Marvel Writer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Declares Martin Scorsese’s Comments 'Culturally Right'

Revered director Martin Scorsese caused quite a ruckus last week when he went on an interview saying that he didn't really consider Marvel movies as "cinema," seeing them more as "theme parks" for moviegoers. Marvel fans were outraged and various Marvel celebrities spent time addressing Scorsese's opinion about their films. Not only did Robert Downey Jr. address the filmmaker's comments, but so did Samuel L. Jackson.

Now, it looks like NBA Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is joining the circus.

The Hollywood Reporter just recently wrote an opinion piece about Scorsese's comments about Marvel movies and how Abdul-Jabbar reacted to the filmmaker's interview. Though the NBA legend and Marvel comic book writer admits that he's a big fan of superhero movies and pop culture, he does note that the director of Taxi Driver and The Last Temptation of Chris was only trying to make clear the distinction between "High Art" and pop culture movies that often comes with massive blockbusters.

"Scorsese wasn't denigrating Marvel films so much as making a distinction between High Art (an accurate but cringe-worthy term) that we might see in a museum or featured on NPR, and regular everyday art that we might see on our t-shirts and tattoos," the writer notes. "Scorsese is stating the obvious: Rembrandt's 'The Storm on the Sea of Galilee' is not on the same level as Coolidge's 'Dogs Playing Poker,' no matter how much those dogs make us smile. Nor will Peter Benchley's novel Jaws ever match the magnificence of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, despite selling millions more copies. Captain America will never be James Baldwin."

A lot of different people have different opinions about Scorsese's little rant about Marvel movies, though there are those who either agree or respect the filmmaker's opinion. Sure, the Marvel Cinematic Universe might be a Hollywood phenomenon, but there are those who prefer "high art" movies that are constructed far differently from blockbuster films.

What are your thoughts on the Scorsese's comments? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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