Martin Scorsese Says Cinema Is Being ‘Devalued’ to ‘Content’ in Essay Criticizing Modern Film Industry

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In an essay-long praise of film legend Federico Fellini as part of the March issue of Harper’s Magazine, Martin Scorsese laments over the devaluing of cinema. “As recently as fifteen years ago, the…

“As recently as fifteen years ago, the term “content” was heard only when people were discussing the cinema on a serious level, and it was contrasted with and measured against ‘form,’” he wrote. “Then, gradually, it was used more and more by the people who took over media companies, most of whom knew nothing about the history of the art form, or even cared enough to think that they should.”

The essay is reminiscent of the op-ed he published in the New York Times in November 2019, in which he explained why Marvel movies are more like theme parks than cinema. He pegged the current industry as “inhospitable to art,” even as someone who has just completed a film for Netflix. “Here was an artist who had managed to express the anxiety of the nuclear age, the sense that nothing really mattered anymore because everything and everyone could be annihilated at any moment,” Scorsese writes of experiencing Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita.” “We felt this shock, but we also felt the exhilaration of Fellini’s love for the art of cinema—and, consequently, for life itself.”

 

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Throwaway entertainment for a throwaway culture.

Scorcese is trying to tell us why we don't watch artistic films while we always prefer the one that is not art. We can watch both yet we do not.

SubhashBandaru na badha ni rasaru eeyana

If only big studios invested in a couple original indie projects a year along with their marketing and distribution instead of constantly throwing money at preexisting content based films and spamming the whole world with them...

I dont see him mention the MCU once in this whole article. Why are all of you so mad? Hes right. Look at how Disney is eating itself alive. Its just taking Its old content and remaking it and creating an endless stream of reboots. The artistry is gone. Its about safety and profit

Welcome to 1980, Marty. Cinema has been viewed as a product (not as art) for a LONG time. All we have today that we didn’t have then is a new way to market it to the consumer.

okay

Old man shouts at cloud, the guy hasn't released a good film since The Departed and even that hasn't aged well. This is the same guy who tried to use a very old 70 something De Niro to portray a man 30 years younger in the Irishman...to a horrible looking outcome.

he needs to see ZackSnydersJusticeLeague then he will realise cinema is not dead, the drama(without jokes every 5min), the cinematography, the epic music scores are still very much alive SnyderCut

It just be like that Marty

It’s simple stop arguing and watch whatever the fuck u want, industries change get over it. It’s annoying for people like me who like a range of different genres from Scorsese to Marvel.

He’s bang on the money. The customer also needs choice and variety outside the huge corporate entities.

top10films A lot of films nowadays feel like they are made by a committee. Entertainment in general has taken a plunge over the last few decades.

100% with Martin Scorsese on this! Rehabilitation of cinema is long overdue.

MartinScorsese like Hitchcock produces work where you see talent pouring from every member of the crew, all masterful in their fields, modern films can be considered Hutzpah to some vintagestyle

Yet he releases Irishmen on Netflix. He just salty his 1950 style films are irrelevant now.

Could not agree more, Scorsese is a bastion torchbearer of cinema.

I just watched The Irishman. On my phone😱

What cinema? There hasn't been any cinema for a year now, I don't know if he's noticed.

What's he said this time?

🤷🏻‍♂️

He’s not wrong. But people nowadays want cheap popcorn cgi entertainment. That’s just how times are now. No biggie there is more to life then film

A little reminder of Scorsese’s involvement with Shark Tale

The reason cinema is being devalued is that the streams have crossed in what is a film and TV show with so much TV content that's far more filmatic than many those released in cinemas

So, why did you release the Irishman on Netflix and not via Cinema release? I mean, you have a huge problem with the algorithms and content labels

I agree. And I still love and enjoy Marvel movies 😊 You can do that 😉

Old guy, outdated opinions. Accept change or...

A lot of NERDS CRYING cause Avengers was the only one movie who Did not got a SINGLE oscar nomination LMAO

Cinema is already dead.

He’s not right. Can’t believe so many people here are agreeing smh all film is art and for him to argue it’s not the kind of art that he would value or make is so ridiculous. The MCU is art, DC films are art...hes just upset that his films aren’t “the talk of the town” anymore

Usted hace películas de 3hras. Cállese alv

theyre making scooby prequels...he might have a point

Mr. Scorsese seems to echo early movie makers remorse about the invention of television. The great thing is that more people will see his “content “ on different platforms. It is still art

This is why the tcm channel as well as its curated hub within hbomax is so wonderful because it introduces the next generation to films that represent among the best of cinema. HBOMAX

He's not exactly right, though this is a good argument. The algorithm seems to group based on actor/actress, while ignoring things like writer/director. I generally follow directors or writers. Seldom do I follow actors or actresses.

Mary's escaped his room again. Can someone please get him and put him back?

TheNamesQ Absolutely. If only other creators spoke out

He is absolutely right

The world changes, Marty.

Hi Martin (first names only). First time coming to our support group? Lots of cool novelists, poets here and journalists. Oh do you dig music? Because....

TheNamesQ Let me get out my pretends to be shocked face...

He’s absolutely right.

Agree!!!

Anyone who disagrees with Scorsese is a loser virgin

You’re absolutely right Marty.

A live look at Marty joining us at Snyder Cut watch party SnyderCut ZackSnydersJusticeLeague

I guess he wasn't around in the thirties and forties before TV. Those studios produces all kinds of 'content' for their busy theaters and people who wanted to go to the movies two or three times a week.

Marty eso hace 40 años como minimo. 🙄

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