Marvel Movies Aren’t Cinema, According To Martin Scorcese

In an interview with Empire (via The Guardian), venerable director Martin Scorcese decried Marvel movies as not being “cinema.” Scorcese has the résumé to be snotty about movies but he obviously missed the deep symbolism in movies like Ant-Man. Past and present Marvel directors like Joss Whedon and James Gunn were unhappy with Marty’s pissing on their work. Impeachment inquiry what?

Scorcese’s got Netflix’s The Irishman to push, and he’s got plenty of opinions about which movies qualify as worthy and which movies are just giant collectible soda cups from Burger King.

“I tried, you know?” the director said when asked if he had seen Marvel’s movies. “But that’s not cinema.”

He continued: “Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.”

Um, Dr. Strange’s cloak can beat people up. And it’s very emotional. EW had the responses from Joss Whedon (who wrote and directed the first two Avengers movies) and James Gunn (who wrote and directed Guardians of the Galaxy 1 and 2).

The Avengers director Joss Whedon replied on Twitter that he sees Scorsese’s point, though also (rather humbly) noted Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn‘s work as an exception: “I first think of @JamesGunn, how his heart & guts are packed into GOTG. I revere Marty, & I do see his point, but… Well there’s a reason why ‘I’m always angry’” (the latter a reference to Bruce Banner’s famous Avengers line).

And James Gunn refrained from mentioning Leonardo DiCaprio with a candle in his butt in The Wolf of Wall Street which – not that highbrow, Marty.

Martin Scorsese is one of my 5 favorite living filmmakers. I was outraged when people picketed The Last Temptation of Christ without having seen the film. I’m saddened that he’s now judging my films in the same way. https://t.co/hzHp8x4Aj8

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 4, 2019

Some of the responses toJames Gunn’s tweet pointed out that the situation with The Last Temptation of Christ was a little heavier than “I am Groot.” He agreed.

“And I’m not saying religious zealotry is the same as not liking my movies, or in the same category,” Gunn responded on Twitter. “What I’m saying is I’m not fond of people judging things without actually seeing them, whether it’s a movie about Jesus or a genre.”

Marvel movies have made almost 20 BILLION worldwide. Marvel is practically its own nation now. Marty better watch his ass or he could be reduced to making PSAs for kids about the dangers of Skrulls or what have you.

Pic: Wenn.com