Everything I learned, I learned from the movies

OK, Audrey Hepburn said that. She was one smart cookie. And cute as a button. I don’t know if she was cuter in those stretchy black jazz pants in Funny Face or as the young princess in Roman Holiday or as Eliza Doolittle or Holly Golightly or Sabrina in Sabrina.

But I digress.

Movies are the single greatest form of escape and best entertainment buy in the world. Great writing sizzles and great acting dazzles. Powerful images and beautiful music take your breath away.

100 years ago and today, movies have enthralled audiences with wonder and originality. So how much does it suck when a veteran movie executive says this:

“There’s nothing new under the sun.”

Ouch.

The quote was in reference to the recent Hollywood trend of remaking movies that first hit the screens decades ago, like RoboCop and Dirty Dancing. Bruce Willis fans, start lining up: Die Hard 5 is coming. And no, it’s not the story of terrorists who take over an assisted living community, prompting John McClain to toss aside his walker and spring into action.

This isn’t a statement about a lack of creativity. This is a sad statement about the film industry’s lack of willingness to stand up for creativity.

It reminds me of a boss I once had in advertising who liked to say, “There are only seven original ideas in the world.”

Obviously, there were none in his head.

But we know better. Originality is everywhere, even if Hollywood won’t invest in it.

Creativity is around every corner, so don’t stop chasing it down.

There’s a lot of New under the sun, and there’s about 456,208 more original ideas waiting to be sprung, many of them from your own brain.

Doesn’t mean I don’t want to see Die Hard 5.