GQ did a lengthy profile of Martin Scorsese, partly as he promotes Killers of the Flower Moon. But really, these Scorsese interviews feel like an American icon trying, with all of his might, to stop something that has already happened. The superhero killed the art of filmmaking, and Marty is trying to call attention to how much the industry changed, how the business model has changed for the worse, and how real filmmakers are finding it difficult to make art. This is not new information from Scorsese, he’s been talking about this a lot in recent years, but I think it’s nice that GQ gave him this space to reflect back on his 50-year-plus career and talk about what he’s learned, what he hates, how he never felt like part of his filmmaking community. Some highlights:
His wife, Helen Morris, has lived with Parkinson’s disease for many years. “There’s a lot invested in my personal life at home. And there are only a few people who understand that and are gracious enough to be part of it. And so where we used to have dinner parties and things, that’s all becoming much, much less. And so I’m pretty much alone. And invariably if I’m meeting with people, it’s business.”
He doesn’t want to leave NYC anymore: “I don’t really want to go anywhere,” he said. “So if you want me to come to where you are, well…” His wife was primarily raised in Paris: Maybe they’d like to get back there. “I’d like to go to London,” he said. “But, you know, I’ve been there a lot.” Los Angeles? “Most of my friends are gone,” he said. “They’re all new people. I don’t know them anymore. It’s a new town. It’s a new industry. And it’s nice. It’s just like, I can’t hang out there. Except when I’m with Leo.”
His relationship with the Academy: “I always liked being nominated at the Academy, even though knowing, especially the fact that they didn’t nominate us for Taxi Driver… and Raging Bull, when I didn’t get the Oscar, I understood that that wasn’t my lot in life. But I always said this: Just be quiet and make the movies. You can’t make a movie for an award. Sure, I would’ve liked it, but like, so what? I mean, I had to go on and make pictures.” To this day, Scorsese said, he feels distant from, or not particularly understood by, the Academy. “I don’t live—you have to live in a community that is really an industry. You have to be part of the industry in such a way…. I don’t know if I think like them. I just mind my own business here.”
The old industry is over: “Well, the industry is over. In other words, the industry that I was part of, we’re talking almost, what, 50 years ago? It’s like saying to somebody in 1970 who made silent films, what do you think’s happened?” But, of course, Scorsese has theories. Studios, he said, are not “interested any longer in supporting individual voices that express their personal feelings or their personal thoughts and personal ideas and feelings on a big budget. And what’s happened now is that they’ve pigeonholed it to what they call indies.”
The danger in comic-book movies: But he does see trouble in the glut of franchise and comic book entertainment that currently makes up much of what you can see in a theater. “The danger there is what it’s doing to our culture. Because there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those—that’s what movies are. They already think that. Which means that we have to then fight back stronger. And it’s got to come from the grassroots level. It’s gotta come from the filmmakers themselves. And you’ll have, you know, the Safdie brothers, and you’ll have Chris Nolan, you know what I mean? And hit ’em from all sides. Hit ’em from all sides, and don’t give up. Let’s see what you got. Go out there and do it. Go reinvent. Don’t complain about it. But it’s true, because we’ve got to save cinema…. I do think that the manufactured content isn’t really cinema… what I mean is that, it’s manufactured content. It’s almost like AI making a film. And that doesn’t mean that you don’t have incredible directors and special effects people doing beautiful artwork. But what does it mean? What do these films, what will it give you? Aside from a kind of consummation of something and then eliminating it from your mind, your whole body, you know? So what is it giving you?”
“Because there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those—that’s what movies are. They already think that.” It’s true. There are at least two generations of film-goers who think the height of emotion is a character dying in a Marvel film, or the sexiest scene is a superhero looking chastely at a ghost or whatever. Again, it’s not about being “against” comic-book movies entirely, but if that’s all that’s on offer, that becomes the language of a generation. And Marty’s right, it’s a real danger to our collective culture and the cultural language of film.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Director Martin Scorsese attend the “Killers Of The Flower Moon” photocall at the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 21, 2023 in Cannes, France.,Image: 777910189, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Olivier Huitel / Avalon
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- Martin Scorsese photographed during the photocall for Killers of the Flower Moon as part of the 76th Cannes International Film Festival at Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France on 21 May 2023.,Image: 777940796, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Julie Edwards / Avalon
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- Italy, Rome, May 30th, 2023. Martin Scorsese is the protagonist of an encounter with the audience at the Teatro Ettore Scola, the large outdoor arena immersed in the park of Villa Borghese, before the screening of ‘Mean Streets’. He’s greeted by Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri. Pictured: Martin Scorsese,Image: 780463542, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: **** World right excluding Italy ****, Model Release: no, Credit line: Fabio Mazzarella / Agenzia Sintesi / Avalon
I actually think Martin Scorsese has a good argument. If you go only by what’s popular, it’s at the cost of everything else. The money is only there for what’s seen as a sure bet.
