Meryl Streep – who, yes, was quite the hot piece back in high school, as you can see from her yearbook photo – was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile by Morley Safer over the weekend. While it was mostly about how she’s incredibly talented and nice and it’s not hard to see why everyone likes her, I thought the bit about the current state of the movie business was interesting. Especially where Morley Safer, who probably won’t be appearing on Kevin Smith’s new show, asks about “comic-strip movies.”
SAFER: Do you think movies are getting better than when you started?
STREEP: I think the acting’s better. I think the acting is better than in the “classic” days, frankly.
SAFER: If you look at the movies that are being made, the big movies that are being made, are… about comic strips–
STREEP: Oh I don’t see those.
SAFER: –or vampires, or gross behavior – all aimed at 18-year-old boys.
STREEP: That’s called the narrowing of the audience. The movie business has worked assiduously to discourage you, and other intelligent, discerning people, FROM the theater. They have worked hard to get rid of you, because you don’t go and then buy toys and games.
She’s right, of course, and certainly not the first person to say as much (though it goes without saying that I’d rather sit through the most fart-filled toy commercial than have to watch the Iron Lady again). Still, I can’t decide what I like more, the part where Morley Safer called them “comic-strip movies,” or the part where he defined an entire genre as “gross behavior aimed at 18-year-old boys.” Man, old people are so awesome sometimes. It actually got me to thinking: what might that look like if it were a single film? In fact, I went ahead and created a poster:
Here’s video of the interview. The bit I transcribed above starts at the 11:15 mark.
The way Meryl Streep says “oh I don’t see those” almost makes me think she’s being facetious. Like right now, she’s settling down with a big bucket of popcorn to watch The Avengers. I’d watch The Avengers with Meryl Streep. I’d definitely pull the popcorn trick.