• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Steven Spielberg says the end is near for superhero movies

124 posts in this topic

If a genre gets over-baked because studios feel it is prime time to take advantage of a new or renewed interest, I can see it getting so excessive with content people will turn away. But have we gotten to that point yet with comic book material?

 

Luckily for the hobby, like any written material, it is made up of many themes that are much greater than just one genre. Because that's the mistake Spielberg may be making here - comic books are just superhero stories. Some examples clearly point out how comic books touch on many genres leading to films and TV shows (completed and pending).

 

- Action: 300, A History of Violence, Bulletproof Monk, Dredd, Kingsman, Red, Road To Perdition

- Adventure-Fantasy: Preacher

- Alternate History-Fantasy: From Hell, V For Vendetta

- Comedy: Scott Pilgrim Versus the World

- Fantasy-Folklore: The Crow, Sandman

- Horror: Blade, Hellboy, Tales From the Crypt, Walking Dead, 30 Days of Night

- General Life: American Splendor, Ghost World

- Sci-fi: Aliens vs. Predator (though both came from movies), Men In Black, Oblivion, Tank Girl

- Superheroes: This is fairly clear

- Western-Adventure: Jonah Hex (if only this had been so much better)

 

A well-rounded company like Dark Horse could very wisely hit on many of these genres, and navigate the waters just fine. Especially without a dependence on just superhero films or TV shows or streaming.

 

But didn't Spielberg say superhero movies, not comic book movies? (shrug)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But didn't Spielberg say superhero movies, not comic book movies? (shrug)

 

He did. Which is why I made this comment.

 

Because that's the mistake Spielberg may be making here - comic books are just superhero stories.

 

He could be blending in anything to do with comic books as one massive superhero genre. And that could be the mistake Marvel and DC are making is rather than pulling from their vast material which spans many genres, they are focused on superheroes leading to market burnout over time. Both companies have westerns, mystery, horror, fables and even hardcore sci-fi titles. Guardians of the Galaxy was the movie that seemed to deviate from the superhero norm because it felt more like a sci-fi film. Should both companies take note of that, and blend their release schedules with more than superhero content?

 

Is Spielberg clueless about comic book movies in general? Not at all.

 

 

He was the one that executive produced Cowboys & Aliens with Jon 'Iron Man' Favreau. He spun it up after reading the material, and loving the purposeful blend of the sci-fi and western genres. He thought it was a brilliant idea, because it felt like it brought together the best of both into one story. Yet it bombed hard (1.1X of budget). It seemed to have an interesting story to tell, but failed to capture audience attention.

 

If anything, Spielberg is supplying wise counsel too much of a thing can only lead to market burnout. So better for the larger comic book companies to blend their release schedules with a mix of genres. And with DC, they are doing this slightly since you will not only have their superhero lineup, but also TV shows like Preacher and Lucifer (fantasy) and movies like Sandman and Fables (folklore, mythology). They just need to blend them in staggered versus cramming one genre down an audience's throat rapidly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But didn't Spielberg say superhero movies, not comic book movies? (shrug)

 

He did. Which is why I made this comment.

 

Because that's the mistake Spielberg may be making here - comic books are just superhero stories.

 

He could be blending in anything to do with comic books as one massive superhero genre. And that could be the mistake Marvel and DC are making is rather than pulling from their vast material which spans many genres, they are focused on superheroes leading to market burnout over time. Both companies have westerns, mystery, horror, fables and even hardcore sci-fi titles. Guardians of the Galaxy was the movie that seemed to deviate from the superhero norm because it felt more like a sci-fi film. Should both companies take note of that, and blend their release schedules with more than superhero content?

 

Is Spielberg clueless about comic book movies in general? Not at all.

 

 

He was the one that executive produced Cowboys & Aliens with Jon 'Iron Man' Favreau. He spun it up after reading the material, and loving the purposeful blend of the sci-fi and western genres. He thought it was a brilliant idea, because it felt like it brought together the best of both into one story. Yet it bombed hard (1.1X of budget). It seemed to have an interesting story to tell, but failed to capture audience attention.

 

If anything, Spielberg is supplying wise counsel too much of a thing can only lead to market burnout. So better for the larger comic book companies to blend their release schedules with a mix of genres. And with DC, they are doing this slightly since you will not only have their superhero lineup, but also TV shows like Preacher and Lucifer (fantasy) and movies like Sandman and Fables (folklore, mythology). They just need to blend them in staggered versus cramming one genre down an audience's throat rapidly.

