Why Are the Movies Dying?

www.stolinsky.com ^ | 10-27-11 | stolinsky

[InvisibleChurch]

You know, blog pimping is bad enough, but when I encounter this, “A prior version of this article appeared on Aug. 30, 2007”, it's pretty pathetic...

It looks like sequels aren't for movies only

[Ticonderoga34]

The only good movies I’ve seen that were made in the last few years are foreign movies.

"The Lives of Others" is a good example of that.

[WildWeasel]

Best movie I've seen in years is Der Untergang, relabeled Downfall for the USA. A german film about the last days of Hitler in the Fuhrer Bunker.



My only caveat is to avoid it if you don't like movies with subtitles.

[Sherman Logan]

1. The cost of tickets--even matinee tickets--have gone through the roof.

The average price of a ticket in 1970 was $1.65. Adjusted for inflation, that's $9.71, which is about what a ticket costs today.

OTOH, a ticket cost .36 in 1948, which would be $3.22 today.

[Sherman Logan]

I’ve seen one part of that movie many times.

[chris37]

I love those old horror movies. :D

Horror movies are a true lost art these days.

Now they are all oh look scary CGI smoke monster, aren’t you scared? No, no I am not scared, and I don’t believe a 2 year old would be scared.

I swear somtimes I think some of these new horror movies would be scarier if they just drew the effects on the film with crayons -_-

[Calliecat]

That said, I thought Moneyball was pretty good.

Husband and I saw that last week and really enjoyed it.

I enjoy a low-key Armageddon movie, and thought Melancholia was quite good.

[Gil4]

At least it’s the full article, not an excerpt. I thought it was a worthwhile read, even if it was partially recycled.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Watching films like “The Hangover” and playing video games into one’s thirties is no way to become men and women − or responsible citizens.

Watching films of any kind is no way to become men and women - or responsible citizens. I agree that most of the movies coming out of Hollywood these days aren't good. I don't agree that it matters very much. Watching "High Noon" does not make one an honorable man or woman, and watching "The Hangover" isn't going to destroy one's soul. Movies are a couple of hours of amusement - hopefully. The fact that they aren't much good anymore and fewer people are watching them means people have more time to go do things instead of staring at a movie screen.

[GOP Poet]

Obama meeting with the most powerful ‘influencers’ in Hollywood in a ‘stealth’ meeting pretty much answers the question posed in the article.

[buccaneer81]

2. Any night out at the movies for a date or family will kill a sane budget for working families.

Yep. We opt for the cheap seats at an NHL game (Blue Jackets) where know we won't be fed anti-American crap.

[buccaneer81]

look at the gems made on the 70’s. Could they be made today?

Not a chance in Hell. "Slapshot" being the prime example.

[HHFi]

My wife and I saw a wonderful little movie last week called “A Bird of the Air.” It’s about a withdrawn man who comes across a lost parrot that says inspiring and mysterious things. A talkative female librarian helps him track down its former owners, and he comes out of his shell as he unravels the bird’s past. It’s a really nice little romance with funny, likeable characters, and the parrot is great. I’ve rescued parrots for 20 years, and this is the most realistic depiction of one I’ve ever seen onscreen. We liked it so much, we went back to see it twice. You can see the trailer here: http://www.abirdoftheair.com

Of course, doing that required upending our entire schedule because this little jewel of a movie was playing in only two cities (L.A. and here in Dallas), and here, it was on only one screen, at 11 a.m. If I’d wanted to see some 3D, CGI-filled crap, though, there were dozens of screens showing that all day and all night long.

[lwoodham]

I refuse to watch movies that have outspoken liberal acters/actresses. They can bite me. They are worthless scum and I won’t finance them by paying for tickets.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

Hollywood needs to make movie people want to see. They do not want to be preached at or told what to think—they want good entertainment and mindless action films. Comedies that are not right out of the toilet. Suggestions from my fertile mind:
1. Re do Charlie Chan but with Asian actors and with a focus on the Real Hawaiian Chan and his deeds as a skilled detective.
2. Do a Civil War movie on the Confederate raider CSS Alabama and her voyage and destruction off France.
3. Do a story on US Black pilots who fought Mussolini’s troops and air force in Ethiopia in the 1930s.
4. Re-do the Chandu the Magician of the 1930s—it would make a great 3 d film.
5. Do a movie of Brick Bradford and his time top—from the 1940s comic Book.
6. Do a good version of Flash Gordon and not that bad one made by the Italians. Space Opera at its finest.
7. Do the story of two aces shot down over Nazi Germany—one American—one Russian. they become friends but meet and duel over Korea in Jets.
8. Do a story on the air war over Vietnam about North Vietnamese ace Col. Tomb and his destruction.

A few ideas for anyone trying to come up with new movies.

[SaraJohnson]

Socialists poop in their own nest.

[3Fingas]

Netflix, streaming on demand movies, and DVDs are the main culprits.

Poor quality movies and high ticket prices also have something to do with it.

[metesky]

Thanks for posting the entire article, sir.

[Yaelle]

A. The best writers and scripts and plots and acting are on tv now.

B. Movie theaters are dirty and uncomfortable and you can’t pause it to go to the bathroom.

[Boomer One]

Because people like my wife and I refuse to support the lifestyle of these spoiled brats. They’re idiots on and off the screen and, thanks to a liberal media, examples for our youth to follow.