This bill also has the effect of criminalizing anime fansubs and places like AnimeSuki. Must be quite embarassing for Disney that so much great animation is pouring from Japan and kicking their fuddy-duddy asses eight ways from Sunday. They can only license so much of it.
Notice how in Japan - with its more sane cultural attitude to copyright - there is an enormous, spontaneous fan culture producing things like the doujinshi phenomenon whereas in America, land of The Mouse(TM), there is NOTHING like that. There can never BE anything like that here because of these attitudes. Hence, Japan gets an energized, creative pop culture and mountains of incredible, inspired anime and we're stuck with "Treasure (Fucking) Planet" and crazed threats of cops kicking down our doors and long prison sentences for stupid "offenses".
Anyone notice how much money The Matrix has made in the last five days? Good thing no one made a shakycam copy of that and stuck it on Kazaa, or else no one would have gone to the theatre at all!
This is the war of money on art, because Hollywood has contempt for everything that isn't either money or power. It doesn't know what the fuck art is, other than a potential marketing angle. This should be called the ART Prevention act, art being a basic human experience of insight, joy and shared understanding. They may as well call the next one the RISE OF THE HOLLYWOOD MACHINES Act.
Very insightful post. I love Pixar's films, but I wish they would have the courage of John Lasseter's convictions and finally try to make something as ambitious as 'Princess Mononoke' or 'Spirited Away'.
Pixar has been to date, for better or worse, a straight comedy shop. These movies are a blast to watch for all the reasons you cite. Still, I'd love to see their considerable skills devoted to the creaiton of something truly beautiful. Might it be pretentious? Possibly. It could also be great.
There is a creeping sense of conservatism to Pixar's films lately. You know how far out (not very) they are going to take you. The real thrill lately for me is simply watching the great lighting, colors and textures. Pixar still feels like a whole lot of unrealized potential. They haven't yet made their 'Fantasia' and certainly haven't made anything appoaching the level of a Miyazaki film.
I hope they get there someday and don't simply beat their winning formula into the ground trying to please Wall Street or Disney. I think the current distribution negotiations are critical for Pixar. Their financial independence from Disney should also give them creative independence to push much further than they've gone to date.
Slashdot Mirror
This bill also has the effect of criminalizing anime fansubs and places like AnimeSuki. Must be quite embarassing for Disney that so much great animation is pouring from Japan and kicking their fuddy-duddy asses eight ways from Sunday. They can only license so much of it.
Notice how in Japan - with its more sane cultural attitude to copyright - there is an enormous, spontaneous fan culture producing things like the doujinshi phenomenon whereas in America, land of The Mouse(TM), there is NOTHING like that. There can never BE anything like that here because of these attitudes. Hence, Japan gets an energized, creative pop culture and mountains of incredible, inspired anime and we're stuck with "Treasure (Fucking) Planet" and crazed threats of cops kicking down our doors and long prison sentences for stupid "offenses".
Anyone notice how much money The Matrix has made in the last five days? Good thing no one made a shakycam copy of that and stuck it on Kazaa, or else no one would have gone to the theatre at all!
This is the war of money on art, because Hollywood has contempt for everything that isn't either money or power. It doesn't know what the fuck art is, other than a potential marketing angle. This should be called the ART Prevention act, art being a basic human experience of insight, joy and shared understanding. They may as well call the next one the RISE OF THE HOLLYWOOD MACHINES Act.
*spit*
Very insightful post. I love Pixar's films, but I wish they would have the courage of John Lasseter's convictions and finally try to make something as ambitious as 'Princess Mononoke' or 'Spirited Away'.
Pixar has been to date, for better or worse, a straight comedy shop. These movies are a blast to watch for all the reasons you cite. Still, I'd love to see their considerable skills devoted to the creaiton of something truly beautiful. Might it be pretentious? Possibly. It could also be great.
There is a creeping sense of conservatism to Pixar's films lately. You know how far out (not very) they are going to take you. The real thrill lately for me is simply watching the great lighting, colors and textures. Pixar still feels like a whole lot of unrealized potential. They haven't yet made their 'Fantasia' and certainly haven't made anything appoaching the level of a Miyazaki film.
I hope they get there someday and don't simply beat their winning formula into the ground trying to please Wall Street or Disney. I think the current distribution negotiations are critical for Pixar. Their financial independence from Disney should also give them creative independence to push much further than they've gone to date.
My $0.02