 

His opinion is what it is, just an opinion.

I would tell him he is wrong, for it is the box office that determines whether these type of films will continue to be made.

If a horrible movie like Iron Man 3 can be massively successful/ profitable then the future is strong for the genre.

 

I liked the new Fantastic Four movie more than Iron Man 3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I happen to agree with Mr. Spielberg.

 

I also do not think, when done right, Westerns are boring. What's boring? Well this whole generation has made Michael Bay it's biggest box office director and he's raped more childhood dreams than anyone in cinematic history.

 

 

(thumbs u

 

I just saw The Salvation. Not a bad addition to the genre. Though, Once upon a time in the West along with the Spaghetti's remain my favorite. Even the Neo-Westerns like Outland.

The best!

 

Have you seen the Director's Cut? Even greater, with an awesome transfer. Some might consider the Mad Max films westerns too..

I never even knew there was a director`s cut? :o

 

Also I know the Spaghetti's Eastwood`s got at least a trilogy, but what about The Outlaw Josey Wales? Is that part of the canon?

Yup. It 18 minutes added. My favorite addition was a brief one, the part with the boot when Eli Wallach is endlessly torturing Eastwood.

 

I do not believe Josey Wales is part of it. Just Eastwood trying new directions for the genre. Even though The Beguiled isn't so much a western, I think you should try it out from that time period. I'm not sure, but I think it's Eastwood's first villian role where he runs into folks worse then he is.

 

Besides Josey, there's always The Dollar Trilogy, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Silverado, Dances With Wolves (4 hour Director's Cut), Jeremiah Johnson, The Man Called Horse films, Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, Tombstone, Hang 'Em High, Joe Kidd, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Once Upon a Time in the West, They Died With Their Boots On, The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and even Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

 

I can't believe someone on here implied Westerns are boring. lol

 

That's a stagecoach load of great films.

Whoops! I'm gonna burn in hell for not adding Quigley Down Under! doh!

 

Not to mention Deadwood.

 

Best western film i've ever seen is Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry". Doesnt get any better than that.

"You ain't a daisy! You ain't a daisy at all"

I'm kicking myself for not getting the Vista Series Director's Cut the other day. I just wasn't in the mood and when I was, it was gone. It's not the same when I order from Amazon. I like the good 'ol days like when something popped out on the shelf and you rented/bought it or not.

"He was just high-strung" lol

 

I totally know what you mean. Btw, what about The Quick and the Dead? I watched it on Netflix for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was pretty entertaining. I almost teared up when Kid got shot. :cry:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I happen to agree with Mr. Spielberg.

 

I also do not think, when done right, Westerns are boring. What's boring? Well this whole generation has made Michael Bay it's biggest box office director and he's raped more childhood dreams than anyone in cinematic history.

 

 

(thumbs u

 

I just saw The Salvation. Not a bad addition to the genre. Though, Once upon a time in the West along with the Spaghetti's remain my favorite. Even the Neo-Westerns like Outland.

The best!

 

Have you seen the Director's Cut? Even greater, with an awesome transfer. Some might consider the Mad Max films westerns too..

I never even knew there was a director`s cut? :o

 

Also I know the Spaghetti's Eastwood`s got at least a trilogy, but what about The Outlaw Josey Wales? Is that part of the canon?

Yup. It 18 minutes added. My favorite addition was a brief one, the part with the boot when Eli Wallach is endlessly torturing Eastwood.

 

I do not believe Josey Wales is part of it. Just Eastwood trying new directions for the genre. Even though The Beguiled isn't so much a western, I think you should try it out from that time period. I'm not sure, but I think it's Eastwood's first villian role where he runs into folks worse then he is.

 

Besides Josey, there's always The Dollar Trilogy, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Silverado, Dances With Wolves (4 hour Director's Cut), Jeremiah Johnson, The Man Called Horse films, Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, Tombstone, Hang 'Em High, Joe Kidd, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Once Upon a Time in the West, They Died With Their Boots On, The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and even Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

 

I can't believe someone on here implied Westerns are boring. lol

 

That's a stagecoach load of great films.

Whoops! I'm gonna burn in hell for not adding Quigley Down Under! doh!

