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HOLLYWOOD IS TAKING BEATING AT BOX OFFICE
New York Post ^ | 11/24/04 | BILL HOFFMANN

Posted on 11/23/2004 11:24:10 PM PST by kattracks

Lights! Camera! Agita!

Despite monster hits like "The Incredibles" and "Shark Tale," Hollywood is hurting this season, with overall box-office earnings down well below the take in the same period for the previous two years.

In the 10 weeks from Labor Day to just before Thanksgiving, the film industry grossed $1.39 billion, down 14 percent from last year's record of $1.63 billion and off 12 percent from $1.59 billion in 2002.

Fall ticket sales were a bust as well, dropping 18 percent from last year's figure, from 268.3 million ducats to 219.9 million. This year's sales also were below the 222.8 million reported in 1998.

Analysts lamented that the first part of the post-summer season was, to put it in movie terms, a colossal bomb.

[snip]

The Hollywood Reporter blames a shorter-than-usual season for some of the drop in income. This year's fall season was one of the more frequently occurring 10-week periods, while the previous two years were both 11-week seasons.

But the industry mag concluded the dramatic decline was caused by a combination of bad movies and bad buzz about them.


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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: boxoffice; haha; hollywood; hooray; money; movies; sharktale; skid; theincredibles
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To: SkyPilot

I think another big reason for the drop is computer games. Halo2 raked in huge amounts of cash. Kids are playing incredible games! The graphics are stunning, The game play excellent and the replay value is high. Why go to a movie for gods sake? You get so much more action and so much more story from a game at home.
I'm glad to indulge in some shadenfraude at hollywoods expense but I suspect other causes rather than Red State anger.
Having said that, I have not been to a theater since RoTK. The movies lately have been crap thrown out so that they can write off the loses. I plan to see the Incredibles this holiday weekend. The only movie I would like to see besides National Treasure is Ray. I am surpised how much excitement Ray did Not generate though.


41 posted on 11/24/2004 3:21:37 AM PST by SSR1
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To: Rocky Mountain Mama

Add Julia "republican is between reptile & repugnant" Roberts to your list of refusing to watch.


42 posted on 11/24/2004 3:22:41 AM PST by Alissa
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To: cherry

"I'd just as soon stay home and watch reruns...."


In the past movies about heroes were made by stars who, in many cases, actually were real life heroes, Glenn Ford for instance. Nowadays movies about heroes are mostly made by stars you wouldn't want to share space with.


43 posted on 11/24/2004 3:26:46 AM PST by RipSawyer ("Embed" Michael Moore with the 82nd airborne.)
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To: kattracks

I know I won't pay for anything with Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon, Cameron Diaz, Ben Affleck, or a whole host of others. I'm not rewarding anti-Americans with my consumer dollars.

I did buy Passion of the Christ, however.


44 posted on 11/24/2004 3:26:59 AM PST by ez (Let the tolerant tolerate my intolerance!)
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To: FreedomCalls

"Counting down the minutes until the MPAA issues a press release that blames Internet downloaders for causing the slump in revenue 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ..."

Took the kids to see the Incredibles the other night.

Had to sit through a 5 minute header about how "downloading was stealing" and urging people not to buy pirated movies.

Seems they're quite concerned about this.

I can't find it in me to feel sorry for them.


45 posted on 11/24/2004 3:40:37 AM PST by EEDUDE (Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.)
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To: iopscusa

Yes I watched it myself and thought it was great. You could tell the military people they had for consultants had a very high regard for Alexander. To bad Stone didn't watch that before he decided to make Alexander the Gay. He might have had a hit.


46 posted on 11/24/2004 3:59:47 AM PST by El Buscador (Speak softly but carry a big stick and use it.)
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To: kattracks

I managed to break my own vow of supporting comic book movies by missing The Punisher at the theater. After I rented it, I was glad that I did, it was awful. These guys have the reverse Midas touch sometimes, and they seem to make movies that suck in some twisted attempt at commercial appeal. I really dont get it. The Dolph Lundgren Punisher movie was Oscar caliber by comparison...JFK


47 posted on 11/24/2004 4:03:42 AM PST by BADROTOFINGER (Life sucks. Get a helmet.)
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To: kattracks

The radio station that I listen to every morning has a Friday movie review done by a local critic. From his comments during the election campaigns, I believe the guy is a liberal. He is usually pretty fair with his critiques of the films he sees. He even said that everything coming out of Hollywood is pure junk.


48 posted on 11/24/2004 4:06:12 AM PST by PleaseNoMore
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To: Quilla
I believe the gent (Buckhalter maybe?) who produced National Treasure also produced Team America. He may be one of the good guys.

