April 30, 2008 -
Tim Rutten, media critic for the Los Angeles Times, flays GTA IV - and its fans - in today's column.To be candid, Rutten's comments sound rather generation gappish from here. Perhaps he should be called the LA Times "old media" critic:
One of the hallmarks of a healthy consumer society is that its older generation habitually despises and decries the entertainments of the young. The young, in turn, elevate their aesthetic rebellion to respectability over time...
There's a new world of entertainment here... But what does it contain? In this case, [protagonist Niko Bellic] kills, maims, has sex, then kills and maims some more, while also stealing various forms of transportation...
Where earlier generations of youthful art crossed boundaries... they also affirmed something else, some alternative or countercultural value...
What "Grand Theft Auto IV" affirms is the pleasure of eschewing decency for obnoxious violence... One of the most interesting things about this game is that it's the product of a global youth culture whose frame of reference has been shaped by mindless American action films, by post-apocalyptic Euro-American fantasy fiction and Japanese graphic novels...
Comments
He certainly didn't decry mindless action movies (something I certainly grew up on) nor did he make any disparaging comments about Japanese Graphic novels or Euro-american post apocalyptic fantasy.
In short I think this is not only a very well informed and well written piece, it's a wholly valid point about the direction of the games industry.
It's typical that in the same fashion that people mindlessly scream out the horrors of videogames without really understanding them, this is stream of comments insulting and arguing about an article they haven't bothered to read properly.
1. I like how the man uses the vague term of 'youth,' which could easily apply to young adults that are over 18, which is what GTA is geared toward in the first place...
2. So... he basically hates anything that creates 'nerds,' so to speak. Charming.
OK, so the media created for the "youth" by the older generation, Rutten's generation, created the "frame of reference" that led to GTA IV. Clearly this is all the fault of these crazy youths.
It makes me wonder if this particular "media critic" has actually played this particular piece of media before being critical.
He really needs to rewrite that sentence:
"One of the hallmarks of a healthy consumer society is that its older generation habitually despises, decries misunderstands, misrepresents and is unable or unwilling to see "alternative or countercultural value" in the entertainments of the young."
Just because YOU dont understand something doesnt mean it isnt of value. I actually am finding GTAIV VERY artistic, well put together with a fantastic and emotional narrative.
Its not all about 'ooh lookz i can chop off headses, ohh blood, lets kill people, yay'
TO me its actually on the same kind of artistic level as scarface / goodfellas / godfather.
And as far as ''Where earlier generations of youthful art crossed boundaries… they also affirmed something else, some alternative or countercultural value…'' goes..
who are YOU to judge wether it has some cultural value. You even JUST SAID you are from a different generation and hence different culture to the younger generation. So how can you decide if it has value or not.
I see the game as an excellent commentary on the corruption of wealth / power etc and the fact that no matter how big you are, theres always someone bigger/badder/better just around the corner. About how shallow material wealth actually is in the end. And for me, thats a good lesson.
Anyone else played the game and noticed the excellent social commentary on America especially with regard to the constant satire on the radio stations regarding Terrorism, the threat of terror, intolerance/fear of other religions, and (on the tv) a really funny cartoon mocking Americas invasion of other countries that have nothing to do with them in pursuit of resources and money. (albeit with another halo / alien skit interweaved)
Okay...
that graphic novel remark STRUCK A FREAKING NERVE!
I have half a mind to slap him with my Nausicaa and Ghost in the Shell manga collection!
...at least if somebody didn't hit him with Sandman yet.
This is certainly a case of the generation gap at work. He claims that "Grand Theft Auto IV" is a work of genius -- but it's genius in the service of nothing more than sensation and profit."
So I'm dumb for having bough the game? I can't get any enjoyment or entertainment from it because it's just for sensation and profit? If you want anything milked for sensation and profit, then read the National Enquirer, or watch any reality TV show. I bought GTA IV and am enjoying it because of the open ended and complex storyline, the incredible scenery and environment, the freedom to explore and have fun within that environment.
It seems he just can't grasp that people can enjoy video games just as they enjoy movies/novels/etc.
Sorry Mr. Rutten, but that's just how it is. Popular entertainment is shaped subconsciously by the things going on in the world today. I was among the last generation to grow up with the spectre of nuclear holocaust. I thought the following generations wouldn't have to deal with that after the end of the Cold War, but it seems that the odds of global destruction have increased fivefold what with terrorism, disease, dwindling resources and environmental and economic collapse. Of course there's going to be a feeling in the back of your head that the world could end at any day! Our popular entertainment taps into that and gives us an outlet for our anxieties. It should come as no surprise that a good chunk of it is going to appear to be nihilistic.
If you can't deal with that or understand it, well, there's a place where folks like you can go.
You nerd :D
Please - keep it civil.
Aren't we all?
Doesn't every generation say that? The problem today is that we have the Internet for any anti-video game activist to use and find everything bad about video games, then we have news stations that forgot that they are distributing news instead of fictional stories.(Fox News)
Why not take Scarface then just show only the scenes that has violence and swearing, and you get what other media is doing to video games today.