 

Not to mention Deadwood.

 

Best western film i've ever seen is Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry". Doesnt get any better than that.

 

 

Loved Tombstone.

But right up there is 'The Big Country' from 1958.

Megastar cast - Burl Ives, Jean Simmons, Charlton Heston, Chuck (Rifleman) Connors and Gregory Peck.

 

When The Major leads into Blanco Canyon, with Steve just behind,and the rest of the Terrill men following - backed up with the sublime score from Jerome Moross - well, that's pretty much the best Western scene right there!

 

Fantastic film, that won many awards (inc an Oscar for Ives) - deserves to be seen by anyone who hasn't yet had the pleasure.

 

"How many times does a man have to win you?" - awesome line!

 

I've never seen The Big Country. I'll have to check it out.

 

I used to live in St George, Ut, which was about an hour away from the ghost town of Grafton. They filmed some westerns there. I actually got banned for trespassing. I couldn't help but cross that fence to see what was in those old houses.

 

grafton_utah_jack_schultz.jpg

 

Kinda eerie, some of the tombstones in the cemetery say "Killed by Indians".

 

Grafton_3.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

His opinion is what it is, just an opinion.

I would tell him he is wrong, for it is the box office that determines whether these type of films will continue to be made.

If a horrible movie like Iron Man 3 can be massively successful/ profitable then the future is strong for the genre.

 

I liked the new Fantastic Four movie more than Iron Man 3.

 

Oh, I know. Spielberg being a superstar in the industry gets attention, though. But like anyone, it is just his opinion and not gospel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I happen to agree with Mr. Spielberg.

 

I also do not think, when done right, Westerns are boring. What's boring? Well this whole generation has made Michael Bay it's biggest box office director and he's raped more childhood dreams than anyone in cinematic history.

 

 

(thumbs u

 

I just saw The Salvation. Not a bad addition to the genre. Though, Once upon a time in the West along with the Spaghetti's remain my favorite. Even the Neo-Westerns like Outland.

The best!

 

Have you seen the Director's Cut? Even greater, with an awesome transfer. Some might consider the Mad Max films westerns too..

I never even knew there was a director`s cut? :o

 

Also I know the Spaghetti's Eastwood`s got at least a trilogy, but what about The Outlaw Josey Wales? Is that part of the canon?

Yup. It 18 minutes added. My favorite addition was a brief one, the part with the boot when Eli Wallach is endlessly torturing Eastwood.

 

I do not believe Josey Wales is part of it. Just Eastwood trying new directions for the genre. Even though The Beguiled isn't so much a western, I think you should try it out from that time period. I'm not sure, but I think it's Eastwood's first villian role where he runs into folks worse then he is.

 

Besides Josey, there's always The Dollar Trilogy, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Silverado, Dances With Wolves (4 hour Director's Cut), Jeremiah Johnson, The Man Called Horse films, Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, Tombstone, Hang 'Em High, Joe Kidd, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Once Upon a Time in the West, They Died With Their Boots On, The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and even Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

 

I can't believe someone on here implied Westerns are boring. lol

 

That's a stagecoach load of great films.

Whoops! I'm gonna burn in hell for not adding Quigley Down Under! doh!

 

Not to mention Deadwood.

 

Best western film i've ever seen is Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry". Doesnt get any better than that.

"You ain't a daisy! You ain't a daisy at all"

I'm kicking myself for not getting the Vista Series Director's Cut the other day. I just wasn't in the mood and when I was, it was gone. It's not the same when I order from Amazon. I like the good 'ol days like when something popped out on the shelf and you rented/bought it or not.

"He was just high-strung" lol

 

I totally know what you mean. Btw, what about The Quick and the Dead? I watched it on Netflix for the first time just a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was pretty entertaining. I almost teared up when Kid got shot. :cry:

You know, I liked it but didn't too. I've always thought Raimi injected too much style into the shoot-out sequences, leaving the actors to perform their quieter scenes with cliched drama type acting that made the overall tone feel uneven. I liked the Alamo, but felt we have seen it before and brought nothing new to the production. Thorton was great though.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting that Spielberg never did a super-hero film. I wonder if he ever read comic books as a kid? He is 68, which means he was 10 years old when SC 4 hit the stands and 15 years old when FF1 hit the stands. So he was the perfect age to have been exposed to early SA comics as they hit the newsstands.

