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Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
William Friedkin, the Oscar-winning director of The French Connection and The Exorcist, has dismissed the modern craze for superhero and sci-fi movies. The acclaimed 79-year-old filmmaker, who is currently working for television channel HBO on a series about Mae West, told AFP reporter Sophie Laubie: "Films used to be rooted in gravity. They were about real people doing real things. Today cinema in America is all about Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Avengers, Hunger Games: all kinds of stuff that I have no interest in seeing at all." The Chicago-born director, who also wrote and directed To Live and Die in L.A, was speaking at the Champs-Elysees Film Festival in Paris. He believes that the chase by studios to appeal to the broadest audience possible is why his own films fell out of favour after the Seventies. "That is when my films went like that - out of the frame," added Friedkin. He dates the change back to 1977 when he made what he considered his best movie - the largely ignored Sorcerer, starring Roy Scheider, about four men transporting a cargo of nitroglycerin in South America - only to see it eclipsed by Star Wars. "If I am remembered at all for anything, I hope it would be that," said Friedkin. Now Friedkin says "the best work" for directors is on television with cable and streaming networks that make shows such as True Detective and House of Cards. "You develop character at a greater length and the story is more complex and deeper than cinema," the director said, "this is the new zeitgeist. Many of the fine filmmakers of today are going to long-form TV. It is the most welcoming place to work for a director today." Friedkin is working on a script for HBO about Mae West, the American sex symbol and entertainer, and he has spoken to Bette Midler about playing the part. He is also looking to turn To Live and Die in LA into a TV series. He has not interest in adapting The French Connection or The Exorcist, however. "I am not interested in making movies just for the pay-cheque," Friedkin said. "I have to love the film, the story, the characters. There were four sequels to The Exorcist and I've seen none of them, nor do I want to or intend to." Does he got a point? I'm not a comic/superhero nerd but will watch a superhero movie occasionally, but I'm not really crazy about them. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
He just doesn't like the genre, it isn't ruining cinema, and I may have missed it but I don't think he actually said that. But he's right that spectacle has taken the place of thoughtful drama in movie theaters.
Some people like seeing guys in tights fight each other, some people like to watch people fellating a fried chicken leg. Apples and Oranges. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
The link won't open on my phone but... no they're not. And the quoted bit doesn't say what the thread title goes for.
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
First of all, if these movies are doing so, it's not just in America. Worldwide box office tallies are higher for superhero and "big spectacle" movies than for smaller, more introspective films.
Which I'm fine with. There are still great films coming out with smaller distributions. The so-called "direct to video" that used to be an instant turn-off can now be fantastic with players like Netflix and Amazon. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Thanks for your input, William "Blue Chips" Friedkin.
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
So when in the late 70's when horror movies were all the rage that didn't do the exact same thing?
And I guess a head spinning around is rooted in gravity? Get the fuck outta here with this shit. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Yeah, yeah, sure. Whatever.
Before blaming Superhero Movies for ruining cinema, people blamed shoot 'em up Action Movies for doing it. And before that people blamed crappy Horror Movies for ruining it, such as this terrible one directed by a certain "William Friedkin": <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XB6TGtVghMY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> The Guardian (1990) (I actually saw this piece of junk in the theater back in 1990) |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Who is that hack who gave us The French Connection, Sorcerer , To Live and Die In LA, Bug, Cruising, Killer Joe, Rampage & The Exorcist? How dare he criticize anything.
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
now GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!!!!
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Shame. I would have liked to see superhero movie directed by him.
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Films used to be rooted in gravity. They were about real people doing real things. Today cinema in America is all about Batman, Superman, Iron Man, Avengers, Hunger Games: all kinds of stuff that I have no interest in seeing at all.
Originally Posted by Timber
(Post 12510281)
And I guess a head spinning around is rooted in gravity?
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
The title probably should have referenced Sci-Fi too, as it seems like it all started with Star Wars based on the quote. Not just about super hero movies.
Personally, I love those movies so I'm fine with the direction things have gone. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
I wouldn't say superhero films are ruining cinema. That's like saying ANY hot genre du jour is ruining cinema. I would agree that there's very little daring, creativity, and originality in big budget filmmaking anymore, but I'd hardly be the first to make that assumption.
Eventually the superhero trend will die down and something else will replace it. Remember after Scream came out in 96 and it was nothing but attractive! teens! hip soundtrack! PG-13! horror movies! but not too scary! for about 5 years and change... |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
As much as I try to ignore these types of movies, don't their huge profits help fund the studios to make their smaller budget Oscar contenders each year?
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Originally Posted by fumanstan
(Post 12510319)
Personally, I love those movies so I'm fine with the direction things have gone.
Yeah, if you're just going by the megaplex screens things could seem limited. But unlike from decades ago, that's not a good representation of all the movies that are out there. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Originally Posted by Dean Kousoulas
(Post 12510344)
As much as I try to ignore these types of movies, don't their huge profits help fund the studios to make their smaller budget Oscar contenders each year?
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Originally Posted by Dean Kousoulas
(Post 12510344)
As much as I try to ignore these types of movies, don't their huge profits help fund the studios to make their smaller budget Oscar contenders each year?
Take this past year. Birdman, Boyhood, Imitation Game, Grand Budapest Hotel, Theory of Everything and Whiplash were all done outside of the typical studio system. Selma was financed by The Weinstein Company. Which leaves American Sniper as the sole traditional Best Pic nominee. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Originally Posted by brainee
(Post 12510317)
Shocker ... a 79 year old Oscar-winning director is not the target audience for mainstream Hollywood :eek:
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
I would say there is definitely a glut of Superhero type movies. Marvel has saturated the market and if the Avengers AoU is any indication the quality has suffered.
Now DC is going to do the same thing. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Yep, just like Westerns ruined cinema in the 50s and 60s. ;)
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
It's weird to me that 1 or 2 movies a year from Marvel would be considered saturating the market. I get more hours then that in a single season of a TV show, even the shorter "premium" shows on HBO or even Netflix, so to me people talking about overload is strange, even if you throw in the movies from other studios.
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Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
I don't know, maybe he's right. But who cares? As long as there is an outlet for great directors & stories, so what? I personally enjoy the fact that TV is good & movies suck. I don't have to get out as much.
But really, if your best counter is a movie about Mae West starring Bette Midler...., that might just be a tiny indicator that you're not exactly cutting edge anymore. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
Originally Posted by fumanstan
(Post 12511028)
It's weird to me that 1 or 2 movies a year from Marvel would be considered saturating the market. I get more hours then that in a single season of a TV show, even the shorter "premium" shows on HBO or even Netflix, so to me people talking about overload is strange, even if you throw in the movies from other studios.
It's more a style than just being "based off a comic book" anymore (like Mad Max) but hey it's what sells. |
Re: Superhero movies are ruining cinema, says Exorcist director William Friedkin
He said "Marvel has saturated the market" which seems pretty specific :shrug: Either way, I watch as many hours if not more of say Game of Thrones that I do comic book movies throughout the year, which was my point.
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