Let the fools have their movie theaters

Maybe comic book movie people are right.

Variety reports that Warner Brothers is making a fortune on that stupid-looking Joker movie, but may still lose money because they set out to make a lot of regular, non-adolescent grown-up movies, too.

Things have been moving in that direction for years. In the '80's. Siskel & Ebert would put down films that had any serious purpose as made-for-TV movies. And some probably were. There was one where Robert De Niro plays an illiterate who learns to read.

There was one review I remember---Gene Siskel said when it started he thought it would be something better suited for TV. It started out showing how teenagers caught up in the juvenile justice system can have their lives destroyed, but he was relieved when a delinquent's lady attorney fell in love with him, helped him escape and, I assume, molested him as they became fugitives on the run from the law.

I don't remember who it was, but one guy years ago who worked in TV was asked about it. He said it was the more serious medium. Movies were empty entertainment. Only TV had anything to say.

Now this has gone all the way. Only mindless crap can make money theatrically. If it's any good, it's streaming video. We may as well accept it.

I don't really understand the obsession with having movies shown in theaters anyway. You can make a lot of money if you get a cut of the gross I guess.

Even now I see hopeless, unemployed film school graduates who dismiss anything short of Spielberg-like success. They don't dream of directing movies, only of being movie directors, and TV just isn't up to their standards.