James Gunn has responded to Jodie Foster's comments about superhero movies - insisting she is wrong about what "spectacle films" can be.
James Gunn
The 55-year-old actress-and-director recently criticised the popular genre of movies in an interview with Radio Times in which she compared them to "fracking" and that they are "ruining the viewing habits" of the public.
She said: "Going to the movies has become like a theme park. Studios making bad content in order to appeal to the masses and shareholders is like fracking - you get the best return right now but your wreck the earth. It's ruining the viewing habits of the American population and then ultimately the rest of the world."
Now the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' has given his views on the Academy Award winner's comments and said she is looking at film in an "old-fashioned way" and not taking notice of the humane messages contained in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies.
Writing on Twitter, Gunn said: "I think Foster looks at film in an old-fashioned way where spectacle film can't be thought-provoking.
"It's often true but not always. Her belief system is pretty common and isn't totally without basis. I say not without basis because most studio franchise films are quite soulless - and that is a real danger to the future of movies. But there are also quite a few exceptions. For cinema to survive I believe spectacle films NEED to have a vision and heart they traditionally haven't. And some of us are doing our best to move in that direction. Creating spectacle films that are innovative, humane, and thoughtful is what excites me about this job.
"But, to be fair, at least from Foster's quotes, she seems to see filmmaking as something that's primarily about her own personal growth. For me, that may be part of why I do this, but spending many millions of dollars on a film has to be about more than that - it's communication - so my experience is merely one spoke on that wheel. But I respect Foster and what she's done for films and I appreciate her different way of looking at Hollywood's landscape. (sic)"
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