A Reflection on the Film Industry

I mourn an era of film that I wasn’t alive for. Let me start by saying that the leaps that we have made for safety and equality in the film industry over just the last 5-10 years are huge and not to be forgotten. I am not speaking about this part of the industry, and by no means would I ever want to compromise on this. 

Image via Wikipedia

Let me also say that there are incredible films being made today; some of the best ever, especially independent and auteur films. I am not so cynical that I would say that the film industry is over, or that there is nothing worth watching. Of course, that is not true. 

That said, there are a few changes that have happened in the film industry that just make me sad. The first and most important thing is that remakes, sequels and franchises are now the only thing that many studios want to greenlight. Think about it; the Marvel Universe, live action remakes of Disney movies, the revival of Star Wars, sequels to nostalgic movies like Top Gun and Indiana Jones that we never really expected to see more of. Instead of working on new and more interesting projects, studios are focusing on projects that they know for certain will make them money, and a lot of it. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Poster. Image via Micon Cinemas.

I say studios, but the fact of the matter is that Disney is actually behind a lot of this. Yes, most studios are less and less likely to take big risks when it comes to projects, but of the examples I listed, almost every single one is owned by Disney. The Disney Corporation owns Marvel, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, Pixar, and much more. This company is amassing so much of the media industry that it has the ability to shape the entire media landscape.

I am of the opinion that most of these remakes and franchises are cheap and disappointing. The movies that are being made are not in any way, shape or form trying to do something new, innovative, or creative. Of course, not every movie has to be a cinematic masterpiece, but they could at least attempt to give us something new. What really makes me sad is that I know that there are plenty of ideas out there. I wonder how many amazing movies exist out there in the ether that will simply never get made because studios are only willing to greenlight surefire blockbusters. People wonder what happened to genuinely good romantic comedies? Well, they were the first to go, because they don’t make as much money as action movies. 

When Harry Met Sally. Image via GQ.

Jaws (1975) is generally considered to be the first ever blockbuster. It was huge, a phenomenon like we had never seen before. For a while, blockbuster movies came around a few times a year, and they balanced out evenly with less exciting but just as high quality films. The problem now is that every movie seems to be a blockbuster. When every movie that is being released follows the formula of the high budget, action packed box office hit, there is no longer a block to bust.

Jaws Poster. Image via IMDB

Most of the articles I have read on this topic try to argue that all of these remakes and reboots are a good thing. It makes the studios feel safe, one article says, while another argues that without the surefire revenue from remakes, production studios and streaming services might not greenlight more innovative, risky projects. I don’t think that production studios need to feel that safe. It is clear to me that filmmaking is no longer about making art; it is only about making money. Maybe this was always the case, but I think that there was a time when a far more palatable balance was struck. 

I personally don’t really care if film studios struggle every now and then due to a failed film project, if it means that they are taking more risks in all their projects. But honestly, film studios are part of such large conglomerates these days that I am doubtful that a failed project would affect a studio as much as it would have fifty years ago.

 I know that the industry is just that: an industry. I know that profit will continue to rate above all else for corporations like Disney. I know that the industry is full of nepotism that doesn’t leave as much room for new, talented, innovative faces. But I hope, I hope, that film can prosper anyway, that we can move away from this formula of regurgitating the same content over and over. There are plenty of amazing projects that give me hope; I know that film is not dead, it just takes a little more careful selection.