One of the leading figures of the New Hollywood era, director Martin Scorsese is lauded by millions of fans worldwide for his distinctive approach to filmmaking, which includes frequent use of slow motion and freeze frames, graphic depictions of extremely graphic violence, and liberal use of profanity.

Since his debut in 1967 with Who’s That Knocking at My Door, the filmmaker, who will age 81 this November, has never stopped producing films. He has struggled with addiction, four divorces, and critical and commercial failure, but nothing has been able to stop him. On October 20, 2023, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Killer of the Flower Moon, directed by Martin Scorsese, will be released. But if Scorsese has a pet peeve, it’s movies based on comic books. Let’s find out more.

Also read: “They were very sad”: Martin Scorsese Reveals Why Studio Was Upset With How Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon’s ‘The Departed’ Ended

Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese urges everyone to fight back against Comic Book movie culture

In a recent GQ feature, director Martin Scorsese once again expressed his opinion on comic book and franchise culture in the industry; something which he had addressed in the past as well. He sees trouble in the glut of franchises and comic book entertainment that makes up much of what audiences can see in theatres.

The director said in his GQ interview, “The danger there is what it’s doing to our culture. Because there are going to be generations now that think movies are only those — that’s what movies are.”

He further continued after the interviewer pointed out that maybe the audience does believe that already,

Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese has a problem with comic book and franchise movies

“They already think that. Which means that we have to then fight back stronger. And it’s got to come from the grassroots level. It’s gotta come from the filmmakers themselves. And you’ll have, you know, the Safdie brothers, and you’ll have Chris Nolan. You know what I mean? And hit ’em from all sides. Hit ’em from all sides, and don’t give up. Let’s see what you got. Go out there and do it. Go reinvent. Don’t complain about it. But it’s true, because we’ve got to save cinema.”

The Shutter Island director explained further that what he means is that it’s manufactured content almost like AI making a movie and it doesn’t mean that they don’t have incredible directors or special effects people doing artwork. He raised the question of what these movies would give to anyone aside from a kind of consummation of something and then eliminate it from their minds.

Also read: Martin Scorsese Reveals the Kind of Content He’ll Never Consider as Cinema: “It’s almost like AI making a film”

Fans react to Martin Scorsese’s comment on supporting Christopher Nolan

Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese

As soon as the GQ interview was published, ardent comic book and franchise movie fans took to their social media to point out the irony in the director’s comment on fighting back against Comic Book movies as supporting Christopher Nolan who had in fact found his critical and commercial fame with The Dark Knight Trilogy in 2005-2012 which, is based on a DC Comic character Batman starring Christian Bale.

Other users pointed out that maybe Scorsese’s view on the Comic Book movies is ironic, but he is not wrong in keeping the last few comic book movies in mind, out of which most of them tanked at the box office.

Also read: “If it’s a comedy, fall over it”: Michael Caine Could Not Believe the Advice he Got After a Chair Got Stuck on a Door

Martin Scorsese compared Marvel Movies to Theme Parks

Back in 2019, during an interview with Empire via Variety, the filmmaker compared Marvel movies with billion-dollar theme parks and said,

“I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema. Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

Martin Scorsese
Martin Scorsese compared Marvel Movies to Theme Parks

James Gunn, who is director of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy in the MCU and is now co-CEO of DC Studios, said at the time that he was outraged when people picketed The Last Temptation of Christ without watching it and now he is saddened that Scorsese is judging his movies the same way. Gunn lastly added that, despite that, he will always love Scorsese and be grateful for his contribution to the cinema.

Source: GQ

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