Box office blues stem from blue-state bigotry

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 12, 2005 | Govindini Murty

[RWR8189]

Hollywood's box office has hit the skids, and the entertainment media are in overdrive trying to explain why. The most obvious explanation for box office malaise is consistently overlooked: Hollywood's ruling liberal elites keep going out of their way to offend half their audience.

Constant gibes about Republicans, Christians, conservatives and the military litter today's movies and award show presentations like so many pieces of trash on theater floors. Did we really need to hear another anti-Bush diatribe from Chris Rock at the Oscars this year?

Did the industry have to go out of its way to snub "The Passion of the Christ" at award shows because of its perceived conservatism — even though the movie saved last year's box office?

Did we need a movie like "Kingdom of Heaven" asserting moral equivalency between medieval Crusaders and modern Muslim terrorists, by putting lines in Crusaders' mouths such as: "To kill an infidel is not a sin"?

Did we need George Lucas implying that his latest "Star Wars" film is intended as an anti-Bush parable about the Iraq war, in which America plays the evil empire? (I thought the movie was an artistic success, but Lucas' comments spoiled my enjoyment and kept me from repeated viewings.)

Did we need to hear from "War of the Worlds" screenwriter David Koepp that the aliens in his movie are stand-ins for the U.S military — and the innocent Americans they attack are stand-ins for Iraqi civilians? Or that Americans are guilty of post-9/11 anti-Muslim "paranoia"? (A question to Koepp: Were we "paranoid" after Pearl Harbor too?)

[VisualizeSmallerGovernment]

Great piece. What's even better is that when I clicked on the link, I got this ad:

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Vote on how the Bush Adminstration has hurt our country the most.

[ncountylee]

VCR effect predicted in the 70's slams Hollywood revenues.

[SIDENET]

Hollywood's box office has hit the skids

And I say screw 'em. They obviously don't want my money.

[frankiep]

It has been quite a while since I've gone to see any of the crap that Hollywood puts out. The last thing I went to see was 'Team America'.

It's not just on movies either. Yesterday I saw an episode of The Simpsons that just made me sick to my stomach. In the episode the entire family was arrested and thrown into prison, called the Ronald Reagan Reeducation Center, for not being patriotic enough. With them in the prison were Michael Moore, the Dixie Chicks, and the last registered democrat. I know that this episode is a few years old already but I had never seen it until last night. The disgust I felt was tremendous. I will not be watching that show again.

[BunnySlippers]

Outstanding piece.

[PetroniusMaximus]

RIP Hollywood.

Death by starvation.

[GulliverSwift]

Fortunately, a new conservative film movement is arising to give hope to those on the new Hollywood blacklist. Michael Moore's emergence showed us we could no longer passively yield Hollywood to the left, and Gibson's success showed us there was a market for films that lean to the right.

So who are these new conservatives?

[GailA]

holywierd is in pain in their wallets and they are to stupid to see they are the cause of it themselves.
As long as they continue to offend me as a Christian and a CONSERVATIVE I will boycott them with my MONEY!

[SkyPilot]

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[Commander Salamander]

Already posted yesterday with over 5,000 views:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1440467/posts

[socal_parrot]

Theatrical releases have become just commercials for the DVD release.

[SkyPilot]

Since Mel Gibson's "Passion," no studio movies have been made celebrating traditional religious faith. And post-Sept. 11, no studio movie has been made supporting America's war on terrorism, or denouncing Islamic terrorism. A conservative writer/director friend was developing a script last year about the Iraq war and the capture of Saddam Hussein. My friend says that after $500,000 was spent developing the project, the studio head pulled the plug because, as he put it, any movie depicting the capture of Hussein might help Bush.

I saw Ronald Reagan's Army Air Force uniform on display at the Air Force museum in Dayton Ohio once. They had a display also of where he worked in Hollywood at the time, acting and helping to produce movies to help the war effort. I have one of them on video, a short training film designed to aid US fighter pilots in the Pacific identify the Japanese zero. There were many, many others.

That Hollywood from yesteryear is dead.

[R. Scott]

I dislike the Hollywood Version of History – which I can at times handle if it is corrupted for entertainment value – I can’t handle the political overtones. I dislike the over dependence on special effects. As an example, most of the actual real world explosion I have seen do not include huge fireballs – but I guess fireballs are prettier. I can blame both of these on the war comedy “Apocalypse Now”.
When I see a current Hollywood Hot Property on the screen it is difficult to separate the character from the person.
I don’t like the crap coming out of Hollywood, so I’m a bigot. So be it. I am bigoted against the American Major Film Industry.

[EUPHORIC]

I don't go to the movies because most new movies SUCK. There is NO talent. NO creativity. And NO plot worth following. What is creative about taking an old classic and adding new special effects and casting a black guy as the lead? And that is most all Hollywood has to offer nowdays.

Besides that the themes SUCK too. I for one don't want to hear the monotonous rap crap beat in EVERYTHING so I just don't go. And nope! I don't eat at McDonalds either. :)

[mainepatsfan]

One would think if they box office numbers keep going down they'll get the message. Perhaps not.

[PGalt]

Reality vs. Make Believe

Truth vs. Propaganda

Freedom vs. Slavery

[wingman1]

"...Or that Americans are guilty of post-9/11 anti-Muslim "paranoia"? (A question to Koepp: Were we "paranoid" after Pearl Harbor too?)..."

Answer: Earl Warren and FDR.

[Joe Boucher]

You can or shouldn't be that way. It was just horrible when the country and western fans turned on the Dixie Chicks just because they took a stand against America.

Just a it is wrong that America turns its back on Hollywoods movies just because they push the homosexual agenda, liberal causes, democrat politicians, and are anti Bush.
Well, just maybe folks have something there. Use you purchases to help sway what is produced.
I don't think I'll purchase anythng from hollywood, france, germany, or North Korea. Well North Korea doesn't produce anything worth while anyway but then neither does the rest.

[GailA]

I don't buy that which offends me, be it clothes, movies, music etc. simple as that. The clothes part is the hardest part, finding ADULT conservative clothes in a teen oriented business is hard. T shirts and jeans seem to be the most favored in my wardrobe in the past few years. I refuse to wear the street walker clothes that the so called fashion designers are so fond of.