"Why Does The Focus Of Society Change In Media" or "Movies: A Retrospective"

Seil · 01-07-2013, 06:11 AM

So I watched Inglourious Basterds 2: Spaghetti Western tonight, but this thread isn't about the silent "D," no. It's about Robocop. And Sylvester Stallone. And Metal Gear Solid.

Yeah. I was watching Robocop today, because Robocop is awesome, and I was thinking "Why do most early nineties movies depict the future as some sort of horrible crime ridden wasteland?" Well, actually I was thinking "Robocop is awesome." Because he totally is.

Then I Was thinking, what about the films we've had in the past couple of years? The 2000's? Is it called the 2000's? DO I have to call it "The new millennium?" 'Cause that takes wa-a-a-ay too long to type. Imma stick with the 2000's. Anyway, in the 2000's, we had all these end of the world movies. ...Okay, we had just a few. A few-ish.

And it go me thinking - all the great films of the day had to do with important issues of the era; War, Corruption in media, Giant alien bugs, booze, STD's, Multiple Sclerosis, Racism, Alien invasions, and Alien Squatters, Austrian Future Robots.

Now, you could say that most movies have metaphors for fears and trials that regular people face every day. For some people, movies are an escape, a fantasy to distract them from day-to-day drudgery. For others, movies provide a window into the human condition, the subject matter mirroring our own phobias and faults. For everyone else, there's Robocop.

But seriously - throughout the ages, film, television and books have provided an insight into the human condition. Our art is representative of the state of society; it's hopes, fears, economic woes and foreign policies. When film began, we had talking pictures of what? A man sneezing? Because we were amazed at our own brilliance.

Well, a little because we just invented a new medium and that was all we could do at the time, but it during the Age of Wonders and the World Fair and Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Disraeli and I don't know anything about history. But I also don't know what the newest decade of film is saying about us.

Bells · 01-07-2013, 06:36 AM

Well, i'm sure there is more than one way to look into this, but i'm also sure you have noticed the large amount of "Heroic" movies we have been having lately. Not just your Avengers, Batman, Superman... but Scott Pilgrim, Kick Ass, Hancock...

If you wanna look for a current trend, that's where you go looking. I believe you'll find that it's not overly different from early 90's Ninjas and Martial Arts wave of movies.

Also, soon enough you'll be knee deep into "The new Robocop movie sucks" , and in your "Movies showing the future show the future sucks" you forgot Demolition Man. How can you forget Demolition Man Seil?

Seil · 01-07-2013, 07:13 AM

Sir, I direct you to my second link.

Bells · 01-07-2013, 07:21 AM

Well i must be wearing orthopedic shoes cause i stand corrected!

Why the hell did i thought that was going to be Rambo?!

Professor Smarmiarty · 01-07-2013, 07:25 AM

Isn't the future really good in demolition man. Like all the problems come from about via a Snipe from the past.

Kim · 01-07-2013, 07:50 AM

The reason the future is always shit in major movies is because they're by people who are well off now and are afraid of change.

Professor Smarmiarty · 01-07-2013, 07:52 AM

To be fair, the future is pretty shit.

Bells · 01-07-2013, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor Smarmiarty

To be fair, the future is pretty shit.

i KNEW you were a time traveling hobo!!

Aerozord · 01-07-2013, 02:20 PM

Its because if the world was all awesome and perfect it would be a pretty boring movie. You need conflict, something to fight against.

I think movies evolve less about culture and more about shifts in marketable demographics. The current big milk machines are nostalgia hungry nerds, women with questionable tastes in men, and whoever rated R comedies are aimed at. middle aged adults I think. The movies you mentioned especially from the 80's were targeted towards conservative males. The future brought change, change is bad, we need heroic people from the past to defeat the evil change, ect.

While cultural shifts result in these new markets opening up, like how increased freedom and disposable income in youth resulted in the boon of movies like Star Wars, its not as directly connected as you might think.

Magus · 01-07-2013, 06:55 PM

Earth civilization in Star Trek is utopic, it's the conflict with other races that causes problems.

