History can be defined as the continuum of triumphs and tragedies over time. These triumphs include the bold and wonderful creation of film.
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
