Martin Scorsese writes about "what is cinema": The art of cinema is being systematically degraded by streaming

Martin Scorsese, the director who said that Marvel movies are not cinema, recently chanted for the art of cinema, and recently published an article in the March 2021 issue of Harper's magazine titled "Federico Fellini and the Lost Magic of Cinema", recalling that the art of cinema is dying out in the competition between blockbuster studios and streaming media.

Martin Scorsese acknowledges that streaming has helped his career, but he nevertheless points out that the art of cinema is being systematically belittled, excluded, re-degraded, and cheaply conceptualized as "content." "It sounds democratic to be presented to the audience in a level playing field, but it's not. If further viewing is 'suggested' by an algorithm based on something you've already seen, and those suggestions are only based on the subject matter or genre, what impact does this have on cinematic art? Algorithms, as the name suggests, are based on computations that treat the viewer as a consumer, not anything else. ”

In Martin Scorsese's view, the film industry cannot be relied upon to take care of the film art, because in the film industry, that is, the current mass visual entertainment industry, the emphasis is always on the word "industry". "Value is always determined by the amount of money made by any particular property right: in this sense, from Sunrise to The Great Road to 2001: A Space Odyssey, it can only dry up day by day in the 'Art Movies' channel on streaming platforms, and no one cares."

He called on those who understand the art of cinema and its history to share their love and knowledge with as many people as possible. "We want to make it clear to the rightful owners of these films that they're not just property that is exploited and then locked up." They are one of the greatest treasures of our culture and must be treated accordingly. ”

This isn't the first time Martin Scorsese has spoken out for art films.

In October of the previous year, in an interview with Empire magazine for the promotion of the new film "The Irishman", Scorsese was asked what he thought of marvel's superhero works that are now popular, and told reporters: "Marvel movies can't be called movies, they are more like the products of theme parks." I tried to watch a Marvel movie, but I couldn't watch it, and I didn't think it was a movie. Although the Marvel movies are well-made and the actors are very attentive, they are still very much like the images seen in a theme park. The film should be a work that the actor strives to convey the true feelings of the heart. ”

His statement was supported by famous directors such as Francis Ford Coppola, James Cameron, and Terry Gilliam, but naturally it also caused dissatisfaction among the creators of the Marvel series.

James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy series, said that Martin Scorsese is one of his favorite living filmmakers, "If anyone accuses it without watching The Last Temptation of Christ, I would be very angry." I didn't expect that now he also reviews my film in such a way, and I am very sad. ”

In response to Martin Scorsese's remarks, Robert Downey Jr., the star of the Iron Man series and the Avengers series, also responded to the criticism of the Marvel hero movie in an interview. Robert Downey Jr. said: "I appreciate Martin Scorsese's point of view because I think it's like treating anything and we need all the different perspectives so we can focus and move on. ”

"It's like saying that Howard Stern isn't a radio station, but it doesn't make sense to say so." Robert Downey Jr. responded.