Martin Scorsese Slams Marvel

Originally posted by roughrider
The Dark Knight in 2008 was maybe the Best film that year, and one of the Best of the decade. It actually shook up the Oscars, as they realized they were being too snobbish towards genre films, that they could be the equal of any indie drama. So the Best Picture nominees got expanded from five to ten the next year.

Scorsese is one of the greatest filmmakers, but it's disappointing hearing this from him as he's long been a lover of all film history. Now he's just another sourpuss complaining about Marvel & other Comic Book films sucking up almost all the attention from audiences; he and Steven Spielberg should start a club for grumpy old directors.

Complaining about these genre films is the same as the decades long complaint about Science Fiction & Fantasy films being the dominant genre in Hollywood, ever since Star Wars in 1977. You'd think these guys would be used to it by now.

👆 👆

Originally posted by roughrider
If the MCU was half as dominant, he wouldn't be saying anything at all. Comic Book related movies were just a weird genre that used to 'over there'; now they're sucking all the oxygen out of the room, and Scorsese just made a movie that will mostly be seen online via Netflix. He's clearly frustrated.

👆

Originally posted by roughrider
90 years ago, talkie movies replaced silent movies, and silent screen stars like Lillian Gish complained that the movies were ruined, that talkies were an inferior art form. The older generation often complains about what replaces them.

Of these older directors, the one I don't hear making complaints about Comic Book movies is George Lucas. Maybe because he's retired and rich AF, but maybe because he's the only other one who knows about building a massive movie universe that can't be contained by one film.

exactly

Poor Little Brucie. So Bitter and Hate Filled inside.

Originally posted by roughrider
90 years ago, talkie movies replaced silent movies, and silent screen stars like Lillian Gish complained that the movies were ruined, that talkies were an inferior art form. The older generation often complains about what replaces them.

Of these older directors, the one I don't hear making complaints about Comic Book movies is George Lucas. Maybe because he's retired and rich AF, but maybe because he's the only other one who knows about building a massive movie universe that can't be contained by one film.

Right on the money here.

I agree with plenty on this thread: Scorcese is right in some aspects, wrong in others. Are there plenty of Justice Leagues, Suicide Squads, and Iron Man 2's out there that are dumb spectacle-driven fun? Yes. Do some of those bust out and become great movies even on that foundation like GotG or Thor: Ragnarok? Yes. Are there some Dark Knights, Logans, even Infinity Wars that have their roots in comics and a cinematic universe that can have Oscar-caliber performances, character-driven drama and suspense, and nigh-perfectly paced plotting and action? Sure. Do some comic book films juggle all of the above? Most definitely. Can I enjoy a Man of Steel as much as a Prisoners, a Winter Soldier just as much as I can an Interstellar? Yes, both pairs were among my favorite movies of 2013 and 2014, respectively.

I see where he's coming from with studios seeing comic book films as the latest cash cow, and it'd be a shame if movies like Blade Runner 2049 and La La Land don't get made anymore due to everyone chasing the next billion-dollar box-office gross superhero flick. If he is talking about the latest Batman v Superman or Captain Marvel, agreed.

The emotional resonance thing though...completely disagree. I felt Black Panther's rage and desire for revenge against Bucky, Thor's heartache when he bore his heart to Rocket, and got goosebumps when Cap wielded Mjolnir and Thor landed in Wakanda. I'll admit I shed some tears when Tony died, when Logan died, when Steve finally got to have his dance with Peggy, and when Billy Batson learned that his mother left him at the fair on purpose. Scorcese is off base there.

It's funny that the current comic book film that is turning the genre on its head, Joker, is primarily inspired by Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, both Scorcese pictures.

Wasn't Scorsese the producer of the movie "The Snowman"?

Not that it matters, but that is in my top 5 shittiest movies I've ever seen.

Originally posted by Trocity
Wasn't Scorsese the producer of the movie "The Snowman"?

Not that it matters, but that is in my top 5 shittiest movies I've ever seen.

Step up your game. You clearly haven't seen nearly enough shitty movies.

Originally posted by BrolyBlack
Link

What a snob.

“I mean that’s like saying Bugs Bunny ain’t funny. Films are films. Everybody doesn’t like his stuff either. There are a lot of Italian-Americans that don’t think he should be making films about them like that. Everybody’s got an opinion, so I mean it’s okay. Ain’t going to stop nobody from making movies.

From Sam L Jackson.

Originally posted by John Murdoch
Right on the money here.

I agree with plenty on this thread: Scorcese is right in some aspects, wrong in others. Are there plenty of Justice Leagues, Suicide Squads, and Iron Man 2's out there that are dumb spectacle-driven fun? Yes. Do some of those bust out and become great movies even on that foundation like GotG or Thor: Ragnarok? Yes. Are there some Dark Knights, Logans, even Infinity Wars that have their roots in comics and a cinematic universe that can have Oscar-caliber performances, character-driven drama and suspense, and nigh-perfectly paced plotting and action? Sure. Do some comic book films juggle all of the above? Most definitely. Can I enjoy a Man of Steel as much as a Prisoners, a Winter Soldier just as much as I can an Interstellar? Yes, both pairs were among my favorite movies of 2013 and 2014, respectively.

