At The Movies

                                                                                                             ©2005 Robert Randall Burke


  I have always loved the movies. As a kid, I was fascinated by the old theatres, with their ample, plush seats, velvet- roped balconies, and huge screens. I sat in silence and watched John Wayne win WWII, Hope and Crosby banter through Bali, and all of John Ford’s wonderful westerns. Alternately, I wanted to be Gary Cooper, Bogart, Ronald Coleman or Charlton Heston.

  Most of the stories had one theme: a lone protagonist facing incredible odds and overcoming them. Whether it was Spencer Tracy as Santaigo fighting his great marlin, Gary Cooper facing down the bad guys alone at High Noon, or Judah Ben Hur defeating his rival in the chariot race, you always knew that the noble, virtuous hero would win in the end. When you walked out of the theater, you either felt tired from laughing, or moved by the story, but you usually were glad you bought a ticket. You saw great films, written by great authors, directed by great directors and acted by great actors.

  Been to a movie lately? Better brace yourself. Firstly, forget the plush seats, velvet, and balconies. You will now have a cramped, uncomfortable seat in a tiny rectangular room, probably one of 16 in the “theater” (not to mention the popcorn with artificial butter that just cost you more than a ticket used to cost). And the film? Well, you can expect to see everything you hold sacred mocked, rampant senseless violence, profanity that could grace a county jail cell, and some of the worst stories and acting ever to be committed to celluloid.

  We don’t go to the ‘movies’ anymore.

  How did we go from Humphrey Bogart to Leonardo Dicaprio? How did we go from “Gone With The Wind” to “Kill Bill”? Why can’t you take a kid to the movies today? How did the industry that produced James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Maureen O’Hara and Bob Hope, become the province of Richard Gere, Chris Rock, Sharon Stone and their ilk?

  Some would blame television. It’s true that after the advent of TV, the movie industry took a nose-dive. Some would blame the overall moral decay that has gripped the country since the mid-60’s. While I think that these are contributing factors, having lived in Southern California for many years, I blame the industry itself… the writers who write garbage, the producers seeking MORE SHOCKING, MORE VIOLENT, MORE DECADENT, and the “actors”, who will do anything for a buck. “They” tell us that we, ourselves, have changed. “They” are only giving us what we want.

Right.

  Wrong. “We’ haven’t changed much at all. “We” still work hard supporting our families, “We” still believe in miracles, and the better angels of our nature, and “We” certainly desire wholesome, thoughtful entertainment. We just aren’t getting what we want.

  There is some hope on the horizon, though. Mel Gibson’s "Passion" immediately comes to mind. Perhaps it’s success ($$$) will generate more of the same kind of films. As a lifelong movie buff, I really hope so.

  In the meantime, I still have all my old friends and heroes. They appear regularly on my VCR, in all their Technicolor glory, making me laugh, cry, and reflect.

  Excuse me; I have to go and watch “The Greatest Story Ever Told” again. We’ll make our own popcorn.