For example, Books: it has to register on the NYT bestseller list or it risks not getting published. Or, Old time TV: commercial channels vs PBS. Music: Streamers where someone like Beyoncé or Taylor can make money and lesser known musicians have other jobs.
He makes an excellent point.
Except the entertainment business has always been that way. Since its inception. What was popular was what was promoted and shown. He is just mad because people aren’t bowing down to him like they did in the 70’s. Did he pay for this new movie of his? No the studio did. And where do you think that studio got the money to pay for it with? By making superhero movies. If a studio only makes “art films” they usually go out of business. So unless he want’s all new filmmaking to go away totally. Popular movies are going to have to be made.
I’m afraid I left out some nuance: Yes, of course popular movies have always driven what has been promoted and shown. However, the cost of going to the movies is a lot higher now than it was a couple decades ago, so I and most of the people I know don’t go regularly. As a kid, I saw a few movies a month, nowadays less than one a month. Movies used to stay in the cinemas for a while—now unless they’re incredibly popular, they go to streaming. If you don’t have the streamer, there’s a chance you’re not going to catch the film. And there’s more of a discrepancy on how much a film is going to cost. They destroyed Batgirl (granted a super hero movie) as a tax write off because they didn’t have the confidence it would make enough money—that’s what is driving cinema and at the moment the super hero movies look like the surest bet. That’s keeping other films from being made, whereas in the past they could be.
But it used to be there were other genres that were blockbusters and money generators, not just superhero movies. Now it’s just the same movie over and over again, with the exact same soundtrack, the same plot, the same characters, the same the same the same-
I never go to the movies anymore.
That’s a good point, @RobertPhillips: Scorsese acts like economics and what was thought to be “commercial” wasn’t always the priority with movie studios, and that such concerns didn’t govern what movies would get made.
No in the 1970s they made mid range movies frequently, studios don’t do that at all anymore they’re not happy with moderate profits anymore everything has to be a grand slam and it’s sacrificing art. I think you simplified this a bit too much for yourself
I thought Martin Scorsese‘s movies were popular and made money. Was that a misunderstanding on my part?
Another point is that high action/low dialog & plot films are easier to sell internationally. If it appeals to 14 year old boys who don’t speak English, then you have an international hit.
Ummmm… People are bowing down to him MORE than in the 70’s. Marty has a legacy that I’m sure he’s just fine with. Don’t be bitter. You won’t accomplish what Marty does in a day in your entire life…
Meg–streaming services have pretty much taken over the mid-range movie genre. Problem is is that if you don’t subscribe, you don’t get to see those flicks.
Right? Scorsese has been making a version of this same argument since he blasted Spielberg for making Jaws. Right now it’s fashionable to hate on superhero movies even though, aside from Marvel properties, no one’s guaranteed any success (see: Flash, The). He’s complaining about the wrong thing. It’s not individual movies or a genre of movies that are the problem. There’s a lack of respect and understanding of art among decision makers. Disney has Marvel stretched too thin because they’re the only “guaranteed” box office. WB is considering using AI to make decisions for them (To be fair, AI could probably do a better job.). Streaming services have gotten out of control. Those things don’t get people riled up unless there’s a strike.
The proliferation of the Intellectual Property model has ruined TV and film. I used to think it was just about making something with a built in audience, now that I’ve been working in the industry for a long time I realize that it’s about this post-Capitalist need for studios to own everything and for artists to own nothing. If you’re a screenwriter working on a Spiderman movie, you don’t own Spiderman; You’re just labour. You can’t go out and sell your characters to make a stage show or an international version. Even as a VFX artist or stunt coordinator – you aren’t being creative, you’re not expressing your own art, you’re doing a Spiderman Sequence TM. It’s a way of cutting every artist off at the knees and making sure they own nothing.
+1
Our Capitalist society which all decisions must include how it will affect the stockholders. It’s not about art.
