Agreed. The motion picture industry is so inwardly focused and so paranoid about reviewing outside materials, that many answers I receive about my scripts are from the legal department of studios. They claim not to have read the query letter from which they quote and send it back, as if one couldn't make a copy.

The industry needs to take a risk and look to the outside. I viewed two recently released films this weekend with famous actors and disliked both. "No Country For Old Men" got the nod because the literati love Cormack McCarthy. The film was trite and not believable.

I have no real problem with Hollywood adapting books--I actually happen to really like Cormac McCarthy and am happy his books are getting recognition like this.

However, it seems that's all we get now. I refuse to believe that all the creativity was in days past, and now it's just a matter of resurfacing old works. More studios and television shows should have open-script policies -- it's the only way to really get a sense of what's out there.

Of course, then it becomes a matter of someone having to sit down a read A LOT of really bad scripts to find the one or two that hold water. But hey, that's what interns are for, right?

Absolutely, Hollywood is consistenly rushing films into production, or simply optioning foreign films or older films to be remade without closely analazing what made the original film a success and simply rushing into production. The key to a good film is
#1 - script,plot
#2- acting

Without the good script they shouldnt even bother.making the film in my opinion.
I think Hollywood should stop optioning films to be remade or rehash old movies, and try to create new material, it is art

@julaso,

I wonder though, if at this point Hollywood execs are capable of thinking that way. Optioning other sources and adapting already successful foreign films is a sure-fire way to make money -- and let's never forget that's what they're making movies for.

If you take a chance on an unknown script by an unknown author, well, you're taking a chance; whereas you know a movie based on C.S. Lewis' book is at the very least going to make you your money back.

I think the problem is the atmosphere that movies are only there to earn dollars, and the implicit knowledge in executives that if they make a movie that flops, they're going to lose their jobs.

Hollywood needs to give executives the latitude to take chances, or they're always going to be more concerned with whether or not they'll be out of a job tomorrow than whether or not they're making, as you say, "art."

Mr Guber, enjoy the show, kudo's for speaking out about the academy awards, not easy for a man who works in the business, I complement you, loved that compassion. Today it seems studio's are lining their pockets with money making bad movies for 14 and 15 year old kids. I personally disagree with the Coen brothers getting the oscar for best movie, it was terrible. You hit the nail on the head stating the studio using the show to sell, push their agenda to the public, got to get that money off the dvd. There should be more like yourself speaking up, in the meantime , I will watch movies from my library, they hold up even more today because of all the crap made.

dennis,

I'm not sure No Country was Oscar, caliber, but I certainly didn't think it was terrible. As a film it was faithful to the source material and it displayed some interesting techniques, in particular the use of sound (or the lack thereof) to deliver its message.

I think good films are still being made, but you just have to look harder for them. Don't give up! There's still talent out there that deserves recognition.

My son and I are loving these comic book based movies. Comic books I haven't seen movies of yet are:
SPACE GHOST
SAD SACK
BEETLE BAILEY
TUMBLEWEEDS
HOT STUFF

I agree that there are a bunch of rehashed and bad movies out there. They don't make good movies any more. You can't take a kid to see the movie unless you check it out on the internet first. They have too much swearing , nudity, and drug use in movies now.
The last good movie we saw was Iron Man. We have seen it twice now. Like the saying goes " they don't make them like they used to." They rush movies out too fast. The scripts are weak. Movies are also too graphic now. What's wrong with letting someone use their imagination and letting them think about what is happening instead of letting them actually seeing the violence. That is what made the Universal Horrors so good. You didn't actually see Dracula kill anyone. You could see him almost bite the victim, then the camera would go to the side and let you hear it happening.
Letting a person think about what is happening instead of actually seeing it can be even more effective.
They need to go back to letting us use our imaginations during a movie.