Soderbergh challenges 'out of whack' studios

BREITBERT.COM ( Reuters) ^ | Sep 23 2005 | Anne Thompson

[Mad Dawgg]

Looks like some in Hollywood are catching on. Movie theaters are the new millennium equivalent of a buggy whip manufacturer.

Home theaters are becoming mainstream now.

[Mad Dawgg]

HDTV ping

[thulldud]

They need to fix their "out of whack" views of life. They live in a fantasy world, and anybody who views their movies is prone to get sucked into it.

Meanwhile, reality is outside the theater. As always.

[Borges]

You can say the same thing about reading fiction or listening to music no?

[goarmy]

"...the national vp for the Directors Guild of America..."

What does the Film Actors Guild have to say about this?

[thulldud]

Pretty much. About the only fiction I will read is humor, because it's easier to keep from confusing it with reality (or maybe, it actually resembles reality better than "serious" stuff!). I go for history and biography these days.

And music: Isn't "rap music" a contradiction in terms?

[Borges]

Good fiction is a prismatic view of reality that gives people a better understanding of it. Ideally anyway.

[Mad Dawgg]

"What does the Film Actors Guild have to say about this?"

Film Actors Guild?

F.A.G.?

I wonder if Tom Cruise is a member?

[siunevada]

movie theater owners who played the documentary "Enron: The Smartest Guy in the Room" are receiving a 1% share of that film's DVD sales.

That little item probably won't cover the electric bill but it's an interesting concept. I'm sure if Disney's Iger had offered that the theater owners wouldn't find any problem with a shorter DVD release schedule.

There's still a place for the movie theater experience. You just can't get that eardrum shattering sound in the home theater yet. Plus there's the bonus of your fellow audience members yammering on and on and on for everyone to hear.

[Hong Kong Expat]

Wow, if you have a hard time keeping reality and fiction separated, good luck there.

[Borges]

Wow, if you have a hard time keeping reality and fiction separated, good luck there.

Isn't that one of the primary characteristics of psychosis?

[Mad Dawgg]

"There's still a place for the movie theater experience. You just can't get that eardrum shattering sound in the home theater yet."

Bull puckey.

I once had the neighbors call the police because they were sure someone had been shot in our house.

We were watching a movie.

In fact you can get multitudes better sound than 95% of American Movie theaters have for very little money.

[Zeroisanumber]

I once had the neighbors call the police because they were sure someone had been shot in our house.

Go to a lot of concerts when you were young? =)

[thulldud]

Wait till the neighbors get used to the sound, then you can shoot anybody you want and they'll all think it's a movie.

We could be on to something here.

[thulldud]

Good fiction is a prismatic view of reality that gives people a better understanding of it.

I would agree. Too bad there's so little of it anymore. It doesn't sell.

[Borges]

There's lots of it. It's just mostly the bad fiction that sells.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Go to a lot of concerts when you were young? =)"

SAY AGAIN!

[siunevada]

I once had the neighbors call the police because they were sure someone had been shot in our house.

Yes. But is it loud enough to actually cause physical damage to your body? That's an experience worth plunking down your hard-earned money for, isn't it?

[thulldud]

So why is it the bad fiction that sells? Better marketing? Or is it that the readers hope to replace the "world that is" with the fictional one?

If you read or write fiction to comment on reality, that's one thing. If you are trying to replace it, catch ya later.