Standing at the intersection of Beverly and Wilshire during a recent trip to Los Angeles, I noticed a family of five waiting in front of me. The three children–all boys–and their father were wearing pastel colored polo shirts. All had their colors flipped up. I could understand the youngsters’ fascination with this new fashion trend, but the father had some explaining to do: he’s had fifteen plus years to reflect on what a ridiculous and stupid look that was during the ‘80s. I could almost hear David Spade making some prescient and biting comment about the new style being just as bad now as it was then. Life tends to be somewhat cyclical and, thanks to Ralph Lauren's new summer line, I began pondering how much–or how little–Hollywood has changed over the course of the last twenty years.
My initial thought on the matter was that the modern version of Hollywood would look nothing like the Hollywood of the eighties. With the advent of supremely easy-to-use and affordable computer technology, the $100 million budget and the entrance of the DVD format, it didn’t seem like there would be any comparisons between the two time periods. However, as I started to look beneath the surface at the trends and the movies that were released in the ‘80s, I was shocked at the similarities I encountered.
Consider: the mid-‘80s gave America a drama about aliens, courtesy of Steven Spielberg (ET), a number of big-budget summer action flicks by Jerry Bruckheimer (Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop), comedian Bill Murray tackling a very dramatic role (The Razor's Edge) and director Tim Burton putting his own spin on a familiar children’s tale (Frankenweenie). Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep earning Oscar nods for their work, Keanu Reeves drawing the critics’ ire for his poor acting performances, Spike Lee writing and directing a film about African-American relationships (She's Gotta Have It), crude, stupid studio comedies making a killing at the box office (Police Academy, Fletch and Crocodile Dundee to name but three) and Woody Allen spent his time eschewing southern California in order to stay in New York and make quirky small-budget films there.
I took solace in the fact that at least Christian Bale wasn’t around twenty years ago starring in a movie, like Batman Begins, that focuses on a character whose parents are stolen from him and who then tries to find himself in China... until I realized I was describing his debut feature, Empire of the Sun.
It blew my mind as to how many eerie similarities there were between the mid-‘80s and today. Granted there are some obvious differences–Eric Roberts and Oprah Winfrey are no longer getting Oscar nominations for one–but the methodology of the business and the types of movies the studios are making remains virtually unchanged. For years, critics of the most formulaic and hackneyed blockbusters have been asking the question, "When is Hollywood going to learn how to make a ‘proper’ movie?" If 20 years of history is any indication, things aren't looking good.
But before despair sets in completely, just remember that there is a flip side to things: twenty years ago, Jim Jarmusch, Robert Altman and Terry Gilliam were doing everything they could to produce quality films independently of the studios. Two decades later, these directors are still serving up the antidote for the entrenched mediocrity that is afflicting Hollywood. Just try not to think about Miami Vice: The Movie.
Chris Neumer
