International Film Franchises

Well, referencing my first post about international cinema, it should be no surprise that the world of film is definitely bucking the trend it once had of exclusive national markets. The barriers to entry have definitely fallen (for the most part) and Hollywood blockbusters now more than ever are having an impact on the international scale. What is so interesting about Iron Man 3 in particular is its release to the international market prior to it's domestic theatrical release, and the subsequent massive return of over 198 million dollars. That is plenty of return on investment for the studio, and not nearly over yet.

But more important than money, the success of this film definitely speaks to the global society that we are becoming. It is not uncommon for a superhero film so wholly engrained in the American identity like Iron Man and Captain America to do well overseas. International audiences do in fact like American films. Now some would argue that it's Hollywood's distribution deals and financial wrangling that allows them to capture such a market share, alongside massive protections in the domestic market; but at the same time, these blockbuster films are putting their money where their mouth is. People are going to see these films, and with that, some of these characters and movies become something that an international audience can identify with. At this point, when vastly different groups of people can identify with the same film, does it really get to carry the "Made in America" brand? And if so, then we have to look at the financing of the film. Which, if you did not know, it was reported in 2012 that a Chinese firm, DMG, selected Iron Man 3 to be one of twenty-five films chosen for release in the Chinese market. This seems to me much less like an American cultural icon than an international product.

That is the benefit and drawback to this type of film, because there are connotations that go with commercializing a film and distributing it in this way. First, it does degrade the general perspective of film as expression vs entertainment. Don't get me wrong, they can be one in the same and there is a certain spectrum, but the approach of selling a film as a product of strict entertainment does mean that it must appeal to vast audience, especially internationally, and that takes away from the expression of the filmmaker and makes it more of an appeal to the consumer. Argue what you will about film as expression vs entertainment, but in this case Iron Man 3 is the result of mass appeal. Secondly, in relation to mass appeal, the larger the spread, the weaker the content. You can't please everyone. When you expand your market from the United States to the U.K. or France, the leap is much smaller than when you try to appeal to the Chinese, U.S., U.K., and France. Cultures vary and perspectives on cinema still exist within these cultural contexts that will prevent the communication of certain nuances and ideas from being clear. Ultimately this could result in a diluted product. But if the goal is consumption, then it does still become a success if it is able to penetrate the market.

So in that respect, Iron Man 3 is certainly successful and will be successful. But to look at it through an American lens is myopic, when there are so many international factors at play. I believe there will be many more world-films to follow Iron Man 3, and they certainly will have equivalent if not stronger impacts on the film industry as well as the global community. Yet at the same time it should call attention to where the industry is headed. The potential for a world market is lucrative, but it may be at the sacrifice of a quality and respect that many films have garnered in the past.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/iron-man-3-opens-massive-448006#comments

Oh, To Finish a T.V. Series...

This weekend I finally finished another T.V. series. After hours upon hours of binge watching on a Saturday with my girlfriend, or right before bed, or through the night...I finally accomplished that seemingly unfathomable goal; I finished a show that was four-seasons long and went off the air before I cared that it did.

The particular series I finished was Battlestar Galactica, which I thoroughly enjoyed. If you get the chance or have the interest, just watch the pilot episode, and I am pretty sure you'll end up like this.

But the series is really not the point of my blog today. I just want to talk about how if feels to finally finish something and the excitement that comes from it.

I'm no T.V. guru; I don't even have cable. But I do have something that I think is as good, if not better than cable, and that is Netflix. This content distributor has tapped into the habits of thousands of subscribers who love to watch T.V. in big chunks. Before Netflix, I was buying up DVD box after DVD box of series' like Family Guy and Arrested Development. Netflix has not only saved me money, but also opened my entertainment palette to new content.  But sometimes this can feel like opening pandora's box: trying new shows, quitting mid-season, etc. And it can truly be a miracle to dedicate time to an entire series, especially if you are watching it with someone.

To give you background, my girlfriend and I decided to watch Battlestar together. She's in Law School so we would only do so when we got together, and this slowed the process of binge watching to a gradual progression.

So when you invest this much time and effort into an actual series you do begin to form a relationship with it. My first love was Arrested Development, and it still is. I am beyond excited that the new season will be distributed by Netflix, and am looking forward to the film as well. But I watched this show on T.V. and didn't gain this love for it until I was able to purchase each season after its release. Watching the series is more like watching a film with so many inside jokes and references to the material before it. It's like it was really made for binge watching. Upon finishing it I wanted more, and really felt like I was a part of a community of Arrested fans. The same is true now for Battlestar; I mean, I am blogging about it. And I am really happy that I can scratch it off of my instant que, which is an accomplishment (at least in my world).

Maybe some of you disagree, but to those of you out there who know what it's like to crush a series and then obsess over it, I say KEEP IT UP! And I'll sit here patting myself on the back until I decide to finish House of Cards, Breaking Bad, Madmen...................................

Love a Good Western

I love a good Western. These days it is fairly uncommon to hear that phrase amongst the youth demographic, but for me Westerns are my favorite genre of film. In fact, The Searchers tops my list of best Westerns. Recently there has been a resurgence of Western genre films, the Coen's remake of True Grit, which I thought was splendid, spurred the genre back to life. (Now others may consider some earlier Westerns to be the rejuvenator, but True Grit is where I will start my timeline.) The critical acclaim that this film had opened the doors to make Westerns relevant.

It was after this film that we began to see a callback to the times when Westerns were one of America's favorite genres. However, the Westerns that we see presently all seem to build on some edgier aspect, whether it's Cowboys And Aliens or Django Unchained, Westerns have become more sensationalistic. The use of shootouts is not new, but the action and pacing of these Westerns I think is noticeably stronger and faster than The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. These neo-Westerns seem to be less about the battle between the wilderness and civilization, and more about the protagonist and his side-arm.

I think that this approach to the Western genre has reignited our heros though. More than likely these films appeal to young men, and heros from these Westerns are being recognized as cool. From my own personal experience, though I really didn't care for Cowboys And Aliens, my young cousins loved it. At ages 11, 9, and 6, they played outside with their homemade Alien wristbands and six-shooters. This sensational approach seems to make cowboys other than Woody appeal to young kids again. I grew up playing Davy Crocket with my brothers and replaying his death at the Alamo over and over again. So Westerns hold a soft-spot in my heart and my a strong attachment to my identity. It may be nostalgia clouding my judgment, or the fact that I am 22, but it feels good to me that I can see a younger generation growing up with something that is of their time and still reflective of the genre that I love.

I'm interested to see where the Western genre will go next. A few shorts and feature films have been released or announced recently and I am excited to see how they approach it. I hope in the future that I will be able to make a film myself that is reminiscent of my love for Westerns. Overall I am just content with Westerns being back in the spotlight.