Media critic Jaime J. Weinman maintains a pretty interesting blog called Something Old, Nothing New, on which he writes about the films, TV shows, theater, and music that interest him personally. As the title of the blog suggests, the focus is primarily on properties that are best described as “vintage.” (That means most of what this guy likes was made before you were born, kids.)
Today Jaime is discussing Alfred Hitchcock’s artistic decline following Psycho, the film for which he’s probably best known today, at least among the general, non-cinemaholic public. Jaime draws an interesting parallel between “Hitch” and The Great Flanneled One, George Lucas, pointing out that both men, upon achieving great power and autonomy in the wake of monstrous success, started making really bad creative decisions.
It’s a point I agree with. I’ve long maintained that there’s nothing wrong with the Star Wars prequels that couldn’t have been solved with an simple rewrite, or if someone had been willing to tell Uncle George, “That’s not such a good idea…”, or even to ask the simple question, “Why?” But no one dared do that because he is… George Lucas. And who is George Lucas? Contrary to the hysterical griping of disappointed ex-fanboys, he is not a talentless hack nor is he an evil money-grubber who’s more interested in the merchandising than the story. What he is, is a guy who thinks he doesn’t have to answer to anyone anymore. He thinks he did his part for king and country and now he doesn’t need to explain himself. I don’t blame him; if I was in his position, I wouldn’t want to be questioned either. The man reshaped the way movies are made, for God’s sake. But then so did Hitchcock in his day. And the same thing happened to his films that have happened to George’s. Go read Jaime to learn more…
[UPDATE: Interesting. Jaime has added an afterthought to his own post since I wrote this, downplaying the independence angle that caught my interest in the first place. Maybe Hitch was just getting old and suffering from a lack of confidence, he suggests. Maybe so… and maybe that applies to GL as well. Hard to say, I guess, without knowing the man. In any event, it’s still an interesting post and worth your time if you can spare it.]
