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By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

Early Box Office Analysis

Aw, that rarified air…
Before anyone loses their mind and starts talking about the Friday dip for Star Wars: Episode III

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89 Responses to “Early Box Office Analysis”

  1. BluStealer says:

    Is that saying Star Wars is going to be a disappointment? I don’t really think so.

  2. Joe Leydon says:

    After all the numbers are posted, if “House of Wax” fails to outgross even “Boogeyman,” can we read that as sign that the horror cycle is waning? Or is this an aberration?

  3. Stella's Boy says:

    I’d say it’s an aberration. I don’t think this will slow down the horror craze. Now there’s a Day of the Dead remake on the way.

  4. Eric says:

    And don’t forget that Romero’s own zombie sequel, Land of the Dead, is on the way, too. Oddly enough, I expect Romero’s movie to be one of the better recent horror movies, but only lukewarm at the box office.
    Romero is one of those well-liked guys that just can’t turn a profit these days, no matter the quality of the movie. Kind of like the Coen Brothers, who are going through a rough patch, too.

  5. jeffmcm says:

    House of Wax was released at the wrong time and was poorly marketed, without much of a hook to it beyond typical teens-in-danger stuff.
    It didn’t help that it was a crappy movie, too.
    But I think it was an aberration. Land of the Dead might actually do well, thanks to its good cast and if the marketing holds up…here’s hoping.

  6. joefitz84 says:

    If they release 15 crappy horror movies, one is eventually not going to make its projections.

  7. Martin says:

    Joel Silver was about a year late on the paris hilton parade.

  8. Mister Mojo says:

    Let’s discuss Mister Silver. It is my opinion that he has become irrelevant in today’s marketplace — a dinosaur, if you will. His “producer” choices seem to be outdated (like the use of Paris) and his films have underperformed. Look at his Dark Castle films. The fact that House of Wax (which actually cost closer to 55 million) will make about half as much as White Noise is shameful. Apart from the Matrix movies (the sequels were unimpressive in my opinion) his recent track record is terrible.

  9. jeremy says:

    I disagree that $400 million is inevitable. I think it will easily pass $300 million, but the dour tone is going to curtail repeat viewings, and its second-weekend business is going to take an unavoidable hit from the combination of THE LONGEST YARD and MADAGASCAR. Also, I don’t think civilian word-of-mouth is going to be uniformly stellar.
    Take this for what it’s worth, but there wasn’t a single showtime sold out at The Grove when I was there this afternoon. I know that the Arclight is currently STAR WARS Central in Hollywood, but I figured the evening showtimes at least would’ve been knocked out by 4 PM. Could mean nothing, but if those Saturday numbers fall under $30 million, $400 million is an impossibility.

  10. KamikazeCamel says:

    I think people who will be seeing The Longest Yard next weekend (teenagers predominantly I would guess) would have either already seen SW3 or don’t intend to.
    I feel vindicated about M-i-Ls success. I always thought it would be, so that makes me happy. Anything to keep Jane Fonda in the movie business!
    And Joel Silver actually has “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” on his roster, which is meant to be good and Oscar-worthy and “V For Vendetta” could be great! But really, outside of the late 80s where he had that run of movies like Lethal Weapon, Die Hard, Predator and so on, has he ever been considered “relevant”. Other than The Matrix.
    Land of the Dead could do decent “Dawn of the Dead ’04” numbers if it’s marketed well but if they keep with the theme of the trailer they might not. It [the trailer] was a bit too focused on George Romero (let’s face, what random teenager who goes to the movies almost exclusively during Summer knows who he is?) and made the film look like another “zombies vs. a small pack of humans” movie.

  11. Joe Leydon says:

    Kaz, my young Australian Paduan, I disagree that “Longest Yard” will draw a predominantly teen audience. In fact, I would venture to predict it will skew even more heavily toward 25+ males, especially those sports fans (and sports talk radio listeners) who view the 1974 original as some kinda classic. Put it this way: Sandler and Rock might get the younger demo, but the movie itself will have even wider appeal.

