Thursday, April 19, 2007
The Times on the box office failure of Grindhouse.
Things got even worse last weekend, when figures revealed that audience members were walking out halfway through the movie, unaware that it was a double bill.
Who are these people? Does anyone go see a film they know nothing about?
How, pundits asked, can a moronic sword’n’sandals romp such as 300 make $400 million at the box office, while a smart cine-literate action parody such as Grindhouse completely dies? The New York Times suggested that this wasn’t the end for the Weinsteins, just a bump in the road. But Business Week announced that it should be a lesson for Hollywood, and that dumb audience-friendly movies such as 300 and Ghost Rider were the way of the future.
So, a "smart cine-literate action parody" is beaten by a homoerotic, violent action film with no stars; and by a fading star playing a motorbike-riding skeleton that... I don't know, solves crime?
So, the kids choose two films by unknown directors - but which look cool - over a big-budget vanity piece by two established directors. They're all about the thrills, the kids.
300 and Ghostrider, that's your grindhouse double bill.
Pastiche schlock beaten by honest schlock.
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Things got even worse last weekend, when figures revealed that audience members were walking out halfway through the movie, unaware that it was a double bill.
Who are these people? Does anyone go see a film they know nothing about?
How, pundits asked, can a moronic sword’n’sandals romp such as 300 make $400 million at the box office, while a smart cine-literate action parody such as Grindhouse completely dies? The New York Times suggested that this wasn’t the end for the Weinsteins, just a bump in the road. But Business Week announced that it should be a lesson for Hollywood, and that dumb audience-friendly movies such as 300 and Ghost Rider were the way of the future.
So, a "smart cine-literate action parody" is beaten by a homoerotic, violent action film with no stars; and by a fading star playing a motorbike-riding skeleton that... I don't know, solves crime?
So, the kids choose two films by unknown directors - but which look cool - over a big-budget vanity piece by two established directors. They're all about the thrills, the kids.
300 and Ghostrider, that's your grindhouse double bill.
Pastiche schlock beaten by honest schlock.
|
