Over the last few weeks, our news feed has been flooded with
articles about the great Scorsese vs Marvel feud. It appears that the whole
world has been split into two and everyone is firmly digging in their heels in
their respective camps. Everyone who has ever acted, written, directed,
produced or served tea on the set has made their opinion public. And ofcourse,
then there are those who have watched every single Marvel film a gazillion times!
Since we are certainly in that club, so why should we be left behind! Here’s
our two infinity stores on the matter.
Just to recap, Scorsese said in an interview that he doesn’t
consider Marvel movies to be ‘cinema’. He compared them to theme park rides.
Understandably, that statement outraged the people who worked passionately on
these films. Scorsese is not a cranky, old crackpot, has-been who can be
dismissed easily. He is one of the most respected filmmakers of all time and is
still very relevant with the films he is making. The statement also resulted in
many Marvel fans bringing out their metaphorical pitchforks and torches.
Incalculable number of subreddits, tweets and Facebook groups exploded with a
collective cry, demanding an apology. Further comments from people like
Coppola, who called Marvel movies ‘despicable’ didn’t help either.
Let’s set aside our anger/disappointment for a moment and
take a look at the statement itself. As mentioned, we are huge superhero fans
and have devoured all these movies over the years. However, we are also huge
film nerds and love our Bergman, Kurosawa, Ray and yes, Scorsese! Now, why did
we make that distinction? Is there a distinction at all? While
discussing this very matter with a friend, he said why should we differentiate
between so called ‘artistic’ films and popular films? Isn’t it pretentious to
make that distinction?
Defining what constitutes art looks like a job for
philosophers (we are so witty with our Superman references!) and we would leave
them to it (since they have been at it for centuries now!). But, rationally, we
can agree that there most certainly is something that sets apart a work of art.
Some of the greatest artists in all these media have been those who have
masterfully created work which are considered artistic as well as popular
entertainment. Shakespeare was wildly popular in his time, The Velvet
Underground have enjoyed surprising popularity for an experimental band and
Alan Moore’s work has a cult following.
Marvel films have changed the industry over the last couple
of decades. Superhero movies were always popular, however the current tsunami
of superhero films can pretty much be traced back to the X-Men films (Yes,
those were Fox, but the comics are Marvel, so half point to Gryffin… I mean,
Marvel) and the first Iron Man. Every year we see more and more superhero
movies. In light of that, the comparison with theme parks is quite interesting.
As anyone who has visited the magnificent Hogwarts castle or sat in a giant
rollercoaster can attest, the experience of a good theme park is unique and
unforgettable! They are designed to exhilarate and thrill us. Meticulous
research goes into designing each experience in a theme park, to ensure they
connect with the largest number of visitors possible. This process is
strikingly similar to how a studio blockbuster is made today!
The fact that they are made to be popular is not a bad thing
in itself, just like there is nothing wrong with a fun theme park. They are
both extremely entertaining and that is their purpose! However, in order to
achieve that popularity, they are forced to colour within the lines, so to
speak. While Jim Jarmusch can afford to make a weird, slow and contemplative
vampire film, given the budgets poured into these blockbusters, that’s really
not an option here.
What a boring world it would be if we only got
superhero films or only avant garde films! So, let’s enjoy our regular dose of
entertainment, but also make sure to appreciate the work of independent
artists, who create bold and beautiful art!
No comments:
Post a Comment