Posted on 07/23/2010 6:21:38 AM PDT by Kaslin
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The surprise box-office boom for the cartoon "Despicable Me" is making it clear again to Hollywood this summer that family films are the most likely to be top-grossing films. "Toy Story 3" is No. 1 for 2010, not only among the critics, but among the people as well. "Despicable Me" already has broken into the top 10 box-office hits for the year to date with almost $130 million in ticket sales.
It happens over and over again. And still the "executives" are caught off guard. It shouldn't be that hard to figure out. Nobody needs a graphing calculator. Bring out the whole family, and you bring out a bigger audience. It's summertime, and the kids are bored. If the whole family doesn't go, the driving-age teenager gets assigned to take the young ones to the movies, sometimes more than once.
(Memo to Hollywood: Really, truly, this is how it works.)
And yet, The Hollywood Reporter finds the movie market gurus slightly embarrassed at what they call the "family stampede." Family films have well outpaced pre-release projections repeatedly since May, and the studio bosses are puzzled over why these movies "outperform" their guesses.
"The simplest answer is that the tracking doesn't include the young kids themselves," Disney distribution boss Chuck Viane said.
"It's just harder to get a handle on what kids are thinking," another brilliant marketer guessed. "Tracking surveys are based on what people express in phone and Internet surveys, and you're not going to find the young kids that way." Pre-release tracking surveys focus on parents. "The nag factor is what drives those kind of movies," a studio executive tartly declared. "The parents might be less inclined than the kids to see a picture, but then the kids pester the parents, and the rest is history."
So why don't the studio bosses start factoring in the possibility of a "nag factor" from young children wanting to go to the movies with parents who demand quality for their children, and make some movies accordingly? No million-dollar marketing exec has thought of that yet?
"There can be a disconnect in tracking sometimes about how far a picture will reach across all audiences," said Sony distribution president Rory Bruer, whose gone-to-China remake of "The Karate Kid" debuted last month with a much-better-than expected $55.7 million. "There's no doubt that word-of-mouth is important in that aspect." Maybe the studio underestimated the affinity of parents for the first version of the film, released back in 1984. It's well on its way to grossing $200 million.
Sometimes, pre-tracking surveys are wrong the other way, overestimating turnout. Last fall, pre-release surveys suggested the Michael Jackson tribute film "This Is It" could ring up "$40 million or more" on its first weekend. The actual figure was a lot less: $23 million.
"Despicable Me" is a great example of the "out-performed expectations" story line. The Universal cartoon with the inept bald-headed villain who learns to love and parent three young girls grossed $56.4 million in its opening weekend, although the "experts" expected a much lower $30 million to $35 million weekend.
"People think it was a whole host of things contributing to the big opening," one executive told the Hollywood Reporter. "You had some fresh-looking characters, funny trailers and a huge boost from running those trailers with other hit family films over the past several weeks." Surveys had suggested "tepid" interest from consumers.
Anyone watching NBC or Universal's cable channels were subjected to repeated on-screen promos during their favorite shows. NBC also ran a 30-minute "behind the scenes" infomercial on the opening night of the film, since Friday night TV in the summertime isn't a hot spot for advertisers.
Only one R-rated movie has grossed more than $100 million this year, the Leonardo DiCaprio horror flick "Shutter Island." It has just been squeezed out of the top ten by "Despicable Me." Three movies have grossed more than $300 million to top the 2010 list: "Toy Story 3" (a daring G), "Alice in Wonderland" (PG) and "Iron Man 2" (PG-13). Three more movies have grossed more than $200 million: "Twilight: The Eclipse Saga" (PG-13) and the family cartoons "Shrek Forever After" (PG) and "How to Train Your Dragon" (PG).
Why can't greedy Hollywood just look at the math and put their money where the American public's eyes want to go?
Here's what should follow: more respect from the movie awards shows for these animated films. "Toy Story 3" drew rave reviews across the board. The St. Petersburg Times said it "isn't merely the best movie of the summer -- even with summer just kicking in -- but an immediate candidate for best of the year." Don't bet the mortgage.
You can buy the DVD. The movie is about God’s Word in the post-nuclear war devastation. Search and find what others have to say. I don’t want to give it away. It is about the good surviving in an evil world.
What a damning statement about our culture. For the record, this sort of thing does NOT work in my home. Nagging and pestering gets exactly the opposite. Reinforcing unwanted behaviour is stooooopid.
Yep. Emphasizes the point that pretty much the only good movies these days are not made in Hollywood.
