current state of movie industry

[reed067]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

Dustin Hoffman Says Film In Worst State Ever | News | Dark Horizons

"I think right now television is the best that it's ever been, and I think that it's the worst that film has ever been - in the 50 years that I've been doing it, it's the worst."

We don't watch TV we only do Netflix & that's because there is nothing on TV anymore. What kind of person believes show like Honny Boo Boo or Duck Dynasty can even be considered good? I was at a friends house a while back & my favorite channels are even doing reality shows!


As far as movies goes these days it does seem that everything is a remake of something else. We've had this talk at work several times & we can't think of anything ourselves that would be considered ground breaking. Hell, they are doing a reboot of Ghost Busters! Come on!

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by reed067

We don't watch TV we only do Netflix & that's because there is nothing on TV anymore. What kind of person believes show like Honny Boo Boo or Duck Dynasty can even be considered good? I was at a friends house a while back & my favorite channels are even doing reality shows!

You're watching the wrong channels. We are currently in the midst of a new Golden Era of television. Just off the top of my head ...

THE WIRE
THE SOPRANOS
PUSHING DAISIES
WONDERFALLS
FARGO
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
BREAKING BAD
BETTER CALL SAUL
JUSTIFIED
DAREDEVIL
AGENT CARTER
ORPHAN BLACK
FOYLE'S WAR
HOMELAND
DOWNTON ABBEY
SHERLOCK

[LexusNexus]

I was watching the 1959 movie "Warlock" with Henry Fonda, Richard Widmark, and Anthony Quinn. Just an exceptional story and movie. I'd rather watch that movie for the 154th time than watch any of the ridiculous movies of today. They all seem to be focused on shallow people who otherwise have their faces buried in video games or smart phones. Too much violence, special effects. There is always some kind of titanic, video-game-influenced battle or conflict. Aimless confrontations with idiotic dialogue. Too many quips in an attempt to get a quick laugh. Why does every movie have to have a sort of surfer dude and valley girl character? The actors and actresses simply are not believable. They don't command my respect. Story lines seem rehashed and hollow. It's pretty sad IMO.

I've seen some great movies while growing up, and I get more enjoyment out of watching any of them for the 204th time rather than wasting my time watching any of today's disappointing films. The exception to this are the movies coming out of England with British actors and actresses. They seem to have preserved the dignity, quality, and class of the earlier era. Harry Potter is an example of this.

[reed067]

Originally Posted by Mark S.

You're watching the wrong channels. We are currently in the midst of a new Golden Era of television. Just off the top of my head ...

THE WIRE
THE SOPRANOS
PUSHING DAISIES
WONDERFALLS
FARGO
BOARDWALK EMPIRE
BREAKING BAD
BETTER CALL SAUL
JUSTIFIED
DAREDEVIL
AGENT CARTER
ORPHAN BLACK
FOYLE'S WAR
HOMELAND
DOWNTON ABBEY
SHERLOCK

I meant channels like The Discovery Channel they used to some really great stuff. I know there are some good TV shows DD is one of the best. Overall I'm not going to pay for cable when I got Netflix, some of those are on Netflix thanks for the list!

[Mark S.]

Originally Posted by reed067

I meant channels like The Discovery Channel they used to some really great stuff.

Yes, you're right on that score. The Discovery Channel used to be a great channel. I don't remember the last time I watched it.

[Jay100]

TV? I agree tv is making a comeback but only because there are so many different channels and shows today. With the exception of Big Bang Theory, I don't really watch the sitcoms or soaps. I'm glued to my TV right now.

[mkpunk]

Originally Posted by Jay100

TV? I agree tv is making a comeback but only because there are so many different channels and shows today. With the exception of Big Bang Theory, I don't really watch the sitcoms or soaps. I'm glued to my TV right now.

I can't get into that show. For me it is Modern Family is the only must see comedy today, they are written too much for a niche or just not funny to me. As for traditional shows, I really only watch the comic shows. I rather watch movies. I like the self contained nature and the ability to tell a story and create a world in about an hour and a half to even three hours. TV can't do that and requires at the very least four for old school mini series, if not eight for modern ones. It is hard to compare.

I do agree though that part of the problem is that we don't really let directors be directors unless they are made men or go the indie route. Too many movies are safe bets like low cost but high margin horror or high budget but lie margin blockbusters. As a studio, you can't do too many Green Lanterns and Mad Max's or John Carter s, The Lone Rangers and Tomorrowlands that are high budget and not enough people go see them to pay back the budget. I know Mad Max did the best due to international box office takes, BUT it is STILL not a profitable film.

[radiolibre99]

2. Screenwriters, especially younger one,s don't seem to have had much of a life - they have college degrees in film - so they have nothing to draw on.

This is a valid point. Young Screenwriters are taught to write what they know and these days writers go to college and come from middle to upper middle class backgrounds and they tend to only know the typical stuff we see in movues today; self indulgent, navel gazing, where has my life gone, kinda stories. The coming of age story is the same suburban story before the kid goes to college. The rom com features the same yuppies trying to find love while being rather selfish.