"Love is a canvas furnished by Nature and embroidered by imagination."
- Voltaire
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Where have all the French films gone?
Well, they're not playing in America-not many of them anyway. When I was a young man, French and foreign films seemed to always be playing somewhere at a local theater. Yes, I know-that was a long time ago. But still, I remember . . .
So, what has happened to the French cinema in America? It's not like they've disappeared. They almost have. You just have to look harder for them. In Seattle, where I happen to live, there are a few nonprofit film organizations and a handful of independent theaters that show foreign films. Sure, they're the most popular films of the lot, but it's better than nothing.
And so, the answer to the question is: Hollywood and American-style capitalism. Everyone wants to make a buck here. In this country, profits are more important than anything else. They trump art, style, class and good taste. It's all one, big marketing campaigne. When Hollywood rolls out their movie stars with all the fanfare and glamor, nothing can stop them. It's their way or the highway.
Well, there's one thing that Hollywood can't take away from me-the mighty DVD. I can watch as many French films on DVD as I want, and nobody's going to stop me. Of course, I'd rather watch Catherine Deneuve on the Big Screen than on a 32 inch TV, but I'm not going to press my luck. There's not a whole lot we can do about the Hollywood machine, short of a revolution. But what we can do is educate people about alternatives to the prevailing American film culture.
North American theaters need to show more French films, no doubt about it. Like many other film lovers, I'm tired of the same old Hollywood crap that dominates the cinema landscape. On this web site, I'll do my best to inform you when that rare French film sighting occurs. So stay tuned, and thanks for reading.
- Kevin Malin |
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