Martin Scorsese's Op-Ed on Marvel and Cinema

[finalact4]

Originally Posted by Done Deal Pro

When I first heard Scorsese's comments about Marvel movies, I thought he was being a little bit of jerk by taking a jab at his fellow filmmakers’ movies. I didn’t think it was the coolest thing to do. Privately, say & think whatever. Though publicly, I feel it is a little rough.

But after reading his op-ed piece and getting a better context of what he is taking issue with, I feel I better understand what he was and is trying to say. And I think it’s more than fair enough, and not just in that, “Hey, everyone’s entitled to their opinion” dismissive way.

What I’m taking from his comments is that, yes, he’s older and a filmmaker who came about in a much different time & era. Is he shaking his cane at the kids on his front yard a little? Sure. Maybe. But I appreciate just that much more what he is noting now.

Movie theaters are being overrun in many ways by all the Marvel, DC and Star Wars movies. There are more and more every year. I think his frustration is that it’s frequently keeping “higher brow” fare out of the theatres and not giving smarter, more human stories much of a chance. Though I have enjoyed the various Marvel movies – DC not so much – and some of the Star Wars movies, I do hate to see relatively smaller, more personal stories about people and their relationships getting lost in the shuffle or outright ignored. There is no denying that studios have been pushing more and more these last so many years for movies based on comic books, novels, TV shows, and other existing IP. Original has taken a bit of beating, to say the least. Some still slip through which is wonderfully refreshing but it’s really tough for them.

There will pretty much always be a nostalgia and passion for what came before us or the films we grew up with -- the films that inspired us to make and write movies. To me “real” art (paintings & sculptures) is in museums such as the Louvre, the Met or the Getty. I like & even love some modern art, but personally I don’t see how one can truly compare the works of a Delacroix or a Rodin to say a white painted canvas with a tiny red dot in one corner entitled, “Insignificant.” But they each have their place for different people & different tastes just like different movies do. It’s what makes the world go ‘round, of course.

I sadly don’t think Scorsese or Coppola’s comments will change much of anything in this corporate run world of movies. But hopefully some of the newer platforms will provide a voice for more “intelligent,” “sophisticated,” personal and unique movies so everyone can find something they enjoy. Personally, I generally enjoy these movies more than the big budget summer stuff.

I agree with you completely, Will, and felt the same way once I read the op-ed. Context matters. I can appreciate Scorsese's point of view. What he said doesn't bother me. I do agree if all you offer is Marvel fair, if those are your only options, that's what will always sell tickets and that's what will always get made-- vicious circles, self fulfilling prophesies and all that.

[sc111]

Late to the discussion. It's related to something I've noticed with my teen and I'm wondering if the studios are going to struggle attracting Gen-Z as they come of age.

She turned 17 this summer and she's into horror and action though she enjoys other genres. Back when she was in middle school she'd want to see all the Marvel movies in the theater with her friends.

Yet with each passing year she and her friends, including male friends, have been less interested in seeing them in the theater. Complaints center on "boring." It's to the point they agree to wait till a film is on demand.

A couple months ago, she came home from a horror movie she went to see with friends, very disappointed. We got into a discussion and I mentioned The Exorcist.

She suggested we watch it together and I warned her the pacing is a lot slower than she's used to and she may get bored.

She loved it. And she said something intriguing. That it was scarier because it seemed like something that could happen. Essentially, rooted in reality.

Now she's on a mission to watch older franchises. We got into a discussion about the Sarah Conner character and I said, in my opinion, Ripley from Alien marked the start of the trend of "strong" women. This week, off from school, we binge watched the Alien films over a couple of days. She loved the first three. She was especially impressed with creating worlds without CG. Yet came to the conclusion that subsequent sequels were thinner fare.

I don't know if she's an outlier in her generation or if there's a trend here -- these kids may be hungry for more stories rooted in reality.

[TigerFang]

Originally Posted by sc111

Late to the discussion. It's related to something I've noticed with my teen and I'm wondering if the studios are going to struggle attracting Gen-Z as they come of age.

She turned 17 this summer and she's into horror and action though she enjoys other genres. Back when she was in middle school she'd want to see all the Marvel movies in the theater with her friends.

Yet with each passing year she and her friends, including male friends, have been less interested in seeing them in the theater. Complaints center on "boring." It's to the point they agree to wait till a film is on demand.

A couple months ago, she came home from a horror movie she went to see with friends, very disappointed. We got into a discussion and I mentioned The Exorcist.

She suggested we watch it together and I warned her the pacing is a lot slower than she's used to and she may get bored.

She loved it. And she said something intriguing. That it was scarier because it seemed like something that could happen. Essentially, rooted in reality.

Now she's on a mission to watch older franchises. We got into a discussion about the Sarah Conner character and I said, in my opinion, Ripley from Alien marked the start of the trend of "strong" women. This week, off from school, we binge watched the Alien films over a couple of days. She loved the first three. She was especially impressed with creating worlds without CG. Yet came to the conclusion that subsequent sequels were thinner fare.

I don't know if she's an outlier in her generation or if there's a trend here -- these kids may be hungry for more stories rooted in reality.

Any genre of film, it could be argued, follows a formula that aims to end in audience satisfaction. But, between a generation bored with formulaic comic book films and actors with green-screen fatigue, let’s hope that substance soon replaces spectacle and the silver screen once again sees an era of more psychically-rewarding stories rooted in reality. My sentiments are with Martin Scorses in his op-ed piece, and The Irishman is definitely rooted in reality.

[redturtle]

Originally Posted by TigerFang

Any genre of film, it could be argued, follows a formula that aims to end in audience satisfaction. But, between a generation bored with formulaic comic book films and actors with green-screen fatigue, let’s hope that substance soon replaces spectacle and the silver screen once again sees an era of more psychically-rewarding stories rooted in reality. My sentiments are with Martin Scorses in his op-ed piece, and The Irishman is definitely rooted in reality.

The Marvel and franchise films may be the end of an era - studio's last grasp at an old model where you try to appeal to a mass audience.


Other mediums have fractured - music, news, television series, books, etc. And the last three that are holding on are sports, broadcast TV and studio films - but sports and broadcast TV have seen flat to declining ratings over time as our consumption continues to fracture.



My hunch is that the fracturing will see more attention towards smaller films that won't appeal to everybody, but to a *specific* audience that will love it. More R-rated action/horror films. More lgbtq raunchy rom-coms. They may not be released theatrically. But they may not be "feature films" in that they're 90 minutes - 2 hours. But more opportunities for 3 hour films, and some sort of storytelling that is in between a tv series and a feature.

[TigerFang]

The films derived from comic book heroes certainly appeal to an international audience. They need no translation or even dialogue to be able to tell what’s going on in the stories.

Fractured seems to be an appropriate description. Entertainment seems only to cater to the individual these days. There’s a “What about me?” individualism that drives this choose-your-fare model. It’s the loss of the sense of community that nags most.

Small-screen fare needs a different camera and editing style, although many shots and cuts are equivalent between small screens (TV, laptop, tablet, cell phone, watch, etc.) and “the big silver screen,” a.k.a. movie theater screens. But I’m in sync with Scorsese. Cinema was created for the big screen.

Call me an “OK Boomer,” but there’s no feeling quite like a community (or a gaggle, a murmuration, a colony, a murder, a parliament, or a pod) of moviegoers sitting in a theater in front of a giant screen to suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in a story on film (not to mention the popcorn).