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[Johnny C]

Source

Warner Bros president of production Jeff Robinov has made a new decree that "We are no longer doing movies with women in the lead."

WHAT A BRILLIANT AND FORWARD-THINKING PROPOSAL

[jhocking]

This is so over the top ridiculous, plus the name of that site sounded a little fishy, so at first I figured this was a parody. After reading the article and poking around on the site though this looks legit, in which case wtf

[muteKi]

Movies are based too much around the actors in them.

The sad part is that I can't think of Tom Hanks as not Tom Hanks since he's been in so many movies, for example. He's good and all, but I mean, I wish that something OTHER than who the hell is in the film made a difference. Just think of what that would have meant for say, Gigli. I think. I haven't seen it so I have no idea how bad it is.

[Johnny C]

Tommy really hit the nail on the head, guys. Instead of expecting more from this post, just go back up and read his another time for good measure.

[Jimmy the Squid]

I've been reduced to a dithering, sputtering fool by the ridiculousness of this article.

How could anyone make that decision based on two films which were terrible because of what they were, not who was in them. The Brave One is just a hollywood remake of I Spit Upon Your Grave (failing that it's a totaly rip-off) and The Invasion is a remake of any number of the Body Snatcher films. Every review I have read of both these films says that the lead actresses (who in my opinion have always been at least reasonabley good) have done the best possible work with the awful scripts they were given and that for the most part, the films were ruined by bad direction and unpleasent cinematography.

In summary, what the hell people?

[Inlander]

Johnny, when I first opened the thread I thought the title was serious. I was all ready for a mea culpa, with the Warner Bros. boss saying something along the lines of "I'm sorry guys, everything the major studios in Hollywood make is complete shit. That's why ticket sales keep dropping year after year. I mean, I know we've tried blaming D.V.D.s, and pirating, and lots of other stuff, but really, did anybody ever buy that? Of course not. We all know that the real reason why nobody wants to see our films is because they're sick of the same old remakes and sequels and sequels to remakes and the same shitty scripts being spoken by the same shitty actors and the same crappy comedies that aren't funny and romances that aren't romantic and thrillers that aren't thrilling. I'm sorry everyone, really we've lost the plot somewhere in a big way. I go back and watch old Cary Grant movies and Katherine Hepburn movies and I feel ashamed. In fact, we're so relentlessly bad at what we do that I'm going to dissolve the studio, effective immediately, and all the millions and million and millions of dollars that we squander every year is going to get spent on health care and housing and the education system instead. That way maybe I'll be able to sleep at night."

I was a might surprised by what he actually said.

[BoutASouffle]

It could just be that the only people who are still prepared to suffer the various social pitfalls of going to the cinema simply don't want to see films that aren't run of the mill, lowest common denominator pap. I can't imagine sitting through an entire film at the cinema for both logistical and financial reasons so I download films or wait for them to appear on DVD. I'm going to go ahead and assume that the folks staying away from cinemas are the more anti-social types who are probably the exact people that might enjoy the psychological films that are often bombing at the box office these days. Let's face it, cinemas are pretty terrible for the common or garden xenophobe. They are expensive to get in and then in order to get a drink you have to pay exuberant prices as the concessions stands. You then have to sit in a confined space with a bunch of strangers and regardless of what happens, you are stuck there for the duration. If there are people out there like me, having to deal with all these variables beyond your control is unbearable. Thus, the type of films that I should in theory enjoy are going to do less well in the cinema.

More likely it is just that Warner Brothers are sinking too much money into the wrong projects. The two examples cited in that article 'The Brave One' and 'The Invasion' look to be pretty terrible anyhow, regardless of the female leads. Let's face facts too - Nicole Kidman and Jodie Foster haven't been in enough blockbuster films to justify these kind of expectations. The kids who go to the cinema these days - are they really likely to remember Kidman and Foster? I have no strong opinion of either actress but if you'd have asked me a month ago whether either lady was likely to inspire the youth of today into the cinemas, I'd have laughed you out of my office. Once again, this is another example of people investing a metric shit-ton of money into something without asking me first. My e-mail address is listed in my profile. My AIM and MSN are there too. Come on Hollywood - drop me a line. I can save you some serious money.

You raise some god points about the theater situation. Actually, there's been an overall decline in theater sales. With DVDs and downloads making it easier to stay at home, only "cinematic" films - the ones shot in animorphic with $100,000,000 effects that only look good on the big screen - are really drawing in the crowds. That said, I wouldn't write it off as the fault of the actresses, but rather as the fault of the writers and directors. While Kidman annoys me, Foster has shown she has the chops to make good movies when given good material. And by good material, I mean "not 'The Brave One.'"

But then you would have to blame Robinov and other production heads since they hire the writers and director in the first place. And you can't blame the guy holding the billion-dollar bills.

[camelpimp]

Johnny, when I first opened the thread I thought the title was serious. I was all ready for a mea culpa, with the Warner Bros. boss saying something along the lines of "I'm sorry guys, everything the major studios in Hollywood make is complete shit. That's why ticket sales keep dropping year after year. I mean, I know we've tried blaming D.V.D.s, and pirating, and lots of other stuff, but really, did anybody ever buy that? Of course not. We all know that the real reason why nobody wants to see our films is because they're sick of the same old remakes and sequels and sequels to remakes and the same shitty scripts being spoken by the same shitty actors and the same crappy comedies that aren't funny and romances that aren't romantic and thrillers that aren't thrilling. I'm sorry everyone, really we've lost the plot somewhere in a big way. I go back and watch old Cary Grant movies and Katherine Hepburn movies and I feel ashamed. In fact, we're so relentlessly bad at what we do that I'm going to dissolve the studio, effective immediately, and all the millions and million and millions of dollars that we squander every year is going to get spent on health care and housing and the education system instead. That way maybe I'll be able to sleep at night."

