In terms of critical opinion in arts and entertainment, we're living in dangerous times. Not only is youth being served daily, so is mass taste, and if you're not willing to jump on the bandwagon, you risk being ignored or ostracized. My defense is on a number of levels. You won't see such acknowledged classics as Vertigo, The Searchers, Touch of Evil, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, or Rebel Without a Cause at the top of the list. In short, as is sadly often the case for art, it often takes time for quality to be recognized.
Mass taste is invariably subject to fads, prejudice and superficial appeal.
The U.S. Supreme Court didn't think so. Richard Nixon was elected twice as president by American voters. There's another issue at play here, and I responded to it in a previous column. And that is that younger readers just can't stand having someone not like the films that appeal to their age group. It's not enough that they loved, say, The Blair Witch Project or Sleepy Hollow-they can't understand how anyone could possibly criticize them.