Hollywood and the Media Both Suck
In the days leading up to the Oscars, I must have seen or read 1/2 dozen stories of the following ilk: "Is Hollywood out of touch with mainstream American moviegoers?"
One of these stories was even filmed in Kansas at a rotary club luncheon where one the ladies professed to not having seen a movie in the theatre since "The Sound of Music." I'm pretty sure that was 1964. By that math, this must be a story that's past its expiration date. Or just a ridiculous story.
Now, how stupid does the media think we are? I mean, we know how stupid Hollywood thinks we are, but how stupid does the media think we are?
Since when do the Academy Awards have anything remotely to do with box office? Since never. If anything, it is a time when Hollywood atones for its sins and feels guilty and votes for something they perceive to be of higher quality.
How can "Hollywood be out of touch with mainstream American moviegoers?" when 90% of what hits the screens is expensive trash like "War of the Worlds" and "The Island?"
There was a time when nominated films were actually seen by a lot of people, because Hollywood made better movies and people had better taste. I caught "Coal Miner's Daughter" the other day for the first time since it came out and I swear, it played like "Citizen Kane." Even "Jaws," widely considered to be the movie that changed the way Hollywood does business is a highly engaging, thoroughly entertaining movie.
But my beef is really with the media. They have so much responsibility and yet so many are intellectually lazy and take the easy way out.
On another note, they also have a way of asking "Have you seen “Brokeback Mountain" as if it is a code for "Do you support gays?" Those ladies in Kansas went nuts with their vehement "Nos!!" when asked that question.
One of these stories was even filmed in Kansas at a rotary club luncheon where one the ladies professed to not having seen a movie in the theatre since "The Sound of Music." I'm pretty sure that was 1964. By that math, this must be a story that's past its expiration date. Or just a ridiculous story.
Now, how stupid does the media think we are? I mean, we know how stupid Hollywood thinks we are, but how stupid does the media think we are?
Since when do the Academy Awards have anything remotely to do with box office? Since never. If anything, it is a time when Hollywood atones for its sins and feels guilty and votes for something they perceive to be of higher quality.
How can "Hollywood be out of touch with mainstream American moviegoers?" when 90% of what hits the screens is expensive trash like "War of the Worlds" and "The Island?"
There was a time when nominated films were actually seen by a lot of people, because Hollywood made better movies and people had better taste. I caught "Coal Miner's Daughter" the other day for the first time since it came out and I swear, it played like "Citizen Kane." Even "Jaws," widely considered to be the movie that changed the way Hollywood does business is a highly engaging, thoroughly entertaining movie.
But my beef is really with the media. They have so much responsibility and yet so many are intellectually lazy and take the easy way out.
On another note, they also have a way of asking "Have you seen “Brokeback Mountain" as if it is a code for "Do you support gays?" Those ladies in Kansas went nuts with their vehement "Nos!!" when asked that question.
posted by Bart at 10:47 PM
6 Comments:
Did YOU see Brokeback Mountain Bart?
When 'Basic Instinct' came out, the lesbian scenes where hardly alluded to. They just all jumped on the Sharon Stone Beaver shot scene. How many lame assed 'Brokeback...' montages do we have to see. Fatties and Gays are Hollywoods safest dartboards since everyone became all politically correct. But these Hollywood and Media types are the Roy Cohns of Racism, hating racism outside but they secretly side with it. Fuck em.
Michael: No, I'll wait until DVD. It takes an act of God to get me to a movie theatre these days...
I thought you might have gone to this one, but when you do see it post a comment, I'm curious to see your take on it. Did you at least read the short story?
Oh Michael, you're going to make me feel all culturally negligent for neither seeing this film nor reading the short story. Wasn't it first published in The NY'er? I never seem to read NY'er fiction but instead gravitate to their 15 page pieces on fly fishing or farm equipment....
Now I'm disappointed. I can forgive you not seeing the movie, but not reading the short story, C'mon Bart.
Go to Barnes and Noble and buy the damn book and read it. It will take you less than an hour to do both.
I had a link to it online, but it no longer works or I would just send it to you.
It really is worth it and I'm hardly Mr. Sentimental, so go get it.
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