searching for something interesting or funny on TV for relaxation, I
switch through . . . what? Hundreds of channels at my paid-for disposal,
to find mostly reruns of crime shows, sitcoms: rarely do I find a new or
original program.
I was really looking forward to the movie "Avatar". Something different,
I thought, from the typical blockbuster movie. And the technical effects
were indeed extraordinary, poetic at times. But something was missing,
an underlying structure that would have made it great. What was the
missing link?
I had been a great admirer of the first "Star Wars" movie. The technical
effects were superb, the characters original and new. Most of all there
was the storyline that took us on a magic carpet into a world of fantasy
made believable. The alien as well as the human creatures portrayed the
heights and depths of ourselves. The fight between good versus evil, was
one we could and wanted to identify with.
It had precisely what "Avatar" was missing, a great storyline. Writers
create plays and story lines, for movies, for TV shows. Great writers
create work that truly impacts, scenarios that expose our deeper selves.
The U.S. used to have an abundance of such talent. Where has it gone?
Without meaningful literature our culture will have a dark hole at its
core. It will decline and, ultimately, collapse.
We have to recreate an environment where our writers are able to
perform. We have to shrink the hype and allow substance once again to
blossom. Let readers (I know they're out there, waiting), not big
corporations decide what will make it to the top.
What you say is so true! There are many many copies but few originals in the "quantity writing" prevalent today. Quality and original ideas are rarely seen. Your writing is quality i must admit.
ReplyDeleteYou're making me feel better;) My book Jolt: a rural noir is all about storyline and substance. It took me five years to research, write, and edit it. Among the nineteen people I have spoken with who have read it, not one has complained about its content. A few have gone so far to rave about it. For more about it go to http://alvapressinc.com
ReplyDeleteHear, hear! You've hit the nail on the head with your perspective on the missing link. There's nothing more important than a great storyline. Now, if only the readers would voice their desire for true substance, "the man" (aka big corp) would surely listen.
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