Demographic of PTA fans

Started by Punch Drunk Hate, December 02, 2017, 12:25:34 AM

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jenkins

that's like just your opinion man, i can't make that any clearer. i agree with you that it's too bad you didn't see Silence, his most recent movie, packed with emotional resonance

Something Spanish

Quote from: ono on January 07, 2018, 11:08:21 AM
But he sticks to the same genre.

He may revisit the same genre from time to time, understandable considering the man has done nearly 30 films, but he doesn't stick to the same one. He's done it all light/dark comedy, spiritual, drama, crime, biopic, thriller,period piece, a very eclectic filmmaker. I think the only Scorsese flick that's on the weak side is GoNY.

Alethia

Quote from: Something Spanish on January 07, 2018, 12:00:20 PM
Quote from: ono on January 07, 2018, 11:08:21 AM
But he sticks to the same genre.

He may revisit the same genre from time to time, understandable considering the man has done nearly 30 films, but he doesn't stick to the same one. He's done it all light/dark comedy, spiritual, drama, crime, biopic, thriller,period piece, a very eclectic filmmaker. I think the only Scorsese flick that's on the weak side is GoNY.

GoNY contains enough greatness amidst the more "meh" elements to sustain itself, I think - the only film of his I truly do not care for is Shutter Island.

BB

Have y'all seen New York, New York -- his musical? That's really the only one I wouldn't be happy to watch right now.

Punch Drunk Hate

The article that wilberfan linked to in another thread has PTA fans as being mansplainers who condescend to women when talking about film.

Quote from: wilberfan on January 22, 2018, 03:00:47 PM
This may have been quoted here before.  We've been busted, gentlemen.

AN OPEN LETTER OF THANKS TO THE MEN WHO TELL ME WHO PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON IS

https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/an-open-letter-of-thanks-to-the-men-who-tell-me-who-paul-thomas-anderson-is

Dear Men,

Thank you for telling me who critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson is. Thank you for telling me he's your favorite director — you must really know your stuff. Here I was floating around with no clue who this guy is — that must be why I literally have a huge gaping hole in my brain: all the missing Paul Thomas Anderson information!

Thank you for making sure I realize I don't know anything at all about anything and especially not anything about your boy "P.T." I really am learning so much about film from you, a financial consultant at Goldman Sachs!

I love hearing your hot-take on how Punch-Drunk Love was the film that finally legitimized the career of actor Adam Sandler (star of The Waterboy and Hotel Transylvania 2). About time someone broke that glass ceiling!

I have zero opinions about anything in my teeny Paul Thomas Anderson-less head. Please, tell me more about Boogie Nights. Quote it for me! There wouldn't be any chance you have fun facts about Mark Wahlberg? I love that. Open your mouth and never close it until you have told me every single thing you know about Boogie Nights.

Thanks for stopping me from blabbering on with my "female" or "professional" perspective (I am a woman and work in the film industry but that's so random of me to mention I'll shut up). I like hearing what someone with a Blu-Ray DVD player and one idea for a screenplay about a guy who gets broken up with by a woman with big boobs but still smells her perfume everywhere he goes, like even his barrels of hand-rolled cigarettes start to smell like her, has to say about Boogie Nights.

I haven't seen Phantom Thread yet, so thank you for describing each scene in detail. I probably wouldn't have fully understood it on my own. I already forgot what a Paul Thomas Anderson is can you tell me again?

Thanks for still talking about Boogie Nights. Thank you for telling me how perfectly paced Paul Thomas Anderson's screenplay is. I feel like I'm comprehending words for the first time because it's coming from the mouth of someone whose mother once told him he's very artistic.

Thank you for showing me your Magnolia poster.

Thanks for giving me your list of Paul Thomas Anderson's films ranked best to worst according to you, owner of a Magnolia poster. Thank you for telling me that Boogie Nights is at the top of that list. Thank you for telling me Mark Wahlberg is your favorite actor because of Boogie Nights. Thank you for giving me more fun facts about Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights. I love that. Thanks for explaining the gritty sensitivity of Boogie Nights. Thank you for Boogie Nights. Thanks Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie. Nights. Boogie. Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights Boogie Nights.

Sincerely,
Woman who's never seen Boogie Nights

[I actually have a female friend that could have written this--based on my PTA blather.  I better go check... ]


Do you think the fanbase of his films turn off many women from even approaching them on their own terms? Or is this just a case of being a small niche thing, as most females and males have never heard of his name, or most of his films. I'm wiling for all groups of people to appreciate his films and not have a crowd that is just predominately white males.

modage

I think PTA's fanbase probably only skews as straight/male/filmnerd/whatever as the percentage of straight/male/whatever film nerds overall.
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

BB

Damn, I work in the film industry (kinda) and nobody seems to care much about PTA at all. TWBB is highly regarded, but beyond that, I don't know. Haven't talked about Boogie Nights with anyone in years. Few have even seen IV or Magnolia. Where these dudes at?

wilberfan

Quote from: BB on January 22, 2018, 06:37:55 PM
Damn, I work in the film industry (kinda) and nobody seems to care much about PTA at all. TWBB is highly regarded, but beyond that, I don't know. Haven't talked about Boogie Nights with anyone in years. Few have even seen IV or Magnolia. Where these dudes at?

That's amazing to me.  Unless it's "just a job" to these guys, how could you work in an industry and not have enthusiasm (or at least awareness!) of one of it's foremost practitioners?  Are they clueless about other "big name directors" working at the moment?   Are they up on film history??

BB

A shocking majority aren't especially into movies. On sets, pre and post-production, distribution, film sales, tv. I can't explain it. Maybe all the movie people work at Goldman Sachs.

polkablues

In my experience, the majority of people who work in the film industry are more populist movie fans than what you might call actual cinephiles. There are exceptions, of course, but they're the pleasant surprise rather than the norm.

