@@gnarkillguch I agree, and I think itis a good plan. It saddens me some that I hear rumour that the 20th Century Fox movies might not be out in ciculalation any longer.
Not like selling cigarettes to non-smokers. More like selling porn to monks. They do want it, but it’s not cool for them to admit it. GoT did in fact produce a ton of new fantasy fans.
That’s the problem when you take an art form and try to run it like an infinite growth business (which, since Disney is a publicly traded company, it has to do.)
We’re ultimately dealing with a sterile, almost lab-like environment wherein Hollywood tries to artificially create hits by co-opting the work of more creative people. Either these people are out of their elements against their will, or they want to turn established things into dark reflections of themselves. Skilled, creative people will thrive even when out of the element or given less to work with (Beast Wars is a great example of that; as neither of the main writers for that show were Transformers writers). Corporations exist to manufacture; not create.
It's a lot more sinister than that. They want to erode and destroy all the classics we enjoy, so they purposely remake them in hopes os sullying the originals. Because an enjoyable original sheds light on the sheer lack of talent in Hollywood right now, and harkens back to much better days. They need to rewrite history to make themselves look competent, and it's working.
I knew a guy at Uni who was basically full of crap. All his fellow class mates of his year knew he was. His lecturers knew he was. His work was mediocre at best and I was told my work was way better than his. But he had a talent. He knew how to walk into a room and bullshit people into convincing them he was the man with the plan. Hence, why straight after Uni, he got to work at a bigger studio and found work straight away. Unlike me who still struggles to this day. The talent he had to sell "Viagra to nuns" is basically something that sums up why all these morons get these funding at big studios.
I'm born in 1974. I've grown up with al these great movies , Star Wars , Ghostbusters , Indiana Jones , you know the list. To me , al these Franchises will forever remain the Franchises from when i was a kid , when i loved them (and still love them). Franchises from the 70ies and /or 80ies. I couldn't care less about any modern adaptations , because i know they will inevitably fxck it up. Today's "creatives" are nihilistic , self absorbed , corporate stooges that haven't got the first clue at how to make a Great movie. I'll catch a modern remake or reboot or whatever when its on tv , and when i have some dead time on my hands at that moment. But i sure as hell will never , ever buy a theatre ticket to go see one ! Marvel aside (and i can't judge on that because i'm not a Marvel fan) i really think "The Golden age" was back when all these Franchises were actually born. Even if they somehow would improve , they will never ever be as good as the originals. So in the end...why even bother ?
I was born 1968 and was the perfect age for the GOLDEN AGE of Hollywood Sci-Fi. What a time to grow up !!. Unfortunately I was a little to old to buy Star Wars toys for ROTJ..(But that didn't stop me)
Could you ever imagine Ford or Lean or Capra or Wilder or Coppola or Spielberg or even Lucas saying, "I hope that half the audience hates my film." I don't understand the decisions being made in choosing the people that are making the decisions. You're absolutely correct in pointing out how against corporate interest that attitude ultimately is.
The people who were writing stories and creating new IPs in the 60s, 70s, and 80s were mostly men who had experienced the world before creating their great works. These were war veterans, race car drivers, working men, etc. So they brought their unique life experiences with them when creating new characters and worlds. The GenX filmmakers grew up watching the movies and television shows, or reading the comic books, created by those men and then went straight into making their own movies instead of experiencing life for themselves.. So most of the GenX guys' "creativity" is just reimagining or mashing-up other people's ideas. They don't have any original ideas of their own and they don't know how to craft a proper story, they just know how to get a reaction out of an audience. They remember something from an episode of a TV show and how it made them feel when they were kids and they craft their stories with the intent of recreating that feeling, regardless of how it affects the narrative. I'm sure Generation X had its George Lucas, or Stan Lee, or Gene Roddenberry; but those guys got overshadowed by snake-oil salesmen like JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson (who sure does get super defensive on Twitter for someone who claims that he wants half of his audience to hate his movies).
Everyone is influenced by what they experience as a child, you think Lucas and Spielberg weren’t influenced by the movies and serials they saw as kids and teenagers? Humans have been copying, recycling, remaking and rewriting similar stories, legends, myths and yes even religions throughout history. Even JRR Tolkien based his stories in myths and legends of the past as well.
@@AvelierPlays Of course they were, but men like Lucas, Spielberg, Tolkien, etc. also had influences from outside of popular culture. Whether conscious or unconscious, the lives they lived affected their creations. Modern filmmakers seem to only be influenced by other films and haven't really lived a life outside of the Hollywood system. At least that seems to be the case for guys like JJ and Rian.
Yep, Star Wars lost me permanently after The Last Jedi + the way Lucasfilm has treated fans after the fact. Now they've lost me AND my 2 boys, who don't know anything about the ST. Oh well, saves me money!
@J. C. Of course they know the OT! I said they don't know anything about the ST. The OT they love, one is being Obi Wan for Halloween 😂. Star Wars for us will be 1977 - 2012. I'm good with that right now.
Fans were treated fine, except for the toxic ones that were harassing actors and directors, etc. In think it's okay to call those people out for their bad behaviour.
Toxic? Like the Kelly Marie Tran story? That's mostly all media BS, it was probably just a few idiots on the internet. As for the directors/writers, they should be able to take criticism without insulting fans AT ALL. Lucas did it, Rian Johnson should have no problem. Like the saying goes, the customer is always right - in Hollywood they don't seem to follow that motto at all anymore. Not good!
@@thebaron7960 Uhh no she most definitely got a ton of harrassment. It's why she left social media. She wrote a whole article about it. And the only time I recall Rian "insulting fans" was when he said "when I talk about man-babies" and linked to the story about Kelly Marie Tran. If anything Rian was very diplomatic. He talked about reading these long emails from fans about their issues with the movie. Customer is alright saying is BS. If the customer is acting like a POS, they deserve to be thrown out and potentially have the cops called on them. By the same token, "fans" that insult, harass, and do worse to actors and crew should be called out for their behavior. Remember that Lucas retired and sold Star Wars due to all the fan hate. We would have got Lucas sequels if the fans hadn't run him off. Fans drove Jake Lloyd to literal madness and ruined his life. Ahmed Best became suicidal. It's these people that can't separate fantasy from reality and think that someone's life should be made a living hell because they didn't like a movie. And now they're still doing it today. So yeah, those customers aren't right.
@@Benjamin0119 Rian Johnson diplomatic? I completely disagree. He's proven time and time again he's an arrogant douche bag who had no right being given free reign on a Star Wars movie. That will go down as the worst decision in cinema history. Its more then the manbaby BS, the guy's a first class troll. KMT got about 3 nasty, racist comments on Instagram I believe, and decided to shut her social media down. Yes, no one should ever speak to anyone like that, but its the Internet, a disgusting place. Roundhead blew it way out of proportion and mobilized her into an attack on anyone who hated his "movie". He knew what he was doing, he's a dirty Hollywood scumbag. As for the customer is always right, that's 95% true unless the company doesn't like money. Of course there are cases of complete asshole customers but this really doesn't apply to criticizing a multi million dollar movie that people pay to see. Rian is on video saying he enjoys when half the viewers love his movie, while the other half thinks its the worst movie ever made. He got exactly what he wanted, and then plays victim. The guys a buffoon.
I've come to believe there are at least two types of people - people who can do things and people who are great bullshitters. For some reason, bullshitters seem to be more prevalent and they cling together and support one another.
I'm picturing the scene in the board room at the movie studios looking something like the Simpsons episode "Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie" when the writer points out that the executives are using buzzwords like "paradigm" and "proactive" just to sound intelligent and important so he gets fired.
I was speaking about this with a friend of mine the other day after Church. We're both religious Christians. Grew up on the entertainment of films and shows from the 70s, 80s, 90s, but I'd say I never limited my tastes to just then, however I really like it. He on the other hand prefers stuff from the past more than I do. So we're having this conversation, and he brought up a similar point about the nihilism point you brought. Just a heads up, we're not the kind of guys who believe in censorship so much or that the more non-religious themes in films are what's ruining cinema. From how he explained it, and how I understand it, he thinks that when a generation of people grow up with a faithless view of reality, where magic is fleeting, and the world is dark and grim because of world events and personal ones they've faced to solidify a faithless and nihilistic and cynical view of the world, then the wonders of fantasy and adventure and serialization that was popular from the 20th Century will not be suffice to them. To not believe in a Spirituality, whether your own or of a religion, then you lack the soul that goes into making art. And we've seen it today. We have people are technical and very exquisite as to how to point with a camera and capture visuals that do outdo some of the stuff made in the past, but that's like saying we admire a Computer Science student for knowing how to meddle with a computer. It's cool, sure, but he's basing it on how others do it. The real praise comes in what he does with those skills and techniques to advance the field of computer science or find a right combination of code that requires creativity to make something new or feel new. The same goes for everything else, including Cinema. Now I'm not saying you need to be Christian to appreciate art or create art. Many of the Silent Generation and Boomer Generation of Directors who made the movies we love were of other faiths or atheistic or agnostic. However, if you think its dumb to look at life from a beyond perspective, beyond you, me, or anyone else, then you're stuck on one side of the brain, and completely forgetting the other side you've got that can tell you so much more. I don't doubt these people are creative, but its creativity from a mindset to strip away the magic of simplicity, and basic explanations. The real world needs to understand the fabric of the universe, and we won't understand it all, but in fiction, you don't need to grasp everything and how everything works IF it is explained poorly and boring. Also, if your storytelling is about getting to points a, b, and c with barely any meat in between them ... then you're a material person. Material people make material products. The past decade of reboots and return to old franchises have been done like that.
“And I told Rian, you have to think of the fans. And he said, ‘No, you have to think about the film.’” - Mark Hamill on a live panel, recounting his words to Rian Johnson, and Rian Johnson’s response. And then you watch Mark Hamill’s head drop down like he is about to be ill at Rian’s total lack of understanding of what Star Wars is about. And you hear the crowd cheer as Rian begins to babble about how wonderful The Last Jedi is. And the camera stays focused on Mark for a few seconds more ... on the one man who knew Luke Skywalker better than any of us because he WAS Luke Skywalker. And you see the pain that Mark Hamill feels and that he is warning all of us fans that TLJ will be so destructive to the fan base, the mythos, and to the actual intellectual property that is Star Wars. “I only want to make movies that half the viewers will like, and the other half of the viewers will hate.” - Rian Johnson And Kathleen Kennedy thinks Rian Johnson is awesome. Gives him his own trilogy for fucks sake! Corporate Hollywood knows NOTHING about Star Wars. Or how to make decent movies.
WOW! -That's the 1st time I heard that! And it DOES sound like something Hamill would say since he always disagreed with Johnson's treatment of Luke Skywalker.
It occurs to me that Gene Roddenberry sold Star Trek to the suits as a "space western", which at that time was the most mainstream genre, but he actually wanted to bring very sincere science fiction to television. You can debate how well he succeeded, but it was made out of a sincere love of the genre, that's a far cry from the cynical self-serving "geek chic" that's taken over entertainment today.
And I'm glad he didn't make it purely hard sci fi. The show draws you in with it's lovable, relatable characters, but then delivers some great thought-provoking sci fi stories. The episodes get peoples' imaginations stimulated, but what we come back to the original show for time and again are those great characters....the human element.
@@demoskunk Star Trek for me as an adult today is enjoyable science fantasy. The moment I mention that, Trekkies get rather defensive, angry and hot under the collar when I say this, but it's true. It's the characters and worldbuilding that make the shows, not the weird science. That's why I enjoy DS9 so much for those very reasons.
The major malfunction is that they are not hiring competency but hiring ideology. It does not matter if you are the best person to do the job but the best person to inject the ideological belief into the work.
Well said, Michael! I agree wholeheartedly with every word. Two of my all-time favorite IPs, Star Trek and Star Wars, have been completely destroyed by these "filmmakers," and any amount of decent writing is nonexistent. Seems like no one cares about the source material anymore, or have any respect for what has been done in the past. It truly breaks my heart. That being said, I'm ever thankful for IPs like The Expanse, and The Orville!
And you see tons of fans who are ADDICTED to these franchises who STILL support this crap. I've had words with some of these guys but they're just too thick-headed and you can't get through to them no matter what arguments and examples you use let alone mentioning how disrespectful the studios and filmmakers are towards the fans. You gotta call these people who support Star Wars and Star Trek at the cost of BAD PRODUCT "delusional." There's really no other term that fits their mindset.