I was a might surprised by what he actually said.

If that were the actually the case, the title of the thread would be "Warner Bros. Studio Head Says Incredibly Smart Thing, Deserves Sainthood."

[Johnny C]

I'm sorry for posting what an idiot said and lying about how stupid it was. It was rude of me to raise expectations like that.

[pilsner]

that aren't run of the mill, lowest common denominator pap

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama
2 Days in Paris
3:10 to Yuma
Control (the Ian Curtis biopic . . . )
Delirious
In the Shadow of the Moon
Michael Clayton
Superbad (Again)
Terror's Advocate
The Bothersome Man
The Darjeeling Limited
The Last Winter
Romance & Cigarettes

You're not doing it right.

[Johnny C]

Look at who released those and who's involved in each. Look at how many of them had or are having a limited release. Also look at the budgets.

Meanwhile movie studios pretty much threw money at Pirates Of The Caribbean, Shrek 3 and Spider-Man 3 this year.

[pilsner]

Oh boy I could not agree with you more.  Without spraining something.

Look at who released those and who's involved in each. Look at how many of them had or are having a limited release. Also look at the budgets.

Meanwhile movie studios pretty much threw money at Pirates Of The Caribbean, Shrek 3 and Spider-Man 3 this year.

All I'm saying is that there is good stuff in the theaters, a lot of which is being made in the US right now.  It may be low[er] budget.  It may only be in big cities.  It may be on smaller screens in repertory theaters with kooky old pervy looking attendants ripping the tickets.  But it's out there. 

Now fine, some people don't like the theater experience.  I personally do, in certain theaters which attract a crowd that won't talk through the movie at least, but I respect that some people don't.  It kind of bugs me, though, when people say that the reason they don't go to theaters is that there's nothing decent playing.  Why?  Because if that attitude prevails, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

[öde]

Hollywood being out of touch with it's audience and logic? Never!

[Jimmy the Squid]

I actually love going to the cinema to see films (as opposed to hanging out with the candy bar staff?). However I also don't really like crowds either so I tend to go in the middle of the day when no one is there. And it's so much fun seeing a film when there is no one else around. It's honestly a very enjoyable experience. I also enjoy a large number of the films that come out of hollywood (for instance I've seen Spiderman 3 several times at the cinemas and when I get the money I'm going to get the ultra super special edition on DVD) and usually have an immensely enjoyable time. saying that might get me a lot of shit from you guys because I obviously like "crap" movies but I'm not actually under any delusions that these big hollywood movies are cinematic masterpieces. I know that most of them aren't that good when you consider it from an "artistic" or even stylistic point of view. For me they are just fun ways for me to kill a couple of hours. And most of the time I just want something that's going to allow me to turn off my brain so I can laugh and clap my hands.

[jimbunny]

Your signature belies that sentiment, sir.

I suppose the large part of the resentment springs from the idea that the more money and attention that goes to "crap" films (and oh-so much of the "entertainment-only" genre lacks even that) means that less good films are being made. And more than that, people in Africa are dying.

[MusicScribbles]

I've found that certain movies draw certain kinds of crowds of viewers. 
When I go to see a teen horror movie, the crowd is horrible throughout, deservedly so to the film, but when I go to something like 3:10 to Yuma, there is nothing detracting from the experience. This must be because of the area I live in then, a byproduct of my community's ability to completely disregard most films that aren't specifically advertised to the high school teen market of theatergoers, but either way, good movies are usually extremely quiet for me because of the lack of an audience. Also, I live near a theater that shows only independent films, and is at the moment showing Into The Wild and Control. These are enjoyable viewing experiences, no annoying stereotypical highschool teenage moviegoers here. Am I fortunate?

[ALoveSupreme]

I'm guessing you may be in high school (this is not condescension, but based on the fact that you're associating the idiots at your theater with high schoolers)... you'll soon find out that idiocy holds no age bounds.  You are a little fortunate to have an independent screen near you. 

In DeKalb, a theater that's more than a hundred years old just re-opened and is playing movies that are just about as old as it is.  I still haven't gone, but it may be awesome.

[öde]

If it's not awesome the problem lies with you.

[Storm Rider]

This reminds me of studio heads blaming the release of Halo 3 for declining box office sales.

[Boro_Bandito]

I personally find that hilarious, but actually sort of semi-believe it. I didn't leave my house for a week after it came out. me and my friend spent an entire 22 someodd hours without sleep beating it on legendary. I had no time for movies.

[Narr]

I don't envy people in the spotlight at all because that sounds like the type of thing I'd say as a joke if someone asked me what I was going to do about some box office flops.

It's unfortunate that people with a dark sense of humor are basically forced not to speak if they are ever in the public eye.

[Johnny C]

Well, here's a picture of Robinov.



If you think he's a dude who loves some dark humour more power to you. I think he's the dude who bankrolled The Invasion and got bit in the ass.