Are Hollywood's politics killing the movie business?

latimesblogs.latimes.com ^ | October 14, 2008 | Patrick Goldstein

[Berlin_Freeper]

Leonardo DiCaprio is a big supporter of saving the planet. George Clooney is always at the U.N., trying to prevent more mass murder and starvation in Darfur. Matt Damon recently criticized Sarah Palin, saying if she were elected vice president it would be "like a really bad Disney movie--'The Hockey Mom.' " Agree or disagree with their stands--would that really stop you from seeing their movies?

If you ask conservatives, the answer is yes. I wrote a post yesterday analyzing the box-office failure of "Body of Lies," which starred Russell Crowe and DiCaprio in a Middle East political thriller. According to my favorite conservative blogger, Dirty Harry (who was nice enough to call my post "thoughtful"), I missed the real issue. As he put it:

"Many Americans no longer trust Hollywood not to insult their beliefs and values.... Goldstein brushes past the idea that the fall of the movie star (other than Will Smith and Adam Sandler) might have something to do with their strident and boorish politicking. Even Americans in sympathy with what DiCaprio and Clooney believe don't want to be scolded about the environment by the private jet, mansion-dwelling crowd. We want to like our movie stars but today's crop just isn't all that likeable. We want to project onto our movie stars and neither in real life nor even up on the screen are we allowed to do so anymore.... When they wig out and go all liberal or outright anti-American it destroys their reliability, likeability and our ability to project all in one fell swoop."

[Tamar1973]

This is why I watch Korean movies/dramas. The writing/acting/directing are 100% better than most of the crap coming out of hollywood these days.

Their actors also keep their mouths shut about politics and don’t lecture their fans about how to live their lives.

[dforest]

I hope their industry goes down with the MSM.

I won’t contribute a dime to these scum.

[johnTX]

Whoa back up. People would stop seeing movies with George Clooney in it because he is trying to stop mass murder and starvation in Darfur?

I must have read that wrong, because surely there can’t be a large pro-murder pro-starvation group boycotting movies.

[Centurion2000]

Many Americans no longer trust Hollywood not to insult their beliefs and values

Bingo.

[mtnwmn]

In a word “yes”! Not to mention their lifestyles.

[dforest]

I don’t miss them either. Their movies lack a story and stink.

[DainBramage]

I watch them on dvd all the time. I cant remember the last one that wasnt loaded with liberal ideas or at least inuendo.

It may be all the way at the end but sure enough...it makes a liberal statement.

[Vlaxo]

The problem with Hollywood is that talent is passed for cronyism. The same circles that have brought us all the hits over the last 30 years are the same ones who in the name of control aren't letting the new talent move our culture forward.

I personally believe we peaked as a culture in the late 80’s early 90’s. Now everything is a spin off or retro revival from the past.. Look at all the movies and music that are out there all remakes and re samples.

There is a pinch point in creativity in this country. Stagnation is the norm

[arrogantsob]

A local video store is going out of business and is selling everything off at cut rate prices. I bought a few of the interesting titles but was totally stunned by just how much utter garbage is produced. Not even 1 in a 100 is worth 5 bucks.

[Berlin_Freeper]

I put off watching movies until my wife insists and then I trash them through the whole movie and espouse what really should have happened and why.

[netmilsmom]

Go see ‘The Dark Knight’.
The looney left said that it is so conservative, Bush and Cheney must have financed it.

I’m not kidding.

[telebob]

Goldstein basically claims that conservatives are stupid for boycotting lefty actors who publically diss them. At the same time, while acknowledging that conservatives have a beef with Hollywood, this beef has no effect on box office.

So there...Bogey did it so Clooney can too!

[BigBobber]

Yes, I’ve notice that in the new book section of my local library. There is always a big stack of the latest lefty tomes. Nobody wants to read them, but the librarians love to buy them!

[RightOnline]

"I’ve never watched Titanic, not even on TV. Somebody on FR spoiled it for me told me how it ended (the ship sank)."

DAMN you!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Honey.......take it back; I know how the damned thing ends now..........s**t...........who knew......."

[DGHoodini]

There are many 40+ yr old movies, that still command a double digit price, even at the bargain DVD sites...Yet lo and behold, many of the liberal “Blockbuster” movies, from even a couple of years ago, are selling for under $5..if not under the cost of the shipping.

HA ha!

[griswold3]

That’s funny, I really think Matt Damon is the guy in Team America!

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

I certainly enjoy the scene in Titanic where DiCaprio sinks into the abyss.

Me too! I'm a sucker for a happy ending!

[DainBramage]

I still have night mares from pretty in pink.

[CharacterCounts]

The author misses the point. Its not an actors politics that causes people to refuse to see his or her movies. Everyone has political beliefs. Its the lecturing, hectoring and condescension which cause people to hate an actor.

No one likes a holier than thou know it all.

[Berlin_Freeper]

I could escape every Houdini constraint there ever was, all of them put together, just to tell you what crap the movie we are watching is.