Remember when comics became really good in the mid to late 80s because people like Alan Moore and Frank Miller decided to make them more realistic? And how most creatives and especially management only saw the gore and grit and totally missed the characterization, nuance and reinvention of the genre? And how every fucking comic book in the early 90s (with a few exceptions obviously) became deliberately savage and mindless and irony-free, entirely missing the point? I think that's kind of what's happening to the film industry now. They've seen what works, but they don't understand why.
@Jason Godwin Very good anology(?) and point. I remember that time too and agree.They have seen the result, and want to mimick it, but do not understand the mechanics behind it, which brings disaster. The message in lost in glossy surface, form over function sort of thing.
It's verisimilitude versus veracity. They want to capture the image or the flash or the style of something that was successful, without caring enough to be consistent with the fundamental elements of that successful thing. Their work is meant to connote something else, but it isn't really based on or connected to that something else. They are not true to the source material, so their product will never truly work. It might achieve a big following initially with enough hype, but that fizzles quickly. After a 3-year live action series and a cartoon series, the original Star Trek crew then got 6.5 movies; the New Trek's shields failed with 2 and then the whole thing suffered a warp core breach with their 3rd.
"There is something about their inherent personalities that is toxic to these genre movies but is appealing to the people who green-light the projects. And so, we're in a perfect storm of dysfunction at this point." Michael, thank you for this video. It's really wonderful when someone else vocalises (brilliantly) what you've personally thought yourself. Cathartic and comforting. Thank you.
Agreed. I've rewatched Red Letter Media's Picard take multiple times because of the vitriol they direct towards Kurtzman. There is no better way to tell a movie will suck than if Kurtzman is attached to it in anyway.
Michael, first off thank you for your insightful comments. It is easy to see how if the current studio environment existed in the 70's, Star Wars would never had been made because it would have been too much of a gamble. The companies that own the studios now are more concerned with maximizing profit in the short term and that means going with intellectual property that has a built in fan base from which to build on. It means starting without a finished script in order to make a coveted release date that is tied in with millions in advertising and promotions. It means locking down designs for toys early enough to get in the stores before the Christmas holiday. The movie itself has become an afterthought in many ways now instead of the driving force it was when it was the only tickets the studios wanted to sell.
I never would have thought when I was a kid that they would ruin all of my favorite fictions . They’ve managed to make Star Wars a bad joke , and Ridley Scott ruined ALIEN all by himself . It’s just sad . At this point I want a new I.P. but I’m not sure it’s possible after what happened to Game of Thrones
At least George Miller made another good Mad Max movie with Fury Road. Everyone else is deconstructing their own legacies. Ridley Scott does it with Alien. James "And Then I Start To See Things I Recognize" Cameron with Terminator. Tim Burton with almost every movie he made after the turn of the millenium.
The very public suicide of Ridley's brother, director Tony Scott, greatly affected Ridley. Ridley arrived in Hollywood during a British invasion of UK directors to Hollywood. Tony was in film school in England. Ripley talked him into dropping out and coming to California with a heavy promise, "I'll make you famous". Tony killed hinself a few months after the release of Prometheus. The brothers "spoke" to one another through their films. Something in Prometheus made Tony, who was battling cancer, kill himself. After his death Ridley changed the course of ALIEN and his other franchises to work out his grief of losing Tony. Maybe thats part of the reason the generations brought things to this point. Pride does go before a fall. Ridley was treated like royality, he had groups of sycophants following him to meetings an sometimes he played the enigma thing to the hilt and rarely spoke to anyone at these meetings. Lucas surrounded himself with yes men too scared to say anything during the filming of the prequels.
skylx08 alien is my favorite sci fi movie , and Ripley is one of the great forgotten movie heroes of that era . I’m not trolling , the whole thing really hurts me inside . These movies should have been cherished , and instead they just sucked them dry .
You know, when they made "The Wizard of Oz," "Citizen Kane," and "It's A Wonderful Life," or "The Sound of Music," "Psycho," and "Jaws," or "Star Wars," "The Terminator," and "Superman: The Movie," and even "The Mummy," "The Matrix," and "Forrest Gump," they didn't think - hey, we're making some of the greatest films ever made. They just did their job, making some entertainment they thought would entertain others; as well as themselves. They had fun, made mistakes, and tried as hard as they could. But most importantly of all, they respected the medium, respected the source material/concepts, and especially respected the audience. Now, Hollywood just wants to push out mediocre follow ups to proven franchises for quick cash grabs. And the directors/producers/actors aren't any better. The majority of them are perfectly content with making episode after episode, film after film, filling in their quota to make a cinematic universe, television season, or whatever - with only the bare minimum amount of creativity and effort - all just to sucker in mainstream audiences into watching season after season, film after film, just to get the bigger picture. I mean, you said it yourself in a previous video how movies used to actually have a beginning, middle, and end. A movie was a complete experience. Now it's just a thrown together puzzle piece akin to a cheap pencil. Once you've used it up, you just gotta get another... and another... and another. It's like Hollywood blockbusters have become a drug. It's unhealthy, your time would be spent better doing something else, but you've just gotta keep doing it. Well, I've stopped. Filmmaking's been around for well over 100 years now. Television a bit shorter, but certainly the better half of a century. There's hundreds if not thousands of undiscovered gems out there, and I'm much more content with checking them out for myself than sitting through any more of the current wave of boring and untalented. I'll go out and watch Star Wars when they actually start making good Star Wars films. I'll start watching Fantasy television when they actually make a show for Fantasy fans. The only way Hollywood listens is with their wallets. If you really want a change, you gotta hit em where it hurts. I'm not calling for a "boycott" here or anything. I'm just saying - you don't like, don't keep giving them your money and getting disappointed. There's better content out there. Heck, even content like this, RetroBlasting, is great! I'm just sorry for the kids, teens, and now young adults who've known nothing more than this. They don't know Star Wars like we do. And they might never will...
This is exactly why the MCU succeeded while every attempt at a subsequent MCU failed: the MCU wasn't _trying_ to be the MCU, it became the MCU _organically_ one hit film with consistent continuity at a time and _eventually earned_ eventual sequels and crossovers instead of starting with the crossover and working backwards from trying to manufacture entire movies as episodes of sequential storytelling.
Great video. One of the worst things is that there are VERY talented people that could make great original movies/shows, but they are ignored or their ideas get completely massacred by non-creatives. I used to work in the TV industry and it happened there too. It's sad and frustrating.
They seek to "grow the fanbase" by pandering to people who are not typical fans because to them, the "fanboy" money is a forgone conclusion. And to an extent, from what I've seen, it's true. There are plenty of people willing to slop up whatever swill is offered up as long as it has their favorite brand name on it. There's a word for this and every time I go to write it down, it flies right off the tip of my tongue and I just can't grasp it.
That’s the one thing about my generation I could never stomach: the “too-cool-for-school” attitude. Everything has to be done with a wink-wink to ease all the basics, just so they don’t have to be embarrassed by liking Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.
Plus, the "too-cool-for-school" attitude has created 2 (going on 3) generations of English speakers who don't know the difference between there, their, and they're; your and you're; where and were; have and of... I could go on. We've got a world full of stupids now because only NERDS pay attention in school.
On RUclips too: many people that talk about B-movies do it with a sarcastic and disrespectful attitude as to show they're superior. Luckily this doesn't happen with the local B-movie youtubers of my country, they usually are respectful and professional.
I'm not sure about that, I mean, I couldn't name any of the people I know who think they're "too-cool-for-school" I couldn't name any of the people I know who doesn't know the differences between they're, there, their etc. But bro, we learned the differences of they're, there and their in kindergarten and 1st grade, so, yeah. And I agree about the not bringing up likeing star wars.
"Steve Jobs was known to have agreed with the famous principle “A level people hire level A people, B level people hire C level people." So as a recruiting philosophy, Apple hires only A players. There are sound reasons why this principle is so effective. When searching for talented employees, B levael players are afraid to hire people that could be better than them. They feel threatened by anyone that could surpass them, so their thinking is better to raise themselves up by keeping other people down. A players understand the benefits of hiring A players from the beginning, and prefer working with other A players. They keep each other sharp, motivated, challenged and competitively engaged. A players can better recognize other A players. They understand how they work and how they’re motivated, making them easier to spot." Must be a bunch of "B levels" at the top making these hires, Michael.
Very good observation. These directors have no real creative integrity and are hired because these companies don’t understand the properties they try to cash cow. These new iterations will not hold up in the ensuing decades unlike the original films.
Absolutely spot on Michael. I thank God that I was a kid in the 70's, a teenager in the 80's, and a young adult in the 90's. People from my generation got the best of everything new and amazing... the movies, books, music, toys, hobbies, etc. And... we got the best of what the generations before handed down to us. The traditions of the past melded with the classics of the past made certain we were a more well rounded generation than the ones that followed. Shout out to Mr. Eriksson, my 5th grade teacher, for turning us on to JRR Tolkien, Estes Rockets, and The Beatles.
@@LPTV84 How so? That certain members of our generation, like Michael and myself respect and hold reverence for the people and things that informed our development as adults, and other members of our generation embraced a nihilistic deconstructionist worldview that boarders on iconoclastic destruction of the classics? And unfortunately those members of our generation are the ones who came into positions of power? We get the point.
I don’t know man, you Gen Xers are all a sorry lot in my personal experience (old Millenial here 39 yo). Gen X really ain’t that different from the boomers.
1978 - Dick Donner had an essentially silly and kid friendly property, took it seriously, and made the world believe that a man could fly in blue tights. Was pulled off the sequel. 2000 - Bryan Singer is given control of one of the most versatile properties ever, down grades characterization, shifts focus from the team dynamic to one person, puts them in black leather to make characters with laser beam eyes & weather powers "more realistic", mocks the fan base for liking something so "silly". He gets overly praised for two, at best, average films because of one action sequence.
The one main thing I've learned from working nearly 25 years of my life is that almost no one knows what they hell they are doing. They just fake it til they make it. The ones that put all their resources into becoming great at faking it are the ones that rise to the top. Seems like the movie industry is no different.
Sounds like a student who does no work, spends time nattering at lectures, never attends the practicals, yet borrows everybody's coursework and notes and gets a good grade and a good degree.
Bottom line is they are wanting young and "hip" directors to bring something flashy and exciting for a new generation. HOWEVER, that seems to be there only consideration and completely forgetting the mythology, and most importantly the characterization, established in the original trilogy.
Spot on, Michael. These hacks and flim-flammers are just killing franchises for profit and fame, and the fat cats don't care, as long as they get their paycheck. Sad situation at best.
Creative people have been moved out of any decision making in Hollywood. And also pretty much of any other industry. Thats why there is dysfunction in the entire national and supranational economies...
It's so sad to think that the days of 70's and 80's Lucas and Spielberg are gone. By that I mean similar to what Michael had said; filmmakers who create their own new and original films, sure a lot of their work took inspiration from works of the past but they at the end of the day Star Wars and Raiders of the lost ark were still original films. My only hope can be that the next generation of filmmakers chose to be inspired by films of the past to make new ones instead of just remaking films that already worked
If everything tries to appeal to the same audience, everything will look the same. That's why most modern TV shows are soap operas, and most modern movies are action movies.
I just want to say there aren't any words in the English language to describe how thankful we are of you for doing what you do with sincerity and integrity, Michael. It's a sad state of Hollywood indeed and I can't help but feel that my generation (gen-y) hasn't made things any better than the films passionless gen-x filmmakers you've mentioned in this video.
When I was a kid, I used to dream of filmmaking. These guys all seem like they were spoiled and just had to be filmmakers because they had inside influence from family or money. I wanted to make movies for people like myself and my friends. It seems to me if you make a film that is honest, honest in that you weren’t thinking about how much money you could make or how cool the people who will love it are, it could still suck, but at least it would be the movie that was true to a vision.
that's beautifully said and a great reason to be a filmmaker - I was similar, but music took me away from practicing film. I still have a dream of writing a movie and directing it one day...you never know!
Like opening a comic book and drawing or writing. Maybe not very well but a true vision and wanting to put something out there. Maybe the execution is not strong but the actual passion of doing it and getting better as you do more. Or getting your friends together and filming something because you've got the passion. All this funding and little passion!
Everything that you've said sums up why I'd like to go into the entertainment industry (be it films, television, animation, or video games), one day. To make something that I and any friends I make could enjoy... if more people are brought in and they enjoy it, then that's a bonus for me.
I feel the same way when it comes to the DC shows on Fox and CW. The showrunners play fast and loose with the characters when there is no reason for it. The source material is there so why not use it properly.
