How Stan Culture and Anti-Intellectualism Are Contributing to the Decline of Film Criticism

Hudson Williams, a breakout star from the hit show Heat Rivalry, recently found himself embroiled in a scandal involving his Letterboxd account. The platform, popular among film enthusiasts for sharing reviews and ratings, became the center of controversy when some of Williams' reviews were deemed overly harsh by the public. The backlash was so intense that Williams ultimately deleted his account.

Williams is not alone in this experience. Similar incidents have occurred, such as with Iway Dabiri, whose Letterboxd account leak also sparked significant public attention. These events raise important questions about how personal opinions, especially those expressed by public figures, are received in today's culture.

An article reporting on Williams' situation titled "Letterboxd claims its first celebrity victim of the year: Hudson Williams" included a subtitle warning future generations to learn from his "mistakes." This framing suggests that expressing honest opinions is now considered a misstep, reflecting a broader cultural trend.

Tina Fey, in a conversation on the Last Culture Listas podcast, warned about the dangers of authenticity in the public eye. She told Bo Yang, a pop culture podcaster, "I regret to inform you, you are too famous now, sir. That authenticity is dangerous and expensive." Her caution highlights the risk public figures face when critiquing filmmakers or other artists: it can jeopardize future career opportunities.

This phenomenon is symptomatic of a surveillance-like culture where every opinion is scrutinized under a microscope. The internet, a permanent record of our words and actions, leaves little room for growth, change, or evolution. A single misstep can have lasting real-world consequences, leading many to self-censor.

Film criticism has existed as long as cinema itself, but the art of criticism is relatively modern. It began during the Enlightenment in the 18th century, a period that championed free speech, individual thought, and the circulation of ideas.

Origins in the Enlightenment

Denny Diderot, a French philosopher and art critic, was a key figure in the birth of modern art criticism. Between 1759 and 1781, he wrote detailed reports on the Paris Salons—official art exhibitions of the Academy of Arts. These writings were not objective reviews but personal reflections, allowing his opinions to shape his critiques.

This subjective approach to criticism set the stage for how film criticism would develop alongside the emergence of cinema in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Early Film Criticism

In cinema's infancy, critics focused primarily on technical aspects, fascinated by the new medium's magic. Gilbert Seldes, writing for The Dial, was among the first to elevate criticism to an art form, laying the groundwork for future film critique.