  12. andrew kightlinger says:

    Just saw Star Wars Ep 3. Did anyone else find that the acting brought the film down, and that the effects were blurred together to render the entire film unexciting?
    I’m so disappointed that I’m disappointed! (if that’s makes any sense at all) And I had low expectations too. Ian McDiarmid was great, though!

  13. Roxy says:

    Except for the midnight shows SW is not selling out in my area either. Not even the one digital screen in the city that’s at my favorite multiplex. Still I can’t see this film falling below $30 mil on Saturday. A number below $30 mil would be SHOCKING an indication of extreme frontloadedness and bad legs to come. I expect SW to earn at least $40 mil Saturday and finish with over $100 mil for the three day weekend. I also expect SW to drop hard next weekend with Madagascar and The Longest Yard opening. I think SW will drop to second next weekend behind Madagascar. While I do think $350 mil is a lock whether the film gets to $400 mil depends on how hard it falls next weekend.

  14. Chester says:

    Andrew, I’ve seen the film twice now, and both times I thought the acting was on par with (maybe even a little better than) the other prequels. Despite that, I recommend the film because I think the plot at last made coherent sense and hit some genuine emotional heights.
    Your point about the special effects is an interesting one, though. I’m trying to think of a single effect that really stood out and nothing in particular comes to mind. (Maybe those enemy droids that ate away at Obi Wan’s ship.) While I can’t deny the film’s CGI achievements and its art direction, no individual piece of it made any unique impression on me.
    Along the same lines, my personal peeve has to be for all the tiresome light-saber battles. IMHO all of them had a “been there, done that” quality, and there were just too many of them that went on way too long. What a relief it was to see Obi-Wan pick up a pistol at last.

  15. L&DB says:

    Been there, done that? Dude, SIX TIMES, and I still
    get all jacked up when Obi and Anakin start swinging
    those sabers behind their backs. Again, those duels
    tell a story like the fights in the Matrix sequels.
    You either like them or not. It’s an absolute sithy
    thing. Sometimes you are just stuck with what you
    are given in terms of responses.
    Andrew, dude, go watch LOTR or something. Not that
    this might actually reflect how you feel, but I read
    your comments like another bitter 20 something. Who
    has a hardcore nostalgic streak running back towards
    Empire or maybe not even that far. You are entitled,
    but what did you want from these films? Im willing
    to bet there are films out there you love and enjoy
    with flaws as gapping as a certain part on a certain
    type of star. Yet SW has to somehow excede everything
    that those films do not? Again this might all be
    conjecture on my part. I just have read enough of
    your comments in the last years to feel as if I
    have some idea where they are coming from.
    Eric, like your friends with the BWP, Romero has not
    made a STUDIO film in years. He has not been able
    to turn a profit due in large part to his film being
    mostly indie releases. If anyone should get the cash
    from this horrour boom. It should be George. He
    has never had a REAL BONAFIDE BOX OFFICE HIT. Night
    did good numbers but he did not get the cash. So
    this is his chance. IF the folks will see shitty
    flicks, then hopefully they will see a zombie flick
    from a GUY WHO CREATED THEM! If not; were doomed.

  16. adam says:

    So much for Dave running the real numbers.
    Subtract the 16.9 percent from the unique midnight showings and Friday’s numbers were actually up 6.9% from Thursday. Clearly it’s dropping like a rock.
    The number I heard for Friday was 35.5 million, that tally gives the film the eighth biggest single day mark ever, as well as the third best Friday gross in history. The Friday grosses of “Spider-Man” ($39.4 million) and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” ($38.2 million) are bigger. Those numbers are the first day in theaters for both Spidey and ‘Harry Potter’, not the second (to be fair Spidey’s saturday was bigger).
    Biggest Daily Marks for the Prequel Trilogy…
    #1 ‘Revenge of the Sith’ $50.0 million (Thursday/opening day)
    #2 ‘Revenge of the Sith’ $35.5 million (Friday/second day)
    #3 ‘Attack of the Clones’ $31.2 million (Saturday/third day)
    #4 ‘Attack of the Clones’ $30.1 million (Thursday/opening day)
    #5 ‘The Phantom Menace’ $28.5 million (Wednesday/opening day)
    Some cool graph comparisons that show the correlation between wide release and front loaded releases. It happened between TESB and ROTJ when initial theatres went from about 100 to about 1000 :
    http://www.the-numbers.com/features/starwars.php
    (Thanks to HTF for the info and link)
    Adam

  17. L&DB says:

    Sure. It’s dropping like a 24 karat rock.

