Once upon a time, I paid for my university by working a part-time job at a bank operations department.  It was the place that processed all the checks and deposits that came from the branches.  There were a couple of mature ladies who would always sing that song by the Drifters that went like this:     

Well, Saturday night at 8 o'clock

I know where I'm gonna go

I'm a-gonna pick my baby up

And take her to the picture show

Everybody in the neighborhood

Is dressin' up to be there, too

And we're gonna have a ball

Just like we always do

It impressed me and  I eventually added that song to my oldies collection. And I remember dressing up to be there, like the song goes.

I mention this because the actors are apparently going on strike.  This is the story:   

Media titan Barry Diller delivered a devastating forecast for Hollywood, if the writers and actors’ strikes are not resolved soon.

Appearing on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, Diller -- the head of the media conglomerate IAC, who previously served as CEO for Paramount and 20th Century Fox -- weighed in on the state of the industry amid the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes. Diller called the current challenges facing the industry a “perfect storm.”

“You had Covid, which sent people home to watch streaming television and killed theaters,” Diller said. “You’ve had the results of huge investments in streaming which have produced all these losses for all these companies that are now kind of retrenching. So at this moment, it’s kind of a perfect storm.”

Yes, COVID had an impact and all those streaming services probably did too.  I don't know about the business but I can confirm that none of the people I know care much about movies anymore.

Remember when movies were fun?  Dinner and a movie was everyone's favorite date night.  No more.  I guess that's what happens when every script promotes a left-wing agenda or reminds you that capitalism is responsible for global warming.  Or when white men are responsible for every sin in history.  Honestly, the movies are so predictable these days that it takes away all the excitement.

A remake of Poseidon would probably blame the wave on climate change.  The Sting would have half of characters preaching homosexuality.  Saturday Night Fever would probably preach bail reform.  

Too much politics and not enough else!  So don’t blame me if I spend my money doing something else.

My wife does love movies, but she is always watching that channel where romantic stories have happy endings with people getting married. I usually watch the ending with her with an eye on the baseball score.

Yesterday, I heard some actors complain that they can't make a living anymore.  I sympathize with them and hope that things work out.  At the same time, they should spend some time between the coasts and talk to people who are not rushing to the movies on Saturday nights.  It's not complicated.  People want movies that are entertaining and too many of today's reels are preachy and obnoxious.

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Image: Library of Congress