 

I think he was into funny animal comics if I recall correctly...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I happen to agree with Mr. Spielberg.

 

I also do not think, when done right, Westerns are boring. What's boring? Well this whole generation has made Michael Bay it's biggest box office director and he's raped more childhood dreams than anyone in cinematic history.

 

 

(thumbs u

 

I just saw The Salvation. Not a bad addition to the genre. Though, Once upon a time in the West along with the Spaghetti's remain my favorite. Even the Neo-Westerns like Outland.

The best!

 

Have you seen the Director's Cut? Even greater, with an awesome transfer. Some might consider the Mad Max films westerns too..

I never even knew there was a director`s cut? :o

 

Also I know the Spaghetti's Eastwood`s got at least a trilogy, but what about The Outlaw Josey Wales? Is that part of the canon?

Yup. It 18 minutes added. My favorite addition was a brief one, the part with the boot when Eli Wallach is endlessly torturing Eastwood.

 

I do not believe Josey Wales is part of it. Just Eastwood trying new directions for the genre. Even though The Beguiled isn't so much a western, I think you should try it out from that time period. I'm not sure, but I think it's Eastwood's first villian role where he runs into folks worse then he is.

 

Besides Josey, there's always The Dollar Trilogy, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Silverado, Dances With Wolves (4 hour Director's Cut), Jeremiah Johnson, The Man Called Horse films, Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, Tombstone, Hang 'Em High, Joe Kidd, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Once Upon a Time in the West, They Died With Their Boots On, The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and even Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

 

I can't believe someone on here implied Westerns are boring. lol

 

That's a stagecoach load of great films.

Whoops! I'm gonna burn in hell for not adding Quigley Down Under! doh!

 

Not to mention Deadwood.

 

Best western film i've ever seen is Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry". Doesnt get any better than that.

 

 

Loved Tombstone.

But right up there is 'The Big Country' from 1958.

Megastar cast - Burl Ives, Jean Simmons, Charlton Heston, Chuck (Rifleman) Connors and Gregory Peck.

 

When The Major leads into Blanco Canyon, with Steve just behind,and the rest of the Terrill men following - backed up with the sublime score from Jerome Moross - well, that's pretty much the best Western scene right there!

 

Fantastic film, that won many awards (inc an Oscar for Ives) - deserves to be seen by anyone who hasn't yet had the pleasure.

 

"How many times does a man have to win you?" - awesome line!

 

I've never seen The Big Country. I'll have to check it out.

 

I used to live in St George, Ut, which was about an hour away from the ghost town of Grafton. They filmed some westerns there. I actually got banned for trespassing. I couldn't help but cross that fence to see what was in those old houses.

 

grafton_utah_jack_schultz.jpg

 

Kinda eerie, some of the tombstones in the cemetery say "Killed by Indians".

 

Grafton_3.jpg

 

 

I'd love to visit a real western ghost town, that would be incredible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually got banned for trespassing.

If it was a ghost town, how did anyone know you were there to ban you?

 

Good question. Believe it or not, a lot of ghost towns are patrolled for preservation purposes. If they weren't, they would become vandalized on a major scale, or possibly even become inhabited by homeless people. There's a reason why they put "No Trespassing" signs up. Take Rhyolite in Nevada for example. They had to put fences around most of the monuments, because people were destroying them, and also because they were naturally deteriorating, making it dangerous for tourists to be near or in them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I happen to agree with Mr. Spielberg.

 

I also do not think, when done right, Westerns are boring. What's boring? Well this whole generation has made Michael Bay it's biggest box office director and he's raped more childhood dreams than anyone in cinematic history.

 

 

(thumbs u

 

I just saw The Salvation. Not a bad addition to the genre. Though, Once upon a time in the West along with the Spaghetti's remain my favorite. Even the Neo-Westerns like Outland.

The best!

 

Have you seen the Director's Cut? Even greater, with an awesome transfer. Some might consider the Mad Max films westerns too..

I never even knew there was a director`s cut? :o

 

Also I know the Spaghetti's Eastwood`s got at least a trilogy, but what about The Outlaw Josey Wales? Is that part of the canon?

Yup. It 18 minutes added. My favorite addition was a brief one, the part with the boot when Eli Wallach is endlessly torturing Eastwood.