  18. jeffmcm says:

    1. Has anyone considered that the weakness of the Dark Castle films may be as much Zemeckis’s fault as Silver’s?
    2. Let’s wait until next weekend to gauge Sith’s hold. It’s too early to tell now, non-sold-out theaters or not.
    3. Blurred-together special effects? Perhaps you had a bad print/projector/projectionist. I thought the opening space battle was spectacular and you have to remember that the entire lava planet is CGI, every last bit of it. The acting was not a strong aspect, but in my opinion it was better than in the last two.
    4. I have to agree with a certain amount of light-saber fatigue. It is all basically the same by now, especially since the action is so CGI-frenetic at this point.

  19. L&DB says:

    It’s no where close to being similar. I would gather
    some folks on here are not too heavily into fight
    choreography. Also not all of the duel on Mustafar
    is CGI. A lot of that volcanic footage comes from
    McCallum going to Hawaii to get some plates. Same
    goes with Kashsyyk, Alderran, and so on.

  20. David Poland says:

    Thank you, Adam, for the website promotion.
    And the idea that you can dump the midnight shows is just dumb. That’s kind of like analyzing the three day without the fourth day… uh, no.
    There are dozens of ways of looking at the numbers. Don’t be getting on my shit because you want to see it some other way.

  21. Joe Leydon says:

    Don’t be getting on my shit? Gosh, Dave: I love it when you channel Eminem.

  22. Chucky in Jersey says:

    Saturday action from the Edgewater Multiplex in Edgewater NJ (between the Lincoln Tunnel and the GW Bridge):
    “Episode 3” in DLP — 1 hall, 3 of 4 shows sold out as of early evening.
    “Episode 3” in 35mm — 4 halls, only 3 shows (of a possible 15) sold out as of early evening.
    “Monster-in-Law” — 2 halls, at least 1 show sold out.
    “Crash” (which I saw and liked) — 1 hall, half-filled at the 5:10 show.
    All those OVERHYPED! midnight shows of “Episode 3” scared off those who would have gone on the weekend. Not to mention the horror stories from the midnight shows — 1 reel in Japanese (Eatontown NJ), film started out of frame (northern KY).

  23. L&DB says:

    What in the blue hell are you talking about Chuck?

  24. Teel says:

    I live in Phoenix. I’ve seen Sith twice this weekend, on Thursday night and Saturday afternoon, and as soon as it stops selling out (nearly every showtime, all weekend), I’ll go see it on the only digital projector in town. The biggest screen in town is also selling out pretty consistently this weekend. My local cineplex has it in their four biggest auditoriums and they told me it’s been about 85-95% full for every showtime on every screen, with a handful sold out.
    Oh, and the only light saber fight I didn’t like was the one where the first three strikes killed three Jedi masters. It wasn’t even fast – it’s as though they didn’t actually expect a fight somehow, or … I don’t know. It was bizarre.

  25. Andrew Kightlinger says:

    Went to it again. I’m sorry, but I was just bored. I like many flawed films, even “LOTR” has its “flawe d moments”, but I just couldn’t get into it. George Lucas has a brilliantly imaginative mind, but he’s not a good director when it comes to working with actors, and and his writing just doesn’t work. He’s a created a vivid, beautiful world; a world that look so much more real in EP 4,5,6.
    Oh well. Can’t have everything in life, right? I’d gladly see another trilogy, though. Or a film based on the different books? Just thoughts…

  26. L&DB says:

    Hey Andrew, at least you seem honest unlike most
    folks on the net. I still have the gut punch from
    it. That fucker absolutely kills me, but still
    got to see it again and again! SW goodness in a
    theatre always better than at home.

