If there’s one person that can serve as the final arbiter of good taste and quality cinema, it’s writer Damon Lindelof. Okay, that might be a little sarcastic, but the truth is that Lindelof has been one of the most high-profile writers in TV and film for over a decade and knows his way around a big-budget spectacle, a comic book film or TV show, and things that would be considered more auteur. Basically, he’s perfectly qualified to let you know his thoughts about Martin Scorsese’s recent comments about Marvel films and how they’re not “cinema.”
Speaking on the red carpet for his upcoming comic book TV series “Watchmen” (via Variety), Lindelof was asked what he thought of the highly-publicized and debated comments from Scorsese about superhero films being “theme parks” and not qualifying as “cinema” in the filmmaker’s eyes.
“There’s a space in Marvel movies that they are beginning to explore and are beginning to be provocative and interesting,” Lindelof said. “‘Logan’ or ‘Black Panther’ are very close in my opinion to cinema and to put all Marvel movies in the same box doesn’t seem fair.”
In the era of binary debate, where nuance is thrown out the window, it appears that Lindelof is riding the fine line of giving an honest answer that somehow doesn’t appease those who hate Scorsese and his comments nor does it side solely with those cinephiles that think Marvel films are the scourge of the industry. How dare he not take a side!
“I’m just curious as to how many Marvel movies he has seen,” he added. “I don’t view it as a put-down. I think there has to be space for popular entertainment and indie fare and cinema. You’re talking to a guy who eats at Sizzler.”
READ MORE: James Gunn Is Sad That Martin Scorsese Is “Judging” Marvel Films Without Seeing Them
Honestly, I joked about Lindelof being the arbiter of good taste, but his answer to this debate seems to be the most thoughtful one yet. He understands Scorsese’s point that there are many Marvel films (and superhero films, in general) that barely qualify as decent movies, let alone real “cinema,” but Lindelof also understands that the filmmaker might not have a good sample size and is throwing away the baby with the bathwater. I mean, even the most hardened of critics can say that “Logan” is pretty good, right?
As mentioned, Lindelof is promoting his upcoming “Watchmen” HBO series, which debuts on the network on October 20.
