Killing the golden age of Hollywood


Antitrust and the movies
Here's another article that is certainly worth thinking about.

Hollywood ain't what it used to be. For the most part — and with known exceptions — the quality and content of today's movies have plummeted when compared to the Golden Age. With the movies' parade of sex and violence, they're an easy target for cultural critics to say capitalism inflicts grave damage on the culture.

Let's take another look. It wasn't the free market, consumerism, or capitalism that killed the movies after World War II. It was antitrust regulation, as enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.

This government intervention in the 1940s radically altered the structure of the film industry for the worse. The direct and immediate result was a decline in acting, scripts, scores, content, and the cultural contribution of films.

I think the article minimizes the impact of television, although it does go a long way towards explaining how television became the "vast wasteland."

Still, there is no question that the Federal government interfered with a free market construct that worked, and movies have been less rich because of it.

Our culture has been less rich because of it.

Remember that when the Fedgovs demand to interfere in any other industry.

— NeoWayland

Posted: Sat - May 16, 2009 at 02:03 PM  Tag


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