LAT: This Just in: Flops Caused Box Office Slump

[DeepModem Mom]

This Just in: Flops Caused Box Office Slump
Studio execs who pinned problems on factors beyond their control now take responsibility.
By Claudia Eller and John Horn, Times Staff Writers


One of Hollywood's basic tenets is that when things go wrong it's somebody else's fault.

Which is why it's so startling, suddenly, to hear studio executives and producers taking responsibility for the rows of empty seats in movie theaters this year.

"It's really easy for all of us to blame the condition of the theaters, gas prices, alternative media, the population changes and everything else I've heard myself say," said Sony Pictures Vice Chairman Amy Pascal, whose summer releases "Bewitched" and "Stealth" flopped. "I think it has to do with the movies themselves."

After months of hand-wringing and doomsday forecasts about the permanent erosion of moviegoing, the lunchtime chatter at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills and other industry haunts has turned decidedly inward. Now, four straight weekends of crowded theaters have forced moguls and creative executives to admit in public what they have spent months avoiding: They were clueless about what audiences wanted.

"There's always a year when the pundits say the movie business is over," said producer Brian Grazer, whose May release "Cinderella Man" was a disappointment despite strong reviews. "If there's a movie people want to see, they go see it. I just think we all have to do our best to make better movies."...


http://www.latimes.com/business/custom/cotown/la-fi-boxoffice1oct01,0,4092331.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[crispini]

1. This is LBN?

Jeez, I could have told them that MONTHS ago.

Speaking of movies, I saw "Thumbsucker" last night. Well worth seeing.

[WCGreen]

2. Make better movies.....

What a concept...

[ckramer]

3. People can't afford movies

That's why theater seats are empty.

[meganmonkey]

4. LMFAO!

Shocking! Movies suck ass? That must be why I go to the theater about 1 time per year, for the latest Michael Moore flick, or the LOTR trilogy...I'm sorry but if I want to waste $10 I'll splurge on a bottle of really good beer.

:shrug:

[librechik]

5. if Holly wood weren't such a "closed shop"

there might be room for new ideas instead of endless sequels.

All the good stuff is coming out of the small independents--but they can't get distributed because Hollywood shuts them out.

[Orsino]

6. Studio execs and producers make movie deals, not movies!

If they're citing lousy movies, they are just blaming someone else. The story bungles this key point.

[DS1]

7. I'd rather go Rambo II AGAIN in the theatres than Stealth

Hell, I'd even go watch Rambo IV for the entertainment value of 80's gung-ho America vs. small people stuff.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

8. Duh... Take awful movies @ $9.00+ add $4 popcorn, $3 soda, and gas prices

being what they are, why go to the movies?

[atommom]

9. That's right, especially if you're taking the whole family out.

Dollar for dollar, there are many more cost-effective ways to go out and have fun. Especially when the movies suck!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

19. To take a family of four to really go out these days is almost cost

prohibitive. The best bet is to go to festivals like we have here along the Hudson River in NY. Apple and pumpkin picking this time of year. Also, many towns around here do offer free events or close to free ones in the libraries. But to go to the movies, to a ballgame, and omg Bway Theater! It is unaffordable for many.

Even going out to dinner. My youngest son turned 15 last week and four of us went to his pick, a local Japanese restaurant. $100,and that was without having any drinks, soft or hard.

[lynne]

10. Rocket Scientists They Ain't -

- if it has taken them this long to figure out that the public stays away from lousy movies. However, I'm not sure that they have any idea of what the public enjoys.

Saw "The Constant Gardener" - which has received much acclaim - and they should have entitled it "The Compost Gardener". Two green thumbs down, IMO!

But saw "The Corpse Bride" yesterday with the family and we all loved it! A really entertaining and creative movie. Two bony skeletal thumbs UP!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

14. Corpse Bride was really good. Much better than Nightmare before Xmas,

in my opinion.

Well if 80 percent of Hollywood movies didn't have to be sequels of some other sucky movie maybe I'd be more interested. I used to see almost ALL major first releases, now I see hardly any.

