Posted on 12/13/2005 11:34:35 AM PST by Millee
Even a much-hyped giant gorilla, a geisha and a schoolboy magician won't be able to create a happy ending at the US box office, as Hollywood ends its most disappointing year in nearly two decades. Plunging movie ticket sales, after a string of uninspiring remakes and movie sequels coupled with an explosion of the DVD and video game markets, are keeping audiences at home and have sent Hollywood into a deep existential crisis. "This industry is facing significant challenges said Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp, a business support and research body.
Ticket sale revenues dropped five percent in the first 11 months of 2005 while the number of Americans going to the cinema fell by 6.2 percent compared with the same period in 2004, according to box office trackers Exhibitor Relations Co Inc.
The result is Tinseltown's most disappointing box office performance in 15 years as audiences, dazzled by their entertainment choices and disappointed by the mediocre films on offer, turned away from the cinema in droves.
Even the late November and December releases of blockbusters "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "King Kong", "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Memoirs of a Geisha" are unlikely to turn around the downward trend.
"It's not just a slump in box office, but also in sales of DVDs," Kyser told AFP. "This is mainly because of unattractive movies that don't appeal to young male audiences, the cost of movie tickets, parking, the shrinking window a movie's theatrical and DVD releases.
In addition, Hollywood faces a major external threat: runaway production costs, the growing trend of movie producers to shoot in places such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand to cash in on much lower staff and production charges.
"Some studios are doing some moderate lay offs. LA's future is at stake," Kyser said, demonstrating the depth of despair in the nine-billion-dollar a year industry.
Industry movers are battling to isolate the true causes of the slump, crossing their fingers that the big-budget money-spinners up Hollywood's sleeve will help ease the pain.
"Is it the movies? Is it the ticket prices? Is it because home theater and DVD?," pondered Exhibitor Relations Co's chief Paul Dergarabedian."I think is it because all this happening at the same time, it is a combination of facts."
But he was optimistic for the future of the industry, saying that when Hollywood does dish up a good film, audiences still go rushing to see it.
"'Harry Potter' is showing that people still want to go to the movies but still they need a good reason to go," Dergarabedian told AFP.
The fourth film of JK Rowling's cult novels opened on November 18 and has so far raked in 244 million dollars, making it second most successful film of 2005, behind "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith".
"When a good movie strikes, people go to the theatres," said Dergarabedian.
The last in the "Star Wars" series raked in a whopping 380 million dollars in North American box office, "War of the Worlds," starring Tom Cruise took 234 million, the comedy "Wedding Crashers" notched up 208 million in ticket receipts and Tim Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" took 206 million.
But the successes were few and far between in 2005.
Ron Howard's 88-million-dollar biopic "Cinderella Man," starring Oscar winners Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, took only 61 million dollars, while Ridley Scott's crusade epic "Kingdom of Heaven," which cost 130 million dollars to make, reaped only 47 million at the all-important domestic the box office.
Other fizzlers that did not recoup their budgets included the much-touted sci-fi flop "The Island," which hauled in only 35 million dollars, while Jamie Foxx's military drama "Stealth" bombed with a US and Canadian haul of 31 million dollars. It quickly disappeared from screens.
"Movie goers are very picky and they want the price of the ticket to be worthwhile, the studios had to offer more," said Gitesh Pandya of movie industry tracker Box Office Guru.
"There should be more creativity and new ideas, not just sequels and remake. Let's hope Hollywood listens to the audiences," he added.
I like sci-fi too but I like more intellectual sci-fi instead of explosions, space battles, and bug-eyed aliens. Not much hope for me either.
Hear, hear!
Hey Hollywood, Shut up and act!
Sadly, I doubt the current Hollywood talent is capable of either of those suggestions.
"Is it the movies? Is it the ticket prices? Is it because home theater and DVD?," pondered Exhibitor Relations Co's chief Paul Dergarabedian."I think is it because all this happening at the same time, it is a combination of facts."
Maybe it's that many people are tired of the liberal slant from the Hollywierd elite.
Funny thing is that an associate of mine who is gay is completely offended by the 'gay cowboy' movie..
Maybe most Hollywood writers are young males. They write for themselves.
I can only speak for myself - but I don't like the movie industry anymore. It's filled with liberals who despise people like me, so I make a conscious effort to return the favor by not patronizing their products.
The problem isn't the lack of blockbusters...its the fact that Hollywood has lost the art of the B movie. Those enthusiastic but cheap films that usually had some old actor desperate to stay in film, surrounded by no names pulled straight from the talent agencies, and then mixed with simple plots and cheap special effects.
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Darn tootin'. |
They have. They're making more and more girlie movies and the guys are staying home. Some of these movies are good, but some are just plain dreck.
When it got to the point that my wife and I were going to the movies and opting to see different ones, I lost interest. There are other reasons, but that was one factor.
That's the problem, Hollywood is LOSING this audience! What movies appeal to adventure loving males? Very few out there. Males will only go to so many "chick flicks". We certainly won't go to gay cowboy movies, unoriginal TV remakes or movies with a political agenda.
Know where the male crowd is flocking to? Video games.
My spending on video games has risen significantly in the last 5 years while my spending on movies has declined significantly.
Reasons:
Action/Adventure
Stunning graphics and special effects (Halo 2)
Great story lines (Halo 2)
Very original content -- very imaginative
oh my goodness..... trouble in lotus land.
Perhaps they should call some of the newspaper publishers to get some advice.
I think the journalists are stuck in the 1980's. They've got their perspective and they're sticking to it. Ticket sales mean everything.
80% of any profit now comes after the movies have left the theaters. For most commercial movies, the run in the theater is now like an extended trailer.
Lets see....
Maybe more than 'young males' watch movies?
Maybe more money is available for entertainment with older folks of both genders?
Maybe aiming movies at this audience would make sense?
Kids are downloading movies now, sometimes before they appear in the local theaters.
The cost for an evening of going to the movies is exorbitant, starting with the $5 popcorn that costs a nickel. The 'invisible hand' of the market place is turning local theater and their ownerss into the same class as buggy whip shops.
Opening January 20th. Starring Kate Beckinsale.
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