Animation World Magazine features a dismaying and inspiring article (yes, both) by Martin “Dr. Toon” Goodman about the acclaimed animated film Persepolis. Goodman ponders the reasons that this celebrated film it is not playing in multiplexes, whereas National Treasure 2 is.
While Persepolis struggles to be shown in the smallest of art film houses, National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets is smeared like celluloid scum across thousands of screens, insulting the intellect of millions. Oh, this film is good enough if one is willing to profess ignorance of American history and government, European history, Native American history, archeology, geology and geography. This is not to mention ignoring at least three major plot holes that could envelop Mount Rushmore, but why indeed go on?
(Via Doug Cummings)
Kind of ironic to complain about plot holes in “National Treasure” and then extol “Persepolis”, which doesn’t have much use for plot conventions either . . .
Not that “Persepolis” isn’t a more intelligent movie than “National Treasure 2”, but the article goes way beyond what’s reasonable.
The author of this article evidently takes National Treasure 2 a lot more seriously than any of the people who made it or watched it.
But if we’re asking why a movie rooted in American national myths should be playing in more American theatres than a movie about Iranian national issues … or if we are asking why a movie made for families seeking a bit of escapism is doing better business than a movie aimed at grown-ups pondering recent socio-religious historical issues … well, I don’t think we need to be asking, really.