It is striking that nothing is able to approximate the truth and depth of human feeling more than those pursuits we take up during our moments of leisure. Movies, books, art and music?this is how will fill our non-working hours, and through these things will we truly be able to assess the impact of the events of Sept. 11. While most Americans will give no more than a passing thought to the true causes and implications of the attacks on our nation, pop culture, for better or worse, will show them how to react and how to feel. In this age, when popular culture is as in-your-face as ever, we take our cues from without and hardly ever from a contemplative interior dialogue.
Because of this lack of reflection, some industries have had a less than intelligent reaction to the attacks?a prime example being the movie industry. Immediately following the attacks, Hollywood excised the appearance of the Twin Towers from upcoming film releases, trailers and posters. Ideas were also tossed about advocating the removing the Towers from video and DVD versions of current releases, such as A.I.: Artificial Intelligence,in which they appear in a flooded, futuristic New York. The logic behind this is that such depictions would cause unnecessary emotional stress on people who seek escape from life’s worries when they go to see a movie. Forget the fact that many people might actually find pride and happiness in seeing the WTC in its former glory. Also forget the fact that such erasures from films as A.I. stink of an attempt to erase and therefore sterilize history. These actions, in effect, pretend the WTC never existed and by extension that thousands of people did not die there a month ago, thereby placing movies in a distant vacuum completely cut off from any reality. This, however, nowhere near approximates the depths to which Hollywood hypocrisy, hidden under the guise of sensitivity, can sink.
There have also been private debates over whether or not Hollywood should re-assess its reliance on selling violence as a source of entertainment. Countless action thrillers in which buildings, planes, cars and people (but never dogs) are blown up in slow-motion fireballs constitute a guaranteed paycheck for studios. Indeed, it is very easy to see the integral connection between grand violence and movies; how many movies have you seen in your lifetime that can fit the description above? Movie executives have finally been called on their obsession with spectacle at the expense of humanity. In response, as evidenced by the actions mentioned above, they have been cowardly and hypocritical.
Do not jump to any conclusions that I am anti-escapism. There are many fantastical films that do not engage in such mindless violence. You should still run to see Harry Potterand The Fellowship of the Ring,both good, fun epic fairy tales. Yet while films such as these are far removed from reality, they at least attempt to grapple with the question of good and evil, rather than erasing evidence of such with a swoop of the digital pen.
Another tragedy lies in the fact that films with genuine substance and relevance will be more hard-pressed to find support. The genius assumption is that, for the time being, Americans want nothing more than life-affirming romantic comedies and happy fare. Already, Miramax has pushed Gangs of New Yorkback to a 2002 release date on the grounds that it was too serious; apparently a violent movie taking place in 19th century New York would be more than we could bear.
Furthermore, any film dabbling in serious issues will be emphasized less. A former Universal executive was recently quoted as saying it would be “harder for indie films with political content to get distribution.” Such statements indicate a shift to extreme sensitivity when we should be allowing filmmakers to engage in a discussion and exploration of what in present-day society results in such actions as occurred in New York and D.C.
Thankfully, some directors are taking matter into their own hands. Steven Soderbergh, Spike Jonze, David Fincher and Alex Payne have announced that they are forming their own production company linked to USA Films. Hopefully, these relatively radical (yet still mainstream) directors can find the freedom to engage in intelligent filmmaking.
Art, which includes the best of cinema, is an attempt to confront and interpret the reality of being human, an existence that leaves us fraught with joy and tragedy. It would be a shame for the movie industry to turn its back on an opportunity to exhibit a mature approach to the tragedies that have stricken this nation. Hollywood must realize that it must finance films that attempt, in some way, to shed light on what these events mean and how we have been affected. They must not fall back on tried-and-true romantic comedies and light fare.
A reaction such as this is only indicative of the cowardice of the movie industry in its agreement to bow to false sentiment. Hollywood constantly refuses to expand the limitations of the gift they so callously misuse?that of the magic of film. For a medium with so much potential to provoke debate, to explore the human condition and to achieve true artistry, film is misused to a criminal extent. Few and far between are movies that deal with realistic portrayals of love, loss, tragedy and grace?all things seen in the immediate aftermath of the WTC attacks. Now, more than ever, it is incumbent upon our society to demand and support a balance between popular escapism and the realization of a serious American cinema culture. Then and there will we see how America feels, our suppressed emotion blasting onto the silver screen in an explosion of life.
