‘action movie’ element is inherent to all hollywood products or B) why this element is inherenly bad. I mean, I agree with the preference for deep, thoughtprovoking, metephorical commentaries, but it is possible too that some movies are just entertainment and we ought not expect anything more than that from them. Lastly, it must be noted that hollywood produces movies that sell. They do this because most producers simply can’t afford to put millions or hundreds of millions of dollars into a message that most people don’t listen to. If anything, we as consumers are responsible for the demand we create and therefore the supply that hollywood must provide in order to continue to exist. It seems cold, but in the end if we only went to movies that we thought were truly excellent and not simply ‘junk food for the mind,’ if you will, then hollywood would cater to that taste. Its surely not as if they don’t have such capacities.
October 26th, 2009 at 9:12 pm
Martin Scorsese = still making movies / paranormal activity = really scary and not that gruesome / many actors = not prima donnas
October 27th, 2009 at 9:10 pm
Optimus- I don’t thing I’d call the article worthless. While I would definitely agree that it is not very well written (no offense) and cites questionable examples and relies on relatively unsubstantiated points, it apparently is an introduction to something that Mr. Ready will be doing for us (I think he is going to start reviewing horror movies and put up reviews on The West Side Review?). While I originally agreed with you in your war against Mr. Colella, you are beginning to turn into one of the things you railed against him for being (as you put it, a person who, “disagrees with every article he happens upon so that he can display his obviously self-praised intellectual prowess even if the topic is entirely frivolous”). Disagreeing with people’s ideas is fine. Calling them out for it is not.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:16 pm
I LOVE BATMAN!!!!!
November 5th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
John-
I agree and disagree with multiple parts of your article. First off, I agree with your statement about horror films and how they are getting worse and worse. Nothing seems to compare to the classics like Halloween anymore. But, I do not agree with your statement about action movies, especially Batman. Some action movies aren’t great, but some are still very good and entertaining. You mention “magical explosions” and how they’re so rediculous, but isn’t that what makes batman fun? Batman has always been like that and yet sooooo many people love it. These comments don’t just go for batman, too. Yes, movies prices are rediculous and yes all movies aren’t glorious and perfect, but seeing a movie is supposed to be entertaining. Lighten up! Chances are if you have a good attitude about, instead of trying to find every little flaw, you will actually enjoy a movie for once.
November 17th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
I agree with your arguments about special effects. I believe that CGI is one of the main contributing factors in the downfall of cinema. Watching classic movies like King Kong, Godzilla, etc. is always fun because you, as a viewer, try to think about how these special effects displayed before you could have been created without modern technology such as CGI. Now, when watching movies such as Cloverfield or War of the Worlds, you just know that there was no real creative thought process going on, and that graphic artists simply drew these monsters to life. My grandma always said, “Old is good.” As a kid, I thought she was crazy. How could something obsolete be better than current? I have come to realize that her statement is true in many cases such as movies, music, and video games (SIHS N64 Club meets every Monday in room 201. Best system ever– /end plug).