It’s been quite a week watching Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola roundly denounce the superhero films of the last couple of decades, which one after another have milked comic book franchises for characters created in pulp comics in the 1930s-1960s.
Hollywood really has failed to create anything new in years, and the masses have dumbed down to a point where if it’s not a recognizable brand, they won’t talk about it, they won’t be interested in it, they won’t go see it.
There’s a reason why “Joker” was originally a completely different movie which had nothing to do with Batman, and then it got renamed and the names changed.
It’s because people are that stupid. They will not go see a film for its quality and art, but they will drool all over their computers for their Bat-Brand. And it performed because of such.
But filmmakers understand that pop-art is not high art. Where fanbois are clamoring for these movies to get awards for their remakes of comic books which already told these stories in a form which was meant to be trite and for kids, real artists are struggling to create their content, not getting the attention they deserve — and it’s ALL BRANDING.
It’s sad to watch, and this is why the filmmakers who know what they’re talking about call these movies for what they are — mass produced garbage. It’s formulaic popcorn for people with no lives to see over and over… like that guy who met Brie Larson and said he’d seen Captain Marvel something ridiculous like 130 times.
People on twitter mocked him, but most of the people who did are just as thirsty for these movies are he is.
It doesn’t change their content being worthless. None of these movies will stand any test of time, and unfortunately, the takeaways of the internet dweebs is that these filmmakers are awful for making truthful comments, rather than trying to learn from these greats. Because people identify so closely with their beloved corporate brands these days, that they can’t handle any concept of reality.
Don’t put your faith in Devil Mouse brands. You have one life, and there is only one truth worth identifying with.
If you understand my commentary, you’ll probably like my books. Read Justified today and see why it’s different than the corporate drivel. Remember, true art creates beauty by pointing to truth.
I literally laughed out loud when I read the title. What doofuses think this is high art?
Anyone actually involved with the creation of comic books, video games rock and roll, and yes, even sci-fi and fantasy novels, who is honest with themselves knows it isn’t “High Art.” Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in no way thought they were the equivalent to Homer and Michelangelo; if they did, they were as utterly delusional as Corporate IP fanboys.
Scorsese and Coppola are 100 percent correct here.
And there’s NOTHING WRONG with being lowbrow art or pop art, whatever you want to call it! You can still convey important truths. But let’s not kid ourselves. Lennon and McCartney can barely reach high enough to sniff Mozart’s jock when it comes to being high art.
Are comics and related franchises high art, worthy of respect – and to convey Deep Social Meaning…or are they purely disposable and empty products, appealing to the lowest common denominator, to be consumed and forgotten?
How about neither?
I admit, I stole this observation: but I don’t care anymore if my favorite hobbies and entertainments are ‘accepted’ by the broader culture in either fashion. I’ve come to realize the things I like were actually BETTER back when they were a niche market, neither converged nor homogenized.
Jon
And to follow up on Alexander comment, high art is just what the elites and academics deem it to be. Mozart wasn’t high art at the time.
In any case, I shrugged my shoulders because Coppola and Scorsese’s comments don’t really affect me and couldn’t care less.
I enjoy what I like and even if it’s ‘low culture’ so what?
xavier