Radio callers have bones to pick with Hollywood

thehollywoodreporter.com ^ | 7-6-05 | Martin A. Grove

[AFreeBird]

I seem to recall from our past history during WWII, Hollywood was BEHIND our military and our CINC's. Where is this Hollywood today???

Ummm.... out in left field with their collective thumbs up their arse?

Just a guess.

[Rastus]

You may be right. I kind of shocked myself with the thing about Kidman, though. I really have never heard anything political about her. That's kind of refreshing. Unless, of course, I just missed her rants.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Studio executives have already cited weaker product, pre-show commercials, high ticket prices and DVD competition as contributing to the summer slide."

OK Regal Cinema in Lancaster OHIO. I went there this very evening to watch War of the Worlds. When we arrived at the Mall we went directly into the theater to check start times.

The young lady at the counter said the current showing in the Dolby Digital theater had started, we asked if the movie had started or just the previews and commercials. She shrugged and walked away. We tried to get someones else's attention to maybe check for us. No dice, apparently there was something very funny going on in the back room near the ticket counter cause we could hear several young employees giggling and talking. There were three people at the snack bar trying to get some popcorn.

We decided to go do some shopping and come back for the 7:20 showing in the Dolby Digital theater. (I refuse to go to the movies and listen to crappy surround sound.) We shop and go eat and arrive back at the ticket booth at 6:45 just in case there is a line. There wasn't. In fact I have seen graveyards with more action in them.

My wife decides to check out a store near to the theater since we still have over 30 mintues to wait for the movie to start. I stirke up a conversation with the very bored looking manager who was barely of legal drinking age. He informed me in the last two months the ONLY show to sell out is The Longest Yard. Starwars, Batman, nor War of the Worlds had sold out at this theater.

I asked the manager how the sound was for War of the Worlds, he shrugged and said OK I guess. (Spielberg is known for excellent soundtracks and audio effects.)

Finally we enter the theater and not there are only 12 people including us. Most of the "sweet spot" seats are sticky, broken or missing entirely. We set down front and notice right away the sound on the previews is very thin and reedy with no bottom whatsoever and the side and back speakers are not on.

I wait until the movie starts to check the sound again, no change. I go to the ticket counter to complain and the girl at the counter doesn't understand what I mean by "side and back speakers not working." I tell her she needs to fix it quick, and I hurry back. I see another girl usher enter the theater walk down to the front and go behind the screen. She then comes out sticks her head close to one of the side speakers then she leaves.

Then someone turns the front speakers up so loud it is near painful to listen to and distorted as well.

Someone in the back gets up and leaves and then comes back and soon the sound is turned back down,(I figure he complained about the volume) after which it is still distorted. At no time do the subwoofers or side and back speakers ever work during the show.

You want to know why some people don't go to the movies any more? Well, it might have to do with incompetent nitwits left in charge and not having a clue how to run a theater.

I got a "feedback" card an am going to fill it with excruciating detail on exactly how bad that theater is run!

Oh and me and the wife have made a pact. We have sworn off movie theaters. Our system at home is much more entertaining.

Oh and don't get me started on the obvious idiotic plotting and dialog of War of the Worlds. That discussion deserves its own thread.

[ADemocratNoMore]

> I'm afraid I'll just have to keep renting Cary Grant movies. ; )

"Bringing Up Baby" - now out on DVD. Released in 1938. Embodies all that is sadly missing in today's films. Very funny & highly recommended.

[pterional]

No Money = No Power. I won't be giving Hollywood any Power.

[Blind Eye Jones]

There are probably some unspoken rules in Hollywood:

1) pander to the lowest denominator
2) the eyes will always tell you what is attractive or crass about the lowest denominator.
3) marry someone who is well connected and well meaning about liberal causes... like teaching dolphins to sing properly.
4) drive a big gas guzzling car to all environmental meetings.
5) never wear houseplants as a fashion statement
6) thinking is for idiots

[USAFJeeper]

But Netflix, mails it to my house :) I am a big fan of libraries, but I am a bigger fan of a huge selection and ease of use!

[pollyannaish]

And one of my favorites. I think I'll have to go buy it for the family collection! Thanks.

[stevio]

I can't watch a movie, even if I like the plot, with the anti-American left in it. I'm glad our boycott is having an effect.