I have never understood some people’s desire to be the richest wealthiest biggest ever. Like if you hoarded all the sand in the sandbox into one corner by stealing, or abusing others, or with shady business in general, and then sat on top of your pile, “Look how I have it all and you guys have nothing!” Why is that fun? Why?
Amen, Martin. And then of the few films that still do tell a story so many are biopics. That’s a ready made story not requiring a lot of imagination. I appreciate good biopics but they are coming to dominate the non-franchise, non-comic book market. And then there are the horrors like “Blonde” that do some deceased person dirty.
I’m not at all anti-Marvel or anti-franchise/superhero movie, but I agree with him. It’s unfortunate that millennials (I’m one) and (more so) Gen-Z have had little exposure to the variety of movies that past generations have had. The publishing industry has also diminished over the last few generations. So now we have young people who aren’t hearing and seeing and reading vibrant stories—and that’s truly terrible become stories go a long way in connecting us with one another.
I absolutely hate superhero movies. I wish this era would end. I was recently reflecting on how we got here…I guess it really started in the early 2000s.
The thing is, in the 70s people were decrying the big disaster movies “the towering inferno” “the Poseidon adventure” “airport”
All the big stars clamoring to be in them. Just like now, back then studios focused mostly on the formulaic. And just light back then, there are still more ‘artistic’ and thoughtful films being made that people can find if they are looking. The distribution may be dramatically different: consolidation of theaters, more prevalent chain outlets fewer smaller, independent ones, but also mass democratization of distribution in that anyone can post content on tik tok, YouTube, instagram- short form or links to longer pieces made independently.
I grew up watching those disaster movies on Sunday afternoon tv, and I still absolutely love them! Super hero films don’t hold the same appeal for me at all, but they’re churned out so rapidly it’s hard to develop a relationship with any particular film.
@EM Exactly. After Batman and Robin was panned there was a brief lull in comic book movies. DC had the 3 Batman movies in the 90’s (I wish there were only 3 comic book movies a decade now) but in the early 2000’s Marvel came back with a vengeance with Spiderman and X-Men.
@NorthofBoston Those disaster movies are hardly the same thing as what we’ve been seeing since the 2000’s with the comic book movies. Whether these franchises are successful or not everything gets rebooted with a younger actor two or three years later. Spiderman, Batman, Superman, X-Men, Hulk, Fantastic 4, Catwoman, etc. It’s not kind of the same movie it’s literally something like 6 Batman movies with 3 different actors in the span of 15 years and something like 8 Spiderman movies with 3 different actors in 20 years and 3 different Jokers in 10 years. The characters themselves are from about 60-80 years ago. It really, really needs to stop now. It’s 100% about money and it’s obvious.
“Our culture” is whatever exists right now. Everything has changed in the past 50 years – hell, young people don’t know how to sign their own names or tell time from an analog clock – should we rage against that? We’re in a technological age that’s created a multitude of ways to disseminate content without having to go through gatekeepers. Scorsese said he’s distant from the Academy – well, the same is true of other creative people. Emotional content comes from TV and streaming now – a trip to a gigando screen for $20 isn’t necessary to convey personal feelings. There’s interesting storytelling coming many different countries and some of the best writing I’ve seen has come from fan fiction writers.
My kids are growing up in Europe where you still learn to read analogue clocks and write in cursive. My teacher family members in the US told me about the handwriting change. My kids have dyslexia and cursive is so freaking important because the letters jump less and it’s actually easier for them (once they learn it). That said, spelling in modern society is an issue due to how much time kids spend on laptops and phones. Plus they abbreviate everything.
Eurydice–yep, fan-fic produces some terrific stuff. (Which is why a lot of said authors have to lock down their stories online lately to prevent AI stealing.) And it can be great way to learn writing, because even if you borrow plot and characters, you still have to bring something new to the party to make the story work.
The last really good movie was The Godfather. I have watched it several times and see something new each time.
Oh, stop your crying, Marty. When I was growing up I thought that cinema was all about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis blowing things up. My MIL thought that cinema was all about big budget musicals. The “big budget” mentality has always remained in Hollywood, and yes, it has always chased the current trends and been somewhat formulaic. And it’s always been hard to make anything outside of that. Because CAPITALISM, Marty. You want more “indie,” films made, Marty, then open your own studio and provide your own funding. And let me enjoy my own damn superhero movies without having to listen to crusty dudes like you, who made endless movies depicting problematic themes of toxic masculinity, tell ME what I should like.
