One, awkward movies
"Embarrassment" is not about "Birdman", but about the art form of "movie".
Since its birth, everyone has not stopped arguing: Is this art? It's just a way to be entertained!
Shakespeare's plays, which were warmly sought after on the one hand, were also harshly criticized, believing that they were too dramatic, too deliberate, not serious and profound enough, and could only be used as a pastime after tea.
Movies today are in the same situation.
Once upon a time, "cinema" was an art, and it seemed to be a foregone conclusion. However, when businessmen saw that it was profitable, they began to produce content that was easily acceptable to the audience, and the audience began to over-consume everything about the film. In this way, a vicious circle appeared.
The "superhero" works attacked in the movie "Birdman" belong to the content that people are easy to accept, they are straightforward, simple and easy to understand, and with the maturity of technical means, the sensory stimulation brought to the audience is more and more abundant.
Now, we all know that Shakespeare's plays are great works of art, and he himself is revered as "Shakespeare", but the crisis of cinema has not been resolved, and perhaps we will have to wait until the next more unserious form of entertainment appears before film can become art.
The loss of the "artistic sense" of film is also related to the medium form to which the film is attached.
At first, the medium of the film was only the big screen, and everyone had to gather in special places such as the cinema to watch the movie, which was quite ritualistic;
Later, there were televisions, computers, at this time there were a number of "long video" platforms that can be used for everyone to watch videos, you can watch movies at home by yourself, and the sense of ceremony is also reserved, after all, we have to sit down;
Later, there was a subversive mobile phone, and the "short video" platform produced at this time, the sense of ceremony should be that the piece of armor is not left.
The way to get it is getting easier, the serious component is getting less and less, and the attributes of entertainment occupy the high ground!
Second, the star of anxiety
The film is in an awkward position, so the self-doubt of the practitioners is naturally indispensable. Compared to the staff behind the scenes, the actors on the screen have received greater attention to their status.
The actor's anxiety comes from two sides.
The first aspect is brought about by the "film" industry itself. If cinema is not an art, then the actor naturally cannot be regarded as an artist. This is exactly the case, and there are only a few actors who can be regarded as "artists".
So what is the value of an actor?
In "Birdman", the former actor Reagan tried to save his career by relying on an adapted drama, and in an interview with a reporter, he talked about his artistic pursuits, his thinking about life, his understanding of literary philosophy and other serious and profound topics, but what the reporter cared about: Did you have plastic surgery? Do you still want to play the superhero "Birdman"?
Reagan was desperate, and as he wrestled with the pressures of life, he found that what was most valuable to the public was still trivial.
On the other hand, the anxiety of the actors is brought about by the increasingly developed means of communication. Hollywood movies have some of the most mature and top-of-the-line technology in the world, which means that the movies made from here are far more tech-dependent than movies in other regions. Correspondingly, the actors who work here are frequently in the eyes of the mass media.
People can't see the rich connotations and profound thoughts of an actor in a few minutes or even a few seconds of video, and such a short time is only enough to pay attention to the external image.
But aging and disfigurement are inevitable.
In Birdman, there are many and many scenes of nakedness, which is a symbol used by the director to symbolize the anxiety of the actors. At the beginning of the movie, Reagan is suspended in the lounge wearing only his underwear, and we see a loose body and crumpled clothes; Reagan "runs naked" in the square, and people who love to watch the bustle take a picture of this "ugly" body, and what he tries to hide is transmitted to social platforms for infinite publicity.
There is a very interesting phenomenon, about the winners of the film queen, there are very few young people, because the young Oscar queen is even more anxious!
Some people may say that young people are not strong enough. But is that really the reason? In a place where talented players and hard-working players gather, is strength really the only criterion?
The Academy Award seems to be using the same "older" film Emperor Ying later told everyone: Don't be anxious, no matter how old you are, you can always shine!
The male protagonist of "Birdman", Michael. Keaton was nominated for Best Actor for this film, he only started his acting career at the age of 30, he had never been nominated for an Oscar before, and should not be in the future, this is his closest to the film emperor;
Supporting actor Edward. Norton, 27, starred in his debut film and was immediately nominated for an Oscar. But after so many years in the industry, Norton has been nominated a total of three times before and after, but none of them have picked up the little golden man.
Third, the inferiority of Hollywood
Internationally, in the field of film, there is more than one Oscar. There are Oscars set up in the United States, there are cannes film festivals in France, Berlin Film Festival in Germany, etc. On both sides of the Atlantic, it is not a painting style at all.
There is no denying that there is a chain of contempt in any field. Just as proud Europe has always looked down on the rising United States, art films on the east side of the Atlantic have always looked down on commercial films in the west.
Hollywood used to be a "dreaming place," but now it's more of a trader.
So, despite Birdman's relentless attack on Hollywood's harsh ecology of actors, agents, media, and audiences, the Oscar judges and voters had to give it the award.
Because Hollywood needs such movies, in order to make it clear: I am not superficial and entertaining, I am also pursuing!
Hollywood's inferiority is reflected in many ways, in addition to doubting their own positioning, even the content they create has begun to doubt. For example, "superhero", in the movie "Birdman", the director's tone of it is "negative and critical", but he uses the elements of superheroes to polish his own movie, and it cannot be denied that superpowers such as taking off, falling, breathing fire, and teleportation have added a mysterious color to the movie.
Thank you for reading, welcome your attention, let's watch movies together, think about it together!