Nearly every director they have hired, grew up watching Star Wars. Many of the people working at Lucasfilm and ILM, got into filmmaking because of Star Wars. JJ Abrams grew up watching Star Wars. Rian would watch the first film over and over in sitting. Gareth Edwards, could quote the entirety of ANH.
@@lukerope1906 My joke was in moving forward, actually. The only gripe I've had is with the decision to axe Luke off so quickly and write him so uncharacteristically.
@@johnmpowell01 I for one like that Luke has become one with the Force. And I wouldn't say he was written uncharacteristically either. But I'm not going to get into that right now.
"Nerd Culture" has been co-opted by people who do not understand the culture. When I was in HS it was nerdy to like Star Trek and collect EU Star Wars books. It did not win girls, or make you homecoming king. I got made fun of because I liked this stuff. Now, maybe because of the success of the MCU, I don't know, people think "being a nerd" is the in thing. But the problem is they are taking the superficial aspects of nerd culture and making that the substance, which it surely isn't. Myself and my friends lived and breathed our sci-fi and fantasy properties. We studied all the source books, memorized all the lines in the films, collected the toys/models. Talked about storylines and characters almost as if they were real people. We were INTO it, and we were into it genuinely, not to impress people or fit into some group. We enjoyed what we enjoyed and put it out there on our sleeve with great social risk, especially as young people where your image was everything. But we stuck to our guns and kept enjoying our hobbies even if it meant being chastised by the "cool kids". But now, every tom dick and harry and internet thot and attention seeking social butterfly has latched on to this nerd culture thing. These movie makers are absolutely disingenuous jerks who just want to milk it for market share, and deep down don't give two poops about what made these IPs viable in the first place. Real nerds who have a real interest in these stories and characters kept it alive. All they are doing in Hollywood now is milking them until they are dry, to discard them for the next fad. It's disgusting and fake, and it sickens me. And they wonder why the Fandom Menace exists.
This is just right. Your thoughts are very welcome on this moment. Looks like the Bryan Johnson situation was going to repeat with these: they lack certain light of creativity. They're destroying the culture by inducing ideology and a mediocre way to watch the world.
I believe Benioff and Weiss were "future endeavored" by Lucasfilm due to them pretty much proving they can't handle something new. They were fine while GoT was going off the books, but once it came to them having to make up an ending it was completely botched. Gemini Man is now a huge bomb and Lucasfilm noticed. Same thing happend with Colin Trevorrow after The Book of Henry bombed. As for Zach Snyder its pretty much the same as Benioff / Weiss. If he's working off another source material he can be okay (300, The Watchmen), but just about everything else he's done is garbage.
GenX film makers usually came into Cinema with movies from Sam Raimi, Coen Brothers and Tarantino -- You know, "postmodern quirkiness". And that's fine. The question is, but why keep those filmmakers trying to make movies for which they clearly have a tin ear? Are those really the filmmakers who should direct Superman or Star Wars?
I don't care about the current Star Wars anymore. Lucasfilm has crushed my enthusiasm for this franchise by substituting good storytelling for political ideologies and agendas. I will not be seeing any more of these movies at least in the theater or renting them. The last Jedi was the last straw for me Maybe somewhere down the road when Kathleen Kennedy and her bunch are gone I might consider giving them another chance.
im 48 im done with that although to be fair the duffer brothers are generation xrs and they have done a very good job on stranger things never liked game of thrones
Geerladenlad What’s the political agenda? Female characters, minority or not, simply for the sake of having them? What political agenda do you see in Episode 9 so far? I’m curious, because the creation of certain characters were easily arguable as being socially pressured choices, yet I don’t see Kennedy’s political agenda, just her personal one. From The Force Awakens she has gotten shit from many film critics, and much of the hardcore fan base. Obviously, that film turned out to be one of the most successful ever financially, yet began the split between fans. The sad fact for us hardcore fans, who’ve been let down by the new movies, is that Disney only seem to care about the average film goer and the next generation of Star Wars kid, because they don’t care as much about being true to the original characters. I have many friends, who are about 7 to 10 years younger, and they really enjoyed Ep. 7 and 8, most of them enjoyed 8 more even. Deadpool 1 , 2, and now Joker should’ve been a clear sign, that being SJW safe doesn’t have much effect on box office, yet we’re still seeing producers tippy toe around casting and how they tell stories. It’s slowly turning around, with more and more cancel culture being called out as unethical, or even criminal, but we’re a long way before a blockbuster doesn’t have a “diversity specialist” on set influencing whether certain characters should be changed from white, and/or men, as well as story points that are may be offensive to some group, and/or minorities. Sorry for my thesis, that started as a question, but even in the films I enjoy it’s gotten ridiculous. If you want to see that extreme, check the new Batwoman show. 🤪 Holy Balls, is it a shit filled dumpster fire, well beyond the terrible casting of Ruby Rose. Compared to the DC streaming shows, animated movies, even the DCU movies, I don’t know how they were made under the same company.
@@CorbCorbin Forced diversity is a political agenda. Or if you like diversity for diversities sake. But that's not the only one. That is just one example.
@@CorbCorbin Don't get me wrong I don't have a problem with diversity in movies but if they're just doing that to make it diverse then there's the problem cuz it's interfering with the storytelling.
Geerladenlad That’s why I gave the Batwoman example. A lesbian character, so they purposely searched for a lesbian actress. That led to the decision that Ruby Rose, who just isn’t a good actress, nor is she even a good representation of the character, would lead a Batwoman series.
I would dissgree on one point, the film industry has always been run by uncreative hacks and financiers. Lucas and Coppola made Zoatrope for this reason. Orson Wells got Citizen Kane by tooth and nail. This is nothing new. However, I agree on Gen X creators. They, or at least this crop, can't write and want to drag everything down. You can do this, but it only works if you hold sacred these things, so you handle with care. The only thing sacred to them is adulating the person looking at them in the mirror.
There is no denying the political angle, is it possible that the more qualified person may not have the right politics vs someone that checks off the right boxes?
Christopher Perez I was just saying that it seems like everything is written by plugging in requirements into a computer program and it just spits out a random pile of crap with quotas. We have filmmakers that were inspired by filmmakers who were inspired by filmmakers. George Lucas went back to the beginning to make Star Wars: Flash Gordon, John Carter, history, myth, etc. he wasn't influenced so much by the pop directors before him (unless the were foreign filmmakers such as Kurosawa.) What we have now are copies of copies of copies. They are getting blander, and the talent and skill just fades a little more after each copy. This is why they fail.
Another problem that contributes to this phenomenon... it has been proven that the people who identify as fans of a franchise will consistently show up, no matter what. It's the impulse fans have to be experts on the topic. They often don't care how good or bad it is... they just want to consume everything of the IP. Michael Bay realized this with Transformers. Most of the hardcore TF fans that complained about his choices still bought a ticket to see his movies. He knew it. He said it often... "You're still gonna go see it," he would boast. So... because of this... studios and filmmakers know they only need to win over the casual audience. What they don't realize, is that there is an essence to the original franchise that made it successful, and that identifying the essence, or the soul of a property will make the reboot successful again. You don't have to copy it. You don't have to pander. You don't have to bait with fan service. You need to locate the soul of the character or the franchise or the story, and make a good movie with that soul. And remember that the design of the original thing is very much a part of it's soul. That's why unnecessary design, race, or gender changes frustrate fans. So... if you make Superman blonde... you've ALREADY missed the mark.
I watched Bayformers for free by borrowing copies from my brother. I watched the first intently out of love for the original Generation 1, but was sorely disappointed. I went into 2 reluctantly and then felt dirty and let down by myself afterward. With 3, I read a book as it was on in the background. I played a video game with 4 on. Hated them more and more as they went along. So then I resolved to stop watching them altogether, even for free, and even with something else to distract me. Didn't try New Trek 3, or Star Wars Solo/8/9. My crapdar has become well-tuned these days, and I now happily spare myself from the reboot travesties.
I genuinely think that we have the Gen-X directors we do because when the marketing teams come to them and say we need X+Y they say YES, and those that say NO are labelled as "difficult to work with" to board members and investors. Bu this is just symptomatic of corporate mechanism behind film production today. Insurance companies, financiers, investors, share holders for all intents and purposes fight against the values of creativity - risk aversion stifles modern society. Every generation if scared of not being as good as the generation before it - movies and TV made FOR Gen-X were some of the most interesting fun which does show a trend of the preceding generation adjusting their stories for the following generation - unfortunately the next generation after X are from a narcissistic remix culture - which has led to reality TV and reboots/sequels. This generation also has had the greatest access to back catalogs ever seen - Apples entire economy is based on long-tail economics as too are the streaming services - making nostalgia a massive money maker - TV networks called them re-runs - but now its "on demand". We are heading backwards, the 80s 90s we had a few free to air TV channels and cable TV (for the rich kids) but most of the good stuff was on FTA TV and cable had the rest - sports, docos, etc.. Now again we have few major players Netflix, Disney+, Amazon prime, Hulu, Apple, RUclips and the small streaming services from FTA and sports (WWE, ESPN, DC, HBO etc etc) which one can only assume will be consolidated further as the arms war over content ownership increases. There is only so much consumer $$$ and time to go around each month so economics would suggest its easier to produce content and place on somebody elses service, than to produce content and run and support a service. P.S. Authors should be getting paid much more than they do. This is where any new IPs will emerge moving forward IMHO. Actors directors and producers get paid way too much, money that could be used by studios to produce new IPs with young up and coming talent. I think Netflix is doing a pretty good job of this with some of their movies - loved the recent movie about National Lampoons and while most films are B grade they are at least fresh and present different genres.
Love the Boba Fett helmet.....would be great to know who the manufacturers are (efx, Master Replicas, Hasbro Black Series?) as might get one myself soon.
I have the same helmet. It came from The Sharper Image back in 97. Senior Trip. New Orleans. Nearly cost a Benjamin back then. Can't imagine what it is now. One of the few Star Wars items I have left since I sold most of my other mementos now.
This whole mess reminds me of when I read about the executives and coorperate bozos who green lit the Macross "Do You remember Love" film, where the studio was interested in the imagery and style of the original work, but not the substance. I think the film makers you are talking about were hired specifically for their penchant for selling or attempting to sell the product to that "broad new audience" and just forget about the fandom, who they, mistakenly believe lack the individual sense to do anything to buy into everything, and anything they shamelessly slap a beloved moniker from our past on. It's almost as if they think they shouldn't have to sell the product to the loyal fan base, because we are all expected to buy in, no matter what the flavor they are pushing. In many cases, though it hasn't worked out that way. Here's the thing. We don't have to settle for this mundane endless cavalcade of disappointment. The stuff I loved back in the day will always be that which sparked my interest, and that's how we should treat it. Forget about what sleak look some idiot behind the scenes mogul or tycoon wants to turn my trek, or my star wars into! I will still be captivated every time I hear the sound of a light-sabre ignight, or the transporter activate! Every time I see a stormtrooper uniform, or that domed black visage of the original dark sith lord, I'll remember the first time I was drawn into the stuff. Speaking of which, my goodness, love the tribute to Boba Fet on the table next to you. Nice video too!
By the time of Cleopatra, the Egyptians had forgotten how the pyramids were built. Likewise, no one in Hollywood seems to understand filmmaking, anymore. It's truly a pity.
They pandered to the high-ups of theor bubble they grew up in and got ahead. Like with any thing with growing up, theor bubble has burst and theu can't handle the real world fans expectation. International money is the only thing keepimg Hollywierd afloat.
OMG! I love this guy. I mean, I have loved this channel for a long time, but I was mentally screaming AMEN! though this video. Thank you. THANK YOU. Awesome video.
Great video Michael, I'm almost giving up on movies and my new source of enjoyment is watching youtubers like you and toy polloi, analog toys and the junkman. These things entertain me. Keep up the good work!
Spot on! Where are the genx visionairies? In the 80s we had Cameron, Raimi, Coens, Lynch, Burton, Carpenter but who has emerged since? Guys like Nolan and Fincher are great directors but they are more craftsmen than creative artists. Del Toro and Brad Bird come the closest to guys like Lucas and Speilberg that I can think of.
What I find amusing about this is the assumption that moms and footballers aren't fantasy fans. That set of classifications is, in and of itself, a misunderstanding of genre that tends to be counterproductive. It turns fantasy fandom into Mordor and fans into the mainstream culture equivalent of orcs. What follows then is a disdain for nerd culture and the tendency to hand over properties to elves (non-nerds). That's how we get DCEU.
It's been my experience that soccer mom's will watch anything you cast Jason Momoa in. And NFL fans will watch anything with titties and violence in it.