 

I do not believe Josey Wales is part of it. Just Eastwood trying new directions for the genre. Even though The Beguiled isn't so much a western, I think you should try it out from that time period. I'm not sure, but I think it's Eastwood's first villian role where he runs into folks worse then he is.

 

Besides Josey, there's always The Dollar Trilogy, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Silverado, Dances With Wolves (4 hour Director's Cut), Jeremiah Johnson, The Man Called Horse films, Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, Tombstone, Hang 'Em High, Joe Kidd, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Once Upon a Time in the West, They Died With Their Boots On, The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and even Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

 

I can't believe someone on here implied Westerns are boring. lol

 

That's a stagecoach load of great films.

Whoops! I'm gonna burn in hell for not adding Quigley Down Under! doh!

 

Not to mention Deadwood.

 

Best western film i've ever seen is Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry". Doesnt get any better than that.

 

 

Loved Tombstone.

But right up there is 'The Big Country' from 1958.

Megastar cast - Burl Ives, Jean Simmons, Charlton Heston, Chuck (Rifleman) Connors and Gregory Peck.

 

When The Major leads into Blanco Canyon, with Steve just behind,and the rest of the Terrill men following - backed up with the sublime score from Jerome Moross - well, that's pretty much the best Western scene right there!

 

Fantastic film, that won many awards (inc an Oscar for Ives) - deserves to be seen by anyone who hasn't yet had the pleasure.

 

"How many times does a man have to win you?" - awesome line!

 

I've never seen The Big Country. I'll have to check it out.

 

I used to live in St George, Ut, which was about an hour away from the ghost town of Grafton. They filmed some westerns there. I actually got banned for trespassing. I couldn't help but cross that fence to see what was in those old houses.

 

grafton_utah_jack_schultz.jpg

 

Kinda eerie, some of the tombstones in the cemetery say "Killed by Indians".

 

Grafton_3.jpg

 

 

 

I'd love to visit a real western ghost town, that would be incredible.

 

It really is like taking a step back in time. What's weird is that you can almost feel a presence or vibe of the "energy" that used to inhabit those places. It's hard to explain, but you'll know exactly what I'm talking about when you do visit one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I happen to agree with Mr. Spielberg.

 

I also do not think, when done right, Westerns are boring. What's boring? Well this whole generation has made Michael Bay it's biggest box office director and he's raped more childhood dreams than anyone in cinematic history.

 

 

(thumbs u

 

I just saw The Salvation. Not a bad addition to the genre. Though, Once upon a time in the West along with the Spaghetti's remain my favorite. Even the Neo-Westerns like Outland.

The best!

 

Have you seen the Director's Cut? Even greater, with an awesome transfer. Some might consider the Mad Max films westerns too..

I never even knew there was a director`s cut? :o

 

Also I know the Spaghetti's Eastwood`s got at least a trilogy, but what about The Outlaw Josey Wales? Is that part of the canon?

Yup. It 18 minutes added. My favorite addition was a brief one, the part with the boot when Eli Wallach is endlessly torturing Eastwood.

 

I do not believe Josey Wales is part of it. Just Eastwood trying new directions for the genre. Even though The Beguiled isn't so much a western, I think you should try it out from that time period. I'm not sure, but I think it's Eastwood's first villian role where he runs into folks worse then he is.

 

Besides Josey, there's always The Dollar Trilogy, Unforgiven, Pale Rider, Silverado, Dances With Wolves (4 hour Director's Cut), Jeremiah Johnson, The Man Called Horse films, Soldier Blue, Little Big Man, Tombstone, Hang 'Em High, Joe Kidd, Two Mules for Sister Sara, Once Upon a Time in the West, They Died With Their Boots On, The Last of the Mohicans (1992) and even Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

 

I can't believe someone on here implied Westerns are boring. lol

 

That's a stagecoach load of great films.

Whoops! I'm gonna burn in hell for not adding Quigley Down Under! doh!

 

Not to mention Deadwood.

 

Best western film i've ever seen is Tombstone. "I'm your huckleberry". Doesnt get any better than that.

 

 

Loved Tombstone.

But right up there is 'The Big Country' from 1958.

Megastar cast - Burl Ives, Jean Simmons, Charlton Heston, Chuck (Rifleman) Connors and Gregory Peck.

