The Marvelization of Cinema
Like Stories of Old・27 minutes read
The Marvelization of cinema leads to anti-entropic storytelling, with franchise-building and excessive references diluting narratives. Passionate filmmakers creating original stories can break free from this trend, refining core concepts or exploring themes in new ways to maintain quality and freshness.
Insights
- The Marvelization of cinema, characterized by franchise-building and interconnected movies like Marvel's shared universe, leads to storytelling entropy and diluted narratives in the film industry.
- Maintaining a strong core narrative and characters amidst franchise expansion is crucial to combatting storytelling entropy, as seen in successful films that focus on original stories with passionate filmmakers, breaking away from the trivial, corporate-driven products of Marvelization.
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Recent questions
What is the Marvelization of cinema?
The Marvelization of cinema refers to the widespread phenomenon in the film industry where storytelling entropy becomes prevalent, leading to the creation of franchise-driven products. This concept is characterized by the expansion of interconnected movies within a shared universe, exemplified by franchises like Marvel. The focus shifts towards building a larger narrative rather than maintaining a strong core narrative and characters, potentially diluting the storytelling quality. The negative impact of franchise-building is highlighted when other studios mimic Marvel without prioritizing storytelling, resulting in diluted narratives and an overwhelming number of characters and stories.
How does storytelling entropy affect films?
Storytelling entropy is the phenomenon of compressing multiple story elements into their essence, leading to anti-entropic storytelling. This can be seen in examples like the lightsaber from Star Wars, which condenses multiple meanings into a single object. However, the challenge arises when creators attempt to expand on already perfected ideas, leading to storytelling entropy on a broader scale. As storytelling entropy becomes more widespread, it impacts the film industry by turning original stories into trivial, franchise-driven products. The importance of maintaining a strong core narrative and characters in the face of storytelling entropy is emphasized, as franchises expand outward, potentially losing their essence.
What is the impact of nostalgia in cinema?
Nostalgia can be a powerful emotion in cinema when used meaningfully to contribute to the plot. However, when nostalgia is misused, it can detract from the story's essence. Examples of nostalgia misuse include instances like Benedict Cumberbatch emphasizing his name in Star Trek Into Darkness and Jurassic World pausing the plot for references. True homages in cinema pay tribute to past works that inspired them, unlike current references made for the sake of it. Nostalgia, when utilized effectively, can enhance the storytelling experience by evoking emotions and connections to the past, but it should be integrated thoughtfully to avoid detracting from the narrative.
How do successful movies break free from Marvelization?
Successful movies break free from Marvelization by focusing on original stories with passionate filmmakers driving the production. These films prioritize a strong core narrative and characters, rather than solely focusing on franchise-building and interconnected universes. By maintaining a commitment to perfection and storytelling excellence, these movies stand out in a landscape dominated by franchise-driven products. Sequels can refine and simplify the core concept of the original, as seen in movies like Mission Impossible and John Wick, focusing on action and stunts to maintain freshness over multiple iterations. Additionally, filmmakers like James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola approach sequels by exploring central themes from new perspectives or expanding the core idea into a larger narrative, respectively.
How can audiences engage actively with cinema?
To break out of passive consumption of movies, audiences can engage actively with cinema by immersing themselves in specific directors or eras. Platforms like MUBI offer curated selections for exploration, allowing viewers to discover new films and filmmakers outside of mainstream, Marvelized productions. By actively seeking out original stories and passionate filmmakers, audiences can reignite their passion for cinema and appreciate the art of storytelling beyond franchise-driven products. Actively engaging with cinema can lead to a deeper appreciation for the craft of filmmaking and a more enriching viewing experience.
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Summary
00:00
Marvelization: Entropy in Cinema Storytelling Expansion
- The concept of the Marvelization of cinema is discussed, focusing on storytelling entropy and its impact on the film industry.
- Storytelling entropy is explained as the phenomenon of compressing multiple story elements into their essence, leading to anti-entropic storytelling.
- The lightsaber from Star Wars is used as an example of anti-entropic storytelling, condensing multiple meanings into a single object.
- The challenge arises when creators attempt to expand on already perfected ideas, leading to storytelling entropy on a broader scale.
- The Marvelization of cinema is linked to storytelling entropy becoming a widespread phenomenon affecting the film industry.
- Franchise-building, exemplified by Marvel, is discussed as a key feature of the Marvelization era, with interconnected movies leading to a shared universe.
- The negative impact of franchise-building is highlighted when other studios mimic Marvel without focusing on storytelling, leading to diluted narratives.
- The issue of excessive franchise expansion post-Endgame is addressed, with an overwhelming number of characters and stories diminishing the storytelling quality.
- The concept of interconnectivity and meta-awareness in films is explored, with examples of effective and ineffective use of self-awareness in storytelling.
- The importance of maintaining a strong core narrative and characters in the face of storytelling entropy is emphasized, as franchises expand outward, potentially losing their essence.
13:51
Nostalgia and Meta-referencing in Modern Cinema
- Meta-referencing in movies, like nostalgia-baiting, can detract from the story's essence.
- Nostalgia can be a powerful emotion in cinema but should contribute meaningfully to the plot.
- Examples of nostalgia misuse include Benedict Cumberbatch emphasizing his name in Star Trek Into Darkness and Jurassic World pausing the plot for references.
- References in movies are increasingly common, even without nostalgia, leading to purposeless disorder.
- True homages in cinema pay tribute to past works that inspired them, unlike current references for the sake of it.
- Irony-poisoning in storytelling, where sincerity is replaced by humor, can lead to disconnecting the audience from emotional scenes.
- Marvelization in the film industry turns original stories into trivial, franchise-driven products.
- Passion in filmmaking is an anti-entropic force that drives commitment to perfection, missing in many modern productions.
- Corporate-driven projects lack the creative passion that fuels genuine storytelling, leading to a decline in quality.
- Successful movies break free from Marvelization by focusing on original stories with passionate filmmakers driving the production, like Top Gun: Maverick refining the essence of the original idea.
28:17
Sequels refine, change, expand; active cinema engagement.
- Sequels can refine and simplify the core concept of the original, as seen in movies like Mission Impossible and John Wick, focusing on action and stunts to maintain freshness over multiple iterations.
- James Cameron's approach to sequels involves changing the fundamental premise to explore central themes from a new perspective, as seen in movies like Terminator and The Dark Knight.
- Francis Ford Coppola's method involves envelopment, expanding the core idea into a larger narrative, as seen in The Godfather and the original Star Wars trilogy.
- Anti-entropic storytelling emphasizes continued creation and evolution of stories, contrasting with entropy's stagnation and decay.
- To break out of passive consumption of movies, engaging actively with cinema through strategies like immersing in specific directors or eras can reignite passion, with platforms like MUBI offering curated selections for exploration.
