LoginThe current state of cinema
Deleted user
Deleted
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 2:22 - I've been considering how half the movies in American theaters sacrifice focus on quality for the more financially successful approach of sucking up to the teenage mallrat obsession with sex themes and juvenile humor. Then I wondered why a book such as The Golden Compass must be stripped of its allegory if only to avoid public outrage. I guess the answer is that Conservative Christians (CC for short) are full-willing to send their children to the latest American Pie sequel. What are your thoughts on movie quality, the writer's strike's effect on it, or the trashy setting of a certain local movie theater in specific?
I believe I've stated my case as far as movie quality. The writer's strike to me shows some selfishness on a number of the writers' respective part's and lack of pride in their work, but on the other hand the conformist nature of movies these days and absense of artistic expression proves it to be something the movie industry deserves, even at the expense of the public. If they continued writing for other outlets, maybe putting out independent movies online, that'd add to the effect that artists don't need the industry rather than the inverse of this theory. It seems as if they're only holding signs at the moment - they need to counter the action of the movie industry, not just slow it down.
Movie theaters these days prove how odd people act. When last I saw a movie in the theater, The Golden Compass, there were two couples plus myself and my mother. One couple was there already when we arrived, so we sat at a preferred spot. Then another couple sat directly behind us. When there are only six people in the room in pairs it's a stress factor to be frequently hearing candy wrappers behind you. I could care less about watching something on such a big screen if the audio aspect of it is aggravation in quintessential form.
Then again, any number in the room over six and you're lucky if there isn't a baby included in the sum.
I believe I've stated my case as far as movie quality. The writer's strike to me shows some selfishness on a number of the writers' respective part's and lack of pride in their work, but on the other hand the conformist nature of movies these days and absense of artistic expression proves it to be something the movie industry deserves, even at the expense of the public. If they continued writing for other outlets, maybe putting out independent movies online, that'd add to the effect that artists don't need the industry rather than the inverse of this theory. It seems as if they're only holding signs at the moment - they need to counter the action of the movie industry, not just slow it down.
Movie theaters these days prove how odd people act. When last I saw a movie in the theater, The Golden Compass, there were two couples plus myself and my mother. One couple was there already when we arrived, so we sat at a preferred spot. Then another couple sat directly behind us. When there are only six people in the room in pairs it's a stress factor to be frequently hearing candy wrappers behind you. I could care less about watching something on such a big screen if the audio aspect of it is aggravation in quintessential form.
Then again, any number in the room over six and you're lucky if there isn't a baby included in the sum.
vanious
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 3:22 - To your first point, the 2 hour timeframe (guideline) will always present a problem when it comes to turning books into films. Couple that with things like, marketing, censorship, targeted audience and of course the cliches of modern film and you will almost never end up with a product similar to the inspiration. Take this little golden rule for example. In order for a movie to be a success it has to have some kind of love plot/sub-plot to it. When existing stories get turned into films, often character relations are twisted to fit this form because it's more profitable than literary accuracy. V for Vendetta for example, a great film, but in all honesty, they missed the point of the comics entirely.
As to the writter's strike, I don't think you can pin that all on greed and selfishness. They went on strike because they felt they weren't getting fair rights to their work. They would get the royalties for the first release of the movie/television show, then the production company would put it on the internet and make a fortune off advertising which they wouldn't have to distribute amongst anyone who might have rights to the intelectual property.
As per the state of the Cinemas themselves...I have to agree with you there. Today's theatre goers don't seem to follow any code of conduct. Beyond that, the theatres themselves seemed to have lost the atmosphere they once had. The snacks have gotten pricier, smaller and crappier, the preshow previews have turned into television comercials and the movies that aren't based on a story everyone already knows get cramped into the smallest auditoriums with the least showings per week possible.
As to the writter's strike, I don't think you can pin that all on greed and selfishness. They went on strike because they felt they weren't getting fair rights to their work. They would get the royalties for the first release of the movie/television show, then the production company would put it on the internet and make a fortune off advertising which they wouldn't have to distribute amongst anyone who might have rights to the intelectual property.
As per the state of the Cinemas themselves...I have to agree with you there. Today's theatre goers don't seem to follow any code of conduct. Beyond that, the theatres themselves seemed to have lost the atmosphere they once had. The snacks have gotten pricier, smaller and crappier, the preshow previews have turned into television comercials and the movies that aren't based on a story everyone already knows get cramped into the smallest auditoriums with the least showings per week possible.
