Does the average American truly prefer their movies/books to have predictable plotlines and cliche endings? Do they want their logos and brochures squeezed from a can? Do they really enjoy having their music mass produced with only slight lyric and label changes?
In spite of mounting evidence to the contrary, I've remained blissfully hopeful that the world at large really prefers creativity, diversity and uniqueness. As a person loathing anything cliche or ordinary I simply can't stand the thought of living in a world where there's a formula for "art" and where the most used/obvious aesthetics are the ones the consumer will choose every single time.
I understand the comfort concept, but am personally offended when watching a movie that has the standard five characters and three plot twists. When character #3 (the angsty street kid who's never known real love) gets killed off by a "shocking" turn of events I want to shoot myself repeatedly with my 2.5 horse battery powered nail gun. When we think all is finally safe, but the evil villian rises once more I want to bludgeon the tv with my rusty pocket-sized collapsable tire iron. And the moment when we find that the villian's side-kick was actually a tormented youth and truly wants to be redeemed... well, that's when I decide to get a sex change, become a nun and move to some remote location where the incessant monotonous drone of the mediocrity of society can't reach my muted vow of poverty.
| November 23, 2005 09:39am | 
art
random mutterings
reviews
shameless entertainment
comment already
because there’s nothing that amuses me more than hearing your pathetic opinion
Damon,
And what are you railing about now? Which movie are you trashing?
Probably something I wouldn't see anyway...
Now, as far as music goes, thankfully there are some of us who truly enjoy the 'off the beaten track'.
And as far as art is concerned, the only art book that I've bought in ages is a book by Joel-Peter Witkin... Go do a Google search on him and take a look at some of his photos...
You can't get much more off the beaten track than "Venus Rising From The Waves" redone with a hermaprodites!
Jay | November 23, 2005 12:29PM
This is all from a string of conversations with Curt as the self-proclaimed poster child for average America. The most recent movie, in which all the horror truly settled in was Vampires: Los Muertos with Jon Bon Jovi. Not a terrible movie, but so formulaic. That sort of thing makes my skin crawl. Curt said there was comfort in that formula. It was then I realized that I'm in the minority.
Damon | November 24, 2005 7:33AM
Okay, I saw parts of that film on the Sci Fi Channel...
It was, at best, "Eh"...
Now, if you want something interesting to watch, check out:
"The Station Agent"
"Dirty Pretty Things"
Or even,
"Dead Again". That one had some great twists and turns.
I also get very annoyed when, after the first 15 minutes of a movie I can tell you evrything that is going to happen next...
Films like "Cold Creek Manor" or the remake of "The Haunting"...
Why do they bother getting good actors and then giving them nothing to do! In "The Haunting" they had Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta Jones & Lily Taylor and then had them react to a green screen! What a waste!
Okay, I'll climb down off my soap box now... hehehe...
Jay | November 28, 2005 11:16AM