This is the fourth debate of our monthly feature, entitled ‘THN Friday Face Off’. One Friday every month will see two THN titans of film knowledge duke it out over a pressing issue relating to our most beloved art form. Each film fanatic will argue from a different viewpoint on a particular subject, in a bid to persuade our exceptionally attractive readers, as well as his or her colleague, they should be deemed the winner.
Of course, there are no definitive right or wrong answers. However, we would love for you to get involved by sharing your opinion, and voting for whoever you think has argued their case in a more effective way. You can do this by commenting below, tweeting us via @thncom, or commenting on our Facebook page. Before doing so, we ask that you read the opposition’s stance on the matter here.
This month we ask whether Steven Spielberg and George Lucas continue to be pioneers of greatness, or is it time for them to hang up their beards?
It seems that no matter what veterans Lucas and Spielberg do, they are going to be criticised for it. There is a relentless mockery coming from fanboys around the world which has become slightly out of hand, and the questioning of their ability to continue to make interesting movies is being based on statements they made surrounding the implosion of the film industry. Are my colleague Luke’s frustrations with the duo based on any films they’ve made? No, instead it’s changes made to their legendary films in time of re-releases and apocalyptic visions which have led to the request that both men throw in the towel. Needless to say the two are individuals, and no collaboration in the world – past and future – is reason enough to look at the them as an inseparable duo with the same flaws and talents deemed unworthy enough to stay in the game. The question of their relevance is leading to Luke asking whether, in this day and age, they are even necessary. However, there is a difference between being necessary and being crap enough to give up on their creative work.
Body Of Work
As Luke mentions in his opposing argument, the two men came onto the film scene when there was a strong need for new groundbreaking directors to take cinema in a new direction, and they did. There has now been a change in which direction audiences and the industry are craving. Most people can agree there is a need for smaller films to be seen, a tiredness of the property destructive comic flicks which are all looking too similar at this point, and of course, the underdeveloped stories and characters. Simply because Lucas and Spielberg introduced the concept of sequels and made a fortune off of trilogies (and then some) does not justify the repetitive pattern of Hollywood flicks, nor does it disallow them to criticize and worry about the path which movies are going down these days, even if they were the spark that ignited the now unwanted phenomena. Luke is right in saying that Lucas and Spielberg are great businessmen, which is exactly why their opinion matters. These aren’t two TWILIGHT actors commenting on the future demise of cinema, but two educated and well experienced men who have seen where cinema has been, and where it may go.
Lucas hasn’t directed anything since 2006, so which part of their beards is Luke asking to be hung up? All their involvement in movie making, or just the directorial duties? Hasn’t Lucas already bowed down from the world of film making, enjoying nothing else but making rare comments on the industry, and on the STAR WARS saga? How can anyone expect Spielberg to retire when he was the man behind one of the most nominated films at the Academy Awards this year? Love it or hate it, thanks to Steven Spielberg and his 2011 effort, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN, a film is now virtually impossible to see without a pair of 3D goggles. As I said, this is not necessarily a good thing, but should we really dismiss Spielberg when he’s proven to still be relevant and groundbreaking?
The Quality Of Current Film Making
Who would be better suited to criticise the present state of the film world than the men who are considered two of the greatest film makers of our time. They are the men behind seemingly immortal franchises which still excite people 30 years after their initial release (STAR WARS VII anyone?). INDIANA JONES was big enough to have Harrison Ford run around with a whip in his 60s and STAR WARS will have him talking to a walking carpet in his 70s. As more blockbusters and money-down-the-drain-movies are being made, there is a bigger chance of failure. Perhaps the studios haven’t suffered any serious consequences yet, but they will soon (that’s not a threat by the way, it’s a promise). Simply put, blockbusters were rare and grande 30 years ago, while what we consider blockbusters now are simply expensive. We expect sequels to be out within two years after an initial release, and plans for a sequel are often made while the first film is still being shot (I’m looking at you AMAZING SPIDERMAN). Where is the sense of the audience choosing its product there? With shows like Game Of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, Sons Of Anarchy and The Walking Dead, where each episode is an intense and brilliantly shot 45 minutes, who needs movies that are only twice as long yet cost much more to make and are remembered for a much shorter time afterwards?
The Vision
So Lucas and Spielberg predict a meltdown. What kind of meltdown? An unavoidable one? Of course not. They suggest a solution to the problem. The so called implosion of the film industry is a problem which most viewers and Hollywood-ers are aware of, not just these golden boys. Too many blockbuster films are taking over the market, and every few of them have any substance. Now I suppose the question is how can the founding fathers of the blockbuster concept be so opposed to it? Are they taking some liberties after cashing in their billion dollar cheques and pointing fingers, instead of acknowledging their contribution to the implosion of cinema? The difference, dear reader, is the quantity of films being produced and thrown our way. My opponent recognises this distinction, yet interprets it as opposition to the ideas of Lucas and Spielberg, when it in actual fact strengthens their statements.
Lucas and Spielberg also mention the gaming world. We’ve reached a point in film making where films have ceased to be an escape from reality and people are turning to games for that fix. It’s very difficult to beat a perfect concoction of narration, graphics, story and involvement from the spectator. Luke doesn’t have much to worry about, since Lucas has not directed anything in a long time and most recently served as a producer on his war film, RED TAILS. It’s always been known that Lucas wasn’t the best of directors, or even a good one, but he had an innovative mind and has managed to make even the most SCI-FI-dreading member of the audience quote Darth Vader. Spielberg has, after experimenting with a number of different film making techniques, now moved away from directing conventional films, instead dividing his time between making epic flicks and more commercial 3D sequels in the TINTIN series.
The comments made by Spielberg and Lucas are not meant in a condescending way, nor are they warning the world of a great danger which can’t be prevented. The way I see it, it’s two film makers who have seen the changes in the industry these past 30 years and are commenting on what they consider a natural development from the state in which the cinematic world is in now.
If two respected film makers are giving us their input, and serving us a solution to the impending implosion, is it too much to ask for us to listen and consider the inevitable consequences, instead of getting defensive and requesting their resignation, when they clearly still have enough motivation and inspiration to get one or two more movies onto our screens? And from a purely aesthetic point of view, no argument in the world could justify Lucas and Spielberg’s beard-hanging; they’re far too handsome in them.
Please do tell us what you think, but first, be sure to read the counter-argument, which can be found here.
