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The Iraq Movie Flop
New York Sun ^ | November 21, 2007 | Kevin Hssett

Posted on 11/21/2007 8:49:44 AM PST by Zakeet

The Robert Redford movie "Lions for Lambs" has been a box-office disappointment. It grossed $6.7 million during its first weekend earlier this month, placing it fourth behind "Bee Movie" ($25.6 million), "American Gangster" ($24 million) and "Fred Claus" ($18.5 million).

It is not ordinarily big news when a movie does poorly. Indeed, Mr. Redford's film has been savaged by critics, which makes its paltry ticket sales even less of a surprise.

Still, its weakness at the box office has been the focus of attention. On November 6, USA Today published an article, "Movie Fans Vote 'No' on Politically Charged Films." Three days later, Agence France-Presse released a widely distributed piece, "Hollywood is Casualty of War as Movie-Goers Shun Iraq Films."

The best art reveals hidden truths about ourselves. In this episode, the irony is that the press response to a flop has revealed much about the world we live in, perhaps more effectively than would a cinema masterpiece.

The fact that moviegoers are avoiding "Lions for Lambs" is interesting to the press because it supports one of the key liberal narratives of our times: Citizens are sick and tired of the Iraq war; they blame an unpopular president and his party for the horrible mess we are in; and they're so repulsed that they can't even bring themselves to watch films about the war or war-related themes. This contrasts with Americans' attitude toward movies about other U.S. wars. They flocked to see "Apocalypse Now" and "The Deer Hunter," despite the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. If they don't go see movies about Iraq, then this war, in a way, must be worse than Vietnam.

(Excerpt) Read more at nysun.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: hollywood; iraq; lionsforlambs; wot
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It's Bush's fault this dribble won't sell.

1 posted on 11/21/2007 8:49:45 AM PST by Zakeet
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To: Zakeet
They flocked to see "Apocalypse Now" and "The Deer Hunter," despite the unpopularity of the Vietnam War.

Those films were really good though. These contemporary films are apparently not.
2 posted on 11/21/2007 8:51:28 AM PST by Borges
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To: Zakeet
Arn’t the “Hollywood” types the one’s that we used to beat the crap out of in high school?

Meadow Muffin

3 posted on 11/21/2007 8:52:17 AM PST by rwgal
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To: Borges

Apocalypse Now is one of my favorite movies. Best adaptation of a novel I’ve ever seen. Got the feel of Heart of Darkness with a completely different setting. I wouldn’t go to this piece of )(*& if someone else paid for my ticket.


4 posted on 11/21/2007 8:54:37 AM PST by Greg F (Duncan Hunter is a good man.)
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To: Zakeet

In Redford’s movies, there’s always a dig at the Republicans. Did anyone watch this to locate the slam against the Pubs or the Pub Party is?


5 posted on 11/21/2007 8:55:10 AM PST by lilylangtree (Veni, Vidi, Vici)
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To: Borges

Yeah the critics have been openly brutal to the films, which is surprising given the symbiotic relationship between critic/moviemakers.

Redford’s film has been likened to watching a boring politics class debate (or something like that). And this is the vaunted Robert Redford, whose poop has never stunk.


6 posted on 11/21/2007 8:55:15 AM PST by Secret Agent Man
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To: Zakeet
It cheers my patriotic heart from sea to shining sea!
7 posted on 11/21/2007 8:55:27 AM PST by Pilated
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Secret Agent Man

Redford is one of the most overpraised figures in movie history. He’s a blank performer and a pedestrian filmmaker. ‘Ordinary People’ was shrink wrapped pseudo art.


9 posted on 11/21/2007 8:56:37 AM PST by Borges
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To: Zakeet

They should rename it “Liars for Lames”.


10 posted on 11/21/2007 8:57:00 AM PST by steel_resolve (If you can't stand behind our troops, then please stand in front...)
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To: Zakeet

I’ll bet they’ll blame Republicans for this, or the American people for not getting it.

