Tarantino says 50s and 80s were the worst decades for movies

[1924]

According to QT, the 1950's and the 1980's were the two worst decades for films.

Quentin Tarantino Analyzes the Differences Between Bill Murray & Chevy Chase Movies - YouTube

looks like he has a problem with the censorship of the 50s and the 80s having to make their protagonists too "likable"


thoughts?


not sure about the 50s. In the 80s there were definitely plenty of great genre films but it seemed there weren't that many "prestige" type pictures so if those are your thing I can see you finding the 80s a bit lacking. Though I don't think that is the point he brings up

[mwynn]

Who is going to turn on him first?

[stvn1974]

I can name 100 films from the 80's off the top of my head that are better than any of Tarantino's "homages".

[Dotpattern]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

I can name 100 films from the 80's off the top of my head that are better than any of Tarantino's "homages".

Which has nothing to do with the topic of how bad censorship was in the 50s and 80s

[JayTL]

Originally Posted by Dotpattern

Which has nothing to do with the topic of how bad censorship was in the 50s and 80s

It's the 4th post, and doesn't have as many likes. The entire thread and linked article is misleading. He didn't say the era was bad...just that censorship and/or political correctness was at it's worst then.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by CreasyBear

You called him an amateur hack. I returned the favor.

He also didn't disregard the entire decades, if you any knowledge of cinema beyond big budget tentpole films of the last forty years. He's right. The 50's, largely due to censorship and the Mccarthyism of the time, was a very banal time for American cinema producing run of the mill unsubstantial films, much like the jingoism of the 80's, in mainstream cinema, especially in the latter half of the decade, produced. There's a lot of great work in foreign films of the 50's and there's a lot of independent films of the 80's, but by and large, there's not a lot of crossover. A lot like now, actually.

Originally Posted by JayTL

It's the 4th post, and doesn't have as many likes. The entire thread and linked article is misleading. He didn't say the era was bad...just that censorship and/or political correctness was at it's worst then.

All right - I admit I read the thread title and mostly went with that. If his main point was strictly/mostly about censorship then thats different.

However, despite censorship or whatever, that still doesnt relegate the numerous great films that came out(especially in the 80s) to the junk bin. Its one the best eras for films, IMO. The 50's? Im not into nearly as much from then but thats a little before my time too.

[CreasyBear]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

All right - I admit I read the thread title and mostly went with that. If his main point was strictly/mostly about censorship then thats different.

However, despite censorship or whatever, that still doesnt relegate the numerous great films that came out(especially in the 80s) to the junk bin. Its one the best eras for films, IMO. The 50's? Im not into nearly as much from then but thats a little before my time too.

That's. Not. What. He. Said.

And as far as the 80's goes, there's so much garbage bin shit that it outweighs the genuinely good films, mostly made during the first half of the decade. Hell, half of the great films of the entire decade came out in 1980-1982 - Blade Runner, The Thing, Conan the Barbarian, E.T., Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Shining, Dressed to Kill, First Blood, Excalibur, Empire Strikes Back, Wrath of Khan, Raging Bull, Das Boot, Poltergeist, The Elephant Man, etc. Most of the latter of the decade was propelled by bubblegum bullshit. Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, Crocodile Dundee, Look Who's Talking, etc. That's the kind of shit that was popular and they're just boring films with nothing to offer aside from 90 minutes of mindless and witless "entertainment."

[Dotpattern]

[QUOTE=1924;19213023]According to QT, the 1950's and the 1980's were the two worst decades for films.


Your headline and the part I bolded are misleading. The way you have it worded implies he thinks those were the decades that produced the worst movies.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by 1924

According to QT, the 1950's and the 1980's were the two worst decades for films.


Your headline and the part I bolded are misleading. The way you have it worded implies he thinks those were the decades that produced the worst movies.

Good point about the first post in this thread, the wording of it, thanks. Tarantino mostly seems to be saying many films were watered down from self-censorship in the 80s, wanting a like-able hero most times.

With Bill Murray, Tarantino is saying he thinks he's turned into a good guy by the end of his films most times, while with Chevy Chase, he feels his films he's a sarcastic jerk type character for all of it as the main point, which he thinks is better. To allow main characters to be jerks in films, is what Tarantino seems to be saying in that interview on page 1.

I see the point being made, though he would have to be more specific with a list of films he feels that way about. He said Stripes, Scrooged, and Groundhog Day as 3 examples of 80s films where the jerk hero becomes a nice guy by the end.

Tarantino is suggesting it's not necessary for the audience to like a main character. An interesting point.

[moreorless]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Good point about the first post in this thread, the wording of it, thanks. Tarantino mostly seems to be saying many films were watered down from self-censorship in the 80s, wanting a like-able hero most times.

With Bill Murray, Tarantino is saying he thinks he's turned into a good guy by the end of his films most times, while with Chevy Chase, he feels his films he's a sarcastic jerk type character for all of it as the main point, which he thinks is better. To allow main characters to be jerks in films, is what Tarantino seems to be saying in that interview on page 1.

I see the point being made, though he would have to be more specific with a list of films he feels that way about. He said Stripes, Scrooged, and Groundhog Day as 3 examples of 80s films where the jerk hero becomes a nice guy by the end.

Tarantino is suggesting it's not necessary for the audience to like a main character. An interesting point.

