The statement Adorno makes in The Culture Industry about films no longer needing to present themselves as art made me realize that this is particularly true. There are films that are out or being produced that may be considered on an artistic level but the films that are being most frequently rented or seen in theaters aren’t usually the artistic sort filled with meaning or thought provoking undertones with deeper social issues. What’s rolling in the cash at the box office aren’t independent films but commercialized comedies, action/adventure, chick flicks and horror movies that have been done before.
Many movies have similar plot lines that become so predictable, to the point where if the film doesn’t end the way it usually should- with a happy ending, where good triumphs over evil and the world is safe at the end of the day- as much as I hate to say it, I’m peeved. I leave feeling cheated. Cheated out of the cheesy ending that I’m so used to. Thinking about it recently, I’ve realized that when i go to the theater i expect to see something that gives me a break from reality, some time where my brain can be shut off and be mindlessly entertained. Sure, there are some exceptions to the movies that grace the big screen that may be interesting and thought provoking, but for the most part I haven’t come to expect much from movies anymore.
However, when I watch an independent film i expect some depth, some thought provoking, profound meaning behind the film because these are the films that are allowed to be different. These movies aren’t expected to be broadly appreciated by the masses. These are the films that are really considered art and the director an artist with a personal message. It’s to be expected that they aren’t best sellers, they don’t need to live up to the preconceived standards society (or the movie industry) has set out for them. I guess they get some “artistic license.”
