Where's the bleeping story in Sci Fi today?
(This is one of those PM inspired posts, some of which is an exerpt.)
You know, people get taught what to like and not like. As soon as anyone throws some pasty skinned drama up on the screen, complete with 'splosions and a few lines of ill-conceived dialogue, people today scream "OSCAR!"
It's nauseating.
The worst movies today happen to be those that hide behind special effects and CGI. It's as if movie-goers don't realize that CGI doesn't equal "good movie." They're so inundated with crap that whenever a scene in a movie "doesn't suck" they think that means the whole thing is a work of art. It's as if as long as there is one line in a movie that doesn't immediately make the audience throw up, the whole thing is some sort of masterpiece of fiction.
Readers are ruthless critics. But, movie-goers could give a lump of brown stuff less if there was any reason to see a movie besides the marketing hype it generated. That bugs me. BOTH are mediums in which someone crafts and presents a story. In a novel, a reader might get turned off after ten minutes of reading a scene that just doesn't quite do it for them. But, they'll calmly sit in a movie theater while being assaulted by hokey visuals and crappy storyline, just in hopes of seeing something "cool."
What the heck is wrong with us? Something like "Moby Dick" gets crapped on by teens&tweens because "It's boring" when the fact is it's a darn exciting story. But, "Twilight" will have bajillions of kids gushing over themselves and they don't even realize its hackneyed, shallow and meaningless plot. That young audience is capable of recognizing a good story! I know. Once upon a time, I was one of them.
Hollywood is cultivating an audience that doesn't care about a story or about wonderfully written scenes and riveting acting. They want audiences that crave 'splosions and CGI because then all they have to do is "Add Money" and they'll be assured of a hit. No soul, no creativity, no meaning is required. Just add a few 'splosions and CGI aliens and press "Play" and then you can collect your cash...
Some time ago, I was in a bookstore searching for a copy of "Grimm's Fairy Tales". Mine has long since been missing, probably snatched by some woodland witch up to no good. After searching in all the likely places, at least the ones I thought likely, I finally roped a clerk to help me dig up a copy. Thankfully, he was familiar with the title.. But, that had nothing to do with him having read it. He looked it up on the 'puter and told me they had several copies.. of the Comic Book/Graphic Novel.. Huh? Graphic Novel? What? I want the BOOK! Not some artist's watercolor collection.
So, we tracked it down. It turns out that they did have two copies done by two different houses. After an extensive search, we found them buried in a one-rack section having something vaguely to do with mythology or some such. During our quest, the clerk happily chatted about the graphic novel and the delights found within while telling me how inspiring it was to speak to customers and get different opinions on all sorts of books. So, since most of you have know me here for several years, I'm sure you realize that it was impossible for me not to tell him my opinion..
Predictably, I politely mentioned that while I admire some of the work that good writers and artists do, I couldn't help but humbugging the whole idea of such a translation. It's just not going to do the job. It's not the same, no matter how cool the pictures are. Stories aren't about pictures. Artists can relate a scene with their paintings. But, stories are much more than just connected scenes. The whole point is to tell a story, not just sling some paint. Only a true master can tell a story with a painting and that is a very, very rare thing. Grimm's is valuable for it's downright shocking and frank depiction of the cultural myths, legends and simply disturbing stories contained in European folklore... and, it's a darn fine work of short stories...
The clerk asked me what my interest was in Grimm's. I asked him what kids' interest was in "Twilight." He explained some of the story and why kids liked it, admitting that he thought it was all a bit of foolishness. A few bits and pieces later detailing werewolves, vampires and teen angst, I pointed to the windows of the store and night soaked parking lot and said "Do you know why people are afraid of the dark?" I shook a copy of Germany's gift to popular horror and fiction. "It's because of this. If you want to know more, read it."
The point is that all the junk that gets thrown onto the screen in Science Fiction movies today is simply useless garbage if it doesn't help tell the story. Worse, it's actually distracting if there is any hope of a story to be realized in the movie. If recent films are any indication, it seems Hollywood has had its full dose of Kool Aid and is only interested in making blockbuster pictures that focus on 'splosions, CGI and stories crafted to do nothing more than set up the next action sequence.
Are there any recent, true Science Fiction/Fantasy stories out there that have any real story in them that's worth the attention they get? If so, slap your suggestion up here and let's argue about it.
PS - You're also quite welcome to tell me I'm full of poo if you don't agree with my pretentious argument.