Quote from: BB on January 22, 2018, 06:54:06 PM
A shocking majority aren't especially into movies. On sets, pre and post-production, distribution, film sales, tv. I can't explain it. Maybe all the movie people work at Goldman Sachs.

I'm pretty sure most people who work in distribution don't just not care about movies, they're actively hostile to the concept of them. They would be happier buying and selling pork futures.
My house, my rules, my coffee

wilberfan

Last week I interviewed one of the special effects guys who worked on Boogie Nights--and he's never seen the film.  He did SFX for 30 years--and may not have seen the majority of the films he worked on (mostly horror/fantasy, etc.).  Never really thought about it before, but it makes sense that a lot of the "blue collar" guys & gals on a set wouldn't necessarily be cinephiles. 

Alethia

Quote from: BB on January 22, 2018, 06:54:06 PM
A shocking majority aren't especially into movies. On sets, pre and post-production, distribution, film sales, tv. I can't explain it. Maybe all the movie people work at Goldman Sachs.

I've found this to be true, as well. I work for Marvel - not particularly my bag, have to force a lot of empty enthusiasm for much of the content produced - and I find the general attitude towards cinema (with some exceptions, of course) is that it's almost passe. Being a cinephile ain't as cool as it used to be.

Punch Drunk Hate

Quote from: polkablues on January 22, 2018, 07:02:58 PM


Quote from: BB on January 22, 2018, 06:54:06 PM
A shocking majority aren't especially into movies. On sets, pre and post-production, distribution, film sales, tv. I can't explain it. Maybe all the movie people work at Goldman Sachs.

I'm pretty sure most people who work in distribution don't just not care about movies, they're actively hostile to the concept of them. They would be happier buying and selling pork futures.

If you read into just about the profiles of the vast majority of studio executives, with few exceptions that occurred mainly on the micro/indie level like the SPC people, they are in for the profit and couldn't possible care less about art. 

BB

Quote from: eward on January 22, 2018, 07:18:31 PM
... the general attitude towards cinema (with some exceptions, of course) is that it's almost passe. Being a cinephile ain't as cool as it used to be.

Some days it feels like cinema, at least non-blockbuster theatrical cinema, could go the way of opera at any minute. I'm certain it will still be around and still be wonderful for generations to come, but the audience is not what it was even five-ten years ago. Which is super strange given that we're kind of in the midst of a golden age right now. So many fantastic, adventurous movies have come out this decade -- but few among the general public are really talking about them (this is true of music right now too). Within the movie bubble online discussion is vibrant and enthusiastic, but I sense this is a pretty small and aging group all told. Still great, don't mean to denigrate it. Beyond a few weird friends, though, I'm not finding a great deal of interest irl and this despite being around movie and movie-adjacent environments all the time. Is what it is.

Quote from: polkablues on January 22, 2018, 07:02:58 PM
In my experience, the majority of people who work in the film industry are more populist movie fans than what you might call actual cinephiles. There are exceptions, of course, but they're the pleasant surprise rather than the norm.

I'm pretty sure most people who work in distribution don't just not care about movies, they're actively hostile to the concept of them. They would be happier buying and selling pork futures.

I suspect the attitudes of those in distribution may be responsible, in part, for cinema's diminishing station. By and large, they simply don't care to remain competitive -- both against other forms of entertainment, and as businesses in and of themselves. They don't know anything about what they're trying to sell or who they're trying to sell it to; how could they possibly know how to market it? There are some great people, though, doing great work, and I should really focus more on them.   

Quote from: Punch Drunk Hate on January 22, 2018, 07:34:29 PM
If you read into just about the profiles of the vast majority of studio executives, with few exceptions that occurred mainly on the micro/indie level like the SPC people, they are in for the profit and couldn't possible care less about art. 

That's always been the way and is probably true of most industries. While I've mostly come to terms with the way things are (and hold dear those odd pleasant surprise exceptions), the lack of interest I've seen expressed by independent and aspiring filmmakers still strikes me as peculiar. Twenty-five year old directors who love Christopher Nolan but hadn't heard of Following, Memento, Insomnia, or The Prestige. Aspiring screenwriters who have never read a script. A producer who had never seen a black and white movie. You do find yourself wondering what drew these people to such a high-risk, demanding, and thankless profession. 

jviness02

Quote from: ono on January 07, 2018, 11:08:21 AM
Here's where I'm coming from: Mean Streets bored me; Casino, while solid, is just Goodfellas all over again; and The Departed is not that great a movie and a remake to boot.  I haven't seen a couple of those on the list, but the point is, Scorsese isn't consistent and he repeats himself.  I don't deny he's made some great films.  Taxi Driver fits, but it's bro-nip if ever I've seen it.  Does that discredit him?  Nah.  But he sticks to the same genre.  A great filmmaker will do different things, and not keep going back to where he's comfortable.  Scorsese keeps going back to the crime well.  Plus, the films I've seen of his don't have an emotional resonance that makes for a great filmmaker.

You don't have to like the guy, but saying he sticks to the same genre is just flat out wrong. He's known for gangsters and crime, yes, but he's also done a musical, a female-driven character drama about a single mother, a spiritual/religious trilogy, biopics(one more traditional, one sports-related) a family film, a psychological thriller, a costume romantic drama, a Classic Hollywood remake, a couple of dark comedies that don't quite fit his "crime films" etc.

Regarding the lack of cinephiles in the industry: I work in the industry and half of the people have bad taste, 30% don't even really watch movies and the other 20% have pretty good taste. That's why so much shit is made. Sure, the studios make bland pictures, but most of the people on those bland pictures like them.