Posted on 10/22/2006 4:36:47 PM PDT by abb
I guess I was primarily think of movies like The Exorcist, Natural Born Killers, Thelma and Louise, and Silence of the Lambs. I'm on shaky grounds here because I didn't see any of those movies but I think a lot of their attraction was their shock value.
I don't presume that all critics are suckers for shock. I just don't believe fine acting or direction or camera angles or music or special effects is sufficient to offset what is essentially a nihilistic story. Most critics are upfront enough to state what they find attractive and unattractive about a movie and I do use those as guides for my own viewing. But when a critic says, "fine story and directing if you can get past the gratuitous profanity and explicit sex", I avoid it.
Others may see the same movie and not notice the parts that would bother me. That's fine. I know my sensitivities and I choose my entertainment accordingly. I am personally bothered by a lot of profanity or explicit violence and sex. Others are much more bothered by poor lighting or scene transition. More power to them. But this thread isn't about art, per se, (and I'm not claiming such films don't qualify as art). It's about Hollywood's bottom line and I suspect Hollywood has ignored philistines like me for too long and there are probably a lot more like me in the potential audience that would respond to more creative scripts and storylines that are truly "entertaining" as opposed to shocking.
The Exorcist is a film that's highly praised by conservatives for its portrayal of Good Vs Evil in stark terms. The Church is clearly the hero in the story. I don't know just how shocking 'Thelma and Louise' was. As for the other two, if you go to see movies about serial killers what do you expect? :-)
Artist? A nine year old actor/artist can win awards for her "work".
Name one other profession a nine year old can do - other than carpet making in India.
Ever hear of a nine year old CPA? Or doctor? No? Wonder why? How about a nine year old rocket scientist? Nope. A nine year old can only do unskilled labor - picking up leaves, throwing newspapers, taking out the garbage ... and acting.
Yeah, I'm like totally impressed with Hollywood's "artists". The actors only skill is they must be able to lie convincingly. And the rest of them? They can't put out profitable movies aimed at anyone over the age of 14 - They are Detroit.
Artist? I think not.
Yep, crappie cars from Detroit for years and years, and "give 'em the finger" movies from Hollywood for years... and they cry, "why, why, why- why me?" Boycott them.
"if you go to see movies about serial killers what do you expect? :-)"
That's my point. I don't go to movies to see serial killers, or Satanic worship or revenge killings. I know each one of those movies had high praise from the critics and that they usually said a valuable theme was illustrated by the violence or other shock vehicles. You can find good in every movie, probably, although I'm not willing to test that theory ;o). The issue for me, personally, is whether any potential message or entertainment from the movie is worth exposing myself to the bad parts. The Bible can be quite violent, shocking, etc. but, to me, the message is worth it. Was the message of The Exorcist worth seeing spinning heads or prjectile vomiting? For me, it wasn't. For someone else, it probably was.
For me it wasn't as well. I was never a fan of TE. 'Rosemary's Baby' was much more disturbing without any of the 'In You Face' stuff. Yet the message of RB is the opposite of TE. Evil basically triumphs.
And the rest of them? They can't put out profitable movies aimed at anyone over the age of 14 - They are Detroit.
Yep, bad cars from Detroit for years and years, and "give 'em the finger" movies from Hollywood for years... and they cry, "why, why, why- why me?"
Boycott them.
Movies have incredible power on the psyche and that is why I try to be careful about what movies I see. I never saw Rosemary's Baby or any of the other Satanic-themed movies. The question each person should ask is what effect will this entertainment have on me? For me, it was nightmares, a more ready willingness to swear, nihilism and overall cynicism about human nature and the future. That isn't what I work every day to spend for my entertainment.
Movies have also had tremendous power for good. I think of all the movies that helped society make it through the Depression, World War II and other crises. Sappy and unrealistic? No doubt. But their effect on the psyche was positive and probably helped the nation as a whole. Today it seems Hollywood is largely mired in either dark nihilism or crude comedy. There are jewels out there, I am sure, but I am tired of attending only Disney cartoons at the theaters. What happened to real artistry seeking, not just the ugly, but also the very real beauty in life and human nature? Too often it has to be ugly to be classified "art" these days. Little wonder many true artists commit suicide.
Speaking of work, I must run and earn a little of that entertainment moola. I will come back to this thread later.
During the Depression of course you had truly depraved films like Tod Browning's 'Freaks' and 'The Black Cat'. During WW2 you had Val Lewton's productions about the Occult like 'Cat People' and 'I Walked with a Zombie'.
I have no problem with McDonald's putting out a McLean seaweed burger - when it failed it was no skin off my nose. I have no problem with network news putting out stuff that should be inner office "group-think" videos. I switched to FOX. When network news goes under, it's not my concern. I didn't care when Detroit made horrible cars - I bought elsewhere...
And I have no problem with Hollywood "artists" making movies for each other's benefit. But, if these people - people who want to indulge their "hobbies" at our expense want our pity, or our money, it's not going to happen.
Hollywood's product is predictable - and horrible. It's always the same - Hollywood limo-liberals in outer space, Hollywood limo-liberals in the old west, Hollywood limo-liberals in the past, Hollywood limo-liberals in the future, Hollywood limo-liberals in Kansas, in North Dakota, or Florida. It's not the violence (might be the take on violence) - it's not the sex (might be the take on sex)- but mostly it's that movies are mind numbingly boring and the same. 90% of movies are high grade home movies for Hollywood liberal elites... I have no pity for them. They are Detroit.
I respect your position - and your take on movies. But it's not mine.
For my part, I don't have to eat all of a rotten egg to know it's rotten. I can read two pages of a manuscript and tell you if it's well written -- can't tell about the story, but the writing is knowable ... and I can hear a singer -- for five minutes -- and know if that person can sing.
A rotten egg? One bite.
Movies are complex - and I see one every now and then - but for the most part they're still horrible. Well staged, beautifully filmed, often technologically brilliant, but mind-numbingly predictably boring.
They wouldn't have to cut costs if they just put out a better product.
Would it be better for Ford to "cut costs" or put out a product people want to drive?
Borges, we might just have to agree to disagree. No hard feelings...
When you see a good film, ping me. Every now and then I'll break boycott... It's sad, but there is no "FoxNews" to switch to - no Honda or BMW to buy - with movies we all just have to do without... It's sad.
OMG - we end this thread in total agreement. And I learned something... Thanks, it was fun.
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