Billy Elliot was trying to do ashamedly what american cinema succeeded
in unashamedly, appropriating culture and carbon copying.
The only thing wrong is that it is very possible in American culture
but impossible within UK culture. The US approach is make 700 Billy
Elliots and then the good stuff is whats seen. Remember that there are
at least 400 features shot every year by US filmmakers.
E.T. was ridiculed because it was a simple coming of age story, but now
that our own expectations of what cinema can be, or even should be has
been boiled down, we, and especially those of us outside the US, are
grudgingly accepting cliches as par for the course, and now judge
according to how well the cliche has been executed. What was daring and
interesting - Ozu, Bresson, Tarkovsky, Cassavetes, - are only relevant
to history and are not seen as important to the industry because the
language of film they developed is not commercial enough.
There is also the cultural cringe. Popular culture is easy to swallow,
but even easier if it doesnt come with the baggage of being from our
own cultures. Dawson's creek wouldnt pack the same punch with a cockney
accent.
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