outlets for film release in today’s marketplace. Not only is there the global market, there is video release, more television and cable networks, Internet capabilities and even a channel solely devoted to Independent films, The Independent Film Channel, “the first definitive network devoted to films made outside the Hollywood studio system: films with a personal, artistic and uncompromising point of view” (The Independent 1). Traditionally, Hollywood could produce films at a major studio that were financially successful and still garnered critical acclaim. Gone With The Wind, Casablanca, The Godfather, E.T., and others come to mind. However, these types of films have been “dumbed” down now that Hollywood is more driven by MBAs intent on squeezing every nickel out of a “big” film than focusing on character, plot and story line. Huge films with enormous budgets, like Waterworld, Godzilla and others have not only been dumbed down in an attempt to appeal to a mass global audience, but they have lost millions of dollars for the majors. Titanic is a rare modern example of an “event” film that is reminiscent of the Hollywood Golden Era when films made huge profits and were artistically satisfying. The studios gamble on these large-budget films because a winner can provide funding for enormous studio overhead. However, Hollywood has become so insanely driven to reap enormous profits from one picture that they have lost the elements within the films that used to bring in filmgoers by the droves. As Producer David Brown (Jaws, The Sting) comments:
Movie executives used to come into the business with at least the pretense of loving
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