Like 81 million of my fellows, I watched the debate last night, and like some sub-set of that audience (let us hope a large sub-set, but whatever) it got me to thinking. Not about the candidates (this is not that kind of a post), but about how popular culture and the election seem to be running hand-in-hand this year. Specifically, let’s look at the movie industry, which, as it’s become highly dependent on SF and comic book movies, makes me just as well-qualified to speak to the state of the world as anyone.
It is well-discussed that the movie industry is really depressed this year, because so many of the sequels and reboots and “sure-thing” franchises have simply not delivered. Yes, Captain America did his patriotic bit to perk up the economy, but he was an outlier. (Okay, he’s always been an outlier, but that’s another post.) For the greater part, and it’s most obvious with sequels, people have just not shown up at the movieplex. Sure, there are more ways than ever to enjoy even first-run movies, but nothing’s changed drastically on that front since last summer. So what has?
The mood of the country, that’s what. This election is a battle between the old and new. Do we want (and I am not taking sides here) Clinton-Obama policies filtered through yet another Clinton? (After all, electing a second Bush didn’t pan out so well.) Or do we want a clean slate, as typified by the politically-virginal, commercially-successful Trump? A large part of the electorate is leaning toward the latter, and I wonder if that “I’m tired of the same old fare,” attitude extends to the box office?
Or is all of this merely another iteration of the tired “franchise fatigue” argument? Is it not the theme we’re weary of, but simply this installment in the series? Is it a general disappointment, or simply specific dissatisfaction? And is there any connection between entertainment and politics at all? (In this sense! I’m fully aware of the connotations of that question, thank you.)
Perhaps next summer we will be able to look back and draw a correlation between November’s results and the current sales figures. But even if we can, we probably won’t be able to agree on what it is.
#SFWApro
Leave a comment