Bogdanovich

As much pleasure as I get from making fun (lame acting on Sopranos, his needy dorky love of blonde chicks, overrated as a director, etc) of Bogdanovich, I respect his love and dedication to movies. It is sad - the fact that films are becoming less and less community experiences. I don't have any ideas how to reclaim the glory of seeing pictures in the company of a large audience, when people like watching DVDs. Forcing people to the movies certainly ain't gonna happen. But it is a different experience, laughing and crying with each other. That feel of experiencing tales as a part of a community. The giddyness of when the lights go down - the closest thing I can think of to reverting back to childhood - and getting swept away in a story. That feeling you get coming out a movie that made you feel like someone else understands the human experience the way you might....

Maybe they should charge less money to see films. Maybe movies need a Walmartification - demand dominated, versus supply dominated, where mega-millions cannot be made by "event" films, therefore ceasing to produce them. It would take a bold businessman to open theaters and charge $5 a pop, $1 for popcorn, and choose movies based upon their affordability. This is the only way I can see movies reclaiming the throne of entertainment, by priviliging story over spectacle (as fun as spectacle can be). I see an initial problem in that films being made in the cheap indy sphere are probably no good - self important as cliche as Hollywood in their own quirky way. Anyhow. Something.