Stop putting a dollar sign in front of everything, Dave

Stop putting a fucking dollar sign in front of everything”, said Bill Hicks during one of his stand up gigs. David Cameron by contrast decided that he would deploy the ying to the Bill Hicks yang, when he stated that the BFI should fund more “commercially successful pictures”. Sometimes poshos like Cameron present policies so ridden with holes, that 50 cent might feel inadequate having only being shot 9 times. The pursuit of “commercially successful pictures” seems reasonable enough. Yet in instances like this, you gain real insight in to the floored ideology such people hold, in ways we can all clearly understand and relate to.

Similarly, if Dave announced the necessity for men nationwide to pursue the contraction of Orchitis for its economic benefits, many may assume it to be sound economic policy: “Orchitis you say Dave? Not sure what it is, but if you say it’s necessary for economic prosperity my leader, then I’m there standing tall with you”. But if we were informed that Orchitis is actually medically translated as men suffering excruciating ball ache for weeks on end, then would we feel so positive towards the idea? Surely instead we would all be dazed by horrific flash backs of falling off bikes on to the cross frame, or footballs entering sacred male territory at high velocity.

What Mr Cameron is suggesting is far more dangerous than testicular inflammation. What is at stake is our very culture and the integrity of British film. Dave is suggesting we all suffer movies like Transformers: Dark side of the Moon (Admittedly this example was used by Charlie Brooker in a similar article, but it simply must again).

As a person who knows the guilt and suffering one can go through after partaking in infidelity (after a series of womanising instances in primary school years 1 to 4) I know internal suffering and strife. But nothing compares to the hollow void in my soul that rapidly manifested whilst viewing that film. I came out feeling like I did the time I heard my parents having sex. They say that to make a good person do terrible things takes religion, and Cameron’s religion is the market. The religion can be essentially explained thus: anything that makes lots of money is a good thing. Studios with the most money therefore make the best films. Consumers are utilising there god given capitalist gift to choose superior products over the inferior, through the films they pay to watch, and this in turn decides quality adjudicated by purchasing consensus. A ‘moneyocracy’ if you will.

The problem with this, as we all know, is that it’s bullshit. The reality is simple; film studios over the years have become more and more concentrated in ownership and power. Ever pursuing profits, such studios choose “commercially successful” projects. This is jargon for “pump out any old shite, play it safe, blow some shit up, get out a tittie or two, and watch the money flow in”. Quality is second to profit. This may be high-minded, but I feel no shame in saying it, it’s true, and those that would accuse me of this are the enablers of corporate sponsored mediocrity. But further yet, what is this choice we hear about for consumers at large multiplex cinemas? We watch what we are offered, we choose the limited choices we are given.

Film are not merely about making money. Those of us with a respect for the arts see it as an unfortunate detriment to an otherwise essential human pursuit. What Cameron forgets is that the UK Film industry is riddled with small films, many which may not have been commercially successful but were critically acclaimed and therefore live long in the memory. Harry Potter is fine, but it’s a one off franchise, which often was poor. Cameron believes that commercial success is predictable; but who would have thought The Full Monty, Trainspotting or This is England would be commercial hits? They succeeded because people took chances on small projects with heart. That is what we do best, and to “compete” with Hollywood is neither necessary, nor desirable.

This represents the fundamental battle of our generation, between those that see an intrinsic value to creativity within it, and to those who just want to “put a dollar sign in front of everything”.