Legendary director and self-proclaimed defender of cinema against the dark arts of superhero movies, Martin Scorsese, has apparently taken a break from answering an endless series of questions about Marvel movies, and instead decided to speak up against the almighty algorithms that dictate so many creative decisions in the industry.
According to The Hollywood Reporter “The Irishman” director, Martin Scorsese, delivered his speech in front of 300 guests at the Kirk Douglas Award ceremony at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where he was presented the award by Leonardo DiCaprio, and then spoke of the “profound influence” Douglas had on him. Scorsese went on to talk about how he and frequent collaborator Robert De Niro attempted to remake Douglas’ “The Bad and the Beautiful” and “Two Weeks in Another Town” for years.
Then Scorsese closed his speech by turning his attention to the current state of the industry and how creatives are facing down against corporate behemoths and often controversial algorithms. “I realize that commitment and dedication to the art form are always rare so, you know, when you see it, this incredible commitment and dedication, please don’t take it for granted. Today, it’s a new world, of course, and we have to be extra vigilant. Some actually believe that these qualities that I’m talking about can be replaced by algorithms and formulas and business calculations, but please remember it’s all an illusion because there’s no substitute for individual or artistic expression, as Kirk Douglas knew and as he expressed through his long film career.”
Say what you will about his comments on Marvel movies, the man has a point. It wasn’t long ago that reports came in that Disney executives were concerned about Taika Waititi’s “Jojo Rabbit” alienating the core fans of the studio, before the movie won the Audience Award at TIFF and got critical acclaim. We have all heard complaints (or even made those complaints) about the lack of risk-taking in studio movies because of how much they rely on algorithms and focus groups, and Scorsese’s long journey to making “The Irishman” only proves his point. It remains to be seen if all his talk actually leads to some small change.