[BuelahWitch]

21. I liked the Corpse Bride too

It was sweet without being cloying. Especially loved the scene where the dead meet up with the living town folk.

[Pithy Cherub]

11. The film executive ignoramuses who greenlight the crap

are looking for a BIG payday, not quality if they were being - oh so honest...:eyes:

[Gyre]

12. Most of them just suck

and ARE expensive. My wife and I saw "40 year old virgin" on one of our few date nights. A complete waste of time and money and it'll probably be awhile before we are motivated to try that again.

Gyre

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

16. Interesting.. I LOVED that movie.. to each his own...

[kath]

22. Hmmm, hubby & I loved that movie. I hadn't laughed so hard in YEARS.

I was still giggling out in the parking lot afterward. Then at home, when I tried to tell the kids about one of the scenes, I had to get my words out one or two at a time between chuckles.

Definitely not a highbrow movie, and so not for everyone. (And definitely not for kids)

[gratuitous]

13. Make better movies?

Of course! It's all so simple! But wait . . . Those Lord of the Rings movies made a buttload of money. Maybe if we put on some dreck with a wizard (people loooove wizards) we can fool enough people into thinking it's like that. Why, the script will practically write itself! Is Sean Connery available? Who's the flavor of the month? He can be Sean's apprentice or trainee, or whatever.

And two more hours of dreck heads for the silver screen.

[kid a]

15. Support your local Comunity Stage - Stock Theatre!

[BlueJazz]

17. NOW..They're starting to put ads before the show so it's just like..

..Being at Home!!...(Except, at home, you don't have to put up with Cell Phones, People talking, Folks hitting your chair, babies screaming, coming attractions played at 140 decibels)

[qanda]

18. Who can afford to go to the movies?

That's a $50 trip in a family of four.

[tlsmith1963]

20. What Do You Expect...

...when going to the movies is so expensive. If I am going to spend all that money, the movie had better be *good*. "Serenity" is a movie to support, though. So many good series are cancelled before they get a chance to catch on, & very rarely do one of these series get a feature film. Serenity is based on a promising series called Firefly, which only got 14 eps. before it was cancelled. I was pretty amazed when a feature film version was announced. These things just *don't* happen. I think this sort of thing should be encouraged, since the film industry desperately needs new ideas.

Tammy

[Tamyrlin79]

23. Don't forget "Good Night, and Good Luck"

Clooney's film about McArthyism and the 50s. I think it might be this year's 'fahrenheit 9/11', except it demonized the current news media, rather than Bush. Definitely a must-see in my book.

[rocktivity]

24. It's called "consumerism"

Movies are such an investment these days you have to treat them that way. I suggest finding some reviewers whose judgement you can trust. And I believe there's a movie fans group here at DU--perhaps that can be utililzed more.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Nikia]

25. Movies come out on DVD relatively quickly

At the movie rental place we go to, new releases are $3.00/night. Non new realeases are only $1.00. Most movies are going to DVD within 6 months of their movie release. Unless the movie is especially great, why wouldn't a family wait and rent it?

[Greyhound]

26. One of my favorite scenes from Bullworth.

Is when he's at the fund-raiser in hollywood and tells them the unvarnished truth. To paraphrase "how can so many smart people spend millions of dollars, and make such bad movies?"

[Kaylee]

27. It's on DVD within months anyway.....

Why pay all of that money to be disturbed by ringing cell phones or rude patrons talking through the movie when I can just wait a few more months and watch it in the comfort of my own home.

[derby378]

28. Four words for moviemakers: "MARCH OF THE PENGUINS"

Make nice with France, and maybe they'll cut American studios in on more of the nature documentary action.

[AnnieBW]

29. One Word: SERENITY

Go see it. NOW. Joss Whedon, who wrote and directed it, was very enthusiastically supporting Kerry last year. It's got a great anti-government message. Oh, and it's science fiction, too. :D

[lovuian]

30. They NEED TO LISTEN to the CONSUMER!!!

and the audience!!! We are TIRED of being manipulated!!!

There hasn't been anything on worth seeing for years except for a few movies...