Deleted user
Deleted
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 4:18 - I never visit the movies anymore. It's just that bad of an experience.
I don't mean to pin the writer's strike all on greed and selfishness. Or maybe I did, and maybe I've been reading since then. Everyone has to make a living. Although the movie and music industry are in different states of being at the moment (the music industry being much more fragile), it'd be more effective in my eyes if writers did like select musicians and produced their work elsewhere. The fact that so many writers are jumping on the bandwagon is impressive - musicians are in a flock of disagreements. If they could take advantage of tactics rather than attempting to get legal documents altered by not working, I think that'd be a better approach. You just don't cancel out a number with zero.
Certainly they can write online, maybe even make e-movies? It's admittedly hard to compare a script writer's ability at egging on the public's emotions to a musician's, but still.
I don't mean to pin the writer's strike all on greed and selfishness. Or maybe I did, and maybe I've been reading since then. Everyone has to make a living. Although the movie and music industry are in different states of being at the moment (the music industry being much more fragile), it'd be more effective in my eyes if writers did like select musicians and produced their work elsewhere. The fact that so many writers are jumping on the bandwagon is impressive - musicians are in a flock of disagreements. If they could take advantage of tactics rather than attempting to get legal documents altered by not working, I think that'd be a better approach. You just don't cancel out a number with zero.
Certainly they can write online, maybe even make e-movies? It's admittedly hard to compare a script writer's ability at egging on the public's emotions to a musician's, but still.
vanious
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 4:44 - Well the other thing you have to take into account is that it wasn't just select writter's striking, it was a nationwide union of writters. Essentially the only union of writters allowed to work in that field within the US. Where music artists have a lot of autonomy, script writters are employees, they're intelectual property is basically owned by whatever company they work for. Yeah you could wonder what might have happened if the entire writter's guild decided to go off on their own, but the rights to their creations would stay with the production companies who would find someone to fill the possitions eventually.
Deleted user
Deleted
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 11:01 - Oh it's about that. For a second I thought this would be about Hollywood's lack of creativity these days and amount of asian related stuff being remade into Hollywood movies...
To tell the truth I don't watch much movies in a theater unless I'm invited. It's kinda lame and the seats smell funny. And people ought to set phones to vibrate. At first I wanted all phones to be turned off since the light bothers me in an otherwise dark place but now that's just a pointless argument. Even I have my cell phone on during a movie. But since you are complaining about bad behavior in theaters I admit I've done some pretty obnoxious things. But in all honesty, those movies were lame. Seriously, Pulse? That movie just blows. And the lameness was oh so humorous.
To tell the truth I don't watch much movies in a theater unless I'm invited. It's kinda lame and the seats smell funny. And people ought to set phones to vibrate. At first I wanted all phones to be turned off since the light bothers me in an otherwise dark place but now that's just a pointless argument. Even I have my cell phone on during a movie. But since you are complaining about bad behavior in theaters I admit I've done some pretty obnoxious things. But in all honesty, those movies were lame. Seriously, Pulse? That movie just blows. And the lameness was oh so humorous.
vanious
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 16:41 - Well, I wouldn't say there are no creative movies anymore, I'd mostly say that the majority of movies with any kind of oriniginality either slip under the rador or get rewritten and rewritten till they're a carbon copy of something everyone has already seen. As to the idea that sucessful Western films (western as in North America) are just ports of Asian films, I'd say that there is no more theft of Asian film now than there has been for the past few decades. I mean, look at Spegetti Westerns for instance.
Deleted user
Deleted
17 years, 1 month ago at Apr 3 17:28 - I never said there weren't any more creative movies. I was only pointing out a lack of it in general. I mean come on.
Transformers, Speed Racer, Dragonball, The Departed, The Ring, The Grudge, need I go on? But then again this isn't a new phenomena (*cough* Mag Seven) but I've noticed that the amount these types of films are skyrocketing. And nearly other film that's not based on the Asian goodness is based on a book. Or a remake. Sure there's exceptions but this is what I've been noticing.
Transformers, Speed Racer, Dragonball, The Departed, The Ring, The Grudge, need I go on? But then again this isn't a new phenomena (*cough* Mag Seven) but I've noticed that the amount these types of films are skyrocketing. And nearly other film that's not based on the Asian goodness is based on a book. Or a remake. Sure there's exceptions but this is what I've been noticing.