Steven Spielberg Predicts 'Implosion' of Film Industry

The Hollywood Reporter ^ | June 12, 2013 | Paul Bond

[DoughtyOne]

Okay 1010RD, please tells us what offended you in the movie.

We’ve been talking about it on this thread.

[1010RD]

1. It needed to be edited down. It dragged on and on.

2. It was a rated PG ‘kids’ movie that wasn’t. This is a long time trend in Hollywood in which they inject inappropriate content into a childrens’ film. I suspect it’s the entire reason behing PG13. Shrek did this, too.

3. The same reasons noted by you. If you liked the Wizard of Oz, this film isn’t consistent with the theme. It lacks any innocence.

Because Hollywood is so liberal, even family men like Raimi are caught in the middle of the road. They have families and children and therefore get some of it, but because they worship at the idol of liberalism they don’t. So you get these muddled films.

Art De Vany did a study of Hollywood film success and failure. It turns out that this billion dollar industry with all its experience, star power and megalomania has utterly no idea how to make a hit movie. I find it shocking that they don’t get the formula.

[DoughtyOne]

1. It needed to be edited down. It dragged on and on.
We see this a bit different, but I agree that there needed to be changes, better choices in the production process.  I found myself wishing they had made the movie more multi-dimensional instead of focusing on men's perceived predatory natures, or even the needy female psyche.  So instead of wanting it cut down, I would have liked to see them change the material that was there.  Just make them evil characters and be done with it.  You don't have to blame men for it, or get into the female psychobable aspects of it.  I think that is damaging to young minds.  What are they supposed to do with this stuff at the age of young kids?  IMO, this movie was abusive to the young kids that will view it.

2. It was a rated PG ‘kids’ movie that wasn’t. This is a long time trend in Hollywood in which they inject inappropriate content into a children's film. I suspect it’s the entire reason behind PG13. Shrek did this, too.
We're on the same page here.  I agree that it has gotten worse over time to the point that much of what they offer up for children is way way over the line.

3. The same reasons noted by you. If you liked the Wizard of Oz, this film isn’t consistent with the theme. It lacks any innocence.
We're on the same page here too, as you noted.  I noticed this too, the lack of a clear connection to the Dorothy Gale experience that we know would follow.  Did you find yourself wondering the sex of the writer of this tripe the farther in you watched?  I did.  I didn't pay attention up front, but I swear it seemed to me like it was written by some bitter 45 year old wench who had been jilted herself, and wanted to warn the other broads to avoid men.  Well, I'd have to temper that with the included theory that all it takes is a woman to straighten out men.  What great subject matter for children.

Because Hollywood is so liberal, even family men like Raimi are caught in the middle of the road. They have families and children and therefore get some of it, but because they worship at the idol of liberalism they don’t. So you get these muddled films.
I guess.  For the life of me I don't get some of the inclusions in these films.  Why introduce adult subject matter at all?  It's a kids film.  What psychobable was included in the original Wizard of Oz?  It was a story of a young girl in a dream, experiencing the sorts of things kids experience in a dream.  It wasn't the nightmare of an older woman, exposure to the male of the species.  It was innocent.  That movie has stood up for 80 years.  This one will probably be forgotten in five.  

Art De Vany did a study of Hollywood film success and failure. It turns out that this billion dollar industry with all its experience, star power and megalomania has utterly no idea how to make a hit movie. I find it shocking that they don’t get the formula.
There's some truth in that alright.  During the last few days I read an article here talking about how the studio model was failing.  The big hits aren't drawing the fans in.  Well guess why?  Movie fans are tired of getting hit over the head with a Liberal-stick every time they venture into a cinema.  Who knew?

Thanks for the response.

[Borges]

The Wizard of Oz or the current prequel?

[DoughtyOne]

The current prequel...

[Borges]

There is no formula. Nor should there be.

[supremedoctrine]

You are absolutely right, and I’ve been saying that for a long time. Our TVs now are like a miniature movie theater offering crystal clear images, and Netflix, for minimal cost can send you just about ANY movie you want to see. About 5% of movie product from anywhere in the world has been worth watching, anyway, and movie-going as a “communal experience” in the megaplexes has become a celebration of crass commercialism and a masscult social obligation. I no longer feel anything magical by sitting in an audience with a few hundred others in a movie theater: I do however, with my wife and family, at home.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.

