<![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold) - Defamer Comments]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold) - Defamer Comments]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> @SugitaTrigeminus: Let me interject something here from an unabashed fanboy: both of the last 2 posters have good points. Gwyneth's name factor was a big plus to the hype machine, but she also had the chops to pull it off. I just think the whole cast did a great job.

TheQuestion

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> STV - you are right, what matters for women is pedigree. What I mean, as a long-time Iron Man reader, is that Tony Stark, as opposed to other superheroes, was always into women. Sure, you can debate what women meant to him, but I'm saying that in terms of the genre, Tony dug women and they were always a part of his story. Iron Man as a title was always a little more 'welcoming' to women. But that's not why I read it [I wasn't into gender issues when I was a child]. I just liked the whole idea of it as well as the graphics. I agree that a well-rounded cast [even if the female part is secondary, as sadly, it usually seems to be] can only benefit a film. But if you subtracted the 'Gwneth factor', she could have been anyone really. Can you really say that a Liv Tyler or Michelle Monaghan - with red hair, of course, could not have pulled off the same role? What I'm saying is that women would not have turned out for this movie because GP was in it. Robert Downey Jr is on record as saying that back in the day that Iron Man attracted a lot of female fan mail. That's because IM is sex on titanium legs. LemuelCushy

SugitaTrigeminus

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> @LemuelCushy: What matters for women is pedigree. Terrence Howard probably helped with this as well, but when you have an A-list Oscar winner like Paltrow as the female lead in a generally solid ensemble of men, that is huge for women filmgoers who otherwise might have waited a few weeks or even for the DVD. And for Paramount/Marvel, opening weekend was everything considering the tentpole onslaught to come.

Or look at this way: Liv Tyler is just another part of the problem facing The Incredible Hulk. Universal simply can't market her the way the 'Mount could Paltrow, on recognizability alone. Same with Kate Bosworth in Superman Returns. But Spider-Man nailed it with Kirsten Dunst, and X-Men nailed it with its ensemble. You couldn't have plugged just anyone into those roles; that's why they call it "casting" and not simply "hiring."

STV

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> My boyfriend is the Ironman - he does wonders on the collars and cuffs

LIGHT STARCH PLEASE!!

NoGrumpys

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> @LemuelCushy: And most women don't like Gwyneth. Whoever came for her doesn't have ovaries.

CrankYank

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> Comment on The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold) 4. The Female Factor. Oh, come on! Gwyneth Paltrow has nothing to do with it. As outlandish as it may seem, some chicks are actually into Iron Man.

LemuelCushy

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> This movie gave me an early-summer tentpole.

Smirk

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> @Wendy_Kroy: Dude!!!

CrankYank

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> I never thought that the director of the turgid mess that was Made would graduate to one of the better popcorn movies in years.

Also, here's a bonus tidbit for all y'all: in that scene where Gwynnie's downloading Jeff Bridges' "ghost drive" and a bunch of purchase orders appear on screen, one of them is made out to a guy named Lebowski.

You're welcome.

Wendy_Kroy

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> Bridges was mad crazy, Downey was just cool enough, Gwyneth was classy hot and they should have given Leslie more screen time, because I'm with TurdBlossom, Rowrr! And I like how Favreau put himself in the flick and kept himself to, I think, one line. Did everybody catch Terrance Howard's line as he looked at the other iron suit? Iron Man 2 - War Machine.

TheQuestion

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> And Jeff Bridges delivering the key stoner demographic. Seriously, how cool was he with the crazy bald look?

CrankYank

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> Don't forgot Hot chick Leslie Bibb.
Yes she was only in three scenes, and got a verbal bitchslap from Gwennie in one of them, but still. Rowrrr.

TurdBlossom

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> I've always had the hots for RDJ but I have to admit his 'stache was looking a little too porn star in the close-up/inside the helmet shots.

dollywould

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> It was the flapper pose at take off that really won my heart.

OldTowneTavern

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> 6. The Script Factor - Let's not forget the the positive effect of Robert Downey Jr.'s script-crumpling and tossing against the wall!

Oxycontinmoron

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> Iron Man 2: The Iron-y Man Returns!

mitchel_stevens

]]> <![CDATA[The Schlub Factor (And Four Other Reasons 'Iron Man' Struck Box Office Gold)]]> Yay! Everybody wins!

VirusWithShoes

]]>