  27. KamikazeCamel says:

    I still don’t get how people can critisise the new SW movies for bad acting and when very original isn’t exactly the cream of the crop.
    Man, all this Star Wars talk is making me tired.
    All I know is is that I’m seeing “2046” next weekend and I am pumped.
    Then SW some time after that…

  28. Terence D says:

    Natalia Portman makes Carrie Fisher look like Joan Crawford. I didn’t think she could be this bad but she is.

  29. BluStealer says:

    If its a hit in Jersey, it must be really big.

  30. bicycle bob says:

    say what u want about star wars 3 but the acting of some of key players was downright terrible.

  31. L&DB says:

    Bad acting about as subjective as a bad pop song.
    Yet Bob now slags the acting. After two weeks ago
    stating you cant slag it. Due to most of the time
    people are acting next to Wookies. Look at Bob pull
    a Jay Mariotti like flip-flop.

  32. jeffmcm says:

    I thought Neeson, McGregor, and McDiarmid gave good performances in the prequels. But I would like to see ANYONE else besides L&DB defend the other lead performances.

  33. jeffmcm says:

    Although I admit that Christensen was better in RotS.

  34. Terence D says:

    Bad acting is really not subjective. Everyone knows how wooden and stitled Christiansen is in scenes with Portman. And vice versa. That’s more like universal knowledge. How can you possibly defend the acting of those two? I really think some people here just like arguing.

  35. BluStealer says:

    Someone just used “slag” in a post here. We may have to stop and wonder. Just like Natalie did for three movies. Wondering why the heck she signed up for this and then always thought… “Paycheck….Paycheck.”

  36. bicycle bob says:

    the acting of some of them was terrible. not going to take away from my enjoyment of the film because they’re acting against a blue screen 75% of the time. up against wookies droids and aliens. but it is what it is. maybe portman just isn’t that good. or maybe the direction of lucas stunk. who knows. but i know the acting was poor

  37. joefitz84 says:

    Anyone that says the acting in Sith was good needs to have their head examined. But who sees a Star Wars movie for great acting? Even though R2 should win a best supporting actor nomination.

  38. Mark says:

    Yoda should be first in line for awards.

  39. Joe Leydon says:

    Runner front he should be.

  40. Mark says:

    A Yoda talking joke. How original. Should I “LOL”?

  41. Joe Leydon says:

    No, but you can KMA if you’d like.

  42. KamikazeCamel says:

    I don’t think Natalie was simply making these movies for a paycheck. I don’t even like the Star Wars movies that much but I’d star in them if I could.

  43. L&DB says:

    Terence, what a dispicable state you are in. You
    think people like arguing? No Terence. I actually
    like the acting in all the prequels. One of the
    only reason people jump on the acting; JAKE LLOYD!
    GUESS WHAT? He’s only in one movie! If you cant
    handle a little kid acting, then IM sorry. I
    find his silly exposition dialogue hilarious.
    I also like Hayden and Portman more than Ford and
    Fisher. Am I saying that just to argue? Hell no.
    Im saying that because I get a damn GUT PUNCH from
    Revenge because their performances draw me in. I
    hate seeing Anakin throw it all away, and I hate
    seeing Padme die of a broken heart. Yeah. I type
    this because I just like to argue. How utterly
    god damn motherfucking repulsively ridiculous.
    Yeah arguing is so much fun. It’s so much fun to
    have be attack and then defend yourself constantly.
    Oh the hilarity. I get the acting. I get what
    Lucas’ wanted to do. Heck. I doubt many of you
    gave two shits about the underlying story of Attack
    or even TPM. Feel as you wish, but do not come
    at me with some weak ass shit like that Terence.

  44. jeffmcm says:

    You don’t ‘get’ the acting. You ACCEPT the acting. I ‘get’ what Lucas wanted to do. That doesn’t mean I think he did a totally good job. I’m really happy you are so emotionally affected but like I said, you are the only person on this board to defend their performances.