I agree. People will get tired of Marvel. Something new will come along but Marvel had significantly more diversity than the big movies of the past. It wasn’t just violent, sullen white men which most of Scorsese’s movies seem to be.
It doesn’t have be a “this or that” thing. I don’t like the old school white guy toxic masculinity Scorsese thing, but I wish people would get tired of comic book movies right now. As for people saying Marvel is diverse, I mean, on some level some of their movies are diverse, but except for literally a handful of movies, most of those films star a white guy. 5 of the 6 Avengers are middle aged white guys and there’s one white woman. These are the actors raking in the most cash. That’s diverse? Also about half of those movies star someone in their 40’s or 50’s. They used to make way for young stars and new talent. What happened to that? Just another million dollars for Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and Chris Pratt, I guess.
Oh, thank you for saying that @Bean, and this is coming from someone who actually likes most Scorsese films and who has only seen one “comic-book” movie (Batman w/ Jack Nicholson/Michael Keaton, so that tells you something). As a student of film, I’m sure that M. Scorsese is well aware that there have been periods when there’s been a glut of musicals, crime movies, disaster movies, etc. in the theatres — some have been good, and some were bad. Eventually, the public decides when it’s enough. That’s it, let people enjoy what they want and let film makers who envision something else create an alternative. And I don’t want to speak out of turn but, as I recall, Scorsese just made a movie with Robert DeNiro where he (surprise!) used computer-generated imagery to make older actors like DeNiro appear as himself when he was younger. In the old days, they would just another actor to play the younger self. So, I just expect a bit more perspective from someone with his knowledge of the film industry. And contrary to popular belief, I don’t think that the “youths” are as ignorant or as shallow as he thinks.
Oh, what garbage. While the MCU definitely did introduce a new concept of filmmaking — and film watching experience — it did not erase all the other genres or experience. There are 100 years worth of movies that young people have unprecedented access to, from big budget to foreign to indies. I think it’s reductive to assume that if a person sees a superhero movie, they’re going to automatically assume that’s the one way to consume media.
The MCU was groundbreaking, but dominance at the box office is a trend. We as a society get bored so quickly now; we’re already losing interest in these movies.
I’m really sick of Marty’s whinging. These movies may not meet with his expectations for movies, and that’s fine. I personally think Leo is wildly overrated.
👏👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you!
What’s funny to me is that when comic books first came out everyone said they would destroy the youth and be the end of civilization. Before that it was novels – nobody (especially women) should read novels because they gave unrealistic views of life and would destroy blah, blah, blah, etc.
The thing is that culture is destroyed every day, in that it’s constantly changing based on what people are doing in society right now – there’s an historical basis, but then all the subsequent changes are layered on. Fighting that is like fighting the passage of time.
The thing he’s discounting is that Marvel (or whatever’s popular) movies are gateways to cinema for the next generation. My son started out watching Marvel movies. He moved on to anime. And then horror. The other day I came home and he was watching The Social Network.
Just like Taylor Swift was a gateway for my daughter that led her to Etta James and Fleetwood Mac. Or Rick Riordan books hooked my oldest on reading.
The problem isn’t popularity or simplicity or formulaic storytelling. As with everything these days, the problem is unregulated capitalism.
Yes, he is!!
Totally agree with him. The movies that were great to me when I was younger was the Sixteen Candles, weird science, rocky movies… So sad that our kids need to be into superheroes or disney to go to the movies.
You know you’re getting old and out of touch if:
1) You find yourself starting a sentence with the words “Kids these days…”
2) You feel strongly that cultural norms are all heading in a negative direction and will never again match the ideal, halcyon days of your youth
3) You find current trends baffling but have no one in your social circle who can explain them to you
4) You associate Leo DiCaprio with sex appeal
5) You agree with Martin Scorcese
Yes!
I assume Scorsese has forgotten how lousy and narrow most of the movies from the old studio system were.
Also: Taxi Driver is wildly overrated.
Exactly.
Also, I can’t help but notice that these superhero movie critiques ramped up when the first Black Panther movie came out. Imagine the directors behind big budget bullshit movie franchises of their own (Rocky, The Godfather, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, The Terminator) complaining about superhero movies ruining everything. And people who hate those movies hyping these hypocrites up as wise sages.
