Pop tarts and attention spam

Our society has become one where there is a need for instant gratification. With that comes a reluctance, call it lazyness if you want, to think beyond the obvious, show an interest in analysis or consider anything beyond the pale.

This website however proves that there are plenty of people who are willing to go against that assessment! 

In the case of quality Sci-fi films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, A L I E N, BladeRunner, and The Thing, all lambasted to a greater or lesser degree at the time of their release, both time and history have proved their worth.

*whispers* Eventually PROMETHEUS will fall into that same category. Years from now it will be a celebrated classic.

@Lone well said, and scified is a fantastic place for these topics

I think 'dumbing down' is the wrong term.  It smacks of snobbery.  Films cost a lot of money to produce and the more they cost the more accessible they need to be to a wider audience.

There are smaller films around that perhaps require more thought, and can get away with more because a big studio hasn't spent a ton of money on it.

Ultimately it all comes down to whether it provokes an emotional response in the viewer.

I don't agree with your assessment of Alien. The Space Jockey doesn't make or break the film. It could've been left out and still been a great film thanks to iconic elements like the production design, the new concept of 'ordinary people who just happen to work in space', and the creature in all its forms.  Sure, the Jockey gives it another layer, but the film wouldn't have suffered very much without it.

Also I like the voice over in the original Blade Runner.  Gives it a old-style detective/ private eye story feel. Without it however, the film has room to breathe on its own.  I like that you have the same story with two different feels.

It's the nature of the medium.  If you're writing a book, or drawing or painting, you obviously have more freedom.

With film however, if you want the freedom to be as brilliant as you can be, you need to pay for it yourself. Or work up to a point where you have enough clout to be the loudest voice, and directors in that position are few.

Ridley Scott would be among those few, and yet there are many who believe he could've done with having some stronger collaborators on Prometheus. Some people think Peter Jackson who too much free rein on The Hobbit.  George Lucas paid for the Star Wars prequels out of his own pocket and a lot of people didn't like them.

So there's pros and cons on each side.

@S.M  great reply. i agree