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April 06, 2009
Surrender Of The Fittest
Every now and again, an idea that's been percolating takes on a new perspective for me. Today, it was the thought that industries like the movie and journalism businesses, challenged by a changing marketplace, tend to act competitively. It is an evolutionary reaction... survival of the fittest... the mindset that got them where they are, on the top of the hill.
But when evolution is devolution... when the winning strategy is doing less... the urge to compete can be a form of unintentional suicide.
Cuttng off an arm and a leg to stop a relentless disease from klling the rest of you is painful and limits you. And when your notion of power is measured by your freedom to do as you see fit whenever you see fit - a freedom earned - it is nearly unthinkable.
There is no middle choice right now. As long as the movie business measures itself by its recent past, it is doomed to an incremental illness followed by a quick death at some moment of extremis. Newspapers are already ill... but there is still room for a twist. Cut deep, but - as Richard Mulligan's crazed producer in Blake Edwards' SOB noted - make sure you have enough to "reshoot." Make the choice to act, even if it is counter-intuitive at first, and move towards a new vision. Don't just linger in the disappontments of how today compares to last year.
Posted by dpoland at April 6, 2009 02:32 PM
Comments
Does this mean you're hanging it all up and starting a new career in insurance?
Posted by: Wrecktum ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 6, 2009 04:54 PM
uh, what are you on about, dp? why so cryptic? and why so serious? i'm extremely fond of you but i think perhaps you need to take off your thinking cap and go do something silly!
Posted by: leahnz at April 6, 2009 05:28 PM
Just don't challenge Mickey Rourke to get in the ring with you... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dtxu_x-lQtI
Posted by: mutinyco at April 6, 2009 05:33 PM
On an unrelated note, I just saw DP's "Lunch With" on the new NO COUNTRY Blu-ray. And on the timeline of coverage, David's clip is first. Kudos!
Posted by: TMJ at April 6, 2009 05:38 PM
I think what he's saying is that Variety laying off critics is stupid. More or less.
Related - The LA Weekly would have one of the most awesome, completist film review databases ever if they had a way to make the film caps easily searchable.
Posted by: LYT at April 6, 2009 05:56 PM
Yeah, and seriously, who moved my cheese?
Posted by: Eric at April 6, 2009 05:57 PM
Here's a competitive move -- Roger Friedman does a big mea culpa and PSA's against piracy.
Posted by: T. Holly at April 6, 2009 06:17 PM
that might make sense if friedman was indeed a film pirate...
friedman was just stupid enough to ADMIT he watched the workprint like hundreds of thousands of other people, and then talk about it. maybe he should do a PSA against stupidity, that would make a lot more sense
Posted by: leahnz at April 6, 2009 06:25 PM
"friedman was just stupid enough to ADMIT he watched the workprint like hundreds of thousands of other people, and then talk about it. maybe he should do a PSA against stupidity, that would make a lot more sense"
Just not doing so when it's virtually his own employer on the warpath would probably nudge his IQ above the "dumbass" line.
Posted by: Hallick at April 6, 2009 07:00 PM
Jesus Christ, Dave. Get off your fucking high horse already.
Seriously. Start writing about movies again, it's something you're actually good at.
Posted by: a_loco at April 6, 2009 10:50 PM
When I saw the headline I figured DP was announcing the decision to a get a new gym membership.
Posted by: York "Budd" Durden at April 7, 2009 05:06 AM
Did you ever get the feeling you were watching a slow-motion train wreck?
Posted by: Joe Leydon at April 7, 2009 08:46 AM
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