Movie titans Steven Spielberg and George Lucas predicted a grim
future for the movies last week, predicting an “industry implosion”, which
would seriously alter the way we see films.
The remarks came at a forum on the future of entertainment
at the University of Southern California. Lucas, an industry pioneer
(LucasFilm, THX, ILM), and the creator of the STAR WARS saga, says Hollywood
will eventually adopt a Broadway model, in which films would stay in theatres
much longer and command higher prices. Spielberg, Lucas’ best friend and
frequent collaborator, (the two have combined for 7 of the top 10
highest-grossing films in the 1980’s), said that the implosion will happen
after a half-dozen or so blockbusters flop at the box office, leading studios
to re-evaluate their industry.
It would be fair to say that besides their box office
success in their careers, the industry has been changed forever from the
efforts of Lucas and Spielberg, so when they have something serious to say
about the movies, the world would be wise to pay attention. With rising ticket
prices combined with a lack of quality films a serious problem in Hollywood
right now, along with technology bringing convenient ways to watch movies at
home, it’s not much of a stretch to think that the industry just may suffer
some sort of Wall Street-type crash one day. But will it really be that bad?
Will movie theatres diminish to the point where only one or two films a month
can be viewed on the big screen?
First of all, the two seem to be overlooking the success of the
foreign film industry over the past decade (or even two); in other words…not
all movies are made in the bloated Hollywood we have today. These foreign films
have had excellent success (last year’s AMOUR was a Best Picture contender),
and tend to focus more on storytelling than spectacle; a trait that audiences
are starting to get wise to. There is also the growing popularity and success
of the independent films. With the coming of digital filmmaking, it is now
easier, quicker, and less expensive for movies to be made, and more importantly…distributed.
Spielberg’s comment about the industry changing after a few
box office flops feels like an odd one, because flops have been happening in
Hollywood since Day One. Movies flop for many reasons; bad marketing, no
interest…or just a bad production. If taking a loss is a major concern in
Hollywood, then the studios need to focus on quality and give us good goddamn
movies. Big-budget spectacles like THE AVENGERS (2012), AVATAR (2009), and most
recently, MAN OF STEEL have proven that quality, and giving audiences what they
want to see often go hand-in-hand. However, studios can’t take audiences for
granted in that they will flock to the theaters just because a name is
attached; as Will Smith’s recent shit-pile AFTER EARTH flop has proven, you
still have to bring the goods to go with your big name.
Another overlooked factor is that lovers of cinema are
always going to go the theater because they love that big-screen experience. Is
anyone looking forward to seeing a new STAR WARS or AVENGERS film debut on
their laptop? Unlikely. Audiences will come; both casual and die-hard. It seems
that if the industry is going to have any sort of crisis, it will come by way
of a slow turn instead of an overnight crash.
But Lucas and Spielberg’s words should not go unheeded and
do carry some truth. Perhaps a good scare is just what Hollywood could use
right now, perhaps leading to fewer soul-less pictures and ushering in a new
golden age of film.
What say you?
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