That Tarantino, Man!

Stop me if you’ve heard this before:

“Marvel movies are ruining cinema! They’re overblown spectacles that aren’t art and killed the movie star! And they look like trash! Why do they make more money than [insert obscure movie here]? This is outrageous!”

That paragraph’s hyperbolic, but the sentiment has been echoed by many names in Hollywood for a while. And now it’s been broached by Quentin Tarantino, the king of fetishized slasher/gore porn movies. In an interview with Mediaite, he said:

“Part of the Marvel-ization of Hollywood is…you have all these actors who have become famous playing these characters…[b]ut they’re not movie stars. Right? Captain America is the star. Or Thor is the star. I mean, I’m not the first person to say that. I think that’s been said a zillion times…but it’s like, you know, it’s these franchise characters that become a star.”

Now, asking auteurs about Marvel movies constantly for clicks is annoying, and I wish press outlets would stop that. However, it’s not only Marvel that’s the issue here. Because Tarantino made a tone-deaf remark about how modern Hollywood, like the 1980’s and the 1950’s, is the worst for films. You can look that up if you don’t believe me. I wish it were a joke.

Anyway, the response was more of the same: on one hand, defenders of Tarantino’s remarks claimed that he was objectively right, and that his critics were lame MCU fans. On the other hand, general movie fans, particularly those who like Marvel, were upset that Tarantino was out-of-touch. And then there’s me, who sees both sides, yet isn’t happy with Tarantino’s remarks.

I’ll give him points in one area: big-budget movies shouldn’t be the only ones in theatres. Whenever I go to the cinema nowadays, which is rare, I always see at least two or three showings for a Marvel movie. And they play nonstop throughout the day. It doesn’t help that they’re crowding out smaller options either. Factor in that theatres aren’t conducive to going to anymore, and it’s easy to see the resentment.

That said, this issue isn’t clear-cut. While I’d love to see obscure films get more love, I’d also be content with them releasing on streaming. Marvel is made for theatres, it’s built from the ground-up to operate that way. An indie drama, however, can be enjoyed at home. That’s not a flaw either, as not all experiences are equal.

In a similar vein, people who are mad at Tarantino aren’t inherently wrong. Because Simu Liu’s remarks about old Hollywood being “really white” aren’t incorrect, as I doubt he’d have had the same options in the 1950’s. I also think Tarantino being “immune from criticism” is ridiculous. Auteurs are human beings, prone to folly. If Steven Spielberg’s criticized for covert racism, then Tarantino can be criticized for his remarks too. Legacy’s irrelevant here.

I’m annoyed this sentiment even exists. You don’t have qualified immunity because you make great movies. James Cameron’s made many legacy films, and he’s known for his inflated ego and short temper. George Lucas gave us Star Wars and Indiana Jones, but his refusal to relinquish control of his IPs has harmed the film landscape. Even Hayao Miyazaki, whom I adore, has taken flak for his remarks about the anime industry. Being influential doesn’t give someone a free pass.

So why do people act that way? Is it because they’re desperate to vent their frustrations about Marvel movies? Is it because they can’t think for themselves? Is it both? Is it neither? What’s the deal?!

By the way, Tarantino’s remarks about “the movie star being dead”? That’s not really a flaw. Yes, it sucks that an actor’s worth these days is tied to a fictional character. But given how many actors have been revealed to be weird, shady or both, maybe that’s for the best? I wouldn’t want to centre my life around that, after all!

Maybe it’s better that people prefer fictional characters? That doesn’t mean we should be overly-attached to them, forgetting they’re fantasy. If the story of Julian Roman’s indication, not distinguishing between fiction and reality is dangerous. But that doesn’t mean we should be worshipping real people. The cult of personality’s equally as dangerous, after all, and that doesn’t get the coverage it should.

Essentially, I don’t agree with Quentin Tarantino. I sympathize with him, especially given how Hollywood operates, but I think he’s off-base. I also think it’s ridiculous that I’m not allowed to be critical of him for his off-colour remarks. I don’t care how successful or influential he is, he should know better. And that he doesn’t is disturbing.

As for The MCU? It’s complicated. I’ve enjoyed most of its output, and even considered its flops…interesting, but claiming they’re the death knell of cinema is misguided. The movie industry’s a business, and businesses are out to make money. The MCU’s following what’s hot right now, and it’s not entirely its fault that many films are (unsuccessfully) following its lead. If anything, we should demand more from the competition, not attack something that’ll be successful regardless of what we think.

Finally, I wish people would stop dragging this debate back into the spotlight. And I wish people like Simu Liu could express their frustrations without unnecessary backlash. It’s old, it’s tedious, it’s tiring, it’s not fun period. I know it works as free advertising, as much as I don’t want that, but it doesn’t outweigh the negatives. The horse is already dead. You don’t need to keep flogging it.