Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s satirical comedy series, «The Study,» premiered on Apple TV+ in March. The show features a character reminiscent of Robert Altman’s collaborations with Tim Robbins in the early 1990s. In Rogen’s series, the character is indebted to a ruthless CEO, played by Bryan Cranston, who is solely focused on profit and not art. Cranston’s character famously states, «We don’t make movies, we make money,» echoing Quentin Tarantino’s distinction between commercial and artistic films.
The greedy character of Cranston’s tycoon in «The Study» shares the same name as a fictional film executive from past decades. This character, named Griffin Mill, is a nod to the protagonist of Altman’s 1992 satirical film about Hollywood executives, «The Player,» played by Robbins. Mill’s character in the film could easily be seen as a younger version of Cranston’s portrayal, with the key difference being that 30 years later, he has reached the pinnacle of Hollywood power.
The player is perfect for fans of Seth Rogen’s The Studio
Both works are unapologetic satires of the movie business featuring all-star cameos
If the Seth Rogen comedy series The Studio takes a fairly gentle yet convicted jab at the Hollywood monopolization dominated by the Hollywood franchise by the five great film studios, then Robert Altman’s film The Player is a balanced portrayal from beginning to end. Michael Tolkin’s script for the film is unwavering and implacable in its critique of the industry in which it operates, while Robbins portrays his main character with a type of moral indifference that must have made even the studio heads support the film.
The Player might seem to be about the desire for quality of a movie-loving executive within the Hollywood system and its corporate lords. But Matt is not really that guy. His true instincts are self-preservation and caring.