@@Necron-ez2cc Bull. Then why go to a movie to begin with? You need an imagination to enjoy it. And it's not like an imagination helps with escapism from the daily grind of life, now does it?
My, but Rian's philosophy changed after people started telling him The Last Jedi sucked. Seems to me if you want half the audience not to like your film, you shouldn't insult them when they don't like it.
I know it's a year on since this came out but I thought I might add a few little tidbits from my own observations as your video was fantastic. You asked a few questions just past the 3/4 mark about what's wrong with these essentially nihilistic filmmakers. As Gen X myself I had a mantra instilled into me very early on. Who what where why and when. For Everything. To take a cue from the 13th Warrior I watched and I Listened and learned much. What I saw was the Peak of the Paradigm shift of the overlapping film making standards of All Practical to All Digital with Jurassic Park. The great names of cinema ruled the industry up to and somewhat through that period as newer names would embrace the new tech and then run with it. We're talking the gap between the Lucas, Spielberg, and the other big names which atm escape me, but their immediate successors were the likes of James Cameron who overlapped their generation. So post WW2 and their Baby Boom children, Gen X's parents. The mindset was a background where Story for the most part Had to Matter as SPFX grew from a next to no educated Scientific undertstanding and then making goofy movies over to the next generation, Boomers like Lucas and such, who still held a fond love of those older Storytelling mindsets but then tweaked and updated things to work With the Tech of the day, most of which they had to develop themselves making them as a result industry leaders So many other studios for a very long time would lean on for help with all of their SPFX work. From James Cameron on developing CGI further starting with Terminator 2 and the Abyss, the CGI Spectacle evolved until it reached a stage of Real looking Enough with Jurassic Park, the Spectacke and the TOOLS took over and everything followed suit as Hollywood's propensity to be slavishly addicted to trend extremes, we would see copying and gimmickry used across the board to cash in on the technology. As the tech became cheaper and more common place the more pervasive the Tools would be used across the board to where there is a healthy fully CGI entertainment genre. The Wow factor to me is what damaged the SW Prequels as those 3 films relied so heavily even in many physical on location sets as well as Nothing but Green Screened sets where everything needed is inserted in post. This affected performances but the Excitement of everything that Could be done SLIGHTLY tipped the very Fine Balance between Story and Dependency Upon SPECTACLE to pull the narrative slack. While a Technological Achievement they were,,the story elements there, just not as good as it could have been because of the WOW factor. The Matrix and LOTR set the bar again but also gave a slot of Spectacle that was Earned with the Story with maybe a handful of moments between each where things were...disproportionate to the tale. But the Matrix affected everything afterwards for a while, even the bright and colorful world of the XMen who went with the Black leather look while other films just did their own Matrix dystopian future, Equilibrium, Ultraviolet and others to Diminishing Returns and then even quick to being parodied in comedies and cartoons. These filmmakers that are Cheesing off the fans and ruining things, they're the Students of the Age of Spectacle where in the Schools, the Use and Availability of the Tools for even Low Budget is now so common place that just about anyone interested enough can learn and make their own content from Home....take ASTARTES as the Best example of a New Breed of Storytelling Filmmakers who have Learned from the Mistakes of the Creation IMBALANCE...and are getting Back to where the NOVELTY of the TOOLS ISN'T so Wow anymore. That the Tools in the hands of the Next Generation or the Carry Overs who Glean the Same Idea, the Tools become TOOLS ONLY and Used When NEEDED and Not when some SUIT Demands it. The Imbalance and Disproportion Today is seen in the hands of the directors we're complaining about here and their work. The last films for both Robin Hood and King Arthur were CGI Spectacles which Should have been primarily All Practically filmed and the Stunts were too outlandish, costuming wasn't Period enough.... These directors are Students of the Spectacle and how to use that as the visual Storytelling element. This...Dependency and Handicap has Lowered the Bar on the Need to Depend on Subtly and Subterfuge that only Storytelling can Give to Make Up for what is by comparison today Bad SPFX. Like Jaws and a buggy shark prop that was Less Effective the more it was seen as time went on, a curse of sequels themselves in Some Cases. The Monster is Less Scary the More of it you See. Yet in other stories the More you See the Better like Godzilla. Yet because of the Education in Spectacle and the Pervasiveness of the CGI toolset these are the gang who Spent Far Less Time in Narrative Lessons and Crafting a Story, the tech advancements and even the shrinking of Camera Technologies has allowed for just Movement and Lens Flaring to make up for Needed and Narratively Necessary Beats to occur leaving only Exposition to chew out story to explain what's going on. It's too Easy to get Lost in the Spectacle like BvS and forget about the fa t that 4 or more movie worthy plotlines from the comics alone were Destroyed by a guy who NEVER READ COMICS BEFORE COLLEGE AND HIS FIRST WAS WATCHMEN. Like, I'm Gkad Zack got to finish off his Cut and all...but that entire Endeavor was Built upon a Shattered and unstable, practically nonexistent Foundation leaving the JL and The Cut to Make up the Difference and testing patienece and bladders. Spectacle isn't STORY. And STORY and the LIMITATIONS of Practical Filmmaking Forced the DEPENDECY of the SPFX Spectacle Upon the QUALITY of the Story. Yeah I'm long winded. ;p For me ASTARTES isn't Just a short Fan Series that can be watched in under 16 mins... It's a Clear Demonstration that the TOOLS in the Right Hands, the hands of CREATIVES who Understand the Value of Story and How to Tell it, to TRUST that your Viewers are smart enough to Follow Along without having to be Told every step of the way. Mystery Boxes that Pay Off of at least Tantalize towards Another Future pay off that is Shown to actually Be in the works... ASTARTES has Next to No Dialogue and its AMAZING. Every Shot tells a story because the One Guy who made it, at home, in his spare time, is one of the Most INNOVATIVE Filmmakers of the New Breed...as an INDICATOR of What is Possible when the Creatives Behind the works KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Source Material and Can Adpat and Create their Own Original works Within the same Universe the Mess SEAMLESSLY or as in This Case, Elevate and Proportionately Match the Narrative Tenets of the 40k universe and its Constiuent parts. He Knows how a Spacemarine is Supposed to Act, What they are Capable of compared to standard humans and can Show that Proportion Effectively, Realistically, Adhereing to Canon and Becoming the Best Representation Of that Canon, thus far. Jones Favreau and Dave Filoni Represent the Carry over overlapping Paradigm where the Importance of Story was Never Lost and the TOOLS were Used Proportionately when Necessary. The Volume where all of the Mandalorian, a mix of Screen Walls and Ceiling, LCD Monitors and partial On Set Physical Props seamlessly blended but all Present so the Best performances can be drawn from the actors. The Tools Now in the Right Hands simply Produce the Best Product. The Tools in the WRONG HANDS has proven to be a literal waste of time amd money for Everyone involved from the studio to the public. Its gonna take FINDING those Creatives that Are Artists and Storytellers First and Foremost who understand that Spectacle Cannot Replace Quality Storytelling. ...ever. Spectacle, like Paying Customers and Patrons, must be Earned for us to Care. I'm hoping soon, that the tide will turn and things change for the better, because I want more Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who...but it's all Gotta be made be People who CARE and Understand what the Balance Is and how to stay True to something.
I’m 44 years old. I started seriously collecting comics in 1987, and I started with Thor #382, and collected every single issue after, and the 311 previous issues before, over the next 30 years. I have a Thor tattoo. I managed a comic store for almost a decade and made our first business cards Thor related. And guess what? I fucking LOVE Ragnarok. It’s easily the most entertaining of that entire specific franchise. I don’t need my films to be pedantic, slavish translations...I need them to be GOOD MOVIES. Yeah...I love the Walt Simonson era of comics...but Thor Dark World, which is thematically the most faithful translation of the Thor films to the source material, is EASILY the worst of the lot, and one of the worst of Marvel’s whole output. I LIKE a fun Thor. Yes, he’s not the dour, self-serious Shakespeare spouting comic version. But honestly...that shit got annoying REAL FAST in the films. But ultimately, faithfulness to the comic world aside, and your critique of his very tongue-in-cheek view on “ruining” the material...Taika Waititi is a BRILLIANT filmmaker. Not one bad film under his belt. I’d rather him direct a marvel film that someone who loves the source material but can’t actually direct a film. (BTW, with Ragnarok specifically...the visual homages to Kirby’s work alone makes it more of a love letter than any Marvel film to date. I can’t fathom how more people don’t understand this!!!)
When Mike said that he was curious what "Solo" would've been like with Lord/Miller, I think it would have been just as bad. Those 2 a$$holes are in the same boat with Benihof/ Rian Johnson/ Weiss/ JJ Abrams/ Lindehof: they're all in it for shock value; the studio's approval; higher box office returns. Like Michael said earlier in the vid, maybe they were nerds who were kissing a$$ to the corporate execs & promising they would make it "cool" or (fill in the blank____) in order just to get past the gatekeepers...and then have no fxcking plan on what to do afterwards... -It's just sad to see how "Star Wars" has deteriorated; how "Game of Thrones" 'collapsed on itself'; and this is the future of the film industry. It's going to go into the slump it was in back in the early 70s. Maybe then we'll have a different kind of film that will revolutionize how films are told and made (for the better) like a little movie that took place 'a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....' But I'm not holding my breath.
Развлечения
15 years ago, I could not afford to buy everything I wanted on dvd. Theese days, I cant find anything I want to buy...
Same. I buy maybe 1 or 2 new blurays a year nowadays. More often than not, I'm re-buying good older movies to fill out my collection instead.
@@gnarkillguch I agree, and I think itis a good plan. It saddens me some that I hear rumour that the 20th Century Fox movies might not be out in ciculalation any longer.
Buy Fox movies while you can. What's on the shelf will not profit Disney and will help preserve history from their cultural totalitarianism.
Right there with you, Onis Nikalos.
I buy discs all the time, but they're almost all movies that are decades old. Rarely do I like a new movie enough to own and watch multiple times.
Simple: *They* hate you but want your money.
"Wanted to expand the fanbase to people beyond the fantasy fanbase"
Like trying to sell cigarettes to non-smokers...
Exactly, Especially strange since fantasy (used to?) have the biggest and srongest fanbase. It makes little sense...
Not like selling cigarettes to non-smokers. More like selling porn to monks. They do want it, but it’s not cool for them to admit it. GoT did in fact produce a ton of new fantasy fans.
@@onewingedangelsephiroth1561 Lord of the Rings movies and Harry Potter did that too.
That’s the problem when you take an art form and try to run it like an infinite growth business (which, since Disney is a publicly traded company, it has to do.)
Hahahahahahaha!!!
A combination of nepotism, ideology, fear and Twitter has murdered entertainment.
Oh my god, Twitter is the dark side....
Us indies are trying to fix the issue. All we need is more exposure.
We’re ultimately dealing with a sterile, almost lab-like environment wherein Hollywood tries to artificially create hits by co-opting the work of more creative people.
Either these people are out of their elements against their will, or they want to turn established things into dark reflections of themselves.
Skilled, creative people will thrive even when out of the element or given less to work with (Beast Wars is a great example of that; as neither of the main writers for that show were Transformers writers).
Corporations exist to manufacture; not create.
They don't even exist to manufacture anymore.
It's a lot more sinister than that. They want to erode and destroy all the classics we enjoy, so they purposely remake them in hopes os sullying the originals. Because an enjoyable original sheds light on the sheer lack of talent in Hollywood right now, and harkens back to much better days. They need to rewrite history to make themselves look competent, and it's working.
I knew a guy at Uni who was basically full of crap. All his fellow class mates of his year knew he was. His lecturers knew he was. His work was mediocre at best and I was told my work was way better than his. But he had a talent. He knew how to walk into a room and bullshit people into convincing them he was the man with the plan. Hence, why straight after Uni, he got to work at a bigger studio and found work straight away. Unlike me who still struggles to this day. The talent he had to sell "Viagra to nuns" is basically something that sums up why all these morons get these funding at big studios.
Here's hoping someone will give you the chance to make the films / TV Shows that you'd like to make, one day.
So many people need to watch this video!
7:00 i really wish they rebooted failed properties instead. Its much easier to fix what's broken then what's not.
How the hell do you not make a DinoRiders movie?