  45. L&DB says:

    Uh no, I dont accept the acting. I understand the
    acting. Yeah. All those stilted tones are there
    for a reason. You know? ” More civilized weapon for
    a more CIVILIZED age” type of thing.
    So let me get this straight; I really like something
    more than the rest of you, but I have some sort of
    secret motivation behind it? That’s absolutely
    silly.

  46. bicycle bob says:

    i don’t accept anything. fisher really makes portman look bad. if portman can’t out act carrie fisher than her career is in trouble

  47. Terence D says:

    L&DB, again I just think you like arguing for really over nothing. You can call it dispicable but its just who you really are. If you’re trying to say Christiansen is better than Harrison Ford you obviously like arguing over nothing since you couldn’t be more wrong. Or you have no taste. Maybe its both.

  48. KamikazeCamel says:

    If you take the star wars movies out of Hayden’s filmography he’s actually a pretty great actor! And similarly to Natalie Portman.
    However, some people their performances in the respective SW films. Good for them. I thought Hayden was awful in Clones but have heard much better things about him in Sith.
    “if portman can’t out act carrie fisher than her career is in trouble”
    The fact she just got a Golden Globe award and an Oscar nomination doesn’t mean anything then?

  49. BluStealer says:

    I think Natalie may have peaked in Beautiful Girls. Because she was horrendous in these three movies. Marissa Tomei has won an Oscar. What does it prove?

  50. Terence D says:

    Didn’t Pia Zadora win a Golden Globe? I don’t look to award nominations for quality. I see it on the screen and I’m sorry. I didn’t find her in Star Wars, Garden State, Where the Heart is, and Anywhere But Here to be good acting performances.

  51. mex says:

    First of all, Carrie was nothing before star wars and Natalie was something. And after SW ended, Carrie kept on being nobody, so Natalie will keep on being Natalie Portman…
    …sorry, Academy Award Nominee Natalie Portman.
    And she looks good without hair!

  52. bicycle bob says:

    carrie is one of the highest paid screenwriters in hollywood. and u think princess leia u think her. half the audience doesn’t even know portmans name in the film. they just laugh when she starts emoting.

  53. joefitz84 says:

    I think Portman is a decent enough actress. Real good in Closer. But thats call it what it is here. She is beyond terrible in Star Wars. Blame it on whoever you want. But she stinks.

  54. jeffmcm says:

    Okay, the stilted tones are there for a reason. Great. But why are Natalie and Hayden so much worse at delivering them than Ewan, Sam Jackson, or McDiarmid?
    Portman was good before but Lucas has sucked the talent out of her.

  55. joefitz84 says:

    Jeff, did you even see the movie? I don’t think theres any reason to explain. You obviously haven’t seen it or the first two.

  56. jeffmcm says:

    what are you talking about?

  57. bicycle bob says:

    just thinking about their scenes alone makes me cringe. i don’t think anyone cringed at ford and fisher in 4-5-6

  58. Mark says:

    What Portman needs is for V for Vendetta to be real good to make everyone forget how bad her acting was in Star Wars.

  59. GdB says:

    You guys can talk shit all you want about the bad acting of Portman and Christensen, but Ian McDiarmid rocked in that movie.
    The monologue he gives in the Opera house scene is great. Granted, it’s actually a piece of well written stuff for Star Wars, and that it’s an actual simple conversation scene between two live actors helps.
    But he hits some great beats in that scene. And there’s some great subtext in the face as he talks about how the apprentice killed the Sith master. You can just see that interior monologue in his eyes, reliving the memory of killing his master as he tells the story.
    I blame performance problems on Lucas. The dialogue is hard to deliver. The special effect/green screen technical conditions almost dictate a new style of acting be developed to handle the conditions of the environment…
    But Lucas had dialogue and acting coaches on set. And there’s still some clunky moments in the first half. And I think this is because (and I could be wrong) Lucas doesn’t really give his actors many takes to get the scene right. If I understand right, he only shoots four or so takes and he just moves on figuring he’ll edit the performance in post.
    And I think Yoda in this new film eclisped Gollum for being able to digitally emote.
    Say what you want about Portman or Christensen; but McDiarmid owns in this movie and deserves recognition for delivering some quality acting in a difficult setting that many talents have not been able to pull off.

