Martin Scorsese now calls Marvel movies a different cinema form. Having emerged from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s with several game changing films to his credit, Scorsese has long been a hero to aspiring and established filmmakers alike, as well as a bonafied audience favourite.
Within the next few weeks, the legendary director is set to release his latest film, the star-studded The Irishman, which will feature well-known Scorsese favorites, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. But as the film gets closer to release, Scorsese has found himself enmeshed in a debate that stems from his initial statement Marvel are not cinema. Since making the claim, several MCU actors and directors have come forward to defend Marvel and comic book movies in general. Far from being left out in the cold to defend himself, Scorsese has been supported by some well-respected filmmakers with similar opinions, including Francis Ford Coppola and Ken Loach. Yet despite disavowing the concept of comic book movies more than once, it appears that Scorsese has now altered his public opinion slightly.
During a recent interview with EW, Scorsese was asked about the ongoing debate over comic book movies. This time, the Oscar-winning director made a slight adjustment to his perspective, stating that comic book movies are a “different cinema form or a new art form entirely.” Scorsese’s initial claim that comic book movies are not cinema appears to have changed, but it does appear that his bigger gripe remains - that comic book movies are “putting art in the margins” and making it increasingly difficult for non-tentpole films (in this case, his upcoming The Irishman), to be made in the first place. You can read his full statement on the issue below:
Scorsese’s recent comments should hardly be seen as backtracking or a lesson learned as a result of the scolding of those associated with the MCU or comic book movies. Instead, the opinion reflects the current state of filmmaking in Hollywood and provides insight into the frustration that well respected and established filmmakers like Scorsese feel over what they view as limitations placed on cinema. Hollywood has long favored spectacle, but the cinema that Scorsese (and many other high profile filmmakers) are interested in creating has all too often been pushed from the arena, so to speak, in favour of huge budgeted spectacles that can be built upon again and again, i.e.: tentpole films.
[A traditional studio is] geared toward the most amount of money you can make - understandably. I think it’s gone askew. There’s very little room for this kind of picture. They say, “Oh you can make independent films.” That’s putting people in the margins. Putting art in the margins.
The tentpole films, the big comic book films, they’re theme park movies - as well done as many of them are, at all levels. It’s a different cinema form or a new art form entirely. We’re hoping there are theaters that show the films that are not that. And that if they’re not going to show it that filmmakers still have an opportunity with streaming - it changes the experience, but otherwise, in two to three years now, it’s not being done. A good filmmaker comes in from Italy or France comes in, the film has to be a [franchise] or they won’t do it anymore.
While some might have taken offense over Scorsese’s initial comments, it’s hard to deny that comic book movies aren’t theme park films. At this very moment, Disney is busy establishing three different MCU lands at their theme parks. Without the movies that helped push the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man and The Avengers into the global phenomenons that they currently are, it’s difficult to imagine the titles being large enough to merit their own theme park lands. For comic book movie fans, this is nothing to be ashamed of. Whether one agrees with Scorsese’s take on comic book movies or not, the fact is that they are here and they are wildly successful. There’s really not much more that a fan could want.
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Source: EW
- The Irishman Release Date: 2019-11-27