I'm born in 1974. I've grown up with al these great movies , Star Wars , Ghostbusters , Indiana Jones , you know the list. To me , al these Franchises will forever remain the Franchises from when i was a kid , when i loved them (and still love them). Franchises from the 70ies and /or 80ies. I couldn't care less about any modern adaptations , because i know they will inevitably fxck it up. Today's "creatives" are nihilistic , self absorbed , corporate stooges that haven't got the first clue at how to make a Great movie. I'll catch a modern remake or reboot or whatever when its on tv , and when i have some dead time on my hands at that moment. But i sure as hell will never , ever buy a theatre ticket to go see one ! Marvel aside (and i can't judge on that because i'm not a Marvel fan) i really think "The Golden age" was back when all these Franchises were actually born. Even if they somehow would improve , they will never ever be as good as the originals. So in the end...why even bother ?
I was born 1968 and was the perfect age for the GOLDEN AGE of Hollywood Sci-Fi. What a time to grow up !!. Unfortunately I was a little to old to buy Star Wars toys for ROTJ..(But that didn't stop me)
The 90's had good movies.
Could you ever imagine Ford or Lean or Capra or Wilder or Coppola or Spielberg or even Lucas saying, "I hope that half the audience hates my film."
I don't understand the decisions being made in choosing the people that are making the decisions.
You're absolutely correct in pointing out how against corporate interest that attitude ultimately is.
The people who were writing stories and creating new IPs in the 60s, 70s, and 80s were mostly men who had experienced the world before creating their great works. These were war veterans, race car drivers, working men, etc. So they brought their unique life experiences with them when creating new characters and worlds. The GenX filmmakers grew up watching the movies and television shows, or reading the comic books, created by those men and then went straight into making their own movies instead of experiencing life for themselves.. So most of the GenX guys' "creativity" is just reimagining or mashing-up other people's ideas. They don't have any original ideas of their own and they don't know how to craft a proper story, they just know how to get a reaction out of an audience. They remember something from an episode of a TV show and how it made them feel when they were kids and they craft their stories with the intent of recreating that feeling, regardless of how it affects the narrative.
I'm sure Generation X had its George Lucas, or Stan Lee, or Gene Roddenberry; but those guys got overshadowed by snake-oil salesmen like JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson (who sure does get super defensive on Twitter for someone who claims that he wants half of his audience to hate his movies).
...True
Everyone is influenced by what they experience as a child, you think Lucas and Spielberg weren’t influenced by the movies and serials they saw as kids and teenagers?
Humans have been copying, recycling, remaking and rewriting similar stories, legends, myths and yes even religions throughout history.
Even JRR Tolkien based his stories in myths and legends of the past as well.
@@AvelierPlays Of course they were, but men like Lucas, Spielberg, Tolkien, etc. also had influences from outside of popular culture. Whether conscious or unconscious, the lives they lived affected their creations.
Modern filmmakers seem to only be influenced by other films and haven't really lived a life outside of the Hollywood system. At least that seems to be the case for guys like JJ and Rian.
I don't really recall Rian Johnson getting defensive.
Yeah have to think of Gene Roddenberry when I read this.
Yep, Star Wars lost me permanently after The Last Jedi + the way Lucasfilm has treated fans after the fact. Now they've lost me AND my 2 boys, who don't know anything about the ST. Oh well, saves me money!
@J. C. Of course they know the OT! I said they don't know anything about the ST. The OT they love, one is being Obi Wan for Halloween 😂. Star Wars for us will be 1977 - 2012. I'm good with that right now.
Fans were treated fine, except for the toxic ones that were harassing actors and directors, etc. In think it's okay to call those people out for their bad behaviour.
Toxic? Like the Kelly Marie Tran story? That's mostly all media BS, it was probably just a few idiots on the internet. As for the directors/writers, they should be able to take criticism without insulting fans AT ALL. Lucas did it, Rian Johnson should have no problem. Like the saying goes, the customer is always right - in Hollywood they don't seem to follow that motto at all anymore. Not good!
@@thebaron7960 Uhh no she most definitely got a ton of harrassment. It's why she left social media. She wrote a whole article about it. And the only time I recall Rian "insulting fans" was when he said "when I talk about man-babies" and linked to the story about Kelly Marie Tran. If anything Rian was very diplomatic. He talked about reading these long emails from fans about their issues with the movie.
Customer is alright saying is BS. If the customer is acting like a POS, they deserve to be thrown out and potentially have the cops called on them. By the same token, "fans" that insult, harass, and do worse to actors and crew should be called out for their behavior.
Remember that Lucas retired and sold Star Wars due to all the fan hate. We would have got Lucas sequels if the fans hadn't run him off. Fans drove Jake Lloyd to literal madness and ruined his life. Ahmed Best became suicidal. It's these people that can't separate fantasy from reality and think that someone's life should be made a living hell because they didn't like a movie. And now they're still doing it today. So yeah, those customers aren't right.
@@Benjamin0119 Rian Johnson diplomatic? I completely disagree. He's proven time and time again he's an arrogant douche bag who had no right being given free reign on a Star Wars movie. That will go down as the worst decision in cinema history. Its more then the manbaby BS, the guy's a first class troll.
KMT got about 3 nasty, racist comments on Instagram I believe, and decided to shut her social media down. Yes, no one should ever speak to anyone like that, but its the Internet, a disgusting place. Roundhead blew it way out of proportion and mobilized her into an attack on anyone who hated his "movie". He knew what he was doing, he's a dirty Hollywood scumbag.
As for the customer is always right, that's 95% true unless the company doesn't like money. Of course there are cases of complete asshole customers but this really doesn't apply to criticizing a multi million dollar movie that people pay to see. Rian is on video saying he enjoys when half the viewers love his movie, while the other half thinks its the worst movie ever made. He got exactly what he wanted, and then plays victim. The guys a buffoon.
I've come to believe there are at least two types of people - people who can do things and people who are great bullshitters. For some reason, bullshitters seem to be more prevalent and they cling together and support one another.
Are great word Smith's and sell poop disguised as art to people too. If you leave the designated swim lane you will be shamed for it.
I'm picturing the scene in the board room at the movie studios looking something like the Simpsons episode "Itchy and Scratchy and Poochie" when the writer points out that the executives are using buzzwords like "paradigm" and "proactive" just to sound intelligent and important so he gets fired.
I was speaking about this with a friend of mine the other day after Church. We're both religious Christians. Grew up on the entertainment of films and shows from the 70s, 80s, 90s, but I'd say I never limited my tastes to just then, however I really like it. He on the other hand prefers stuff from the past more than I do. So we're having this conversation, and he brought up a similar point about the nihilism point you brought.
Just a heads up, we're not the kind of guys who believe in censorship so much or that the more non-religious themes in films are what's ruining cinema. From how he explained it, and how I understand it, he thinks that when a generation of people grow up with a faithless view of reality, where magic is fleeting, and the world is dark and grim because of world events and personal ones they've faced to solidify a faithless and nihilistic and cynical view of the world, then the wonders of fantasy and adventure and serialization that was popular from the 20th Century will not be suffice to them. To not believe in a Spirituality, whether your own or of a religion, then you lack the soul that goes into making art.
And we've seen it today. We have people are technical and very exquisite as to how to point with a camera and capture visuals that do outdo some of the stuff made in the past, but that's like saying we admire a Computer Science student for knowing how to meddle with a computer. It's cool, sure, but he's basing it on how others do it. The real praise comes in what he does with those skills and techniques to advance the field of computer science or find a right combination of code that requires creativity to make something new or feel new. The same goes for everything else, including Cinema.
Now I'm not saying you need to be Christian to appreciate art or create art. Many of the Silent Generation and Boomer Generation of Directors who made the movies we love were of other faiths or atheistic or agnostic. However, if you think its dumb to look at life from a beyond perspective, beyond you, me, or anyone else, then you're stuck on one side of the brain, and completely forgetting the other side you've got that can tell you so much more. I don't doubt these people are creative, but its creativity from a mindset to strip away the magic of simplicity, and basic explanations. The real world needs to understand the fabric of the universe, and we won't understand it all, but in fiction, you don't need to grasp everything and how everything works IF it is explained poorly and boring. Also, if your storytelling is about getting to points a, b, and c with barely any meat in between them ... then you're a material person. Material people make material products. The past decade of reboots and return to old franchises have been done like that.
“Themes are for eighth-grade book reports”
- David Benioff
_[insert Picard facepalm meme here]_
No bashing, no slagging off just an honest opinion to the state of the modern film industry
Yes. Enough to brand him a "hater," I'm sure.
“And I told Rian, you have to think of the fans. And he said, ‘No, you have to think about the film.’” - Mark Hamill on a live panel, recounting his words to Rian Johnson, and Rian Johnson’s response.
And then you watch Mark Hamill’s head drop down like he is about to be ill at Rian’s total lack of understanding of what Star Wars is about. And you hear the crowd cheer as Rian begins to babble about how wonderful The Last Jedi is. And the camera stays focused on Mark for a few seconds more ... on the one man who knew Luke Skywalker better than any of us because he WAS Luke Skywalker. And you see the pain that Mark Hamill feels and that he is warning all of us fans that TLJ will be so destructive to the fan base, the mythos, and to the actual intellectual property that is Star Wars.
“I only want to make movies that half the viewers will like, and the other half of the viewers will hate.” - Rian Johnson
And Kathleen Kennedy thinks Rian Johnson is awesome. Gives him his own trilogy for fucks sake!
Corporate Hollywood knows NOTHING about Star Wars. Or how to make decent movies.
WOW! -That's the 1st time I heard that! And it DOES sound like something Hamill would say since he always disagreed with Johnson's treatment of Luke Skywalker.
It occurs to me that Gene Roddenberry sold Star Trek to the suits as a "space western", which at that time was the most mainstream genre, but he actually wanted to bring very sincere science fiction to television. You can debate how well he succeeded, but it was made out of a sincere love of the genre, that's a far cry from the cynical self-serving "geek chic" that's taken over entertainment today.
And I'm glad he didn't make it purely hard sci fi. The show draws you in with it's lovable, relatable characters, but then delivers some great thought-provoking sci fi stories. The episodes get peoples' imaginations stimulated, but what we come back to the original show for time and again are those great characters....the human element.
@@demoskunk Star Trek for me as an adult today is enjoyable science fantasy. The moment I mention that, Trekkies get rather defensive, angry and hot under the collar when I say this, but it's true. It's the characters and worldbuilding that make the shows, not the weird science. That's why I enjoy DS9 so much for those very reasons.
The major malfunction is that they are not hiring competency but hiring ideology. It does not matter if you are the best person to do the job but the best person to inject the ideological belief into the work.
Well said, Michael! I agree wholeheartedly with every word. Two of my all-time favorite IPs, Star Trek and Star Wars, have been completely destroyed by these "filmmakers," and any amount of decent writing is nonexistent. Seems like no one cares about the source material anymore, or have any respect for what has been done in the past. It truly breaks my heart. That being said, I'm ever thankful for IPs like The Expanse, and The Orville!
And you see tons of fans who are ADDICTED to these franchises who STILL support this crap.
I've had words with some of these guys but they're just too thick-headed and you can't get through to them no matter what arguments and examples you use let alone mentioning how disrespectful the studios and filmmakers are towards the fans.
You gotta call these people who support Star Wars and Star Trek at the cost of BAD PRODUCT "delusional."
There's really no other term that fits their mindset.
Remember when comics became really good in the mid to late 80s because people like Alan Moore and Frank Miller decided to make them more realistic? And how most creatives and especially management only saw the gore and grit and totally missed the characterization, nuance and reinvention of the genre? And how every fucking comic book in the early 90s (with a few exceptions obviously) became deliberately savage and mindless and irony-free, entirely missing the point? I think that's kind of what's happening to the film industry now. They've seen what works, but they don't understand why.
I think this all the time.
@Jason Godwin Very good anology(?) and point. I remember that time too and agree.They have seen the result, and want to mimick it, but do not understand the mechanics behind it, which brings disaster. The message in lost in glossy surface, form over function sort of thing.
I wonder if Frank Miller himself fell into the same trap of learning the wrong lessons from the past successes of himself and his contemporaries?
It's verisimilitude versus veracity. They want to capture the image or the flash or the style of something that was successful, without caring enough to be consistent with the fundamental elements of that successful thing. Their work is meant to connote something else, but it isn't really based on or connected to that something else. They are not true to the source material, so their product will never truly work. It might achieve a big following initially with enough hype, but that fizzles quickly. After a 3-year live action series and a cartoon series, the original Star Trek crew then got 6.5 movies; the New Trek's shields failed with 2 and then the whole thing suffered a warp core breach with their 3rd.
"There is something about their inherent personalities that is toxic to these genre movies but is appealing to the people who green-light the projects. And so, we're in a perfect storm of dysfunction at this point." Michael, thank you for this video. It's really wonderful when someone else vocalises (brilliantly) what you've personally thought yourself. Cathartic and comforting. Thank you.
