I think I can speak with a degree of authority... today, the biggest driving force of movies is pace; God help you if you try to put in a scene that is about character and not plot.
When I was a kid, I went through the whole process of reading great literature and trying to be very widely read.
On a deeper level, I think many stories - especially thrillers - can be a journey to the heart of darkness.
In war, the first casualty is truth.
