I Am Not a Sheep

by Bradley Cheyne
Emerson College

It is said by some, that the American movie going public is nothing but brainwashed sheep. They herd themselves into the local multiplex to watch Hollywood dribble, loving every minute of it and having it no other way. These are the same individuals who fail to see that overseas these movies are just as popular; that fail to see the strong oligarchy that controls film distribution; that fails to see the reasons why people go to Hollywood films; and that fail to see the mass amounts of people that do see alternative (good) cinema.

As an American, I am sick of being told that I am stupid, and that I am ruining culture and the world for that matter. I look around me, and I do not see a herd of idiots following the commands of corporations. I see individuals living their lives, doing good, people who read books, go to museums, and know what culture is.

The myth of Hollywood is that they made great films in the olden days, but now they make crap. In fact Hollywood has never had a stellar performance record. In the heyday of the ‘30s and ‘40s, the studios put out practically a picture a week, and how many of those hundreds of films are remembered? Probably only a handful a year. These films have risen above their initial entertainment status and are seen as classics. And so will many films of today, once time passes and what is now referred to as popular culture becomes history and something to exam.

There is a line between art and entertainment, no matter what you have been taught (that it is all subjective). There is a place for entertainment at the movies. Do you think people really take Spiderman or Harry Potter in high regard, that they are art, beauty? Or course not, they go to be entertained. Who hasn’t ever been caught up in the fervor and ridiculousness of an action film? They are guilty pleasures, ones we should not be so guilty of. Why should Hollywood be chastised for using genres, when artists and musicians use them all the time, i.e. impressionism, rap, cubism, rock, etc. Are they any less creative because they are not totally original? And who hasn’t been enraptured by a movie star? A Julia Roberts or Tom Cruise? To be in awe of a smile, a laugh, a twinkle of the eye, the sound of their voice, this is only human. They have a magical presence. They are not merely actors (sometimes they cannot act very well at all), they are the mythical movie star, the gods and goddess of the screen. They are themselves a piece of art, no matter what trivial plot or circumstance they may be in on the screen.

Americans are not simple minded folk who can only handle simple linear narratives on screen. Have you watched television lately? Commercials, MTV, CNN, the internet are all fast paced and non-linear, using jump cuts, multi-screens, pictures within pictures, etc. The public is used to a variety and complexity to their media and are surely capable of understanding an alternative or unique way of storytelling on film. They are hyper aware of filmmaking by watching entertainment shows or behind the scene documentaries programs. They know what goes into films. They have camcorders and video editing on their computers. They have a new found appreciation and awareness of filmmaking.

People are watching good films, independent films. Not as much as they should be, but they thirst for it. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of independent producers and productions companies across the country. Would these be able to exist without an audience to back them? The “art house crowd” can only see so many movies, the other “public” must see these movies. How else could successes like Pulp Fiction, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and The Crying Game be explained with their worldwide grosses of over $200 million each?

The main obstacle for having more of the public watching these movies are the distributors. These good films are not shown in suburban or rural areas. Distributors run a business, and like any business they are terrified of risks and change. These movies are often different and can be a huge risk. So they are marginalized, unless they are proven extraordinary. A handful break through each year, and then they are heralded and pushed to success. The competition is fierce. Besides distribution, Hollywood spends $30-50 million per film on advertising alone! This is three to ten times what an indie’s production budget is. And if people do not hear about a film, how can they go see it?

People have a thirst for alternative cinema. Just look at the explosion of film festivals across the country and the world. There is probably a handful of festivals in your area, some you may not even be award of. These festivals are not showing the Hollywood glut of the multiplexes. They are screening local films and other independent fair. Along with cable (IFC) and DVD’s, good independent films are being seen.

The American public has not succumbed to AOL Time Warner or some other conglomerate. (It is interesting to watch as these companies falter, losing their stock value as the immense weight of their corporations effect their breathing.) The public is not brainwashed sheep chewing on the cud of Hollywood films, aptly satisfied. They seek and feed upon healthy alternatives, and they understand the difference between the two.