I love this video. Alex Kurtzman is the single best example of Gen X losers falling up in Hollywood
Agreed. I've rewatched Red Letter Media's Picard take multiple times because of the vitriol they direct towards Kurtzman. There is no better way to tell a movie will suck than if Kurtzman is attached to it in anyway.
@@jthom0027 Dark Universe. You wouldn't think anyone would want him after that.
Add JJ Abrams & Damon Lindelof to that list.
Michael, first off thank you for your insightful comments. It is easy to see how if the current studio environment existed in the 70's, Star Wars would never had been made because it would have been too much of a gamble. The companies that own the studios now are more concerned with maximizing profit in the short term and that means going with intellectual property that has a built in fan base from which to build on. It means starting without a finished script in order to make a coveted release date that is tied in with millions in advertising and promotions. It means locking down designs for toys early enough to get in the stores before the Christmas holiday. The movie itself has become an afterthought in many ways now instead of the driving force it was when it was the only tickets the studios wanted to sell.
I never would have thought when I was a kid that they would ruin all of my favorite fictions .
They’ve managed to make Star Wars a bad joke , and Ridley Scott ruined ALIEN all by himself .
It’s just sad .
At this point I want a new I.P. but I’m not sure it’s possible after what happened to Game of Thrones
At least George Miller made another good Mad Max movie with Fury Road. Everyone else is deconstructing their own legacies. Ridley Scott does it with Alien. James "And Then I Start To See Things I Recognize" Cameron with Terminator. Tim Burton with almost every movie he made after the turn of the millenium.
almightytallestred mad max was a masterpiece.
AGREED💯
The very public suicide of Ridley's brother, director Tony Scott, greatly affected Ridley. Ridley arrived in Hollywood during a British invasion of UK directors to Hollywood. Tony was in film school in England. Ripley talked him into dropping out and coming to California with a heavy promise, "I'll make you famous". Tony killed hinself a few months after the release of Prometheus. The brothers "spoke" to one another through their films. Something in Prometheus made Tony, who was battling cancer, kill himself. After his death Ridley changed the course of ALIEN and his other franchises to work out his grief of losing Tony.
Maybe thats part of the reason the generations brought things to this point. Pride does go before a fall. Ridley was treated like royality, he had groups of sycophants following him to meetings an sometimes he played the enigma thing to the hilt and rarely spoke to anyone at these meetings. Lucas surrounded himself with yes men too scared to say anything during the filming of the prequels.
skylx08 alien is my favorite sci fi movie , and Ripley is one of the great forgotten movie heroes of that era .
I’m not trolling , the whole thing really hurts me inside .
These movies should have been cherished , and instead they just sucked them dry .
@@eyedestroyeverything9953 everyone still remembers Ripley
Excellent commentary. Glad you are speaking about this. Fandom is increasingly taking notice.
You know, when they made "The Wizard of Oz," "Citizen Kane," and "It's A Wonderful Life," or "The Sound of Music," "Psycho," and "Jaws," or "Star Wars," "The Terminator," and "Superman: The Movie," and even "The Mummy," "The Matrix," and "Forrest Gump," they didn't think - hey, we're making some of the greatest films ever made. They just did their job, making some entertainment they thought would entertain others; as well as themselves. They had fun, made mistakes, and tried as hard as they could. But most importantly of all, they respected the medium, respected the source material/concepts, and especially respected the audience.
Now, Hollywood just wants to push out mediocre follow ups to proven franchises for quick cash grabs. And the directors/producers/actors aren't any better. The majority of them are perfectly content with making episode after episode, film after film, filling in their quota to make a cinematic universe, television season, or whatever - with only the bare minimum amount of creativity and effort - all just to sucker in mainstream audiences into watching season after season, film after film, just to get the bigger picture.
I mean, you said it yourself in a previous video how movies used to actually have a beginning, middle, and end. A movie was a complete experience. Now it's just a thrown together puzzle piece akin to a cheap pencil. Once you've used it up, you just gotta get another... and another... and another. It's like Hollywood blockbusters have become a drug. It's unhealthy, your time would be spent better doing something else, but you've just gotta keep doing it.
Well, I've stopped. Filmmaking's been around for well over 100 years now. Television a bit shorter, but certainly the better half of a century. There's hundreds if not thousands of undiscovered gems out there, and I'm much more content with checking them out for myself than sitting through any more of the current wave of boring and untalented. I'll go out and watch Star Wars when they actually start making good Star Wars films. I'll start watching Fantasy television when they actually make a show for Fantasy fans.
The only way Hollywood listens is with their wallets. If you really want a change, you gotta hit em where it hurts. I'm not calling for a "boycott" here or anything. I'm just saying - you don't like, don't keep giving them your money and getting disappointed. There's better content out there. Heck, even content like this, RetroBlasting, is great!
I'm just sorry for the kids, teens, and now young adults who've known nothing more than this. They don't know Star Wars like we do. And they might never will...
Agreed those movies was for the Art not for cash
This is exactly why the MCU succeeded while every attempt at a subsequent MCU failed: the MCU wasn't _trying_ to be the MCU, it became the MCU _organically_ one hit film with consistent continuity at a time and _eventually earned_ eventual sequels and crossovers instead of starting with the crossover and working backwards from trying to manufacture entire movies as episodes of sequential storytelling.
Great video. One of the worst things is that there are VERY talented people that could make great original movies/shows, but they are ignored or their ideas get completely massacred by non-creatives. I used to work in the TV industry and it happened there too. It's sad and frustrating.
They seek to "grow the fanbase" by pandering to people who are not typical fans because to them, the "fanboy" money is a forgone conclusion. And to an extent, from what I've seen, it's true. There are plenty of people willing to slop up whatever swill is offered up as long as it has their favorite brand name on it. There's a word for this and every time I go to write it down, it flies right off the tip of my tongue and I just can't grasp it.
That’s the one thing about my generation I could never stomach: the “too-cool-for-school” attitude. Everything has to be done with a wink-wink to ease all the basics, just so they don’t have to be embarrassed by liking Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.
Plus, the "too-cool-for-school" attitude has created 2 (going on 3) generations of English speakers who don't know the difference between there, their, and they're; your and you're; where and were; have and of... I could go on. We've got a world full of stupids now because only NERDS pay attention in school.
On RUclips too: many people that talk about B-movies do it with a sarcastic and disrespectful attitude as to show they're superior.
Luckily this doesn't happen with the local B-movie youtubers of my country, they usually are respectful and professional.
I'm not sure about that, I mean, I couldn't name any of the people I know who think they're "too-cool-for-school" I couldn't name any of the people I know who doesn't know the differences between they're, there, their etc.
But bro, we learned the differences of they're, there and their in kindergarten and 1st grade, so, yeah.
And I agree about the not bringing up likeing star wars.
"Steve Jobs was known to have agreed with the famous principle “A level people hire level A people, B level people hire C level people." So as a recruiting philosophy, Apple hires only A players. There are sound reasons why this principle is so effective. When searching for talented employees, B levael players are afraid to hire people that could be better than them. They feel threatened by anyone that could surpass them, so their thinking is better to raise themselves up by keeping other people down. A players understand the benefits of hiring A players from the beginning, and prefer working with other A players. They keep each other sharp, motivated, challenged and competitively engaged. A players can better recognize other A players. They understand how they work and how they’re motivated, making them easier to spot." Must be a bunch of "B levels" at the top making these hires, Michael.
Very good observation. These directors have no real creative integrity and are hired because these companies don’t understand the properties they try to cash cow. These new iterations will not hold up in the ensuing decades unlike the original films.
Absolutely spot on Michael.
I thank God that I was a kid in the 70's, a teenager in the 80's, and a young adult in the 90's. People from my generation got the best of everything new and amazing... the movies, books, music, toys, hobbies, etc. And... we got the best of what the generations before handed down to us. The traditions of the past melded with the classics of the past made certain we were a more well rounded generation than the ones that followed.
Shout out to Mr. Eriksson, my 5th grade teacher, for turning us on to JRR Tolkien, Estes Rockets, and The Beatles.
Necron 2112 OMG I miss Estes rockets! LOL! I feel like I liked in the Golden Age of Awesomeness!!!
This is kind of missing the point he's making.
@@LPTV84 How so? That certain members of our generation, like Michael and myself respect and hold reverence for the people and things that informed our development as adults, and other members of our generation embraced a nihilistic deconstructionist worldview that boarders on iconoclastic destruction of the classics? And unfortunately those members of our generation are the ones who came into positions of power? We get the point.
I don’t know man, you Gen Xers are all a sorry lot in my personal experience (old Millenial here 39 yo). Gen X really ain’t that different from the boomers.
On the nose, Michael. I don't care what the naysayers try to spin it as, what you've stated about the current environment in Hollywood is undeniable.
why do these people get directing jobs?
simple
one word: nepotism
1978 - Dick Donner had an essentially silly and kid friendly property, took it seriously, and made the world believe that a man could fly in blue tights. Was pulled off the sequel.
2000 - Bryan Singer is given control of one of the most versatile properties ever, down grades characterization, shifts focus from the team dynamic to one person, puts them in black leather to make characters with laser beam eyes & weather powers "more realistic", mocks the fan base for liking something so "silly". He gets overly praised for two, at best, average films because of one action sequence.
Thank you Mr and Mrs Retroblasting, I feel this might be your most important video to date about our current mediaculture and culture-creation. :)
The one main thing I've learned from working nearly 25 years of my life is that almost no one knows what they hell they are doing. They just fake it til they make it. The ones that put all their resources into becoming great at faking it are the ones that rise to the top. Seems like the movie industry is no different.
Sounds like a student who does no work, spends time nattering at lectures, never attends the practicals, yet borrows everybody's coursework and notes and gets a good grade and a good degree.
100% right I feel the same way
Great video Michael and spot on. PC culture is mostly what’s to blame.
Pander to the minority so as to not “offend” anyone.
Brilliant and very well said, Totally agree the scene in Hollywood is messed up and everything they touch now is a poison chalice.
This video is so important. The hundreds I’ve seen, you nailed it.
Bottom line is they are wanting young and "hip" directors to bring something flashy and exciting for a new generation. HOWEVER, that seems to be there only consideration and completely forgetting the mythology, and most importantly the characterization, established in the original trilogy.
Im not paying to see starwars ep 9
I have a theory why these hacks keep getting hired, and it has very little to do with whether or not they're the most qualified for the job.
Oy ve
Thank you RetroBlasting 🔥🔥🔥🔥
I'll just say this: Hollywood loves a sociopath.
@Lord Kuuga
Ooooh Dang
Spot on, Michael. These hacks and flim-flammers are just killing franchises for profit and fame, and the fat cats don't care, as long as they get their paycheck. Sad situation at best.
Creative people have been moved out of any decision making in Hollywood. And also pretty much of any other industry. Thats why there is dysfunction in the entire national and supranational economies...
It's so sad to think that the days of 70's and 80's Lucas and Spielberg are gone. By that I mean similar to what Michael had said; filmmakers who create their own new and original films, sure a lot of their work took inspiration from works of the past but they at the end of the day Star Wars and Raiders of the lost ark were still original films. My only hope can be that the next generation of filmmakers chose to be inspired by films of the past to make new ones instead of just remaking films that already worked
i totally agree with your sentiments.The wrong type of directors for our movie's.We need genuine fans to make them
Or at least people able to do some research
If everything tries to appeal to the same audience, everything will look the same.
That's why most modern TV shows are soap operas, and most modern movies are action movies.
Exactly, I know nothing about fantasy (I'm more of a sci-fi guy), but my first reaction upon seeing Game of Throes was: this is a medieval soap opera.
I just want to say there aren't any words in the English language to describe how thankful we are of you for doing what you do with sincerity and integrity, Michael. It's a sad state of Hollywood indeed and I can't help but feel that my generation (gen-y) hasn't made things any better than the films passionless gen-x filmmakers you've mentioned in this video.
When I was a kid, I used to dream of filmmaking. These guys all seem like they were spoiled and just had to be filmmakers because they had inside influence from family or money. I wanted to make movies for people like myself and my friends. It seems to me if you make a film that is honest, honest in that you weren’t thinking about how much money you could make or how cool the people who will love it are, it could still suck, but at least it would be the movie that was true to a vision.
that's beautifully said and a great reason to be a filmmaker - I was similar, but music took me away from practicing film. I still have a dream of writing a movie and directing it one day...you never know!
