Why Modern Movies Suck - The Myth Of The "Modern Audience"

The Myth of the Modern Audience

In this section, the speaker discusses how the phrase "updated for modern audiences" has become a buzzword in entertainment and is used to justify changes made to classic stories. The speaker argues that this phrase is part of a collective gaslighting effort to make people believe that everything new and updated must be good.

The Myth of the Modern Audience

• The phrase "updated for modern audiences" is used as a buzzword in entertainment.

• The myth of the modern audience justifies changes made to classic stories.

• People are told they want characters that reflect the world we live in today, but this is not necessarily true.

• The past is often viewed as full of dangerous ideas that need to be shielded from people.

Remaking Fairy Tale Movies

In this section, the speaker discusses how fairy tale movies have been remade for modern audiences. Specifically, he talks about Snow White and how it has been altered to appeal to modern viewers.

Remaking Snow White

• Snow White was released in 1937 and became an enduring classic.

• Disney produced a cash grab remake of Snow White that had to be altered to appeal to modern viewers.

The Problem with Modern Adaptations of Classic Stories

This section discusses the changes made to classic stories in modern adaptations to cater to modern audiences.

Changes Made to Snow White

• In the new adaptation of Snow White, the female lead has low levels of melanin and is replaced with a more diverse alternative.

• The dwarves that were used for comedy effect in the original have been reworked into highly efficient intelligent and disciplined underground Engineers.

• The finale about The Dashing Prince saving the day and Reviving Snow White from her Eternal sleep with a true love's kiss has been removed.

Why Remake If You Hate Source Material?

• If you hate the source material so much, if the plot characters and themes are so offensive to your modern sensibilities then why even bother remaking it? Why not just come up with something new?

Changes Made to Lord of the Rings

• Amazon's billion-dollar nightmare, "The Lord of the Rings," tarnished the legacy of J.R.R. Tolkien by making unnecessary changes.

• Changes include dropping a bunch of diverse actors into the story at random points with no explanation, crowbarring women into every major leadership role and position of authority, and relegating men to weak indecisive insecure and clueless buffoons who know their place defer to their female superiors.

Reimagining Male Characters

• Male characters are getting more than their share of reimagining these days. For example, James Bond is being changed from tough cold ruthless.

The Evolution of James Bond and Lara Croft

In this section, the speaker discusses how modern audiences want male characters to be emotional, vulnerable, and respectful. However, he argues that changing core traits of iconic characters like James Bond and Lara Croft undermines their appeal.

The Problem with Changing James Bond

• Series producer Barbara Broccoli explains that Bond is evolving just as men are evolving.

• Different actors brought slightly different interpretations of the character either because of their acting styles or personalities but Bond's core traits didn't change.

• James Bond represents the ultimate masculine ideal and that ideal hasn't changed no matter how much people might want it to.

• Trying to alter that combination undermines the very foundations of who he is.

The Failure of Modernizing Lara Croft

• Attempts to modernize Lara Croft turned an awesome empowered and ass-kicking adventurer into a boring whiny guilt-ridden overly emotional child with daddy issues.

• They took a classic archetype that everyone admired and tried to break her down into something more grounded more relatable more acceptable to modern audiences.

• All they really did was break her.

Grand Theft Auto's Female Protagonist

In this section, the speaker talks about how Grand Theft Auto (GTA), a game series known for its violence, criminal behavior, and irreverent humor, is getting updated for modern audiences by featuring a female protagonist and removing offensive humor.

GTA's Evolution for Modern Audiences

• According to an article from the New York Post, GTA is going to feature a female protagonist for the first time and tone down the racist and sexist humor that's been prevalent in the series until now.

• The problem is that when a company gets too big and too successful, it inevitably gets infiltrated by people for whom the idea of fun and non-politically correct humor is like sunlight to a vampire.

• The myth of the politically progressive emotionally fragile and easily offended modern audience which must be carefully catered to is exactly that, a myth.

The Shallow Arrogance of Ideology

In this section, the speaker discusses how the shallow arrogance of ideology is perpetuated by people who have never experienced hardship or ventured outside their own echo chamber.

The Mentality of the Coddled and Praised

• The speaker describes how the shallow arrogance of ideology is perpetuated by people who have been coddled and praised their entire lives.

• These individuals have never struggled or experienced hardship, nor ventured outside their own carefully controlled echo chamber.

Undermining Causes with Virtue Signaling

• Despite posturing and virtue signaling, these individuals ultimately undermine the very causes they claim to care about.

• Battering someone over the head with your ideas and opinions until they eventually give up and leave isn't the same as winning them over to your point of view.

Pushing Away Your Audience

• Trying to cater for some imaginary modern audience that doesn't actually exist only ends up pushing away your actual audience.

• No business can afford to keep doing this for long.

Overall, the speaker argues that ideology should be approached with humility and an openness to learning from past experiences rather than a desire to defeat it.