They’ll never admit that perhaps the movie just sucked for other reasons...casting, script, etc.


11 posted on 11/21/2007 8:58:00 AM PST by Slapshot68
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To: Zakeet

They can spin these cr*ppy anti-American, anti-war movies all they want, and try to claim they’re doing just as well as other movies. BS. The reality is that Americans don’t want to see their soldiers portrayed as murderers, rapists, and torturers, or their government portrayed as inhumane monsters. They want their soldiers to be heros who overcome adversity and kick jihadi a**, and their government to support them.


12 posted on 11/21/2007 8:59:30 AM PST by hsalaw
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To: Borges
Redford made his bones with his smile in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Many women fell in love. That made him a movie star.

I would give his acting and range a D.

He's clearly using his money for political propaganda. Let him spend it all.

13 posted on 11/21/2007 9:00:15 AM PST by purpleraine
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To: Zakeet
They flocked to see "Apocalypse Now" and "The Deer Hunter," despite the unpopularity of the Vietnam War.

Apocalypse Now - 1979
Deer Hunter - 1978

Both years after the last helicopter out of Saigon.

14 posted on 11/21/2007 9:01:16 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Government is the hired help - not the boss. When politicians forget that they must be fired.)
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To: rawcatslyentist
Geez, from that pic, Redford and Streep could be sisters.

And Tom "Closet Case" Cruise is, as usual, trying way to hard to butch it up for the camera.


Come out, Tom!!

;o)
15 posted on 11/21/2007 9:01:45 AM PST by LIConFem (Thompson 2008. Lifetime ACU Rating: 86 -- Hunter 2008 (VP) Lifetime ACU Rating: 92)
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To: rawcatslyentist
HOLLYWOOD MEOWS!
16 posted on 11/21/2007 9:03:25 AM PST by LZ_Bayonet (There's Always Something.............And there's always something worse!)
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To: hsalaw

Amen. I wish some of the alleged conservatives who supposedly exist under the radar in Hollywood would band together and make a good movie about this war for our freedom like John Wayne did with “The Green Berets,” IMHO the only good Vietnam War movie ever made and the only one we needed. Failing that, maybe a truly independent project made by a church like the wonderful “Facing the Giants” or some other privately funded group could help to put the truth in theaters.


17 posted on 11/21/2007 9:04:14 AM PST by onward_xtian_soldier (God Bless America! America Bless God!)
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To: Zakeet
They flocked to see "Apocalypse Now" and "The Deer Hunter," despite the unpopularity of the Vietnam War. Because those movies didn't suck.

Both were riveting, well written and acted films about the horror of war, and both were completely free of agenda driven political commentary.

The current crop of "war" movies DRIP with contempt for America.

18 posted on 11/21/2007 9:05:06 AM PST by xsrdx (Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas)
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To: hsalaw
"The reality is that Americans don’t want to see their soldiers portrayed as murderers, rapists, and torturers, or their government portrayed as inhumane monsters."

Yes, but the Euro-peein' audiences do.

19 posted on 11/21/2007 9:05:14 AM PST by LZ_Bayonet (There's Always Something.............And there's always something worse!)
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To: Zakeet
Movies are a form of art. For centuries art was defined as a means to uplift, to inspire, to reflect the sublime. Leave it to the Hollywood weirdos to turn this art into stream-of-consciousness trash. Absolutely worthless, with no object other than to belittle, to mock, to debase.

Show me an Iraq was film that exalts the sacrifice and bravery of our fighting men and women. Show me an Iraq war film that demonstrates the sacrifices of our troops, of our President, of the Iraqi people who yearn for liberation. Show me an Iraqi movie contrasting the true horrors of Saddam and the lives of the newly liberated. Show me any of these movies and I guarantee it to be widely viewed and praised. Inspire us with this art, do not try to peddle your ugly personal opinions based upon your corrupt life.

20 posted on 11/21/2007 9:06:23 AM PST by Obadiah
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