Like opening a comic book and drawing or writing. Maybe not very well but a true vision and wanting to put something out there. Maybe the execution is not strong but the actual passion of doing it and getting better as you do more. Or getting your friends together and filming something because you've got the passion.
All this funding and little passion!
Everything that you've said sums up why I'd like to go into the entertainment industry (be it films, television, animation, or video games), one day.
To make something that I and any friends I make could enjoy... if more people are brought in and they enjoy it, then that's a bonus for me.
I feel the same way when it comes to the DC shows on Fox and CW. The showrunners play fast and loose with the characters when there is no reason for it. The source material is there so why not use it properly.
Agreed
Disney star wars is just plain awful!!!!
You forget to mention possibly the worst... MICHAEL BAY
Millennial: I've never watched a Star Wars movie.
Disney: Give this hipster a directors chair!
Nearly every director they have hired, grew up watching Star Wars. Many of the people working at Lucasfilm and ILM, got into filmmaking because of Star Wars. JJ Abrams grew up watching Star Wars. Rian would watch the first film over and over in sitting. Gareth Edwards, could quote the entirety of ANH.
@@lukerope1906 My joke was in moving forward, actually. The only gripe I've had is with the decision to axe Luke off so quickly and write him so uncharacteristically.
@@johnmpowell01 I for one like that Luke has become one with the Force.
And I wouldn't say he was written uncharacteristically either. But I'm not going to get into that right now.
"Nerd Culture" has been co-opted by people who do not understand the culture. When I was in HS it was nerdy to like Star Trek and collect EU Star Wars books. It did not win girls, or make you homecoming king. I got made fun of because I liked this stuff. Now, maybe because of the success of the MCU, I don't know, people think "being a nerd" is the in thing. But the problem is they are taking the superficial aspects of nerd culture and making that the substance, which it surely isn't. Myself and my friends lived and breathed our sci-fi and fantasy properties. We studied all the source books, memorized all the lines in the films, collected the toys/models. Talked about storylines and characters almost as if they were real people. We were INTO it, and we were into it genuinely, not to impress people or fit into some group. We enjoyed what we enjoyed and put it out there on our sleeve with great social risk, especially as young people where your image was everything. But we stuck to our guns and kept enjoying our hobbies even if it meant being chastised by the "cool kids". But now, every tom dick and harry and internet thot and attention seeking social butterfly has latched on to this nerd culture thing. These movie makers are absolutely disingenuous jerks who just want to milk it for market share, and deep down don't give two poops about what made these IPs viable in the first place. Real nerds who have a real interest in these stories and characters kept it alive. All they are doing in Hollywood now is milking them until they are dry, to discard them for the next fad. It's disgusting and fake, and it sickens me. And they wonder why the Fandom Menace exists.
This is just right. Your thoughts are very welcome on this moment. Looks like the Bryan Johnson situation was going to repeat with these: they lack certain light of creativity. They're destroying the culture by inducing ideology and a mediocre way to watch the world.
I believe Benioff and Weiss were "future endeavored" by Lucasfilm due to them pretty much proving they can't handle something new. They were fine while GoT was going off the books, but once it came to them having to make up an ending it was completely botched. Gemini Man is now a huge bomb and Lucasfilm noticed. Same thing happend with Colin Trevorrow after The Book of Henry bombed. As for Zach Snyder its pretty much the same as Benioff / Weiss. If he's working off another source material he can be okay (300, The Watchmen), but just about everything else he's done is garbage.
GenX film makers usually came into Cinema with movies from Sam Raimi, Coen Brothers and Tarantino -- You know, "postmodern quirkiness". And that's fine. The question is, but why keep those filmmakers trying to make movies for which they clearly have a tin ear? Are those really the filmmakers who should direct Superman or Star Wars?
I don't care about the current Star Wars anymore. Lucasfilm has crushed my enthusiasm for this franchise by substituting good storytelling for political ideologies and agendas.
I will not be seeing any more of these movies at least in the theater or renting them. The last Jedi was the last straw for me
Maybe somewhere down the road when Kathleen Kennedy and her bunch are gone I might consider giving them another chance.
im 48 im done with that although to be fair the duffer brothers are generation xrs and they have done a very good job on stranger things never liked game of thrones
Geerladenlad
What’s the political agenda?
Female characters, minority or not, simply for the sake of having them?
What political agenda do you see in Episode 9 so far?
I’m curious, because the creation of certain characters were easily arguable as being socially pressured choices, yet I don’t see Kennedy’s political agenda, just her personal one.
From The Force Awakens she has gotten shit from many film critics, and much of the hardcore fan base. Obviously, that film turned out to be one of the most successful ever financially, yet began the split between fans.
The sad fact for us hardcore fans, who’ve been let down by the new movies, is that Disney only seem to care about the average film goer and the next generation of Star Wars kid, because they don’t care as much about being true to the original characters.
I have many friends, who are about 7 to 10 years younger, and they really enjoyed Ep. 7 and 8, most of them enjoyed 8 more even.
Deadpool 1 , 2, and now Joker should’ve been a clear sign, that being SJW safe doesn’t have much effect on box office, yet we’re still seeing producers tippy toe around casting and how they tell stories.
It’s slowly turning around, with more and more cancel culture being called out as unethical, or even criminal, but we’re a long way before a blockbuster doesn’t have a “diversity specialist” on set influencing whether certain characters should be changed from white, and/or men, as well as story points that are may be offensive to some group, and/or minorities.
Sorry for my thesis, that started as a question, but even in the films I enjoy it’s gotten ridiculous.
If you want to see that extreme, check the new Batwoman show. 🤪 Holy Balls, is it a shit filled dumpster fire, well beyond the terrible casting of Ruby Rose.
Compared to the DC streaming shows, animated movies, even the DCU movies, I don’t know how they were made under the same company.
@@CorbCorbin Forced diversity is a political agenda. Or if you like diversity for diversities sake.
But that's not the only one. That is just one example.
@@CorbCorbin Don't get me wrong I don't have a problem with diversity in movies but if they're just doing that to make it diverse then there's the problem cuz it's interfering with the storytelling.
Geerladenlad
That’s why I gave the Batwoman example.
A lesbian character, so they purposely searched for a lesbian actress. That led to the decision that Ruby Rose, who just isn’t a good actress, nor is she even a good representation of the character, would lead a Batwoman series.
I would dissgree on one point, the film industry has always been run by uncreative hacks and financiers. Lucas and Coppola made Zoatrope for this reason. Orson Wells got Citizen Kane by tooth and nail. This is nothing new. However, I agree on Gen X creators. They, or at least this crop, can't write and want to drag everything down. You can do this, but it only works if you hold sacred these things, so you handle with care. The only thing sacred to them is adulating the person looking at them in the mirror.
There is no denying the political angle, is it possible that the more qualified person may not have the right politics vs someone that checks off the right boxes?
That's what usually ends up being the case.
You are spot on. There is definitely a formula for these directors. Also there is no appreciation for story telling or film history.
Christopher Perez I was just saying that it seems like everything is written by plugging in requirements into a computer program and it just spits out a random pile of crap with quotas. We have filmmakers that were inspired by filmmakers who were inspired by filmmakers. George Lucas went back to the beginning to make Star Wars: Flash Gordon, John Carter, history, myth, etc. he wasn't influenced so much by the pop directors before him (unless the were foreign filmmakers such as Kurosawa.) What we have now are copies of copies of copies. They are getting blander, and the talent and skill just fades a little more after each copy. This is why they fail.
On point take on the Hollywood situation. It's a total mess.
when you pander to one group at the expense of other groups, you please no groups!
Another problem that contributes to this phenomenon... it has been proven that the people who identify as fans of a franchise will consistently show up, no matter what. It's the impulse fans have to be experts on the topic. They often don't care how good or bad it is... they just want to consume everything of the IP.
Michael Bay realized this with Transformers. Most of the hardcore TF fans that complained about his choices still bought a ticket to see his movies. He knew it. He said it often... "You're still gonna go see it," he would boast.
So... because of this... studios and filmmakers know they only need to win over the casual audience.
What they don't realize, is that there is an essence to the original franchise that made it successful, and that identifying the essence, or the soul of a property will make the reboot successful again.
You don't have to copy it. You don't have to pander. You don't have to bait with fan service.
You need to locate the soul of the character or the franchise or the story, and make a good movie with that soul.
And remember that the design of the original thing is very much a part of it's soul. That's why unnecessary design, race, or gender changes frustrate fans.
So... if you make Superman blonde... you've ALREADY missed the mark.
I watched Bayformers for free by borrowing copies from my brother. I watched the first intently out of love for the original Generation 1, but was sorely disappointed. I went into 2 reluctantly and then felt dirty and let down by myself afterward. With 3, I read a book as it was on in the background. I played a video game with 4 on. Hated them more and more as they went along. So then I resolved to stop watching them altogether, even for free, and even with something else to distract me. Didn't try New Trek 3, or Star Wars Solo/8/9. My crapdar has become well-tuned these days, and I now happily spare myself from the reboot travesties.
Out of all the tube show I like that you are real and bipartisan and not PAID OFF like most are ,keep up the good job happy Halloween 🎃🕷⚡️🌘🍄🍁
I genuinely think that we have the Gen-X directors we do because when the marketing teams come to them and say we need X+Y they say YES, and those that say NO are labelled as "difficult to work with" to board members and investors. Bu this is just symptomatic of corporate mechanism behind film production today. Insurance companies, financiers, investors, share holders for all intents and purposes fight against the values of creativity - risk aversion stifles modern society. Every generation if scared of not being as good as the generation before it - movies and TV made FOR Gen-X were some of the most interesting fun which does show a trend of the preceding generation adjusting their stories for the following generation - unfortunately the next generation after X are from a narcissistic remix culture - which has led to reality TV and reboots/sequels. This generation also has had the greatest access to back catalogs ever seen - Apples entire economy is based on long-tail economics as too are the streaming services - making nostalgia a massive money maker - TV networks called them re-runs - but now its "on demand".
We are heading backwards, the 80s 90s we had a few free to air TV channels and cable TV (for the rich kids) but most of the good stuff was on FTA TV and cable had the rest - sports, docos, etc.. Now again we have few major players Netflix, Disney+, Amazon prime, Hulu, Apple, RUclips and the small streaming services from FTA and sports (WWE, ESPN, DC, HBO etc etc) which one can only assume will be consolidated further as the arms war over content ownership increases. There is only so much consumer $$$ and time to go around each month so economics would suggest its easier to produce content and place on somebody elses service, than to produce content and run and support a service.
P.S. Authors should be getting paid much more than they do. This is where any new IPs will emerge moving forward IMHO. Actors directors and producers get paid way too much, money that could be used by studios to produce new IPs with young up and coming talent. I think Netflix is doing a pretty good job of this with some of their movies - loved the recent movie about National Lampoons and while most films are B grade they are at least fresh and present different genres.
Nowadays I find TV entertainment much more original and compelling than a trip to the movies.
Love the Boba Fett helmet.....would be great to know who the manufacturers are (efx, Master Replicas, Hasbro Black Series?) as might get one myself soon.
@C.C. Murphree Thanks....looks great!
@C.C. Murphree Thanks again. The high end versions, like the efx one coming out soon, go for crazy money! £600 here in the UK.
I have the same helmet. It came from The Sharper Image back in 97. Senior Trip. New Orleans. Nearly cost a Benjamin back then. Can't imagine what it is now. One of the few Star Wars items I have left since I sold most of my other mementos now.
@@timothyward8695 And yet it looks just like mine.
Great video 🤙🏽🤙🏽🤙🏽
This whole mess reminds me of when I read about the executives and coorperate bozos who green lit the Macross "Do You remember Love" film, where the studio was interested in the imagery and style of the original work, but not the substance. I think the film makers you are talking about were hired specifically for their penchant for selling or attempting to sell the product to that "broad new audience" and just forget about the fandom, who they, mistakenly believe lack the individual sense to do anything to buy into everything, and anything they shamelessly slap a beloved moniker from our past on. It's almost as if they think they shouldn't have to sell the product to the loyal fan base, because we are all expected to buy in, no matter what the flavor they are pushing. In many cases, though it hasn't worked out that way. Here's the thing. We don't have to settle for this mundane endless cavalcade of disappointment. The stuff I loved back in the day will always be that which sparked my interest, and that's how we should treat it. Forget about what sleak look some idiot behind the scenes mogul or tycoon wants to turn my trek, or my star wars into! I will still be captivated every time I hear the sound of a light-sabre ignight, or the transporter activate! Every time I see a stormtrooper uniform, or that domed black visage of the original dark sith lord, I'll remember the first time I was drawn into the stuff. Speaking of which, my goodness, love the tribute to Boba Fet on the table next to you. Nice video too!
