Mainstream Movies Are Becoming More Like Porno Movies

[Yavin4]

It's not that mainstream movies are not becoming more sexually graphic. Rather, it's that they've become overly-formulaic and plot lines serve as a flimsy connection between the "action" scenes. We're getting the same movies over and over again, the Action picture, the Teen Horror/Drama/Comedy, the sappy Romantic Comedy, and the movie for kids, and in each movie, the plot lines serve as a vehicle to set up the next big action sequence, just like the plot lines in a porno movie serve to set up the next sex scene.

Because of the NYC blackout, I went to see "SWAT" at a theater in New Jersey (It was the best choice available. Trust me.) That movie used every cliche action cop movie story and character. It was like they bought the script from a WalMart discount bin. The bureaucratic police captain that doesn't support his men, the renegade cop gone bad, the tough talking team leader who's putting together a team, the muti-cultural team who all get along, etc. etc.

Just like a porno movie that uses stupid story lines and bad dialogue to get you to the next sex scene, this movie does the same thing, but instead of a sex scene it gives you an action scene.

[ThorsteinVeblen]

1. Cool

[RememberJohn]

2. It's always been that way...

...we have the luxury of remembering the very best movies from past decades. The ones that weren't so good have been forgotten.

If you were standing in 1933... 1943... 1953... you'd feel the same way about movie offerings in general.

[Kamika]

3. Yeah true

But this is nothing new.

I cant think of any recent mainstream movie that has been somewhat original in the recent years.

Movies like Gladiator etc was original only because their kind of movie hadnt been made for like 50 years. But movies like the deer hunter, taxi driver, terminator1, aliens etc hasnt been around for several years

[tjdee]

4. It's the economy--I blame Bush for this one too.

I say this all the time.
We've been in a SEVERE dump as far as films go.

90% of the people making the 'big' movies are known directors, making sequels or comic book/novel movies or formula pictures as you described.

That's because the industry is hard up for cash, movie viewerships are down, etc. No major studio is going to go "Hey, you unknown gal with the experimental script! Let us pay you for putting our ass on the line!" Not going to happen. Pulp Fiction never would have been picked up today.

When the economy improves (LOL, and there's a Democrat in office), everyone will breath a great sigh of relief and get back to at least *trying* something new.

[RememberJohn]

5. Your theory makes sense if we pinpoint that the movie industry...

...as a whole, decreased in quality after the 2000 election.

I happen to believe that the movie industry has always had it's share of stinkers and has always followed trends (comic books for example).

But like I said before, we're blessed with only remembering the enduring movies of yesteryear so comparing that to today gives skewed results.

[htuttle]

6. Too many modern movies are based on The Poseidon Adventure

...or maybe Airport.

The plot development is basically like this: "we'll take 10 people from various backgrounds, show the audience a little slice of their lives, then put them all in the blender while we blow stuff up."

Even SWAT has an element of this (but sounds like it even falls into stereotypical characterization).

That being said, they don't HAVE to be bad -- but directors/producers/screenwriters get lazy (and/or poor).

I was thinking about the movie 'Independence Day', for example. Now on first glance, it's a basic 'Irwin Allen'-type movie. But it didn't have to be. Will Smith's character didn't have to be so overdrawn. Randy Quaid's character could have been done non-comedically, Jeff Goldblum's character (and his 'father') and relationship with his ex- could have been a lot more interesting. But the problem is, they wanted to keep rushing to the money shots, so the scenes in-between were thin, and didn't ring true (they were like TV characters)

Big budget, Big Name, Action Thrillers can be good, if sufficient effort is put into them (and the pacing changed). "The Great Escape" had a TON of huge name actors in it, lots of subplots -- on the surface, another 'poseidon adventure' (but predates it, I believe). But the script and direction pulled it into one single great STORY -- it could have sucked!

I don't think it's just as matter of, "it's all been done before", either. Papillon and The Great Escape are almost the same movie, if you boil down the plots to their essentials. Yet, due to the treatment by the director and screenwriters in each case, they stand on their own as classic stories.

Hell, even the 'buddy movie' can be done well if they want to. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a shining example, but even the FIRST '48 hrs' and 'Lethal Weapon' were actually not that bad (in the same way). The sequels sucked wind, however, because they were just formula movies.

'Gladiator' was good, because they had a good script, and because the director was trying to tell a story, not just show a bunch of stuff exploding and people getting eaten by tigers (although there was plenty of that, it wasn't the point of the movie).

It's like television has infected the cinema -- that's what it is...Directors don't often take the time to tell us a story anymore -- it's a lot harder than following a 'box office blockbuster' formula.

[44wax]

10. well put thank you

I appreciate you concise take on movies and agree with you.

[JVS]

7. Why did you get my hopes up with that thread title?

[oustemnow]

8. Were your hopes the only thing you got up?

Ugh, sorry. Today is lame-ass reply day for me.

[JVS]

11. I've noticed your posts over the last couple days and you are OK by me

I don't care what the others say about you. :D

[oustemnow]

9. The script for SWAT was astoundingly bad

especially at the beginning; I kept wondering if it was an intentional spoof.

That being said, I did enjoy a number of the action sequences.

[shockandawed]

12. The problem with movies is that the average american is stupid

Sorry. Good movies dont do well. Smart movies dont do well. Thinking movies dont do well. People in large part go to movies to have a predictable, escapist experience. Americans dont find thinking fun.

[mitchum]

13. It's because the filmmakers are constantly eyeing foreign sales...

and movies cannot be character-driven with subtlety and nuance. They must communicate in the international language of comic book discourse

[Nikia]

14. I fall asleep during boring fight scenes

My husband like action movies so we rent quite a few. I'll get bored of fight scenes that do not advance the plot if they last more than ten minutes. I'll often even fall asleep.

[TroubleMan]

15. Hey I like fight scenes!!

Well....only good fight scenes like Jackie Chan does (think Drunken Master II-best fight scenes ever) and some old Jet Li stuff like Tai Chi Master (aka Twin Warriors).

I don't like the cheesy western movie fight scenes.

Also, I agree movies are getting stupid. The last few movies that really moved me are: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, The Matrix, Pulp Fiction, and MOMENTO.

If you guys ain't seen Momento, GO GET IT NOW!! Trust me, it's great. It's about a guy trying to avenge the death of his wife, but he's got a disability where he can't remember what just happened, and the movie goes backwards in time. It sounds weird but it's done perfectly. Very innovative and like nothing you've ever seen, and there's go acting.

[Breezy du Nord]

16. Haven't seen it, want to

cuz that guy is sooooooooo hot (no pun intended on the guy thing)

Also cuz it sounds really good.

[tjdee]

18. Guy Pearce! WHOA!

Yeah, he's pretty cute. Really thin, though. He and Orlando Bloom. Hot, but so thin, LOL!

[tjdee]

17. Memonto is very, very good.

There have been a few threads on it here....

I want to try to get the DVD and watch the last scene first, watch it that way.

[Yavin4]

19. Momento Is A Great Example

of a movie that challenges the audience to think about it. I like my movies to make me work through it. Make me guess what's going to happen. I can't stand it when I'm spoon-fed plot lines.

[leftofthedial]

20. you say that like it's a bad thing