Note: he's against censorship. That's all you can really ask for - he's not obliged to like or "get" GTA just because any number of other people do. I haven't played GTA IV yet, so I can't comment on it specifically, though I suspect I'll disagree with him on what its genius is in service of. And as for the "art form in search of an artist" line - what if he's right? What if we haven't seen even a tenth of what can be done artistically with the video game medium? Wouldn't that be wonderful?
"Censorship will not avail against this kind of compelling cultural shift -- nor should it. "Grand Theft Auto IV" is a work of genius -- but it's genius in the service of nothing more than sensation and profit. With this game, the interactive video industry has turned an aesthetic corner and is now an art form in search of an artist."
You may disagree, but at least, admit he's a "reasonable" critic.
You were faster than me on this. And I agree with what you say.
Did he have to lump GTA4 together with other meda forms, though?
I also like the reference to Japanese Graphic Novels. Give it a few more years and we'll even have them saying "Manga". But seriously, those things are taking over the book stores (I feel it's a good thing). They went from a shelf, to a whole book shelf, to an aisle, two aisles, now the have three or more.
My bad. It appears that I did jump the gun on this one.
I find it interesting how Rutten parallels GTA4's launch with cultural upheavals of the past.
If GTA4 is really going to be that big a mover, I am genuinely worried at the progression of the rest of the gaming industry, from a story-telling standpoint at least.
So either stop generalizing and stereotyping (funny, isn't that a problem they accuse games of causing?), or include me - and my group is not a minority - in your still-irrelevant reports.
Politicians tire me.
Do they EVER play a piece of media BEFORE being critical?
No. He's been interpreted as doing so because he referenced "mindless action movies". and sadly too few people are reading the article well enough to realise that it applies only the the action movies, and not to the subsequent listed items.
At no point in this does he attack anything. He plainly isn't a huge fan of GTA but he seems more like someone whose interest in piqued and hopefull for the future than someone who is condemning things.
He makes some good points. But what's wrong with Japanese graphic novels? Maybe it IS the generation gap...
And listen, GTAIV is just shock jock gaming with a tidbit of wry social commentary. Let's recognize that criticism of this game is NOT without merit.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again. GTAIII was revolutionary in scope, deisgn and gameplay. Nothing has changed in the several iterations of the series, other than a coarsening of content. OK, graphics. But I'm of the opinion that graphics are lowest on the chain of importance in gaming.
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
I moderately agree with your point, though I personally felt Vice City was just as good as GTA 3, if not as revolutionizing. I thought San Andreas was rubbish and what you say, though.
Anyway, the point I'm getting to is that having played GTA 4 now with skepticism - it is not simply a graphic update. I recommend you play it. Or play it more.
After reading through the whole thing, not exactly.
He was drawing parallels with how past cultural nuances like Jazz music were demonized in their time, before earning their place as a legitimate artform.
That paragraph mentioning manga wasn't attacking the art form per se - more of a generalization of what sort of material the current youth read these days. In my case, everybody I know reads manga, so he may have a point.
Regarding GTA IV, Ruttel noted he thought it was a good game, but that in the end, it was still vicious.
At least that's how I read his column.
You know I'm just going to give up on this thread.
Game Over.
Yes, because I know that Cardcaptor Sakura drives me to kill hookers.
But, Twin-Skies brings up a good point - that he's not really attacking these things, but rather, acknowledging that these are emerging forms of entertainment. (Though technically, manga's been around a long time - Hokusai, who did ukiyo-e, did manga, too.)
Anyone else find it ironic that he recognizes whats happening, yet still does some of the "old generation decrying the entertainment of the newer one"?
minor progress, I think. But something's starting to get through.
I think my initial problem with his statement in the GP quoted section was the very plain rundown of progression: kill maim have sex kill maim steal cars.
Its very simplistic, and on a simple level, accurate. But that rundown seems to ignore the set up of this progression. There are a number of non-violent, story driven elements in between, and they are so aften glossed over for arguments sake (I've done it myself)
"You are not entitled to an opinion. An opinion is what you have when you don't have any facts. When you have the facts, you don't need an opinion."
To add to that, Harlan Ellison said, "I believe you are entitled to an informed opinion. A boob expressing a boob opinion is still a boob."
So while Mr. Rutten's assessment of GTA is a bit more objective than those coming from others his age, his attacks on other modern popular entertainment still qualify him as something of a boob.
First he praises previous generation of entertainment that he was decries he does the exact same thing he just spoke out against. Social relevence? Please tell me what social relevence Elvis Presley shaking his hips had? Seriously this guy is just another out of touch old fart who doesn't know what he's talking about.
The LA Times is full of nothing but bullshit stories, very rarely do they have a decent story in the paper that isn't twisted in some way to make something look worse/better than it really is.
also started a thread in the forums.
Manga's been around indeed, but the bulk of North America hasn't really seen just how in-depth its real art can be. Most of the mainstream authors that get ported to your side of the world tend to be pretty heavy on fanservice and action, IMO.
Kishimoto, Oh Great!, Akamatsu to name a few.
Can you name one gameplay element that is improved? I'm sure the story is good, so let's not look to that.
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
This is Dumb beard guy.
Maybe if GTAIV smelled like fried chicken, he'd love it.