I see where he's coming from with studios seeing comic book films as the latest cash cow, and it'd be a shame if movies like Blade Runner 2049 and La La Land don't get made anymore due to everyone chasing the next billion-dollar box-office gross superhero flick. If he is talking about the latest Batman v Superman or Captain Marvel, agreed.

The emotional resonance thing though...completely disagree. I felt Black Panther's rage and desire for revenge against Bucky, Thor's heartache when he bore his heart to Rocket, and got goosebumps when Cap wielded Mjolnir and Thor landed in Wakanda. I'll admit I shed some tears when Tony died, when Logan died, when Steve finally got to have his dance with Peggy, and when Billy Batson learned that his mother left him at the fair on purpose. Scorcese is off base there.

It's funny that the current comic book film that is turning the genre on its head, Joker, is primarily inspired by Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, both Scorcese pictures.

Very intelligent reasoning here.

Originally posted by Kazenji

“I mean that’s like saying Bugs Bunny ain’t funny. Films are films. Everybody doesn’t like his stuff either. There are a lot of Italian-Americans that don’t think he should be making films about them like that. Everybody’s got an opinion, so I mean it’s okay. Ain’t going to stop nobody from making movies."

From Sam L Jackson.

As is often the case, Sam Jackson puts it succinctlly and wisely.

Although, I'm surprised there wasn't a "motherf##ker" in there. ha..

Lost a bit of respect for Scorces after this, i mean hes passing alot of critical judgement on something which he cant be arsed to watch which comes of pompas and ignorant.

Originally posted by BrolyBlack
Link

I understand what he is saying. I actually had the exact same reaction walking out of Endgame. While the film was a spectacle, it lacked any meaningful emotional core beyond punching bad guys in the face en masse. I personally like to think that all good films are rooted in an primary emotional conflict which drives the protagonists to create the plot by making emotionally reactive and ethically questionable decisions and deal with the consequences, highlighting said primary emotional conflict (such as the political machinations of GOT, which is a large macroscopic plot that is rooted in the emotional conflicts of it's characters, or similarly Breaking Bad and The Wire, often considered the best shosw of all time precisely because their entire plot is centered around the emotional and ethical dilemmas of it's characters).

With a lot of comic book films, especially MCU ones, there is a lack of this emotional core, as the film's plot is usually driven by a bland villain with nebulously evil goals. Emotional and ethical complexity is discarded and replaced with the childishly simple view that there is absolute good and evil and the best way to defeat said evil is by punching it. While the MCU seems to have an emotional core due to the emotional subplots given to the characters, these subplots are usually meaningless to the story in general and only serve to generate melodrama and thus superficial sympathy for the characters (such as Cap's relation with Agent Carter, Thor's relationship with his mom, and Tony's relationship with his daughter, all of which are meaningless to the story but empathetic to the chaarcters), alongside a lot of self-referential humor which, along with the spectacle, helps serve as a gimmick of the film, but not an emotional core.

Don't get me wrong. There are plenty of comic book films (such as the Dark Knight) and even MCU films (such as Dr. strange) that extend far beyond the standard popcorn flick and deliver amazing pieces of art. But, for the most part, comic book films are known for being simplistic in the exploration of it's themes, which is perfect when it comes to selling the franchise to kids and families, but somewhat unengaging for non-fanboy adult audiences beyond basic spectactle.

Completely agree with Scorsese. Marvel movies to cinema is what The Spice Girls are to music. Brainless "fun". Do they have their place? Of course, but dont try and pretend they are on the same level as true artistic films.

Scorsese has a right to voice his opinion but that doesn’t mean he’s right.

Originally posted by Trocity
Wasn't Scorsese the producer of the movie "The Snowman"?

Not that it matters, but that is in my top 5 shittiest movies I've ever seen.

No he wasn’t

^ He actually is listed as an "executive producer" for The Snowman.

But it doesn't really mean anything. He didn't direct the film.

Originally posted by Impediment
Scorsese has a right to voice his opinion but that doesn’t mean he’s right.

fabtabulous point

Originally posted by Drsoe08
Brainless "fun". Do they have their place? Of course, but dont try and pretend they are on the same level as true artistic films.

They're far from "Brainless" fun. The Fast and furious films is that and the MCU films are far from being in that ball park.

He’s doubled down

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/martin-scorsese-says-cinemas-are-being-invaded-by-theme-park-films-1247268

He probably didn't see similar films like Star Wars or whatever they had for comic book films back then when he was younger.

Originally posted by BrolyBlack
He’s doubled down

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/martin-scorsese-says-cinemas-are-being-invaded-by-theme-park-films-1247268

Ill get the popcorn and watch as people lose their shit.

Dont forget to post Jennifer Anistons comments as well.