😅😅😅💯
Marvel movies were the “days of my youth”. I was literally a kid. I still didn’t appreciate their movies being shoved down my throat every single year. I went from thinking they were “ok but I’m not really an action fan” to neutral to losing interest to realizing just how mind-blowingly greedy Hollywood is. They crank out those Spiderman movies more frequently than crap like Saw or Pirates of the Caribbean. That’s a lot and that’s only one of many comic book franchises.
There are lots of different genres of film, so those who want to learn about the art of filmmaking and storytelling have a trove to choose from. Say what you will about Roger Ebert or his taste in movies, but his Top 100 films list is a great place to start. It’s film appreciation 101 and has so many movies I never would have found on my own. Days of Heaven, 400 Blows, Wings of Desire, Badlands, Nashville.
Marty is right about the culture of film and society, but I’m not worried. Someone will come along who creates a masterpiece — a beautiful, nuisanced film that moves people to appreciate it despite all the superhero crap that’s out there. It will cut through the clutter, just like Barbie did. Art is like that.
Barbie is a great example. It could never have been made it the past – it totally reflects current voices.
Why is it somehow wrong to feel emotion when a superhero dies? Are we not allowed to get emotionally attached to these characters for some reason?
Was it wrong to be sad when Dumbledore died (onscreen)? Wrong to tear up when Frodo left Middle Earth? Why does a movie have to be worthy for its audience not to be shamed for connecting with it?
Not exactly. While Marvel dominated the box office for over a decade, and Hollywood insists on churning out more superhero movies, there’s apparently a thirst for more substance among younger people so all isn’t lost. There are a whole lot of young YouTubers with tens and hundreds of thousands of subscribers who have channels that review mostly older movies. I went down the rabbit hole recently and discovered that most of them loved movies like Psycho (many had never watched a movie in Black and white before) and other big movies from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. They were actually shocked at how well written most of these “early” movies were (I refuse to call them old movies) with great plot lines, incredible acting/actors and some even knew the names of certain famous directors like Tarantino. They are learning a lot about films and filmmaking and that CGI done right is incredible (Star Wars and Transformers) but not always to be solely relied upon or overused. They point out the socially unacceptable elements like racist, sexist, and gay tropes.They love Beverly Hills Cop (Eddie Murphy), Rush Hour (Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan), Bruce Willis (Die Hard), The Rocky franchise (Stallone), The Matrix (they already love Keanu and his John Wick films), Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and any movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Denzel Washington. It appears that a lot of them have subscribers from Generation X and later gens that are determined to scare the h*ll out of them as there are a lot of reviews featuring the horror genre and franchises like Halloween, Friday the 13th, Scream and Scary Movie. They’re reactions are quite comical. And who keeps recommending that they review The Exorcist? Now they’re really traumatized…
Relax about it, Marty. There’s room for everyone. Your box office envy is showing.
Maybe if you come up with a new idea a new cast every now and then, people might be more interested is going to see your movies.
I really think Meg Ryan should do more movies. I have always been a fan of her.
1) Scorsese has been making the same movie for 30 years, so he can pipe down about creativity and originality.
2) all of this whining and moaning about “kids these days” and “back when I was young” just comes across like people who are either afraid to die, or afraid that the world will keep turning without them. Surely Scorsese has enough money to hire a therapist instead of being an insufferable alter kocker.
Enjoyed the David Grann book (very well researched) and saw the trailer for this. Think movies in general are done. It seems to take a very sensory-overload approach, just like Oppenheimer. These films reek of desperation to get eyeballs. I’m over movies (and streaming shows)! The book is VERY MUCH worth your time however.
Apart from the first Black Panther and Thor Ragnarok most of these Marvel movies are just elevated television with special effects overwhelming the last act. They aren’t good movies or even interesting action movies.
Not every movie needs to be high art, but so many of these superhero movies are just boring. The Superman movies by Donner or the first Batman movie with Keaton show action films based in comic books that rely on more than a huge CGI battle at the end. It’s the same reason why the prequel trilogy for Star Wars is not as good as original one.
The absolute failure of world building in an interesting way is why these movies aren’t good. I don’t care to watch five movies that somehow link to the secovia accords which no one cared about.
And end game didn’t need to be two movies. Everyone knew at the end of part one that thanos didn’t permanently kill all the people he did.
This trend of too long movies in a franchise started with Harry Potter, where the final one was split in two and didn’t have the plot to justify it. And marvel movies just dragged this out even more. All for making more money.