...inevitable, whereby a half dozen or so $250 million movies flop at the box office and alter the industry forever. What comes next -- or even before then -- will be price variances at movie theaters, where "you're gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man, you're probably only going to have to pay $7 to see Lincoln." He also said that Lincoln came "this close" to being an HBO movie instead of a theatrical release.

Pay cable / sat stations make it convenient to watch porn, without the risk of seeing neighbors in the next row over, and the line between regular features/tv programs and 'adult' has blurred, to say the least.

[Red Steel]

Steven Spielberg ...will be price variances at movie theaters, where "you're gonna have to pay $25 for the next Iron Man

Which should cause further clasped of Hollywood. I'm not paying that price.

[Osage Orange]

Is TV a word?

[Red Steel]

clasped = collapse

[supremedoctrine]

You are absolutely right, and I’ve been saying that for a long time. Our TVs , large and increasingly affordable now function as miniature movie theaters offering crystal clear images, and Netflix, for minimal cost can send you just about ANY movie you want to see.You can control your environment when you watch a movie at home, and feed yourself popcorn or anything else on the cheap. About 5% of movie product from anywhere in the world has been worth watching, anyway, and movie-going as a “communal experience” in the megaplexes has become a celebration of crass commercialism and a masscult social obligation. I no longer feel anything magical by sitting in an audience with a few hundred others in a movie theater: I do however, with my wife and family, at home.

[1010RD]

Nonsense. You do realize that cinema is a business. A business without a formula is barely even a hobby. No one invests hundreds of millions of dollars without some expectation of return.

Writers make money using formulas and churn out the books their audiences want. You’d expect the movie industry, whose executives are paid multiples more than they’d make in any industry, to know how to make a successful film.

Why is After Earth flopping?

http://www.boxoffice.com/statistics/movies/1000-ae-2013?q=after earth

Did the Smiths not want it to succeed? Did they throw their money away? How would you ‘fix’ this movie?

Hollywood wants to know.

[1010RD]

Good reply. I should have been clearer. We agree on the content in general, but for me I thought the film dragged. It’s not the length, but the pacing. It seemed like they felt the audience was too dumb to get it. I liked the first five minutes, but they dragged it out too long. The same thing happened where scene after scene should have been cut by 10-20% of total time. Given that shooting occurs at ten to one, IIRC, they must have had a lot of junk given how much was left in.

[Borges]

I meant that there is no formula for making a good film. There are formulas for making formulaic films though ad many of those flop all the time.

[CodeToad]

Society is so unpleasant we just don’t go anymore. Theaters are an antique technology. Most people have large screen TVs and prefer the comfort of their on homes.

I see a massive change where just like drive-in the theaters are goners and movies go direct to on-demand and DVD.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks. That was what I thought you were referencing. And I do agree scenes could have been trimmed better. Still I would have liked to have seen a side story or something more revealing.

If you think about it, there was really nothing new developed here. We’ve seen Oz before. We know about the poppy fields. We have seen the Munchkins before. We knew there were two witches. And I should note here, the one witch was killed off before Dorothy’s house fell on her. Ouch!

What really new thing was shown here, other than the personal story of the Wizard? Were there new lands, new people, new... well much of anything?

There were a few bits and pieces of that, but not much.

[tdscpa]

Thanks for the movie review. I did not see this movie, and I did not understand your critique, but it helped me understand why I no longer enjoy movies.

I apparently did not have enough college psychology courses to enable me to understand modern movies. I wasted my college years in business school. Never realized I would need to psychoanalyze the actors and director to enjoy a movie.

[DoughtyOne]

I think we have to ask ourselves if there can be improper mindsets presented to the public to move an agenda. If the answer is no, then no need to worry. If the answer is yes, then perhaps we would take notice of the messages that are conveyed.

I don’t think it’s healthy to present the idea that men are craven beasts that need to be perfected by a woman.

If you think I’m being to picky and judgmental, you may in fact be right.

I don’t ask for perfection in movies. I do think the vision of this movie was deeply flawed. That’s my take on it.

I don’t think we need to put our minds on autopilot and accept anything they want to pump into it. Sometimes I object. Sometimes I think we should.