Defamer
Our condolences go out this morning to Paramount, whose sulky, twangy, denim-and-rippling-flesh marketing push for Stop-Loss couldn't trick weekend moviegoers into checking out yet another Iraq War message movie. At Defamer HQ, the search for answers behind the disappointing $4.5 million gross — too many muscle shirts? Ryan Phillippe/Abbie Cornish babymaking rumors peaked too soon? — extended to the conservative journal Men's News Daily, where crack industry analyst Greg Strange's devastating Monday-morning hindsight is sharper than ever:
When are these filmmakers going to connect the dots? Do they really think this is what American audiences want to see? It may well be that the majority of Americans wish we had never gotten into this war, but that doesn't mean they want to see the country's finest young people depicted as rapists, murderers or even just run-of-the-mill, psychologically damaged basket cases returning from combat. ...
It's all very noble in an artistic kind of way, but if they keep it up, some of them may soon be seen on the street holding signs that say "Will make antiwar films for food."
Indeed, this "artistic kind of way" of doing things is thoroughly played out, and we stand with Greg Strange in urging an end to creatively addressing social issues in movies. Still, with at least two distinguished auteurs already having hit the sidewalks with hat in hand and cow on corner (not to mention conservative firebrand Vincent Gallo establishing himself as a bona-fide eBay Gigolo&trade), we also endorse the burgeoning trend in garish, gawk-worthy sidewalk entrepreneurship. Our only hope for reconciling the two: Oliver Stone, whose forthcoming George W. Bush biopic has more cast members than investors, could surely use some right-wing influence to the tune of $30 million. Here's your sign, Ollie, and there's your corner.
- Another Iraq war movie, Stop-Loss, headed for dustbin of cinematic history [Men's News Daily]
Comments
Jeez, if we could just win more wars, we'd have better war movies.
It's all Cheney's fault. Or Rummy's. Or maybe even Dubya's.
Greg Strange's favorite war movie is probably The Green Berets (a near-comically offensive late-career John Wayne effort wherein Mr. Morrison attempts to convince the audience that the United States' continued involvement in the Vietnam War is a super-good idea and those dumb dirty hippies don't know what in tarnation they're talking about.)
Hollywood needs to realize that what Americans really want to see is quality films about the mighty President McCain's battles against the slovenly minorities and his fight to continue the Federal Reserve System's agenda.
Hollywood is too stupid to figure out it's simply because Ryan Phillipeee cannot open a movie.
The problem is that Viacom is a huge media conglomerate, so even if all the people that hate the war want to see this movie, they have to boycott. If they actually bought tickets, they would probably be revoked their ANSWER memberships.
As for the larger point, I think it has some merit. Die Hard did well last year because John McClane kicked ass. If he had gone out to stop the military industrial complex, the movie might not have done as well. I'm not saying it is a good reflection on our society, and it's not a perfect analogy, but that's the way it goes. Thump our chests now, worry about consequences later. I think America will be ready for an Iraq war movie that deals with actual issues, but like Apocalypse Now and Platoon, we may have to wait a while before they gain wide appeal and critical acclaim.
And yes, betting on the acting talents of Ryan Phillippe was also not the way to go.
The second coming of Rambo didn't do so good either, bud. But Farenheit 9/11 did. Maybe it's just not a good movie.
Beat it, Oliie. This is MY corner.
@the Librarian: Sorry to say Rambo has done 100 mill worldwide (on a 50 mill budget) and they are already prepping another.
They drew first blood not me! I think they need to make a Jacob's Ladder 2.
I love the whole "This is not what the American public wants to see" bit. The American public should, for the most part, not be allowed to see what the American public wants to see. If the American public had its way it would be watching American Idol from inside a tub of ranch dressing and boneless buffalo wings.
Damn that sounds so awesome. They make tubs that big?
Damn! He's cuter than anyone in the "Deer Hunter".
Wait... so real war does not resemble one long Abercrombie and Fitch commercial?
..and is that Mexican beer?
Comment on Conservative Film Scholar Concerned That Iraq-Based Films Are 'Relentless Downers', Would Prefer More Iraqi Ass-Kicking Stop-Loss is the best American movie in at least two years. I'm saddened that it's first weekend wasn't better, but hope that it builds. It should click as it's got everything it needs and Paramount has been very careful with its opening. I thought it worked on a totally emotional level, which I normally find manipulative, but completely bought into this time. When crowds are cheering for totally undefined "Change", you'd think that the same people would embrace S-L. - Joe, Chicago.
Viet Nam movies didn't start showing up in any numbers until the late 1970s, early 1980s.
I'm waiting for the epic movie about how our brave young men and women capture Osama bin Laden.
Black Hawk Down was about the Mogadishu debacle, and that did quite well in term of box office performance.
@yvonnjanae:
You might be waiting a very long time...
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