[GOPJ]

bump

[GOPJ]

bump

[T Lady]

The only real power I have is the power of my pocketbook, and by God Almighty, I will use that power to the best of my ability. A big 'Amen' to that!

[T Lady]

'Herbie Fully Loaded. I actually liked this movie.' ...The original Herbie The Love Bug was the very first film I watched as a 7-year old in the summer of '69. I just may check out the DVD for the sake of a little nostalgia. And you're right, your kids could probably could do better not only in writing scripts, but also coming up with more original material...once again we will have yet another remake foisted upon us again, in the body of Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a retelling of the delightful Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which starred the very funny Gene Wilder.

[Hank Rearden]

I still want to see FANTASTIC FOUR. : )

You may be the only one, so the line should be short for you.

Looks like it simultaneously sucks and blows - not many movies can claim that. I got that impression from the trailer alone, weeks ago, before any of the "man, it sucks!" reviews hit the net.

Spider-Man, 1 and 2, and Batman Begins both show how a superhero movie can be done - that's a high bar to clear.

[TheBigB]

Feh, the opinions of some overly-picky fanboys have never bothered me. ("Dude, did you see the trailer? Daredevil's costume logo is SUPPOSED to be 10 3/4 inches high, but in the film it's actually 11 inches! This film SUCKS!")

From the trailers I've seen, it looks great, and all the fellow comics fans I know are anxious to see it!

[Arizona Carolyn]

"IMo, people are sick and tired of the liberal and homosexual agenda being shoved down their throats"

***************************************************

Well, for sure, I am. We did go see War of the Worlds; and enjoyed it. The last Star Wars movie ticked me off that Lucas couldn't resist "Bush Bashing" for a couple of hours.

Surely these people are not soooooo stupid that they don't realize 53% of their audience are not flaming liberals and come to be entertained, not brain-washed.

Of the last 10 or so movies we've rented, maybe ONE was worth seeing and none were worth spending the money to see in the theatre.

I do not what to know what a movie star thinks, I also don't want to learn they are truly dumb (aka Katie Holmes)...

[Arizona Carolyn]

I almost forgot to mention... it needs to extent beyong Hollywood Movies to people like Brittney Spears strutting around in Uggs with her bare pregnant belly sticking out.... just the *perfect* roll model for today's young teens (not)... how many adults we observed this past holiday weekend coming in on boats with young children aboard and the ADULTS playing rap music...

As far as I'm concerned unless a sport involves personal challenges (aka Golf, racing, etc.) they are not getting my attention, same for the music industry and the movie industry and television industry...

People like Oprah pitching a fit because Hermes' wouldn't open after hours so she could buy a watch for Tina Turner; then making a big deal out of it on top of her expensive *all black guests with everyone but *O* dressed in black... well her *fame* has gone to her head and that dear Oprah your ego means I will tune out.

[Hank Rearden]

Well, for sure, it's not just me:

Tomatometer: 26%.

That's pretty much Gigli-grade filmmaking. Stinkerooney.

[hford02]

I think you're dead-on about Hollywood's usual depiction of the American family. In the cast majority of fictional stories there are no daddies. (They're stuck when the story is about real people -- albeit they spend a lot of time rewriting history too). The Hollywood amoral cesspool scoffs at the "puritan" notions of chastity, innocence or abstinence. Every wedding leads to a divorce in Hollywood so many are disinclined to marry at all. These patterns are obvious on TV as well.

While Roe V Wade has polarized the population on the abortion issue it has also reinforced the feminist notion that men are useless and unnecessary. Ultimately there are no daddies -- just deadbeats who care about their offspring about as much as a male rat. This model is contrary to the obvious primordial human nature. Our offspring are born severely dependent and are meant to be raised by a nurturing mother and protected by a strong father. No amount of time in psychiatric treatment or Scientology will change the fundamental human nature. Most normal happily married heterosexuals will live longer and be much more content than the average celebrity.
By the way, I do get a charge reading about how the Hollywood pigs trade sex partners, ala Ben Afleck, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Gardner etc etc etc.

[Hank Rearden]

From the trailers I've seen, it looks great, and all the fellow comics fans I know are anxious to see it!

So what'd you think? We're anxiously awaiting your review.

While we're waiting, here's one: So bad it takes points away from BATMAN BEGINS.