Actually it is Jerry Bruckheimer (sp?), but he didnt produce Team America. The South Park guys copied everything about Bruckheimer's style as sort of a tribute/mockery of his work...JFK

49 posted on 11/24/2004 4:06:35 AM PST by BADROTOFINGER (Life sucks. Get a helmet.)
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To: ez
I have only watched one movie with Jane Fonda in my life. The only reason I watched it is because my wife didn't tell me she was in it before we went to the theater. Oceans 11 has most all the big mouth whiners in it. I am surprised they didn't have the Dixie Chicks in it as well. I will not be watching it either.
50 posted on 11/24/2004 4:06:57 AM PST by El Buscador (Speak softly but carry a big stick and use it.)
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To: 26lemoncharlie

Speaking of movies on tape, I watched "The Rundown" last week, starring The Rock from pro wrestling. It was actually a pretty good action flick. There is a cameo of Arnold and Christopher Walken is pretty good - as he usually is. I get the feeling that in most of the movies he is in, he ad libs a lot. The guy who plays the Rock's foil - the guy he is suppose to bring back home - has a lot of good scenes and is pretty funny. The characters are guys you can root for unlike most Hollywood dreg. Anyway, I liked it and I recommend it.


51 posted on 11/24/2004 4:11:54 AM PST by 7thson (I think it takes a big dog to weigh a hundred pounds!)
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To: Judith Anne

***I would loved to go see a film about Alexander the Great that just didn't discuss his sexuality at all. **

Then get the 1956 Richard Burton version!


52 posted on 11/24/2004 4:23:32 AM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: RipSawyer
I do not know if they could be called heroes or whatnot but the Hollywood actors and actresses of yesteryear actually did something before becoming stars. Kirk Douglas and Ernest Borgnine were in the Navy. Lee Marvin and Gene Hackman were in the Marines. I think Clint Eastwood was in the Navy. Robert Mitchum was a roustabout. I liked what he said when placed in jail for grass years ago - the people in jail had better morals than those in Hollywood. Plus, most of these guys knew that they were just entertainers and nobody cared about their politics. It was great watching them on the talk show circuit back in the 60's and 70's - they come on and yak about their movie, give it a plug, tell a couple good stories about other actors or themselves.

I remember when Kirk Douglas - being interviewed by Cavett - said he was in a hotel that had a convention. Some guy gets on the elevator and says, gosh, you're Kirk Douglas. Kirk sees the guys name sticker on his suit coast and calls out, Joe, how's it going. The guy - star struck and drunk - can't figure out how Douglas knew his name. Douglas says he is disappointed that Joe doesn't remember their time together.

Now, all you hear about is their politics and hatred for conservative values.

53 posted on 11/24/2004 4:24:16 AM PST by 7thson (I think it takes a big dog to weigh a hundred pounds!)
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To: El Buscador

Actors and actresses tend to forget that they earn their living by playing pretend. The same way they pretend to be someone else, so they also pretend to be socially aware and caring about this country.

In reality, if you asked any successful actor or actress to give up their accountant, file a standard 1040, or give most of their money away and live in a 3 bedroom, 2000 sqft ranch in Cleveland, they would say no and make an excuse.

I have no use for Hollywood or the crap that they put out. If it wasn't for Disney to entertain my kids, I would never go to another movie. Plus I still have a bunch of Marxx Brothers films I want to watch.


54 posted on 11/24/2004 4:25:23 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (60 votes and the world changes.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz

Is that John Wayne & Ronald Reagan I hear chuckling....?


55 posted on 11/24/2004 4:29:40 AM PST by cbkaty
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To: cbkaty

"Is that John Wayne & Ronald Reagan I hear chuckling....?"

Nope. Rock Hudson!


56 posted on 11/24/2004 4:34:02 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (60 votes and the world changes.)
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To: EQAndyBuzz
Nope. Rock Hudson!

Would that be chuckling or sucking?

57 posted on 11/24/2004 4:38:14 AM PST by cbkaty
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To: 7thson
My son wanted me to watch Rundown. I told him I don't watch movies made by a guy named "the Rock" but I gave in and to my surprise, the movie was terrific! Lots of action, humor and explosions. Great "buddy" movie.
58 posted on 11/24/2004 4:38:58 AM PST by americafirst
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To: BADROTOFINGER
Actually it is Jerry Bruckheimer (sp?), but he didnt produce Team America.

Is he the guy that does CSI? I have to admit CSI is one of my guilty pleasures. The original one, set in Vegas is the best. I've enjoyed the NY series, too, the few times I've seen it. The Miami version isn't worth watching.

I hate to support CBS, but I also enjoy the FBI Missing Persons show that comes on after CSI.

59 posted on 11/24/2004 4:39:27 AM PST by TontoKowalski
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To: paudio

Is Polar Express some sort of children's book? I've heard the previews call it a beloved story and I'd never heard of it. They got hammered by going against The Incredibles.


60 posted on 11/24/2004 4:40:18 AM PST by AmishDude (There is no intelligentsia, just the pretentsia.)
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