"Still Batman running around in a stupid cape"

[LuciCypher]

Count out one fan of "The Dark Knight Rises." The indie filmmaker David Cronenberg slammed supporters of the movie who call the blockbuster art, saying," I don't think they know what the f--k they're talking about."

The director was speaking to MTV to promote his new film, "Cosmopolis," starring "Twilight" heartthrob Robert Pattinson as a young billionaire whose rarefied world unravels in just one day.

Cronenberg's scathing words were picked up by the Hollywood Reporter and have been catching buzz.

In the interview, the filmmaker, who did direct a movie based on a graphic novel, "A History of Violence," elaborated on his opinion of the caped crusader.

"I don't think they are making them an elevated art form. I think it's still Batman running around in a stupid cape. I just don't think it's elevated. (Director) Christopher Nolan's best movie is 'Memento,' and that is an interesting movie. I don't think his Batman movies are half as interesting though they're 20 million times the expense."

For his part, Cronenberg did acknowledge that he respected Nolan's mastery of IMAX technology, calling it "really tricky and difficult to do." But he added that the movie was "boring." "A superhero movie, by definition, you know, it's comic book. It's for kids. It's adolescent in its core."

But perhaps the director would be fine channeling his inner adolescent. He admitted, "As an actor, I would play Batman."

movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/cosmopolis-director-gives-dark-knight-rises-bad-review-181827382.html

[Michael Coello]

Cronenberg must be a fan of the Incredibles, due to his hate for capes.

[kidglov3s]

Reminds me of when Gilliam dismissed Star Wars on the Brazil commentary or my film professors would crap on Rocky. Cronenberg still rocks, I can see where he's coming from, I hope people don't get too on his case over it.

[MasonK565]

Aug 16, 2012 23:52:45 GMT -5 Michael Coello said:

Cronenberg must be a fan of the Incredibles, due to his hate for capes.

This made me lol.

[Deleted]

If it'll make him feel better, in the next Batman movie, the villain will be the Brundlefly

[H-Virus]

Hearing him say that comic books are for kids makes me wonder how many years it's been since he's actually picked up a comic book himself.

[darthalexander]

Yeah whatever David.

I'm not a Nolan fanboy but this just strikes me as sour grapes.

[Non Banjoble Tokens]

The worst super hero movie in the world, still isn't as bad as the movie "Spider."

[Michael Coello]

Aug 16, 2012 23:56:41 GMT -5 H-Virus said:

Hearing him say that comic books are for kids makes me wonder how many years it's been since he's actually picked up a comic book himself.

Well, that was one of the points of the New 52 relaunch, to get new readers who were on the younger side as part of growing the readership.

[Cyno]

You'd think the guy who directed the film adaptation of A History Of Violence would realize that comics aren't only for kids.

[Michael Coello]

Aug 17, 2012 0:06:50 GMT -5 Cyno said:

You'd think the guy who directed the film adaptation of A History Of Violence would realize that comics aren't only for kids.

Course, A History of Violence never got action figures or a kid's meal endorsement.

[Big DSR Energy]

He's entitled to his opinion. Though anymore I hear that comics aren't enough "for kids" to the point where new, young readers are harder to come by.

Well, that was one of the points of the New 52 relaunch, to get new readers who were on the younger side as part of growing the readership.

Yeah, like this.

[mizerable]

Cronenberg is the man, and there is certainly no sour grapes, since he's always been outside the Hollywood system by his own free will. When you compare what Nolan has done as far as movies about the psych (Memento and Inception) and you compare it to movies like Batman, I feel that's a credible argument, especially from a guy like Cronenberg who's built an entire legacy on the science fiction realm. And yes, if you get down to the absolute core, the Dark Knight trilogy isn't exactly complicated storytelling, but it's still done very well. I don't see where Cronenberg said comic books are for kids.

Then again, the guy who just made the very disappointing movie called "A Dangerous Method" shouldn't really be bashing a superior movie.

[Some Guy]

Aug 17, 2012 1:12:38 GMT -5 mizerable said:

Cronenberg is the man, and there is certainly no sour grapes, since he's always been outside the Hollywood system by his own free will. When you compare what Nolan has done as far as movies about the psych (Memento and Inception) and you compare it to movies like Batman, I feel that's a credible argument, especially from a guy like Cronenberg who's built an entire legacy on the science fiction realm. And yes, if you get down to the absolute core, the Dark Knight trilogy isn't exactly complicated storytelling, but it's still done very well. I don't see where Cronenberg said comic books are for kids.

Then again, the guy who just made the very disappointing movie called "A Dangerous Method" shouldn't really be bashing a superior movie.

I'll agree with you in the sense that I generally like Cronenberg, but he made the even worse Crash movie in the 90s. I don't know how anyone who made a movie where people bang to car crashes can speak about superhero movies not being "art", but there ya go.

[Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop]

I laughed when I read this story. He was asked his opinion and he gave it. It's not like he just slammed Nolan's Batman films just because. And even then, he's linking comic books specifically to superhero stories (this is the semantics of what he said). Even then, if we were going to throw him under the bus for criticizing comic books, we should recognize that he's using the normative use of 'comic book' that denotes 'superhero story'. Ask a random person on the street what the term 'comic book' means to them, and chances are you will get Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, et cetera. I doubt you would get "Maus," "Preacher," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen," or "A History of Violence" (especially relevant to this news story). Relevant to the art of cinema, it seemed like a lot of people in 2008 reacted to a film with a man dressed in a giant bat suit as the apotheosis of the cinematic art form. "The Dark Knight" is a good film, but I don't even think it's the best superhero comic book movie that's been made.

But given how popular Nolan's Batman films are, I'm not surprised people are raking Cronenberg over the coals.

[Todd's crazy , Man.]

On behalf of nerds everywhere: Be Quiet you foolish David Lynch Rip Off.

[Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop]

Aug 17, 2012 2:27:04 GMT -5 Todd's crazy , Man. said:

On behalf of nerds everywhere: Be Quiet you foolish David Lynch Rip Off.

Aug 17, 2012 2:23:52 GMT -5 Stone Cold Eleanor Shellstrop said:

He was asked his opinion and he gave it.

[Goldenbane]

Next thing you know, he'll be saying Batman should fight a giant spider in the north pole or something.

[kidglov3s]

Aug 17, 2012 3:11:52 GMT -5 Goldenbane said:

Next thing you know, he'll be saying Batman should fight a giant spider in the north pole or something.

[ronin705]

Inception was pretentious trash, and so's this guy's opinion in this case.