Every movie we see #50: Amazing Spider-Man 2 and the Extinction of Adults
47. A Thousand Times Good Night. Not even Nikolaj Coster Waldau’s presence could keep us interested in this well-meaning drama about a photojournalist who finds her duty to the truth in conflict with her duties to her family.
48. 47 Ronin. Not as bad as we expected. Always happy to see Keanu.
49. Summer in February. Cousin Matthew left Downton Abbey for this?
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Images from Nerdcore Movement
While dosing myself with caffeine in order to stay awake at the entertaining but over-long Amazing Spider-Man 2, it occurred to me that the main difference between 1970s-80s pop culture and today’s is the target demographic. In the past, movies, TV, music and books were made mostly for the adults, who decided how the family’s funds would be spent. Today the decisions are made by the teenagers and the pre-teens, whose parents are absent, too tired, or too busy to argue with their kids’ choices.
Thus, producers and publishers pander shamelessly to the teen market. It’s a very practical and successful approach, but somewhat short-sighted and cynical. They flatter the target audience, telling them that their life-experience—limited as it is, since they haven’t been around very long—is the most important experience any person could have. At the point when teenagers are basically driven by hormonal impulses, they are told that their feelings will decide the course of history. Nothing else matters! “You are the center of the universe,” popular culture declares, and what teen still living under parental authority wouldn’t enjoy hearing that?
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