Maybe after the 4th Scream movie will be alright, and probably do a Scream sequel that satirises requel horror flicks (ex: Halloween (2018), Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022), etc.). Still agree with the TCM side, although I personally wouldn't mind the continuation of the Hewitt timeline (out of sheer interest personally), just done in good taste (ex: TCM 2003 and not The Beginning).
Agreed. But after Wes Craven's death, no-one was there to make the films not be shit. That's why we've got ghosts in a film series supposedly based in reality, that's why Billy Loomis is suddenly benevolent, that's why Dewey is killed and Sidney is replaced. It was all fundamentally coming from a place of toxicity and disrespect towards the series, the characters and towards the audience. And this was blatant, given the film was basically claiming that everyone who doesn't like Disney's corporate treatment of Star Wars is a serial killer. Ignoring for a second that George Lucas himself likened Disney's treatment of his franchise to slavery, which would mean the fifth Scream film was calling George Lucas a serial killer as well, the film was just generally mean spirited and bitchy.
Good point. The series now satirises the opposite. Instead of satirising the film genre, it's insulting anyone who doesn't agree with Hollywood and in particular its mega corporations like Disney, a company infamous for treating its workers like slaves and numerous other shady things. But the people who don't like that are the evil ones, according to Scream 5.
Some of TCM's other stories had potentially interesting concepts, but they always became either exploitation gore films, completely stupid, or just nonsensical. It also didn't help that Leatherface has been depicted as completely stupid at times, which ruins his intimidation factor. The simple process of laughing maniacally while waving a huge chainsaw, and then running at the intended victims, has quite a threatening quality to it. A lot of the other stuff introduced later just seems silly.
Yeah, that's just a problem with Hollywood (one of many), and it's not going away anytime soon. My personal opinion is for those filmmakers and movie stars who are actually decent people to pull the oldest Hollywood move (******* off to a more decent location to film and escape the established film hierarchy to do what they want), but that's just me.
The problem is the fact that no one who has power in Hollywood has neither the creativity nor the backbone to try and make a film in a franchise that feels like a genuine continuation of the series. All it is now is pandering to groups and organisations who try to bully people who have either of those two aspects into rolling over and lining their pockets. This sucks, because it makes those who are attacked by these creatively and immorally bankrupt have the ultimatum between choosing to tow the Hollywood highway or not go anywhere in Hollywood unless they're very lucky. Again, my personal opinion is for those decent folks to take the 3rd option and set up shop elsewhere, but again, that's just me.
Good point. 2 had a good concept of doing largely black humour horror, but nothing about the family was intimidating except for Chop Top in my opinion. 3, Leatherface and the Beginning all dealt with the backstories of Leatherface and the family by extension, but the Beginning in my opinion does the whole backstory concept justice by delving into the backstory of the entire family and not just Leatherface like the Leatherface movie did (which I believe was an unnecessary film) or not focusing on the backstory as a major plot point like in 3 which was a generic slasher flick. The problem with the Beginning though was, as you mentioned, it went too far into exploitative gore. 4 was just ******* weird, and kind of glad no one continued that idea. 3D makes the mistake of making Leatherface an anti-heroic protective entity, as well as not being a good film. 2022 was just a bollocks attempt at a Halloween 2018 with a TCM mask, failed at that, and was just a shit film that made me want Leatherface to kill every character quickly so that the movie would end faster.
People like Cameron Diaz have described a substantial boost to their mental health after leaving Hollywood, so there is something to that.
Fair. Although right now Hollywood is in some financial trouble, in particular Disney, Warner, and a few others. Can only crap out so many films that lose money before something has to give, and the parks are struggling too.
Sadly, TCM has had a tough time, wherein you have to figure out the balance with Leatherface as a character. He is constantly afraid and wants to protect his family, yet he's also vicious and dangerous. Ignore either aspect or screw up the balance between them and it won't work. Leatherface is also a cannibal, and specifically he is the muscle for a whole family of cannibals, and that shouldn't be downplayed either. He's a character that requires balance between characteristics which don't fit together in a typical black and white fashion.