Hey Hollyweird, keep making those daring films about eeeevil corporations (usually energy companies) trying to make their greedy billions only to be exposed by some daring liberal who foils their plans. Or the government (right-wing natch) plotting to execute war against some hapless and innocent country for their oil. Or a sex-researcher who goes against the consevative ethos of the country. Yeah, that’ll work. (smirk)
Thanks for the tip on Princess and the Frog. We’ll have to check it out.
Thanks for the tip on Princess and the Frog. We’ll have to check it out.
It’s all well and good to “advance the art”, but don’t expect to become rich doing it. The real geniuses are those that can push the envelope and engage the multitudes. Anything else is just singing to the choir.
What do you mean by “pushing the envelope”?
Or why some studio doesn't spring up and make ONLY those kinds of movies.
I don’t think anybody is caught by surprise here. They spent 69 million bucks making Despicable Me and released it in July (blockbuster season), they spent 200 million bucks making Toy Story 3 and released that in June (blockbuster season). Clearly they expected those movies to make money.
Of course you have to look at both sides of the picture, they spent 150 million each on Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Last Airbender and they’re tanking.
Ah, so you've seen the trailer for "The Kids Are All Right?"
Offspring of lesbian couple seeks sperm donor Dad.
And it is classified as a "family comedy."
At this point it’s doctrine that Hollywood doesn’t make family movies, but the truth is they’re making more and more. People are just repeating an old meme. Of the 10 movies that are in wide release (over 1000 theaters) right now (blockbuster season) 1 is R rated, the rest are PG-13 or less. And that R rated movie is tied for the lowest production budget of that 10 (production budget is a good way to measure how much money they thought the movie would make, they try not to spend a lot to make a little). A quick glance at the chart shows Hollywood is making family friendly movies.
Kids is a 4 million dollar budgeted movie from an arthouse production company rated R. Not classified family comedy, and not part of mainstream Hollywood.
I’ve seen 2 movies this year. Alice and how to train your dragon. And I’m a guy in my 20s.
# Release Date: Jul 09, 2010
# Rated: [Rated r] strong sexual content, nudity,
language and some teen drug and alcohol use
# Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.
# Genres: Comedy, Comedy
# Director: Lisa Cholodenko
# Cast: Julianne Moore , Annette Bening , Mark Ruffalo , Mia Wasikowska , Josh Hutcherson .
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this witty, worldly dramedy about a lesbian couple whose teenage children decide to acquaint themselves with their sperm-donor father deals frankly (and compassionately) with all of the complications that could arise in that situation -- including marital discord, infidelity, biological identity, nature vs. nurture, and letting go of a child on the brink of adulthood. Thanks to those themes and some other fairly mature content -- including partial nudity (breasts, buttocks) during sex scenes, clips from a pornographic movie, swearing, and teenage drinking and drug use -- The Kids Are All Right is best for older teenagers and adults.
* Families can talk about the troubles that Nic and Jules face as parents and partners. What does the movie say about relationships and parenting?
* What makes someone a good parent? How does the media typically portray parents? Do the parents in this movie seem more or less realistic to you than those in other movies/TV shows? Why?
* How does the movie portray teen drinking and drug use? Are there consequences for the behavior? What do you think would happen in real life?
I can’t believe that no one on this thread isn’t rushing out to see “Dinner for Schmucks” I’m sure it will become a classic.
Making advances in the art or science. For example, CGI is an advance in movie making and it's getting better with every cartoon movie. That's an advancement of the art that isn't just "art for art's sake", rather everyone benefits from it. In contrast, making a movie that only 5 people can understand may be "pushing the envelope", but it's only to the benefit of a handful of people.
I think the biggest thing parents need to know about this movie is they and their teens are highly unlikely to see it. It was released 2 weeks ago at 7 theaters and expanded last week to 38. It is not destined for your nearest megaplex, it’s an arthouse movie, and most folks don’t even know where their local arthouse is much less actually go there and watch movies.
I think it’s simpler than all that: Hollyweirders just like to talk dirty, brandish toy guns and take their clothes off, sometimes exchanging bodily fluids for the thrill of it. Having someone watch just helps them. I think it’s actually a mental disease.
Thanks. Sometimes - actually, much of the time - when “pushing the envelope” is used, it means pushing the bounds of what used to be called morality and decency even further into the abyss.
I have no clue where the term originated, I should look it up.
Offspring of lesbian couple seeks sperm donor Dad.
And it is classified as a "family comedy."
Probably show up on ABC "Family" Channel once it finishes in the movie houses then. [eyeroll]
BTW, I can't seem to escape the trailer. TNT and USA show it endlessly.
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