Filmmaker Martin Scorsese has seen Hollywood transform across decades and it appears the legendary director is not pleased with the industry's current attitudes and focus. Most recently, he criticized studios for being far too obsessed with the box office.
As reported by IndieWire, Scorsese spoke at the New York Film Festival, stating, "Since the '80s, there's been a focus on numbers. It's kind of repulsive." He continued, "The cost of a movie is one thing. Understand that a film costs a certain amount, they expect to at least get the amount back… The emphasis is now on numbers, cost, the opening weekend... how much it made in the entire world, how many viewers it got."
"As a filmmaker, and as a person who can't imagine life without cinema, I always find it really insulting," he added. Scorsese then went on to say that concern for the box office has no place at celebrations of cinema such as the New York Film Festival. He explained to the audience, "There are no awards here. You don't have to compete. You just have to love cinema here."
The filmmaker caused a stir among moviegoers when he compared mainstream superhero films to theme park ridesm specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He said, "It isn't the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being." Scorsese later expanded on those comments, explaning, "Many of the elements that define cinema as I know it are there in Marvel pictures. What's not there is revelation, mystery or genuine emotional danger. Nothing is at risk. The pictures are made to satisfy a specific set of demands, and they are designed as variations on a finite number of themes."
Martin Scorsese's Filmmaking Legacy
As far as moviemakers go, Scorsese is one of the most heavily applauded. Collectively, his films have earned 20 Academy Awards and 11 Golden Globes, among dozens more accolades. Over the span of over 50 years, he has directed 25 full-length films and 16 documentaries, many of which have left their mark on cinema. Taxi Driver, for example, even inspired much of Todd Phillips' divisive box office hit, Joker. Goodfellas is recognized as one of the defining titles of the gangster film genre.
While passionate about cinema, Scorsese experimented with streaming in recent years with his lengthy gangster film, The Irishman, though the film also saw a limited theatrical release. This came at a time when the film industry was devastated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The filmmaker even founded The Film Foundation, which launched a streaming service this year where audiences can find a library of restored film classics.
Source: IndieWire