How are movies and TV reacting to the Wall Street crisis? Depends on who you ask. According to Tuesday’s New York Times, they’re going to avoid all the unpleasantness and do what Hollywood did during the Depression: make Shirley Temple movies. (That is, they’re going to make escapist projects like comedies and musicals that address the crisis either tangentially or not at all.) According to Bloomberg on Wednesday, however, we’re going to see a lot more Gordon Gekko-ish Wall Street villains for viewers to project their rage onto.
Which would you rather see, PopWatchers? Movies and TV shows that react to the economic crisis via escapism, or stories pointing fingers at the Wall Street chicanery that fueled the collapse?
More on show business and the economic crisis:
Photo Gallery: 26 "Get Rich Quick!" movies
Did Paris Hilton’s new single, "My BFF," cause Wall Street to collapse?
How has the economy affected your entertainment spending?
That dormant Wall Street sequel: Leave Michael Douglas ALOOOOOOONE!
Wall Street bloodbath inspires Broadway bloodletting in American Psycho: The Musical
Um, why can’t we have *both*? Sometimes I’m in the mood for fluffy escapism, but sometimes I want a thoughtful, in-depth examination of problems and issues. You can have movies and tv shows that point fingers and thoughtfully examine problems, but are fun and entertaining as well. Some of these can be very polarizing (see Michael Moore), but some can be just plain fun as well (like “Thank You for Smoking”).
I would much rather see escapism movies during hard times. I came to the realization yesterday after seeing Rachel Getting Married – and remembering my depressing attempt to watch all Oscar nominees from a couple of years ago (Syriana, etc) – that I’m at a point in my movie going career that I don’t want to constantly be reminded how bleak the world is and how horrible family dysfunction is. I want to watch a movie and read a book that helps me escape, not hold a mirror up to life. Which is why I’m looking forward to seeing Happy Go Lucky this weekend. Feel good movies can be made, well, if Hollywood would only try.
Hollywood should make a musical TV show starring Bush, McCain, Palin, Joe Sixpack, Joe the Plumber and the rest of the RNC doing showtunes about how dumb they think the American public is. It can be called the Yo’ Ass Is Grass n’ My Wallet’s FAT Variety Show.
Hello Marley & Me!
In this economy, regardless of what kind of crap Hollywood makes, it’ll be too damn expensive and too damn irritating to go to the movies anyway! Thank goodness for Netflix and the privacy of my living room!
Orville took the words right out of my mouth. As long as neither side gets oversaturated, an equal quality/quantity offering can work. Escapist fantasy almost always manages to trump more issue driven films with controversial topics though, as all the Iraq War and 9/11 based films indicate.
how about they NOT BOTHER to spend money on new movies (ie: a bazillion dollars for a new pirates?) and just re-relsease old-school movies in theaters: (for cheap!) like Shirley Temple movies?!?!? anyone? anyone? come on! seeing old movies in normal theaters? HOW COOL.
To help alleviate the effects of recession, National Education Foundation (NEF), the national nonprofit digital education leader, offers, on a first-come first-served basis, a Million Scholarships to Students, Teachers and Employees of Schools, Colleges, Gov, Nonprofits and Corporations. Take any of the 3,000 High Quality, “Best-of-the-Web,” IT, Business, Project Mgmt, Math, Science, SAT, ACT Courses and Certifications.
To apply, visit http://www.cyberlearning.org/scholarships. Start taking courses rightaway! Or call 703-823-9999
I’m with you, Jackie! For my money, I’d rather watch some legendary black and white classics on screen than the garbage Hollywood gives us today!
Yeah, I’d like to see both types, as long as they are actually good movies.
vbrgh gnudmyjo fmatpg sdrgotaby fvmnqbuo otas obzhaptmx
Wall Street is also shorthand for the “influential financial interests” of the American financial industry, which is centered in the New York City area. Sad to know that they had invested their money in undesirable manner. Good investment advice is always sought after. Good investment advice is even more critical since the stock market has tanked. It would seem after Jim Cramer and Rick Santelli were pilloried by Jon Stewart, CNBC isn’t the greatest source for good advice on Wall Street. Payday loans are doubtless starting to look more attractive. Santelli and Cramer were taken to task with vicious satire for their lack of journalistic integrity, bad stock advice, and glorification of Wall Street firms that were given lavish bailout funding at the taxpayers’ expense. It seems CNBC shouldn’t give investment advice at all.
It was my pleasure to visit your Website. I am also very Website you enjoy the article.And I also have the feeling that it was really a pity that we didn’t meet each other earlier. Because the kindness and warmth in your Website can make me completely relaxed and happy. I hope that you will visit my blog too to see if you can have the same feeling.http://www.buynikeshoes.com