  60. jeffmcm says:

    I agree, McDiarmid in this movie is worth the price of admission alone. He’s obviously enjoying himself as he gives the performance too…bad guys always have more fun.

  61. Mark says:

    Lucas got real lucky casting him back in the originals. He worked out well.

  62. L&DB says:

    Terence, only a total dick such as yourself, would
    believe someone has an opinion because they LIKE
    TO ARGUE. You sir are beyond the lunacy of Devin
    Farci sir. DEVIN FARCI! That’s saying something
    since he likes Oldboy.
    If people start laughing during any Padme scene, then
    watch me drop the “ASSHOLE” card. Total Doogie
    on their part. This whole fucking thing comes
    down to people liking Ford and Fisher more than
    Hayden and Portman.
    But hey, again, I pay to see these films because
    I love them. So you dont. Im just sure your
    favourite films can be slashed just as much. Since
    they all most be international and domestic champs
    loved by hundred of millions of people. Oh I forgot.
    Those films are not SW. Ha ha. STAR WARS IS LEGION.
    As they say; “Im done.”

  63. KamikazeCamel says:

    “Portman was good before but Lucas has sucked the talent out of her.”
    …er, Closer and Garden State came after she worked with Georgie Lucas!!! And they’re her two best performances followed by The Professional and then Beautiful Girls.
    Me thinks you just don’t like her period. Same goes for Terence, sheesh, what DOES it take to impress you outside of annoying and repetitive pop culture references in annoying and repetitive Dreamworks animations movies?

  64. jeffmcm says:

    Well maybe I just meant that in the films where she worked with Lucas, her performances weren’t that good.
    And I actually don’t like either Closer or Garden State very much.
    But it is entirely possible that I don’t like her in general. However, her Star Wars performances are still much stiffer than her performances in general.

  65. jeffmcm says:

    And L&DB, I don’t consider myself an asshole, but I chuckle a little every time I hear “I don’t like sand. It’s coarse and rough…you’re soft.” or however it goes. Come on. It’s ridiculous.

  66. L&DB says:

    I love that line. I have no idea if this might
    be a post, again. If not. I absolutely love that
    line. Apparently Jeff and some assholes, have a
    problem with metaphors ;).

  67. bicycle bob says:

    i don’t think it makes anyone a “dick” because they prefer the acting of ford and fisher. ldb, maybe u should relax and lose the nasty language. its not becoming of u, sweetie

  68. BluStealer says:

    I really don’t see the need to throw around the curse words. Is your vocabulary that limited that you need to call people “assholes” and “dicks”? What are you going to call me now? The C Bomb?

  69. Terence D says:

    Apparently, I am a total dick. For saying that Natalie Portmans acting was terrible in the prequels. If that makes me a dick, then so be it. I’ve been called worse but much better people than someone who goes by the name L and DB.

  70. jeffmcm says:

    L&DB, I understand metaphors. You have to get over this attitude that you’re smarter than everyone who just doesn’t understand Lucas. My problem with the line is, in the combination of writing and acting, it’s hilarious when Lucas wanted it to be touching.

  71. Mark says:

    If LDB thinks hes smarter than anyone, he’s yet to show it here. I do not take one for intelligent when they continually have to use curse words and profanity to make a point. That shows a lack of intelligence.

