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BradH812
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1294 Posts |
 Posted - 05/21/2008 : 9:03:44 PM
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I'll repeat: the book The Devil's Candy is a pretty good read, giving one a fair idea how Hollywood can screw up a good idea. Joel Siegel's review summed it up: what kind of crew do you get to make a satire of a wealthy bond trader getting sucked into a racial and political nightmare? You get a director of Hitchcockian slasher flicks at the helm, a playwright who wrote a play about dying on the typewriter, Hollywood's best known nice-guy type to play the snobbish anti-hero, and Bruce Willis to play a drunken English sod.
Dum-dums. |
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New Hinda
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Israel
469 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2008 : 05:41:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by BradH812
I'll repeat: the book The Devil's Candy is a pretty good read, giving one a fair idea how Hollywood can screw up a good idea.
I'll repeat. Paula Gosling's Fair Game is a nice little thriller that Hollywood has managed to maul TWICE, once as COBRA and once as FAIR GAME. Now how, particularly with COBRA, could they cut out the scene where the hero and heroine arrive at the safe house, DRESSED AS NUNS? Wouldn't the thought of seeing Sylvester Stallone in a nun's habit be enough to get you to buy a ticket for the film? |
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New Hinda
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Israel
469 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2008 : 10:07:54 AM
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| Often Hollywood will remake a film, either as a feature film or as a made-for TV movie, rather than film another fine book by the same author. THE DESPERATE HOURS was remade, but Joseph Hayes' Island on Fire, The Long Dark Night and The Deep End have never been filmed. Sometimes Hollywood will remake a film, rather than film a similar book by another author. There was a Made for TV remake of FAILSAFE, but Robert Chamberlain's Red January has never been filmed. |
Edited by - New Hinda on 05/25/2008 10:30:00 AM |
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TheFoywonder
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
833 Posts |
Posted - 05/25/2008 : 4:37:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by New Hinda
Often Hollywood will remake a film, either as a feature film or as a made-for TV movie, rather than film another fine book by the same author. THE DESPERATE HOURS was remade, but Joseph Hayes' Island on Fire, The Long Dark Night and The Deep End have never been filmed. Sometimes Hollywood will remake a film, rather than film a similar book by another author. There was a Made for TV remake of FAILSAFE, but Robert Chamberlain's Red January has never been filmed.
Would now be a good time to mention tonight is the premiere of A&E's remake of THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN?
Now Playing in Foyeurism at Foywonder.com: STALE LEFTOVERS - Prom Night, 88 Minutes, and 10,000 BC get carved up
Plus: B-WARE THE BLOG is alive at http://www.livejournal.com/users/foywonder |
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RVHorror
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
532 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2008 : 07:36:50 AM
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I'd like to say, in response to the first post, that I think the era of the super-star (as in actor) is indeed dead and gone. With the possible exceptions of Johnny Depp and Tom Hanks, I can't think of a single actor or actress who can open a film big, just because they happen to be starring.
Films are still sold as if actors matter (as posters and DVD cases attest), and Hollywood still treats them as gods and goddesses, but I seriously doubt that people look through the papers and say, "Hey we should go to the movies tonight, [S0-and-so] has a new film out!" |
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Neville
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Spain
1590 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2008 : 11:41:39 AM
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| I agree in that star power hasdiminished over the years, but there are still enough stars out there who can guarantee a strong opening. Apart of those you mentioned, think of Will Smith or Matt Damon. |
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RVHorror
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
532 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2008 : 1:32:45 PM
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| Yes, but note that Will Smith--like Tom Cruise--has a very selective box office power. If he stars in a science fiction/effects film (Men in Black, I am Legend) or a comedy (Hitch) he gets good box office. For other films, lika Ali (which was near and dear to his heart), the box office takes less notice. |
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Neville
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
Spain
1590 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2008 : 3:27:58 PM
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But Ali is rather the exception to the rule. His drama The Pursuit of Happyness would have been a flop for many other lead actors. With him, it grossed 162 millions in the USA alone, according to the IMDB.
Now, 162 million is not in the same league as his greatest hits, but it's a great gross for a drama about an unemployed father and his son. |
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RVHorror
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
532 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2008 : 9:02:49 PM
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Smith may be one of the last box office draws. But there aren't many beside him. And I do think it speaks pretty loudly when his biggest hits are full of special effects.
I remember when ID4 came out and people were saying, "Wow, Will Smith is a big movie star now!" But Will Smith wasn't the star of ID4. Lots of stuff blowin' up real good were the stars of ID4.
Still, I do take your point. |
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zombiewhacker
Holy Cardinal and Five Star General of the Righteous Knighthood of Jabootu
USA
1475 Posts |
Posted - 05/26/2008 : 10:49:06 PM
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First, let's point out that even the biggest movie star in the world isn't guaranteed to open every movie. That's unrealistic.
The Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies made Harrison Ford a superstar, but even his name on the marquee couldn't open Blade Runner or The Mosquito Coast.
Julia Roberts at the height of her fame couldn't put butts in the seats for Dying Young or I Love Trouble.
Tom Hanks hit mega-superstardom starting with Forrest Gump yet right in the middle of his amazing streak (ten movies virtually in a row all making $100M or more) he had one total box office dud with That Thing You Do.
The same observations could also have been made about Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, Jim Carrey, and virtually any other star past or present classified as a box office draw.
So just because Ali flopped doesn't mean Will Smith isn't a bona-fide box office draw. He is. Hitch and Pursuit of Happyness, two non-action, non-special FX films, were not only huge hits, they even outgrossed some of his earlier tent pole films like I Robot, Bad Boys 2, Enemy of the State, and (groan) Wild Wild West.
The reason why certain stars become box office draws isn't complicated. In fact, it's fairly simple.
You see, people don't go to the movies to see movie stars. People go to the movies to see good movies. On that I'm sure we're all in agreement. But this is where box office draw element comes into play: once a particular actor has the good fortune to appear in several popular films, that star develops a track record. The next time he appears in a coming attraction, audiences get excited about that film's prospects, thinking, "That star usually appears in good movies, so maybe this one is good, too." His very presence in the film lends the project prestige, not because he's wonderful, but because, fairly or unfairly, his participation becomes a barometer for how good the movie will be. When that happens, he becomes a superstar. A box office draw. Now so long as he doesn't screw up by making three bad movies in a row, audiences will keep flocking to his films.
And that's why box office stardom appears to be on the wane these days. It isn't because audiences have "tired" of movie stars, which seems to be the current wisdom in Hollywood these days. It's because too many actors who were once mega-stars have weakened their reputations by appearing in too many less-than-sterling projects. (Jim Carrey, Will Ferrell, and the aforementioned Harrison Ford come to mind.) Julia Roberts isn't queen of the movies anymore? Why should she be? She hasn't made a rom-com in seven years, and that's her bread and butter. Sandra Bullock's cinematic missteps could fill volumes.
Interestingly, one actor who's been unfairly written off is Tom Cruise. The conventional wisdom is that his career's on the wane. I thought so, too, until I double-checked his record over at Box Office Mojo. And guess what? With the exception of Lions for Lambs now and his double-scoop of blunders back in 1999 (Magnolia and Eyes Wide Shut), he's had a remarkable streak of thirteen movies grossing $100M or more in the U.S. (and $200M worldwide). Not bad for a supposed has-been. Imagine how much bigger he would be if he wasn't insane.
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Edited by - zombiewhacker on 05/26/2008 10:52:24 PM |
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