About O.A. Scott’s “A Golden Age of Foreign Film, Mostly Unseen”

Susanne Bier winning Golden Globe for In A Better World

This morning a Twitter friend @hurt_mcdermott (really worth following, btw) sent me a New York Times article by O. A. Scott called “A Golden Age of Foreign Films, Mostly Unseen“. It’s HERE if you want to read the whole thing. Mr. Scott asks questions, as have I, about the way the US marginalizes foreign film and the way that foreign films have, pretty recently actually, become irrelevant to American movie-goers.

He points out that even a Cannes prize winner or masterpieces from the most famous foreign filmmakers won’t make $1 million at our box offices, and while he doesn’t blame American award shows, he wonders why they are perpetuating the problem.

For instance, at the Oscars, why are countries allowed only one entry? Italy picked the wrong movie to submit to the academy this year – no doubt – and it was a fatal error, because now movies that might have done better will never be considered.

He reminds us that we seem to have plenty of room for British and Australian actors and actresses – is it ALL ABOUT ENGLISH? Are we getting more arrogant about our language or just too impatient to read subtitles?

Availability (distribution problems) is a problem, but I have to believe that if there was a market for foreign movies there would be more available. Just ask drug dealers- things can made available when there are people who want them.

Did 9/11 have anything to do with this – this is my question, not Scott’s. Are we insulating ourselves from a scary, outside world?

Are we too egotistical? Too provincial? Or do we just believe that the movies aren’t as good as Hollywood movies? Are we assuming that foreign movies are too esoteric? That would be an incorrect assumption – just ask Aldo, Giovanni, and Giacomo.

I ask again, why don’t Americans like foreign films? Read the rest of the article and see what you think.