HBO just scrapped the already shot GoT prequel
By the time of Cleopatra, the Egyptians had forgotten how the pyramids were built. Likewise, no one in Hollywood seems to understand filmmaking, anymore. It's truly a pity.
Zack synder doesnt understand watchmen.
They pandered to the high-ups of theor bubble they grew up in and got ahead. Like with any thing with growing up, theor bubble has burst and theu can't handle the real world fans expectation. International money is the only thing keepimg Hollywierd afloat.
It's not what you know its who you know. And that's who's getting those director chairs
Astonishing and deep. Well done and excellent observation. You would never get this level of logic in Hollywood
Perfectly stated Michael! Thanks.
OMG! I love this guy. I mean, I have loved this channel for a long time, but I was mentally screaming AMEN! though this video. Thank you. THANK YOU. Awesome video.
Great video Michael, I'm almost giving up on movies and my new source of enjoyment is watching youtubers like you and toy polloi, analog toys and the junkman. These things entertain me. Keep up the good work!
That opening was brilliant I loved it
Spot on! Where are the genx visionairies? In the 80s we had Cameron, Raimi, Coens, Lynch, Burton, Carpenter but who has emerged since? Guys like Nolan and Fincher are great directors but they are more craftsmen than creative artists. Del Toro and Brad Bird come the closest to guys like Lucas and Speilberg that I can think of.
10:00: The bullies have now invaded the "nerd-stuff" and bully the nerds out of it.
Very reasonable opinions. Sir, you have earned a new subscriber!
What I find amusing about this is the assumption that moms and footballers aren't fantasy fans. That set of classifications is, in and of itself, a misunderstanding of genre that tends to be counterproductive. It turns fantasy fandom into Mordor and fans into the mainstream culture equivalent of orcs. What follows then is a disdain for nerd culture and the tendency to hand over properties to elves (non-nerds). That's how we get DCEU.
It's been my experience that soccer mom's will watch anything you cast Jason Momoa in. And NFL fans will watch anything with titties and violence in it.
@@Necron-ez2cc So you think "normal" people don't appreciate when good writing and effort is put into a film?
@@dubuyajay9964 Most Normies don't like "make believe".
@@Necron-ez2cc Bull. Then why go to a movie to begin with? You need an imagination to enjoy it. And it's not like an imagination helps with escapism from the daily grind of life, now does it?
@@dubuyajay9964 you're giving Normies way too much credit.
Ive been saying this since the force awakens and you laughed at me.... now you say just the same
Michael Bay completely destroyed Transformers. Hopefully the Bumblebee sequel, if there is one, continues to stay away from the Bay formula.
Idw comics helped kill transformers for me
Love the RANTING 🥇🏆🤙👻💀☠️👺👹👂✌️👊
Not really a rant just loads of Truth Bombs!
A L I know
@@janejones3170 👍
This was an excellent concise explanation that I never considered. Good Job!!
13 year old me was just fine with Lifeforce!
Why are these Hollywood hacks doing what they do? Simple answer $$$$$$
China and the rest of international money. Hollywood is not making movies for America any more.
@@erikkunkle9574 "China is here, Mr Burton."
"What does that mean, 'China is here'? I don't even know what the Hell that means."
My, but Rian's philosophy changed after people started telling him The Last Jedi sucked. Seems to me if you want half the audience not to like your film, you shouldn't insult them when they don't like it.
I know it's a year on since this came out but I thought I might add a few little tidbits from my own observations as your video was fantastic. You asked a few questions just past the 3/4 mark about what's wrong with these essentially nihilistic filmmakers.
As Gen X myself I had a mantra instilled into me very early on.
Who what where why and when.
For Everything. To take a cue from the 13th Warrior I watched and I Listened and learned much.
What I saw was the Peak of the Paradigm shift of the overlapping film making standards of All Practical to All Digital with Jurassic Park.
The great names of cinema ruled the industry up to and somewhat through that period as newer names would embrace the new tech and then run with it.
We're talking the gap between the Lucas, Spielberg, and the other big names which atm escape me, but their immediate successors were the likes of James Cameron who overlapped their generation. So post WW2 and their Baby Boom children, Gen X's parents.
The mindset was a background where Story for the most part Had to Matter as SPFX grew from a next to no educated Scientific undertstanding and then making goofy movies over to the next generation, Boomers like Lucas and such, who still held a fond love of those older Storytelling mindsets but then tweaked and updated things to work With the Tech of the day, most of which they had to develop themselves making them as a result industry leaders So many other studios for a very long time would lean on for help with all of their SPFX work.
From James Cameron on developing CGI further starting with Terminator 2 and the Abyss, the CGI Spectacle evolved until it reached a stage of Real looking Enough with Jurassic Park, the Spectacke and the TOOLS took over and everything followed suit as Hollywood's propensity to be slavishly addicted to trend extremes, we would see copying and gimmickry used across the board to cash in on the technology.
As the tech became cheaper and more common place the more pervasive the Tools would be used across the board to where there is a healthy fully CGI entertainment genre.
The Wow factor to me is what damaged the SW Prequels as those 3 films relied so heavily even in many physical on location sets as well as Nothing but Green Screened sets where everything needed is inserted in post.
This affected performances but the Excitement of everything that Could be done SLIGHTLY tipped the very Fine Balance between Story and Dependency Upon SPECTACLE to pull the narrative slack.
While a Technological Achievement they were,,the story elements there, just not as good as it could have been because of the WOW factor.
The Matrix and LOTR set the bar again but also gave a slot of Spectacle that was Earned with the Story with maybe a handful of moments between each where things were...disproportionate to the tale.
But the Matrix affected everything afterwards for a while, even the bright and colorful world of the XMen who went with the Black leather look while other films just did their own Matrix dystopian future, Equilibrium, Ultraviolet and others to Diminishing Returns and then even quick to being parodied in comedies and cartoons.
These filmmakers that are Cheesing off the fans and ruining things, they're the Students of the Age of Spectacle where in the Schools, the Use and Availability of the Tools for even Low Budget is now so common place that just about anyone interested enough can learn and make their own content from Home....take ASTARTES as the Best example of a New Breed of Storytelling Filmmakers who have Learned from the Mistakes of the Creation IMBALANCE...and are getting Back to where the NOVELTY of the TOOLS ISN'T so Wow anymore.
That the Tools in the hands of the Next Generation or the Carry Overs who Glean the Same Idea, the Tools become TOOLS ONLY and Used When NEEDED and Not when some SUIT Demands it.
The Imbalance and Disproportion Today is seen in the hands of the directors we're complaining about here and their work.
The last films for both Robin Hood and King Arthur were CGI Spectacles which Should have been primarily All Practically filmed and the Stunts were too outlandish, costuming wasn't Period enough....
These directors are Students of the Spectacle and how to use that as the visual Storytelling element.
This...Dependency and Handicap has Lowered the Bar on the Need to Depend on Subtly and Subterfuge that only Storytelling can Give to Make Up for what is by comparison today Bad SPFX. Like Jaws and a buggy shark prop that was Less Effective the more it was seen as time went on, a curse of sequels themselves in Some Cases.
The Monster is Less Scary the More of it you See.
Yet in other stories the More you See the Better like Godzilla.
Yet because of the Education in Spectacle and the Pervasiveness of the CGI toolset these are the gang who Spent Far Less Time in Narrative Lessons and Crafting a Story, the tech advancements and even the shrinking of Camera Technologies has allowed for just Movement and Lens Flaring to make up for Needed and Narratively Necessary Beats to occur leaving only Exposition to chew out story to explain what's going on.
It's too Easy to get Lost in the Spectacle like BvS and forget about the fa t that 4 or more movie worthy plotlines from the comics alone were Destroyed by a guy who NEVER READ COMICS BEFORE COLLEGE AND HIS FIRST WAS WATCHMEN.
Like, I'm Gkad Zack got to finish off his Cut and all...but that entire Endeavor was Built upon a Shattered and unstable, practically nonexistent Foundation leaving the JL and The Cut to Make up the Difference and testing patienece and bladders.
Spectacle isn't STORY.
And STORY and the LIMITATIONS of Practical Filmmaking Forced the DEPENDECY of the SPFX Spectacle Upon the QUALITY of the Story.
Yeah I'm long winded. ;p
For me ASTARTES isn't Just a short Fan Series that can be watched in under 16 mins...
It's a Clear Demonstration that the TOOLS in the Right Hands, the hands of CREATIVES who Understand the Value of Story and How to Tell it, to TRUST that your Viewers are smart enough to Follow Along without having to be Told every step of the way.
Mystery Boxes that Pay Off of at least Tantalize towards Another Future pay off that is Shown to actually Be in the works...
ASTARTES has Next to No Dialogue and its AMAZING. Every Shot tells a story because the One Guy who made it, at home, in his spare time, is one of the Most INNOVATIVE Filmmakers of the New Breed...as an INDICATOR of What is Possible when the Creatives Behind the works KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Source Material and Can Adpat and Create their Own Original works Within the same Universe the Mess SEAMLESSLY or as in This Case, Elevate and Proportionately Match the Narrative Tenets of the 40k universe and its Constiuent parts.
He Knows how a Spacemarine is Supposed to Act, What they are Capable of compared to standard humans and can Show that Proportion Effectively, Realistically, Adhereing to Canon and Becoming the Best Representation Of that Canon, thus far.
Jones Favreau and Dave Filoni Represent the Carry over overlapping Paradigm where the Importance of Story was Never Lost and the TOOLS were Used Proportionately when Necessary.
The Volume where all of the Mandalorian, a mix of Screen Walls and Ceiling, LCD Monitors and partial On Set Physical Props seamlessly blended but all Present so the Best performances can be drawn from the actors.
The Tools Now in the Right Hands simply Produce the Best Product.
The Tools in the WRONG HANDS has proven to be a literal waste of time amd money for Everyone involved from the studio to the public.
Its gonna take FINDING those Creatives that Are Artists and Storytellers First and Foremost who understand that Spectacle Cannot Replace Quality Storytelling. ...ever.
Spectacle, like Paying Customers and Patrons, must be Earned for us to Care.
I'm hoping soon, that the tide will turn and things change for the better, because I want more Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who...but it's all Gotta be made be People who CARE and Understand what the Balance Is and how to stay True to something.
I’m 44 years old. I started seriously collecting comics in 1987, and I started with Thor #382, and collected every single issue after, and the 311 previous issues before, over the next 30 years. I have a Thor tattoo. I managed a comic store for almost a decade and made our first business cards Thor related. And guess what? I fucking LOVE Ragnarok. It’s easily the most entertaining of that entire specific franchise. I don’t need my films to be pedantic, slavish translations...I need them to be GOOD MOVIES. Yeah...I love the Walt Simonson era of comics...but Thor Dark World, which is thematically the most faithful translation of the Thor films to the source material, is EASILY the worst of the lot, and one of the worst of Marvel’s whole output. I LIKE a fun Thor. Yes, he’s not the dour, self-serious Shakespeare spouting comic version. But honestly...that shit got annoying REAL FAST in the films. But ultimately, faithfulness to the comic world aside, and your critique of his very tongue-in-cheek view on “ruining” the material...Taika Waititi is a BRILLIANT filmmaker. Not one bad film under his belt. I’d rather him direct a marvel film that someone who loves the source material but can’t actually direct a film. (BTW, with Ragnarok specifically...the visual homages to Kirby’s work alone makes it more of a love letter than any Marvel film to date. I can’t fathom how more people don’t understand this!!!)
When Mike said that he was curious what "Solo" would've been like with Lord/Miller, I think it would have been just as bad. Those 2 a$$holes are in the same boat with Benihof/ Rian Johnson/ Weiss/ JJ Abrams/ Lindehof: they're all in it for shock value; the studio's approval; higher box office returns. Like Michael said earlier in the vid, maybe they were nerds who were kissing a$$ to the corporate execs & promising they would make it "cool" or (fill in the blank____) in order just to get past the gatekeepers...and then have no fxcking plan on what to do afterwards...
-It's just sad to see how "Star Wars" has deteriorated; how "Game of Thrones" 'collapsed on itself'; and this is the future of the film industry. It's going to go into the slump it was in back in the early 70s. Maybe then we'll have a different kind of film that will revolutionize how films are told and made (for the better) like a little movie that took place 'a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....'
But I'm not holding my breath.
when you try to appeal to every you end up appealing to no one and alienating most of the fans