Theory - raising mainstream tastes - Current State of Movies
I'm not sure that mainstream audiences are dumb.
They do, however, appear to be dumb to the movie industry.
The problem is that studios have to get the audience's attention in order to sell a movie. The ideas are dumb and loud because that's what gets attention, that's how you get someone to turn their head, by being dumb and loud. Not because that is what the audience really wants to experience (although in some cases admittedly this is true.)
The audience wants to see something good. However, they see the (entire night out) experience as more than just the movie. To them, it's an outing, a social event, similar to poker night or a PTA meeting or even church to other types (non movie-mainstream) of audiences. It's ritualistic and therefore the quality automatically goes out the door since it has less bearing on the general experience of the event.
Anyway, I'm rambling but the final point is that it might be possible to market a smart and good movie in a dumb and loud fashion in order to get the attention of mainstream audiences, have a huge opening weekend, and then introduce nearly everyone to a really good movie.
They do, however, appear to be dumb to the movie industry.
The problem is that studios have to get the audience's attention in order to sell a movie. The ideas are dumb and loud because that's what gets attention, that's how you get someone to turn their head, by being dumb and loud. Not because that is what the audience really wants to experience (although in some cases admittedly this is true.)
The audience wants to see something good. However, they see the (entire night out) experience as more than just the movie. To them, it's an outing, a social event, similar to poker night or a PTA meeting or even church to other types (non movie-mainstream) of audiences. It's ritualistic and therefore the quality automatically goes out the door since it has less bearing on the general experience of the event.
Anyway, I'm rambling but the final point is that it might be possible to market a smart and good movie in a dumb and loud fashion in order to get the attention of mainstream audiences, have a huge opening weekend, and then introduce nearly everyone to a really good movie.