The bad news is: 15 year-old boys would really rather not go to the movies anymore thank you very much.
They’re getting their stories from video games, online and from Reality TV shows.
I asked some of my college-aged students recently what their favorite movies and TV shows were and a surprising number picked things like Jackass and American Idol. Add to this random evidence the fact that video games outsell movies by far, and that kids are turning away in droves from the cineplex. In Britain, for the first time, Internet use has risen above watching TV as the activity most turn to for recreation.
Reminds me of the time when I was 13 or 14. My date with Lisa Murphy involved my mom driving us to see a George C. Scott movie called They Might Be Giants, terrible thing. But it was the only movie playing at the Arlington Theater in downtown Santa Barbara and had been for weeks. Maybe one movie came out a week back then in the early ‘ 70s — a painful lot of them starring Mr. Scott. There were tumbleweeds rolling through most downtown movie houses. Hollywood had been pronounced dead.
And then came that movie about the shark.
And the one that took place a long time ago and far, far away.
And suddenly movies were back.
The empty, tumbleweed-plagued movie houses are with us again. You could not get me to go out and see Failure To Launch this past weekend with blasting caps and a cattle prod. No offense. And there isn’t much on the horizon that can.
But I am not afraid or despairing. For this, to me, is nothing if not a great opportunity.
The movie theaters are out there collecting dust. No one wants to go anymore. It’s pretty dull and predictable stuff that’s playing.
We’re waiting for Jaws.
We’re waiting for good stories.
Isn’t there someone out there with fire in their eyes who can’t wait to make a movie that blows us all away? Isn’t there someone who has that little thing called “showmanship” who’s dying to wow us all?
Is it you?
If it is, email me: [email protected] Pitch me your movie. Please!
I’m dying to go back to the movie theater and sit in my red velvet seat with my popcorn and watch those curtains part and think: This is gonna be goooooooood!!
I’m waiting for Jaws. And it’s out there.
I just know it.
And Lisa, I can drive my own car now. Call me!
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But now all the Hollywood Execs are gonna read your blog and take it as meaning we need another “Jaws” sequel… except take out all that deep psychological tension and have the lead be 22 years old, tops. And make it PG-13.
I’m kidding. Sorta. :-)
Pat. Ha! I think you may be right about that — but that’s not what I meant!!! We need some new ideas is all — and someone to take a chance on one — is that too much to ask?
Blake,
I believe the ideas are plentiful, it seems to me the risk adverse studios will not take the chance.
I liked They Might Be Giants. I know, I’m weird.
What about Sorority Boys? ;)
It’s me the studio’s are waiting for Blake ;)
I can dream, right? The power of positive thinking….
I can’t get the image of Blake being driven on a date by his mom out of my head.
Brings back a memory of my first “date”. In first grade I went to see The Fox and The Hound (oh yeah, we were COOL) with Tommy (ok he wasn’t so cool but hey, first grade, no boys are cool, right?). The movie was enjoyable but we argued for over an hour afterwards whether the movie was sad was a fact or opinion. Oh yeah, we were the coolest! LOL He never accepted that I was right that his comment about the movie being sad was his opinion and did not make it a fact. My first glimpse at the fact that women are always right and men are never wrong. Also was my first experiance discussing the the art of screenwriting, even if I didn’t know it at the time. Needless to say, there was never another “date”, thank goodness after that argument our parents never thought we were “cute together” again.
Blake, I may not have been on a date in a long time, but I am pretty sure you can’t wait this long before asking for another date. Remember the conversation about why I hate romantic comedies? It may be possible in film, but life isn’t like the movies (or so I’ve been told). This reminds me of why I am not fond of the rom/com I am trying to write. But just in case she does call, ask if she has a single brother, or cousin, or friend…
Oh we could double date and discuss why Unbreakable was such a great film! ;)
Sorry, couldn’t resist!
I want to apologize for that last comment, which may be taken as inappropriate, I was being goofy and lately I have have caught myself saying things that are not really me. Stress perhaps, nerves… I don’t know. My joking and sense of humor have become a bit, well, weird.
Blake, I apologize. I ‘ll go put myself in the corner until I learn to behave.