The 60th anniversary this Tuesday, July 24th of the New York City premiere of High Noon, starring Gary Cooper giving his iconic portrayal of Marshal Will Kane, has surprising significance in light of Friday’s tragedy in Colorado the opening night of The Dark Knight Rises.
As High Noon reveals, Hollywood cinema used to be a more emotionally, intellectually and spiritually engaging collective experience, rather than the purely objectified commodity it has largely become today. Of course, what makes film unique is how it marries art with commerce. The drive to make money is naturally expected. But, the point is, film has been degraded to such an extent that it’s essentially become a mere object of commercial gain. Enriching the community seems a distant second.
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