Scorsese is a great director. However, I’m glad the older directors are fading away, as their nostalgia for older Hollywood is pretty sleazy. Scorsese is a Roman Polanki supporter, as is his pal Steven Speilberg. Spielberg also produced a movie with 32-year old lead female character who has a 16-year old daughter (you do the math). He’s also friends with George Lucas who produced Raiders of the Lost Ark (directed by Spielberg), whose lead female chara ter had an affair with an older professor when she was a teenager, presumably only 15 years old (I say “15” because Locas is quoted as saying she needed to be 14 or 15 to be interesting, and once you say she’s 16, then she’s not interesting any more).
Nostalgia for older Hollywood reminds me of Republican’s nostalgia for the 1950s when women weren’t allowed to work, and minorities were segregated and imprisoned (even more so than today). No, the “good old days” weren’t always good, unless you belonged to a certain sector of society.
Back to Scorsese, yes, he is a great director, but I don’t need to hear him bashing anyone else in Hollywood while he himself kisses the ass of a child rapist.
Great observations. Will note Spielberg’s female characters made me think less of him, in a lot of cases. The wife in Bridge of Spies, just like in Minority Report. Little touches (looking at her “hero” after he got back and fell asleep on the couch) made the women (non-villain ones) feel anachronistic. George Lucas puts on them on a pedestal (Padme and Leia) or makes them crazy and hysterical (Karen Allen and Kate Capshaw in Indiana Jones). Chris Nolan is a younger one but often treats his women in an anachronistic way (Anne Hathaway was motivated by love to choose whatever planet in Interstellar; it was assumed she’d agree to “be with” Matt McConaghey’s character at the end) and s/t has that smug-machismo energy that makes his films like Inception, Batman ones, and Tenet kind of unwatchable. Taylor Sheridan is another one; he’s outright male gazey in some films.
On the other hand, James Cameron, whatever you think of his drama writing and directing (Titanic and cardboard cutout characters), just gets women in lead roles in action/SF films and how to make relationships less cringey in these films. Clint Eastwood is another older director whose films might be problematic in a lot of ways (paternalistic Gran Torino) but his women characters, supporting or main) never made me uncomfortable (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Changeling, etc). David Fincher seems to be better but didn’t like how he turned the east asian gf into your stereotypical crazy dragon ex-gf in The Social Network. Ang Lee is a great director and never felt uncomfortable with the way he framed women. Won’t try to analyse Quentin Taratino as he’s a bit unusual; that’s for serious film buffs to do.
And the mobster genre is any better? He basically spent his whole career glorifying murderers and criminals, basically telling the same stories. Sure super hero movies are annoying, but tedious mob movies are not any better to me.
Agree with Mr Scorcese! Used to frequent the theatre, but rarely now because I have no interest in AnY superhero/comic films and our “indie” theatre closed. What’s a girl to do?
I gave up on movies at around the time COVID pandemic began. (Never was a TV watcher so never watch streamed shows either. Last show I watched was The Americans years back and that was the only show I’d seen since a couple of seasons of Grey’s Anatomy even further back.) Frees up a lot of time to read and watch interesting interviews (of smart public figures; not celebs) on YT. Also gives you more time to prep meals and eat more healthfully.
This is an elitist and myopic take if I’ve ever heard one. The film industry from the last fifty years was misogynistic, homophobic, and racist. One need only watch one of the many hetero-, testosterone-heavy, white man mobster movies directed by Scorsese himself to see this played out in beautiful clarity. This attempt to gate-keep cinema is tired and silly. People like comic book movies because most people want escapism and light entertainment when they go to the cineplex. Don’t blame comic book movies, blame COVID. People aren’t flocking to the multiplex the way they were pre-COVID. When they go now, they go for an experience. Most people are willing to wait for the smaller budget, art house, “high art” films to hit streaming instead of shelling out cash to catch something in the theater. It’s easy to blame comic book movies, but they’re not the culprit here. If anything, Scorsese should THANK big budget tentpoles because those seem to be the only kinds of films that, at this point, get butts in seats.
Further, if Barbie and Oppenheimer proved anything, it’s that the public will go to the movies to see original content if it’s GOOD and creates an experience that they can’t get from their sofa at home. Scorsese is just mad because the era of the movie star — or the auteur director — who could sell movie tickets on name only, is over.