I liked your story about The Natural; I love that movie too.
I think you're exaggerating though the direction Hollywood is going in. At least regarding 'sex and violence', I think there's less in the movies now than there was decades ago. Much of that has to do with the change to a more conservative political atmosphere in the country as a whole, but also because of political correctness - they sort of get it from both the left and the right now. And to be frank, I think blaming Clinton is kind of ridiculous. It was more 'anything goes' during the eighties than the nineties, imo. The eighties was the heyday of the big, violent action movies and the gorey, slasher flick - both of which always included some nudity or sex. Movies are tamer now IMO. But if its the 'themes' or stories you don't care for then it's up to 'conservatives' to make their own movies, instead of trying to restrict what 'liberals' make - and thats unfortunately what many want to do.
But if its the 'themes' or stories you don't care for then it's up to 'conservatives' to make their own movies, instead of trying to restrict what 'liberals' make...Bingo!
Let the free market rule!Just as talk radio and the Internet have made "gatekeepers" in the 'Old MEDIA' more and more irrelevant...
...dramatic advances in film-making technology (and the resulting SUBSTANTIALLY lower costs of production) will soon make 'Old HOLLYWOOD' no more than a bad memory. :o)Check out this thread about the WONDERFUL conservative movies screened a few months ago -- right here in the "belly of the beast."
Ann Coulter, Protest Warriors, Charlton Heston, Ronald Reagan, and Iraq:
...at the first annual LIBERTY FILM FESTIVAL in HOLLYWOOD! (Oct. 1-3, 2004)Hollywood's first CONSERVATIVE film festival:
www.LibertyFilmFestival.com
Please note that I am not blaming Clinton. Actually, I never paid much attention to the folks who ran film studios previous to the Clinton years. I simply want an explanation for the last few years of movies, and the most logical explanation I can come up with is that the lag time for production had to come as a result of those who came to power in film making during the 1990s, which happen to be the Clinton years. That his Presidency led the way in moral decline only served to exascerbate the situaion.
I have voted with my dollars for at least a year now, and don't go: something I have never done before. Wanting to see a movie without having to worry about quality is rare in my book. I am to the point of refusing to quietly sit by while media shoves ideology down my throat.
As for conservative moviemakers, it would seem that the making of The Passion of the Christ is a good example of both the refusal to portray religion positively, as well as the academy's refusal to recognize anything but its technical effects, etc.
Having a few, good conservative films in a field flooded with films from a pit of vice would not be a bad idea. One of the qualities of Constantine, for example, that I liked was the recognition that there IS good and that it is worthwhile, and, worth fighting for.
Being a member of the Academy and the Writers Guild, I have to watch just about every movie made in a year. Believe me, the 80's were child's play next to the cesspool generated in the 90's.