The controversy continues. The debate surrounding Marvel and its role in cinema, or indeed the question of whether the films qualify as cinema at all, has continued to rage since Martin Scorsese opened Pandora's box when he stated that the company's films were mere "amusement parks". Francis Ford Coppola has since added his voice to the growing pool of criticism, going so far as to deem Marvel movies "despicable", and the director's statement has already received its first responses from the world of superheroes.
Coppola's comments reaffirmed those made by Scorsese and have done no more than extend the life of a controversy that has already been going on for some time. For the director of 'The Godfather', films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Scorsese has already asserted, are simply not cinema: "When Martin Scorsese says that the Marvel pictures are not cinema, he's right because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration". For Coppola, the films distributed by Marvel don't have this effect, with the director stating that each instalment is just a repeat of the same old story. "I don't know that anyone gets anything out of seeing the same movie over and over again".
James Gunn, the director of 'Guardians of the Galaxy', was one of the first to react to Coppola's comments, having also responded to Scorsese. This time around, Gunn shared his opinion through his Instagram account, with a post stating, "Many of our grandfathers thought all gangster movies were the same, often calling them 'despicable'. Some of our great grandfathers through the same of westerns and believed the films of John Ford, Sam Peckinpah, and Sergio Leone were all exactly the same. I remember a great uncle to whom I was raving about 'Star Wars'. He responded by saying, 'I saw that when it was called '2001', and, boy, was it boring!' Superheroes are simply today's gangsters/cowboys/outer space adventurers. Some superhero films are awful, some are beautiful. Like westerns and gangster movies (and before that, just movies), not everyone will be able to appreciate them, even some geniuses. And that's okay".
But Gunn was not the only Marvel alumnus that stepped up to defend the franchise. In an interview for The Hollywood Reporter, Natalie Portman, who starred in 'Thor' and 'Thor: The Dark World' and who will return to the UCM with 'Thor: Love and Thunder', highlighted how much meaning these films hold for fans: "I think that Marvel films are so popular because they're really entertaining and people desire entertainment when they have their special time after work, after dealing with their hardships in real life". The actress also stressed that "there's room for all types of cinema. There's not one way to make art".
Sebastian Stan, the actor behind Bucky Barnes, also offered his perspective. Like Portman, Stan emphasised the feelings of the fans of these stories in his response to Coppola: "He's one of my heroes and I was listening to him and meanwhile, I just spent the day with all of you," said the actor during a fan convention, as noted by ComicBook. "People have been going up to me like, 'Thank you so much for this character', 'This movie helped me out so much', 'This movie inspired me. Now I feel better. Now I feel less alone,' so how can you say these movies are not helping people?"
The debate rages on
Ever since Martin Scorsese claimed that Marvel "isn't the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being", the film industry has been tied up in a debate about the world of Marvel and its role in modern cinema. Statements from both sides have not yet ceased, with other big names such as Jennifer Aniston aligning themselves with Coppola and Scorsese. Aniston claimed that superhero films are "diminishing" the cinematographic experience: "You're seeing what's available out there and it's just diminishing and diminishing in terms of, it's big Marvel movies". Also adding to the debate are giants from the UCM, with Robert Downey Jr. simply stating that Scorsese's comments "make no sense" and Samuel L. Jackson's offering this cartoonish comparison: "That's like saying Bugs Bunny ain't funny. Films are films. You know, everybody doesn't like his stuff either. I mean, we happen to, but everybody doesn't."
In the wait for more reactions and contestations from both sides of the debate to emerge, fans can enjoy 'The Irishman', the latest Scorsese film that will be released on the 15th November and has already generated Oscar buzz. On the 1st May 2020, 'Black Widow' will also hit the big screen to kick of Phase 4 of Marvel, which promises fans several films and series over the coming years. On the 1st November, AppleTV+ will launch the new series starring Jennifer Aniston, 'The Morning Show'. Whether you're a Scorsese fan, a Marvel fan, an Aniston fan, or a fan of them all, each have many upcoming projects to enjoy whilst the debate drags on.