 

When The Major leads into Blanco Canyon, with Steve just behind,and the rest of the Terrill men following - backed up with the sublime score from Jerome Moross - well, that's pretty much the best Western scene right there!

 

Fantastic film, that won many awards (inc an Oscar for Ives) - deserves to be seen by anyone who hasn't yet had the pleasure.

 

"How many times does a man have to win you?" - awesome line!

 

I've never seen The Big Country. I'll have to check it out.

 

I used to live in St George, Ut, which was about an hour away from the ghost town of Grafton. They filmed some westerns there. I actually got banned for trespassing. I couldn't help but cross that fence to see what was in those old houses.

 

grafton_utah_jack_schultz.jpg

 

Kinda eerie, some of the tombstones in the cemetery say "Killed by Indians".

 

Grafton_3.jpg

 

 

 

I'd love to visit a real western ghost town, that would be incredible.

 

It really is like taking a step back in time. What's weird is that you can almost feel a presence or vibe of the "energy" that used to inhabit those places. It's hard to explain, but you'll know exactly what I'm talking about when you do visit one.

 

When I was a child my parents took me to Colorado to ride the Silverton to Durango train.A train that has been running since the 1800's. Well there was this old abandoned house near the train station,we looked inside the windows and there were still old Civil War uniforms hanging in the closet,old furniture of that era. It just gave me the chills,like somehow feeling like a part of history. Very surreal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was a child my parents took me to Colorado to ride the Silverton to Durango train.A train that has been running since the 1800's. Well there was this old abandoned house near the train station,we looked inside the windows and there were still old Civil War uniforms hanging in the closet,old furniture of that era. It just gave me the chills,like somehow feeling like a part of history. Very surreal.

 

And there are still parts of that area like the abandoned mines throughout that give you a feeling of stepping back in time. And they are fairly dangerous too because those sites collapse, sending rocks down to the roads below.

 

I miss that part of the country.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not posting on here to stir the pot, but just to add a counterpoint.

 

I just cannot believe people have forgotten what Spielberg has given us throughout the years.

 

Jaws

Close Encounters

Raiders

ET

Schindler's List-just finished watching, by the way.

Amistad

The Color Purple

Saving Private Ryan

Lincoln

Sugarland Express

 

...among other films that have touched us. How many funnybook films have you watched that you can actually admit that to? The Dark Knight, Superman: The Movie? Did they resonate in your soul for years afterwards? Can someone admit The Avengers or Iron Man moved you in any way other than popcorn thrills.

 

Granted, even Spielberg's blockbusters Poltergeist, Gremlins, Last Crusade, Back To The Future, Jurassic Park, Minority Report, Zorro & Men In Black among others could be deemed to have equal impact as funnybooks do in cinema now.

 

I just think it's funny how dismissive people are towards him after an array of clunkers throughout the years when he has created at least ten movies that are visual triumphants of the human spirit, where I cannot think of one funnybook has yet to realize.

 

I have a feeling if the internet was around after 1941 was released, he would have been branded a racist and a box-office risk and his film career would have been stunted. We would have never gotten an ET or Raiders of the Lost Ark or even a Schindler's List.

 

Just a thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not posting on here to stir the pot, but just to add a counterpoint.

 

I just cannot believe people have forgotten what Spielberg has given us throughout the years.

 

Jaws

Close Encounters

Raiders

ET

Schindler's List-just finished watching, by the way.

Amistad

The Color Purple

Saving Private Ryan

Lincoln

Sugarland Express

 

...among other films that have touched us. How many funnybook films have you watched that you can actually admit that to? The Dark Knight, Superman: The Movie? Did they resonate in your soul for years afterwards? Can someone admit The Avengers or Iron Man moved you in any way other than popcorn thrills.

 

Granted, even Spielberg's blockbusters Poltergeist, Gremlins, Last Crusade, Back To The Future, Jurassic Park, Minority Report, Zorro & Men In Black among others could be deemed to have equal impact as funnybooks do in cinema now.

 

I just think it's funny how dismissive people are towards him after an array of clunkers throughout the years when he has created at least ten movies that are visual triumphants of the human spirit, where I cannot think of one funnybook has yet to realize.

 

I have a feeling if the internet was around after 1941 was released, he would have been branded a racist and a box-office risk and his film career would have been stunted. We would have never gotten an ET or Raiders of the Lost Ark or even a Schindler's List.

 

Just a thought.

