Dear Hollywood,
Throughout my time in quarantine or isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I have really been able to spend lots of time watching movies. I considered myself a movie fanatic before the pandemic struck, but as it stands now I was nowhere near what I have become today. I have been able to sit down and really take note of the little details of each story that a movie tells more so than I have ever before. After the countless movies that I now see on my “Watch it again” list across my streaming services, I have come to notice some fairly disappointing things.
It seems really in light of the 2020 election taking place and with the majority of the world stuck inside due to the pandemic, the movie industry has been using their work as more of a source of political propaganda as opposed to the heartfelt, authentic storytelling society has been so accustomed to. With that in mind, I have also started to see a decline in the quality and originality of movies being released to the public due to the influence that politics has had.
Recently, I found an interview conducted by BBC with Mel Brooks about this same concern which I am having. Brooks keeps it quite simple in saying that it is the “death of Comedy”. As I began to think of it, I couldn’t recall comedy movies that were as funny as the ones being put out only one or two decades ago. Political correctness is the driving factor of this and it must be stopped.
This is not to say that Hollywood hasn’t always been influenced by political and social movements, however as I continue to watch new movies and shows being released today it has simply just gotten out of hand. Growing up I had the idea that acting was such a special talent because it allowed anyone to be able to portray anyone or anything that they wanted to be. Now, it is seeming more and more like directors are looking for people that already fit the bill in real life instead of hiring an extremely talented actor or actress.
As I come to a close, I want to pose the following question: Is satisfying today’s political correctness and social movements all in an effort to check off all the boxes of acceptable social and cultural standards, worth losing authenticity and accuracy of original stories being portrayed through film?
Sincerely,
Zach S.
