The Art of Cinema is dead!

FYI: I’m being jokingly facetious when I say that…
 
Once upon a time, in the long ago and the far-far away, at least as far as I can tell, Art in Cinema was embraced. But now, no longer. It seems that all people can do is find a reason for criticism of any film that is created with Art as its basis.
 
Every now and then, I like to step back into the deep realms of Cinematic Art. Today, I did that. I rewatched the 1925 film, The Merry Widow. (Here's an okay presentation of it on YouTube. There are better restorations of it out there, however). Just the level of true Cinematic Art that was placed in that film is astounding.
 
For example, in one of the scenes, the female lead, who is played by Mae Murry, is in a bed where she speaks (the film is silent, of course), with her co-star, John Gilbert. On the bed there are two blindfolded women. One is playing the violin and the other is playing a lute type instrument. No explanation is given for this. They are simply there. Great Art!
 
Throughout the film there is a sense of abstract wonderment, if you have an eye to study the subtleties, like when Murry’s character is in a bed and there is this massive crucifix hanging above the bed. No logic. No reason. It’s simply there. Art!
 
When music videos began to be massively created and embraced in the 1980s, many of the techniques employed truly stretched the boundaries of cinema. Yes, yes, a lot of the stuff created in that era is really cheesy and (now) hard to watch. But then, (and now), there was also some true inspiration in what was created.
 
The thing was, due to the fact that piece of Cinematic Art was associated with simply being a, “Music Video,” much of the criticism when out the window. It was allowed to simply be what it was. But, attach any of that abstract visual movement to a movie, and look out, here comes the criticism.
 
I think to one of the great pieces of early Cinematic Art, 1924’s, Ballet Mécanique or Le Ballet Mecanique, or The Mechanical Ballet. I mean, the creators of that piece of Dada, Post-Cubist Cinema: Fernand Léger, Dudley Murphy, and Man Ray were truly revolutionary in their vision. It’s like Psychedelic Art, long before the birth of psychedelia.  If you feel like it, check it out. It’s very interesting.
 
Just an FYI, I kind of borrowed part of the title for one of my Zen Film, Mechanical Ballet. That film possesses a very different focus than, Ballet Mécanique. But, I believe it is an interesting study of humanities relationship to the mechanical world, nonetheless.
 
Anyway… Back to the music videos…
 
Even now, every now and then, there is some great art in music videos. Even if this Cinematic Art is not that revolutionary and does not truly push the boundaries of absolute New-ness, sometimes just the subtleness of its presentation is truly representative of art. There’s a recent music video by the band, Slowdive, for their song, Kisses, that I believe is great example of this cinematic mindset and contribution.
 
Certainly, since my emersion into the film industry, it has been my purpose to embrace Art in Cinema. Sometimes it has worked well, sometimes it has not. But certainly, there is one constant via all the criticism and all the praise, Art is understood to be my driving force.
 
Recently, I was pointed to an extended video review on YouTube about the first Zen Film, The Roller Blade Seven in Russian.  I was first told about it a couple of years ago and, like today, I briefly checked it out. But, I don’t speak Russian, so I have no idea what they are saying or what comments are being commented. If you can translate it for me, hook me up!
 
But, at the root of all of that kind of stuff, whether it is positive or negative, at least the critics understand that what I am doing is Art. They may hate it, and find it as a cause for ridicule. But, at least to me, that is the true essence of art. Some people, in fact most people, just will never understand it.
 
It’s interesting, I think, the more Art a filmmaker embraces in their creative process, the less their film(s) are understood. And, that’s okay. Isn’t that the entire purpose of art, to push the boundaries?
 
So, love it or hate it. …I mean I love and hate things too… But, as long as Art is being created, we can be sure that the minds of the world’s population is being moved forward.
 
Today, even if you do not consider yourself an artist, why don’t you go out and do something creative and create some art—in whatever form that may take. You never know, it may open up a whole new world for you, and maybe, just maybe, inspire someone else to become an Artist.