Lights, Camera, Recycle: Is the movie industry running out of ideas?
Audrey Stauss / The Samohi
Modern life, in all its complexity, is almost exclusively inspired by one thing. Movies. Film since its birth in 1895 has been a cornerstone of day-to-day life. Movies influence how people think, what they strive for, what they dream of and what they dread. Thus, the content in movies has become an integral part of how societies function. To not acknowledge the power they have over all of us, would just be ignoring reality. Here, the issue of low-quality films not only becomes apparent, but dire. And low-quality films, very plainly, are the films of today. When every part of the industry recycles ideas, utilizes cliches, and refuses to come up with an intellectually unique idea, the viewers in turn become doomed to this same mediocrity.
Disney over the last few decades has successfully monopolized almost every major franchise. The mega-corporation owns; 21st Century Fox, Marvel, Pixar, Lucasfilm, ESPN, ABC, and essentially every former entertainment giant. So where past movies were made with variety, they now are solely approved and proposed by the same group of people. With this, new ideas go out the window.
Why, it might be asked, does this diversity really matter? The reason is that if movies establish beliefs, people need a diverse set of sources. Schindler’s List was one of the main forces helping eliminate holocaust denial throughout the world. Casablanca turned a semi-pro fascist US populace against the Nazis. Forrest Gump exemplified the beauty of optimism and the interconnectedness of life. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest took part in the banning of tyrannical insane asylums. Rocky gave people a belief in determination towards a dream. Boyz-n-the-Hood changed the perception of the Black community’s struggle in America. Star Wars, yes star wars, showed the often evil nature of imperial practices. Are movies like this still made? Yes. Are they created in the same volume, with the same variation of nuanced perspectives, and powerful messaging? No. The reason is very simple too.
If I’m Disney and I want to make the most money possible, why would I break the status quo? Why would I challenge the mundane, and risk offending viewers, when I can push the same stuff I know already works? With this realization, came the sequels, and with them the carbon-copy crap that is ever present in film. The new Jaws, the whole fifth phase of marvel, every disney sequel ever made, the new mean girls, all the transformers and the new creeds, are perfect examples of it. In 1981, just 16% of the most popular movies were sequels and remakes, compared to 80% in 2019. These movies have infested the film industry to the point where no new content and information can really get an adequate voice in the public. Yet, it is a necessity that viewers see present films that help tackle presently pressing issues.
As much as I can complain, we are doing this to ourselves. According to Morning Consult, 53% of Americans want an addition to their favorite franchises rather than a brand new creation. Who can blame us though? The old movies often had substance often missing in today’s world. This article is not to say that the classics aren’t still great to watch. To the contrary, most of them have a meaning that overreaches generations. However, this creates a really large issue. If the premise that people build a good portion of their opinions on prescient events from cinema is true, which it pretty identifiably is, then we’re doomed. How will everyday people learn about the Uyghur Genocide, mass congressional corruption, Chinese and Russian authoritarianism, honor killings throughout the Middle East and the anti-unity messages pushed through are media today, when are major form of art and expression just ignores them. As the next generation, I implore every student of Samo to help with this disaster. Otherwise, I’ll promise you this; Transformers 16, as good as the CGI will be, isn’t gonna help fix our problems.