I would say though is "the jerk who stays a jerk" really THAT vital to cinema? it was pretty central to 70's cinema but honestly rewatching stuff like Five Easy Pieces these days part of me does think Bobby is just a selfish ******* and the film is male(and it was a VERY male scene) self obsessive naval gazing.

I don't think its essential to having a character with significant depth and honestly in the 90's especially I think many such character really had very little depth. Tarantino himself the quality of the films I think stands up but really a lot of that scene comes across as empty bro/bloke revivalism.

Nothing wrong with a bit of change, a film like say Mona Lisa to me is vastly more adult than Guy Ritchie's mockney fantasys.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

Good point about the first post in this thread, the wording of it, thanks. Tarantino mostly seems to be saying many films were watered down from self-censorship in the 80s, wanting a like-able hero most times.

With Bill Murray, Tarantino is saying he thinks he's turned into a good guy by the end of his films most times, while with Chevy Chase, he feels his films he's a sarcastic jerk type character for all of it as the main point, which he thinks is better. To allow main characters to be jerks in films, is what Tarantino seems to be saying in that interview on page 1.

I see the point being made, though he would have to be more specific with a list of films he feels that way about. He said Stripes, Scrooged, and Groundhog Day as 3 examples of 80s films where the jerk hero becomes a nice guy by the end.

Tarantino is suggesting it's not necessary for the audience to like a main character. An interesting point.

Well, it’s true that we don’t always have to like main characters, I guess, but it does help a film when we do root for characters. We want them to succeed. We enjoy the journey and hope they meet their objectives. Usually anyways. It’s fine to break off of this norm for extremely competent film makers(NOT amateurs like Tarantino) but for the most part the best films have a character or characters to care about. Film making 101 here, kids.

I suppose he’s trying to make a point…..sort of. But, the mostly agreed upon greatest films have fairly similar narrative structures and they fit within this character model of like ability, caring what happens to them, hoping their goals are met, etc. Or, yes, possibly that they fail if their goals are sinister and the character is "fun" to hate or root against. Something like that.

Still, he’s just sort of ranting here. Isn’t it time for him to make another crappy revenge film with cartoonish violence and annoying characters?

[Zivouhr]

Of his films, I like:

Kill Bill 1
Django Unchained
Inglourious Basterds

The rest aren't my style of film to watch, though I haven't seen Once Upon yet.

Jackie Brown was interesting.
Hateful Eight was okay.

Not a fan of Deathproof or Reservoir Dogs the first and only time I've seen those. Not a fan of Kill Bill 2 or Pulp Fiction.

The ones I'm not a fan of, I notice most of those characters I don't relate to, so there's a disconnect to caring about their stories.

Originally Posted by s2mikey

Well, it’s true that we don’t always have to like main characters, I guess, but it does help a film when we do root for characters. We want them to succeed. We enjoy the journey and hope they meet their objectives. Usually anyways. It’s fine to break off of this norm for extremely competent film makers(NOT amateurs like Tarantino) but for the most part the best films have a character or characters to care about. Film making 101 here, kids.

I suppose he’s trying to make a point…..sort of. But, the mostly agreed upon greatest films have fairly similar narrative structures and they fit within this character model of like ability, caring what happens to them, hoping their goals are met, etc. Or, yes, possibly that they fail if their goals are sinister and the character is "fun" to hate or root against. Something like that.

Still, he’s just sort of ranting here. Isn’t it time for him to make another crappy revenge film with cartoonish violence and annoying characters?

I see what you're saying about like-able heroes and rooting for them to succeed in their goals, being helpful to telling a good movie.

With Django Unchained, Jaime Fox's character would fall into that line, along with Christoph Waltz'. For Kill Bill, Uma Thurman is a like-able heroine.

Maybe he's referring to Reservoir Dogs where I didn't like any of those characters, or Death Proof, where the women mostly just complained around the table in the restaurant for most of that film which I thought was going to be a big stunt driving chase movie. The chase was underwhelming too IMO. I haven't rewatched those films since, but there are fans of those films.

[CreasyBear]

He's right, especially about the 50's. The code era was so oppressive.

[HorrorBlu]

Too many actresses wore shoes in the 50s and 80s.

[levcore]

Well if Tarantino said it then it must be true.

[starsteam]

I suppose it should be 'worst decades for movie making', and not that the actual movies from those years are bad. The 50's and 80's produced many of my favorite films.

[DenOfEarth]

Originally Posted by starsteam

I suppose it should be 'worst decades for movie making', and not that the actual movies from those years are bad. The 50's and 80's produced many of my favorite films.

The 50s had some movies i enjoyed like Creature from The Black Lagoon, Them, The Thing from Another World, Forbidden Planet, North by Northwest, and some others.

and the 80s which was my time had some genuine classics too like Robocop, Predator, Aliens, Die Hard and more.

[Lee A Stewart]

The 1950s was a time for expermentation in Hollywood. They were dealing with extreme competition coming from the now affordable Television. There were lots of great movies made during the 1950's, many in the new widescreen format Cinemascope.

Q. Tarantino is talking through his a$$.

[Gacivory]

70’s is my favorite decade for movies.

But this should be pointed out. It seems like he is talking about American Film industry. Kurosawa, Kobayashi, Bergman made some straight up masterpieces in the 50’s.

[Foggy]

Most of the problems with contemporary cinema can be traced back to the practices seen in the 80’s. So there’s definitely weight to the argument.

But I find the 40’s worse for film’s that the 50’s.