(This is one of those PM inspired posts, some of which is an exerpt.)
You know, people get taught what to like and not like. As soon as anyone throws some pasty skinned drama up on the screen, complete with 'splosions and a few lines of ill-conceived dialogue, people today scream "OSCAR!"
It's nauseating.
The worst movies today happen to be those that hide behind special effects and CGI. It's as if movie-goers don't realize that CGI doesn't equal "good movie." They're so inundated with crap that whenever a scene in a movie "doesn't suck" they think that means the whole thing is a work of art. It's as if as long as there is one line in a movie that doesn't immediately make the audience throw up, the whole thing is some sort of masterpiece of fiction.
Readers are ruthless critics. But, movie-goers could give a lump of brown stuff less if there was any reason to see a movie besides the marketing hype it generated. That bugs me. BOTH are mediums in which someone crafts and presents a story. In a novel, a reader might get turned off after ten minutes of reading a scene that just doesn't quite do it for them. But, they'll calmly sit in a movie theater while being assaulted by hokey visuals and crappy storyline, just in hopes of seeing something "cool."
What the heck is wrong with us? Something like "Moby Dick" gets crapped on by teens&tweens because "It's boring" when the fact is it's a darn exciting story. But, "Twilight" will have bajillions of kids gushing over themselves and they don't even realize its hackneyed, shallow and meaningless plot. That young audience is capable of recognizing a good story! I know. Once upon a time, I was one of them.
Hollywood is cultivating an audience that doesn't care about a story or about wonderfully written scenes and riveting acting. They want audiences that crave 'splosions and CGI because then all they have to do is "Add Money" and they'll be assured of a hit. No soul, no creativity, no meaning is required. Just add a few 'splosions and CGI aliens and press "Play" and then you can collect your cash...
Some time ago, I was in a bookstore searching for a copy of "Grimm's Fairy Tales". Mine has long since been missing, probably snatched by some woodland witch up to no good. After searching in all the likely places, at least the ones I thought likely, I finally roped a clerk to help me dig up a copy. Thankfully, he was familiar with the title.. But, that had nothing to do with him having read it. He looked it up on the 'puter and told me they had several copies.. of the Comic Book/Graphic Novel.. Huh? Graphic Novel? What? I want the BOOK! Not some artist's watercolor collection.
So, we tracked it down. It turns out that they did have two copies done by two different houses. After an extensive search, we found them buried in a one-rack section having something vaguely to do with mythology or some such. During our quest, the clerk happily chatted about the graphic novel and the delights found within while telling me how inspiring it was to speak to customers and get different opinions on all sorts of books. So, since most of you have know me here for several years, I'm sure you realize that it was impossible for me not to tell him my opinion..
Predictably, I politely mentioned that while I admire some of the work that good writers and artists do, I couldn't help but humbugging the whole idea of such a translation. It's just not going to do the job. It's not the same, no matter how cool the pictures are. Stories aren't about pictures. Artists can relate a scene with their paintings. But, stories are much more than just connected scenes. The whole point is to tell a story, not just sling some paint. Only a true master can tell a story with a painting and that is a very, very rare thing. Grimm's is valuable for it's downright shocking and frank depiction of the cultural myths, legends and simply disturbing stories contained in European folklore... and, it's a darn fine work of short stories...
The clerk asked me what my interest was in Grimm's. I asked him what kids' interest was in "Twilight." He explained some of the story and why kids liked it, admitting that he thought it was all a bit of foolishness. A few bits and pieces later detailing werewolves, vampires and teen angst, I pointed to the windows of the store and night soaked parking lot and said "Do you know why people are afraid of the dark?" I shook a copy of Germany's gift to popular horror and fiction. "It's because of this. If you want to know more, read it."
The point is that all the junk that gets thrown onto the screen in Science Fiction movies today is simply useless garbage if it doesn't help tell the story. Worse, it's actually distracting if there is any hope of a story to be realized in the movie. If recent films are any indication, it seems Hollywood has had its full dose of Kool Aid and is only interested in making blockbuster pictures that focus on 'splosions, CGI and stories crafted to do nothing more than set up the next action sequence.
Are there any recent, true Science Fiction/Fantasy stories out there that have any real story in them that's worth the attention they get? If so, slap your suggestion up here and let's argue about it.
PS - You're also quite welcome to tell me I'm full of poo if you don't agree with my pretentious argument.
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