A subject I thought I’d be exploring till the day I died was: “Where did all the legends go?” That period of the ‘Golden Age’ of Hollywood from 1935 – 1965. When they operated under the “oppressive” Motion Picture Production Code. Once they were passed being oppressed, they’ve barely managed to turn out a handful of films of note. Unequivocally movies were better then. Just no way around it. Now I think I have the answer to that question.

It was in an article on Eric Wayne’s blog: “The Fraud of Contemporary Art“, a book by art critic Avelina Lesper. Its the idea that the art world has been turned over to the businessman. He talks about how in an art show now the artist might not even be mentioned, its all about the curator. As if none of this would have happened without the curator’s wonderfulness: “In the brochures of the exhibitions the artists are no longer mentioned. Now the name of the curator is put first and it is specified that it is a project under the guidance of such and such an expert.”

The lethal blow was: “The curators refuse to exhibit great art, because such works do not need them.” I can see how this also applies to the world of film. The artist and the actor are now irrelevant, its whoever fits the suit (Johnny Bravo). I didn’t realize but I was asking the same question in my August 14 post: “Where Did All the Music Go?” That came out 5 days after Eric’s post The Fraud of Contemporary Art. Eric’s answer to the death of the music industry was telling, his theory was that it also had been turned over to the accountants. That the musical artists there were also no longer relevant.

I can definitely see a pattern now with music, art and film. Regrettably I also have to bring politics into it. Just as those who control the artistic world fear real talent, the independent, the mono-party fears the ‘rogue operator’. Someone who is not part of the system (Sarah Palin, Ron Paul, Pat Buchanan, Donald Trump, Marjorie Taylor-Greene…). Their phrase NWO was not by accident, they intend to have just that. They want nice round pegs, not surprises.

Even someone like me who is completely unfamiliar with the contemporary art world can remember “legends” from 50 years ago that I just don’t see on the horizon today: Andy Warhol and LeRoy Neiman. I also did this theme from the world of sports, name me today who is the heavyweight boxing champion? 50 years ago everybody knew who Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali were. I don’t have the full answer yet. I think a lot of it is that the ‘powers that be’ want to put a stake in the heart of individualism.

[Gore Vidal once described Andy Warhol as “The only genius I’ve ever known with an IQ of 60”.]