On an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, renowned actor Edward Norton provided some fascinating commentary on the state of Hollywood films today. Norton and Rogan discussed the decline of original, thought-provoking films compared to the groundbreaking work of directors such as Steve McQueen. Norton’s profound comments stunned Joe Rogan and prompted him to ponder the state and future of the film industry.
Edward Norton Discusses The Shift in Movie Trends
The conversation started with Edward Norton, who pondered the differences between classic films like Le Mans by Steve McQueen and modern films. Norton highlighted McQueen’s focus on atmosphere and setting rather than dialogue and called attention to the film’s lack of the former.
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Given the climate of short attention spans and formulaic storytelling, he doubted that a film like Le Mans would be given the green light. After that, Norton discussed the golden age of cinema when original, thought-provoking films were more common.
Filmmakers like Steve McQueen and Spike Lee challenged conventions, captivating viewers and leaving them wanting more. But Edward Norton asked a crucial question: about groundbreaking movies like Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing not creating a sustained demand for more work.
Norton noted that it is extremely difficult to make truly great movies and that only the most talented and visionary artists and directors can make films of this caliber. The actor emphasized that not everyone is as brilliantly inventive as Spike Lee or Francis Coppola.
“Well, on one level, yeah it’s easy to recognize when they’re great but it’s still not easy to make them great. We’re talking about people who are some of our greatest artists or directors you know/ And I mean they and lots of people they try on some level but they just not everybody is Spike Lee, you know what I mean. Not everybody is Francis Coppola or you know I’d say it’s like people sometimes make and they actually are slow you know what I mean…”
Many filmmakers strive for greatness by making compelling films, but only a few succeed. Norton likened the line between clever and stupid to the difficulty of striking the right balance between artistic integrity and audience appeal in filmmaking.
Edward Norton’s Take on Balancing Artistic Integrity
Staying true to the filmmaker’s vision while navigating the complexities of story, cinematography, and character development is difficult. Edward Norton shifted the conversation to illuminate the impact of industry decision-makers on film quality and narrative trajectory.
The Incredible Hulk star argued that some senior executives lose touch with the shifting preferences of younger demographics as they age. These powerful figures in the film industry may have trouble predicting what will appeal to the next generation of moviegoers.
Norton noted, however, that there were epochs in the industry when novel ideas and approaches were encouraged. He was alluding to the late 1990s when studios’ indecision paved the way for the rise of indie and auteur-driven cinema.
Filmmakers like Paul T. Anderson, Wes Anderson, and Spike Jonze gained prominence at this time, and their groundbreaking works are still hailed today. Edward Norton admitted that since filmmaking is such a team effort, staying true to one’s vision can be difficult.
Source: YouTube