 

Duel- can't leave that off the list, scared me off of driving for 15 years. I'd have to rewatch Superman: The Movie before putting it on my list that would currently include only TDK as having a lasting impact on me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not posting on here to stir the pot, but just to add a counterpoint.

 

I just cannot believe people have forgotten what Spielberg has given us throughout the years.

 

Jaws

Close Encounters

Raiders

ET

Schindler's List-just finished watching, by the way.

Amistad

The Color Purple

Saving Private Ryan

Lincoln

Sugarland Express

 

...among other films that have touched us. How many funnybook films have you watched that you can actually admit that to? The Dark Knight, Superman: The Movie? Did they resonate in your soul for years afterwards? Can someone admit The Avengers or Iron Man moved you in any way other than popcorn thrills.

 

Granted, even Spielberg's blockbusters Poltergeist, Gremlins, Last Crusade, Back To The Future, Jurassic Park, Minority Report, Zorro & Men In Black among others could be deemed to have equal impact as funnybooks do in cinema now.

 

I just think it's funny how dismissive people are towards him after an array of clunkers throughout the years when he has created at least ten movies that are visual triumphants of the human spirit, where I cannot think of one funnybook has yet to realize.

 

I have a feeling if the internet was around after 1941 was released, he would have been branded a racist and a box-office risk and his film career would have been stunted. We would have never gotten an ET or Raiders of the Lost Ark or even a Schindler's List.

 

Just a thought.

 

Duel- can't leave that off the list, scared me off of driving for 15 years. I'd have to rewatch Superman: The Movie before putting it on my list that would currently include only TDK as having a lasting impact on me.

Sugarland Express and Duel were actually duelling it out for that #10 spot when I typed this.I loved the emotion I felt at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, but The Dark Knight is the only funnybook movie, I actually "felt" like it was important and about something deeper.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

seems like he under estimating the breadth of super hero movies when comparing them to westerns. Westerns are more less similar along many lines (most occur in the west in some sort of desert setting during specific time periods) while the super hero type movie has thousands of variations, themes, types, story lines, settings, and of course material to work from. Some of the bigger ones are formulaic sure-- like the Avengers/Thor/Captain America etc-- but he seems to forget the multitude of possible avenues the genre can reach. If Guardians of the Galaxy wasn't a clear indicator of this- I don't know what is. If anything, they have barely scratched the surface of what comics can be made into solid movies that are nothing like previous ones.
Have you ever watched a Western?

 

Westerns have did all of the above that you stated for funnybook movies.

 

Near the beginning we had the John Wayne/John Ford westerns, with characters that were only painted good and bad. This formula kept running for decades right into the the boob tube with Bonanza, Gunsmoke & Shotgun Slade. I never cared for this part of the genre, but admired the scope.

 

By the late 60's, the anti-heroes arose from the spaghetti westerns and the star of TV's Rawhide emerged as the "new" John Wayne. Basically, the good guy had a little (or a lot of bad in him). This trend helped carry the genre throughout the 70's in many directions from comedy (Blazing Saddles) to thoughtful (Jeremiah Johnson-maybe the first revisionist frontier-Western) to action (Josey Wales) to outright camp (The Electric Horseman).

 

But, Eastwood was taking an alternate direction with the lone lawman themes with Dirty Harry after Bullitt paved the way a few years later. For me and in my opinion, this started the western's demise way before the space-western Star Wars ever did.

 

By the 80's, the buddy cop movies emerged, 48 Hrs., Lethal Weapon, Beverly Hills Cop. Even, Die Hard took cues from various Roy Rogers westerns as direct homage to the genre. I can't for the life of me think of one western from that decade of decadence other than Rhinestone and Silverado. Add on the Mad Max films with it's many imitators.

 

By the 90's, we started the revisionist movement with Westerns to make them more PC. It gave birth to Dances With Wolves, Last of the Mohicans, Tombstone and even Eastwood joined in with a -script he spent many years sitting on, Unforgiven. But, this resurgence was temporary and the genre all but faded out by the cancellation of Firefly.

 

When most people were asked about who was the face of the western back in the day, they would tell you John Wayne. But, I have a feeling 20 years from now people will say it's the cowboy Woody from Toy Story. lol

 

In the end, Westerns ran the gauntlet in my directions as the genre allowed it to

Link to comment
Share on other sites