01-07-2013, 06:11 AM	#1
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	"Why Does The Focus Of Society Change In Media" or "Movies: A Retrospective" So I watched Inglourious Basterds 2: Spaghetti Western tonight, but this thread isn't about the silent "D," no. It's about Robocop. And Sylvester Stallone. And Metal Gear Solid. Yeah. I was watching Robocop today, because Robocop is awesome, and I was thinking "Why do most early nineties movies depict the future as some sort of horrible crime ridden wasteland?" Well, actually I was thinking "Robocop is awesome." Because he totally is. Then I Was thinking, what about the films we've had in the past couple of years? The 2000's? Is it called the 2000's? DO I have to call it "The new millennium?" 'Cause that takes wa-a-a-ay too long to type. Imma stick with the 2000's. Anyway, in the 2000's, we had all these end of the world movies. ...Okay, we had just a few. A few-ish. And it go me thinking - all the great films of the day had to do with important issues of the era; War, Corruption in media, Giant alien bugs, booze, STD's, Multiple Sclerosis, Racism, Alien invasions, and Alien Squatters, Austrian Future Robots. Now, you could say that most movies have metaphors for fears and trials that regular people face every day. For some people, movies are an escape, a fantasy to distract them from day-to-day drudgery. For others, movies provide a window into the human condition, the subject matter mirroring our own phobias and faults. For everyone else, there's Robocop. But seriously - throughout the ages, film, television and books have provided an insight into the human condition. Our art is representative of the state of society; it's hopes, fears, economic woes and foreign policies. When film began, we had talking pictures of what? A man sneezing? Because we were amazed at our own brilliance. Well, a little because we just invented a new medium and that was all we could do at the time, but it during the Age of Wonders and the World Fair and Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Disraeli and I don't know anything about history. But I also don't know what the newest decade of film is saying about us. Last edited by Seil; 01-07-2013 at 06:14 AM.

01-07-2013, 06:36 AM	#2
Bells That's so PC of you Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In a Server-sided Dimension where time is meaningless Posts: 10,490	Well, i'm sure there is more than one way to look into this, but i'm also sure you have noticed the large amount of "Heroic" movies we have been having lately. Not just your Avengers, Batman, Superman... but Scott Pilgrim, Kick Ass, Hancock... If you wanna look for a current trend, that's where you go looking. I believe you'll find that it's not overly different from early 90's Ninjas and Martial Arts wave of movies. Also, soon enough you'll be knee deep into "The new Robocop movie sucks" , and in your "Movies showing the future show the future sucks" you forgot Demolition Man. How can you forget Demolition Man Seil? __________________ *BELLS STORE : Clothes! You wear* them! Free US Shipping Subscription System? WTF?! Zazzle Black!**

01-07-2013, 07:21 AM	#4
Bells That's so PC of you Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: In a Server-sided Dimension where time is meaningless Posts: 10,490	Well i must be wearing orthopedic shoes cause i stand corrected! Why the hell did i thought that was going to be Rambo?! __________________ *BELLS STORE : Clothes! You wear* them! Free US Shipping Subscription System? WTF?! Zazzle Black!**

01-07-2013, 07:50 AM	#6
Kim adorable Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 12,950	The reason the future is always shit in major movies is because they're by people who are well off now and are afraid of change. __________________ this post is about how to successfully H the Kimmy

01-07-2013, 02:20 PM	#9
Aerozord So we are clear Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Former murder capital of the world Posts: 13,824	Its because if the world was all awesome and perfect it would be a pretty boring movie. You need conflict, something to fight against. I think movies evolve less about culture and more about shifts in marketable demographics. The current big milk machines are nostalgia hungry nerds, women with questionable tastes in men, and whoever rated R comedies are aimed at. middle aged adults I think. The movies you mentioned especially from the 80's were targeted towards conservative males. The future brought change, change is bad, we need heroic people from the past to defeat the evil change, ect. While cultural shifts result in these new markets opening up, like how increased freedom and disposable income in youth resulted in the boon of movies like Star Wars, its not as directly connected as you might think. __________________ "don't hate me for being a heterosexual white guy disparaging slacktivism, hate me for all those murders I've done."

01-07-2013, 07:13 AM	#3
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	Sir, I direct you to my second link.

01-07-2013, 07:25 AM	#5
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	Isn't the future really good in demolition man. Like all the problems come from about via a Snipe from the past.

01-07-2013, 07:52 AM	#7
Professor Smarmiarty Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: K-space Posts: 9,758	To be fair, the future is pretty shit.

01-07-2013, 06:55 PM	#10
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	Earth civilization in Star Trek is utopic, it's the conflict with other races that causes problems.