What are some of your favorite classic movies? Does your mind immediately go to an 80s cult classic horror, or maybe something a little more action-packed, like an “Indiana Jones” movie? Now think about some of your favorites from these past few years. Did your mind wander off to some psychological thriller following a relatable protagonist, or perhaps a superhero reboot about a lovable team? What do the movies you thought about have in common? Next to nothing.
With the evolution of the modern film audience, film standards are changing every day to compete for these viewers’ attention. Because of these ever-changing modifications, many media consumers are left wondering where the future of film is taking them.
When thinking about many classic films, there is a sort of rubric used to capture a cult following; a charming male protagonist, a female love interest (personality could vary but usually doesn’t matter), a quirky secondary character and a black and white villain. There may be some wiggle room as the director and cast see fit, but many favorites are set up like this: “The Princess Bride,” “Friday the Thirteenth,” “Thor,” “Jaws” and many more. While these movies can exhibit complex themes, they typically follow a much more ‘easy watching’ formula.
In today’s world, this simply won’t do. Younger audiences, especially members of Gen Z, are hungry for something creative and more importantly, relatable. Take some of the new horror that has come out in the past year, like concepts in a film called “The Substance.”
“The Substance” follows a struggling, aging actress who decides to take a new drug giving her a half-life; one half as who she is now, the other half as a younger new and improved version of herself. The film exhibits themes of body dysmorphia and beauty standards for women in the film industry. This was a huge hit with audiences, as it was something they could watch, dissect and pick themes from.
Another example is the development of superhero movies in the past few years. There has been a big uptick in movies about the most mighty of heroes teaching about the most human of things; “Thunderbolts*” presents concepts of mental health and isolation, “Superman” emphasizes being kind to everyone and “Fantastic Four” teaches about found family. Audiences loved these films and their characters because they could see themselves in them. A young girl could leave the theater after watching “Thunderbolts*” and feel seen by Yelena’s grief. A man from a small town can leave the theater from “Superman” and feel represented by Clark Kent’s humble background.
Today’s viewers are ready for more: more learning, more representation, more to analyze. As directors pick up on this phenomenon, we can only expect to see movies like the ones that have been released in the past few years. And for better or for worse, we will watch these movies deter more and more from the classic you were thinking about.
