Just to reiterate what I said in my Restack: Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies are still the best, Tobey Maguire is still the pre-eminent live action Peter Parker, virtually all of the MCU is visually bland/downright ugly at times, and it's inconceivable that movies with 20 year old CGI look better than most modern special effects.
Excellent stuff, Alexander. As far as popular music goes, I am of the opinion that one big reason we had such great music in the sixties and seventies was random luck. We were lucky that a generation of musicians came up who had amazing talent that hasn’t been seen since. It was like the Revolutionary generation of Americans, back in the late 1700s, but in music.
Yes. And remember: those guys and gals were writing the rules of rock music, and what we call pop music generally, because there was no template, no precedent. It was pretty much “Throw everything on the wall and see what sticks.”
This was excellent. This reminds me of William Goldman's famous line: "nobody knows anything"
He shared similar thoughts you suggested on the studio system and how many of the new generation of execs (of his later career) became more and more risk adverse but didn't have a clue what was sticking with typical moviegoers.
You raise a great point. The new execs, I guess, took over when the risks had been taken and the studio was in “conserve everything” mode. That hunger and delegation isn’t there. I suppose that happens in most organizations, and most individuals. It’s a rare breed that keeps taking risks even after they’ve already made it.
The amazing thing is that experimental, outre stuff will find an audience. It might not justify contracts with the dollar amounts of Taylor Swift, but that’s a business call. If they more left field stuff can make money, it should be given a chance.
You bring up the 90s. Did you know that freaking Primus had an album debut on the Top 10 in 1993? That’s all I want: a world where the oddballs are given just as much of a chance to prove themselves. When the people in charge were in it for the money and not to enforce their tastes, we got that.
The cutting-edge vanguard of art is better served, I think, when it can get out there and coexist with the more commercial fare. By forcing one or the other, our choices are limited and blander.
Just to reiterate what I said in my Restack: Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies are still the best, Tobey Maguire is still the pre-eminent live action Peter Parker, virtually all of the MCU is visually bland/downright ugly at times, and it's inconceivable that movies with 20 year old CGI look better than most modern special effects.
I concur with all of this.
Excellent stuff, Alexander. As far as popular music goes, I am of the opinion that one big reason we had such great music in the sixties and seventies was random luck. We were lucky that a generation of musicians came up who had amazing talent that hasn’t been seen since. It was like the Revolutionary generation of Americans, back in the late 1700s, but in music.
Yes. And remember: those guys and gals were writing the rules of rock music, and what we call pop music generally, because there was no template, no precedent. It was pretty much “Throw everything on the wall and see what sticks.”
This was excellent. This reminds me of William Goldman's famous line: "nobody knows anything"
He shared similar thoughts you suggested on the studio system and how many of the new generation of execs (of his later career) became more and more risk adverse but didn't have a clue what was sticking with typical moviegoers.
Glad you enjoyed the essay.
You raise a great point. The new execs, I guess, took over when the risks had been taken and the studio was in “conserve everything” mode. That hunger and delegation isn’t there. I suppose that happens in most organizations, and most individuals. It’s a rare breed that keeps taking risks even after they’ve already made it.
The amazing thing is that experimental, outre stuff will find an audience. It might not justify contracts with the dollar amounts of Taylor Swift, but that’s a business call. If they more left field stuff can make money, it should be given a chance.
You bring up the 90s. Did you know that freaking Primus had an album debut on the Top 10 in 1993? That’s all I want: a world where the oddballs are given just as much of a chance to prove themselves. When the people in charge were in it for the money and not to enforce their tastes, we got that.
The cutting-edge vanguard of art is better served, I think, when it can get out there and coexist with the more commercial fare. By forcing one or the other, our choices are limited and blander.