  72. L&Db says:

    Again, if you have a problem with cursing. I see
    you as not only a prude but an elitist. I have no
    respect for prudes or elitist Mark. So take that
    for what it’s worth.
    Jeff, for a FACT, I know I know more about SW than
    you ever will. Did you not catch what Commander Bly
    said last week? Well duh…. Again, you can hate
    the films, the acting, and the dialogue all you
    want. Yet, do not act like you know what’s going
    on. Since you are rather all sorts of surface
    because you slag a line that is touching. Yet you
    find it hilarious. See…that means I know more
    than you when it comes to SW.
    And if you dont want people to be honest about how
    they feel towards the reactions of other’s towards
    thing. Then, well, I just think that’s being a phoney.
    It’s just a word. Plus it’s not name calling. I
    think some of you get upset at an aspect of name
    calling. When there is not name calling around.
    Refering to one being a dick or an asshole does
    not automatically make them one. It’s a statement
    towards a part of one’s opinions more than one’s
    character. You see? Opinion, not the person. I
    explained it once.

  73. jeffmcm says:

    I would take your opinions more seriously if you could write one coherent sentence.

  74. jeffmcm says:

    I guess that makes me an elitist and a snob, right?

  75. Blau says:

    Am I the only one who has never heard of a thought being called a dick or an asshole? As in “your opinion is such an asshole.” Just wondering.

  76. L&DB says:

    To paraphase Chris Tucker; “CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND
    THE WORDS IM PUTTIN ON THE SCREEN?” You might not
    be an elitist or a snob, but you sure have shitty
    reading comprehension jeff.

  77. L&DB says:

    Maybe in your part of town Blau. In my part of town,
    you can be a nice guy. Even if one your opinions are
    just utterly “asshole” or “dick” in nature.

  78. mex says:

    Don’t fight everybody, I will put everything as simple as I can:
    Lucas created one of the most incredible worlds ever on a movie…
    …and fill it up with some of the worst dialogue.
    It’s a tie!

  79. Blau says:

    LDB: I get it now. It’s just like how your opinions show that your mother’s a whore.
    Nothing personal.

  80. jeffmcm says:

    LDB, please. What does this sentence mean: “And if you dont want people to be honest about how
    they feel towards the reactions of other’s towards thing.”
    It starts off okay but in its last six words it degrades into meaninglessness.
    I will admit that Lucas can at least complete a thought using words and punctuation.

  81. jeffmcm says:

    ANYWAY. There is consensus on the dialogue issue even if LDB refuses to believe that Lucas and Shakespeare are anything other than equals.

  82. L&DB says:

    Blau, you never insult one’s mom. Never. It’s
    just tasteless. You have a rather poor sense of
    decorum. As Bill Dautrive would say; “SHAME ON YOU
    BLAU! SHAME!”
    Besides another person insulting my mom. Jeff, excuse
    me for a typo early in the morning. God forbid
    you lack to cognitive qualities to extrapolate the point
    in a mangle sentenced. I will do my best to use
    the wiki, and start using the hacker vocabulary.
    To not only really confuse you. Yet, just because.
    w00t. w00t.
    Also jeff, do not think you are in the majority.
    When it comes to the dialogue in the prequels. Not
    everyone hates it as you like to assume they do. So
    everyone on this blog hates it. Big deal. They also
    hate the Matrix Sequels, and Brother Ken and Brother
    West can surely explain that away rather easily.
    I am convinced the prequels are slagged more for
    the past than for the present. Meaning, you should
    never ever add more stories to a modern mythology
    30 years later. Though I love them. Those films
    have had to deal with more personal psychobabble
    bullshit from moviegoers, than any other film
    trilogy ever. Never have three films had to live
    up to so much STUFF in people’s minds.
    Oy to the vey with *** ******* ***** ******.

  83. L&DB says:

    And only an elitist would believe his opinions
    had some consensus. Jeff. You are, so deep.
    Besides jeff’s warming and caring personality,
    IM DONE with this. Let us move on to the Memorial
    Day Weekend.

  84. jeffmcm says:

    You’re doing better, I can almost totally understand you.
    But if you hate personal psychobabble bullshit…then why do you like the Matrix Sequels so much?
    Ha ha ha.
    I have no problems with you loving these movies. I just think you should admit they’re flawed and that people aren’t idiots if they don’t like them.

  85. jeffmcm says:

    I’m sorry to keep ragging on you but you make it too easy: the definition of an elitist is one who thinks his opinions are better than those of the masses, or popular consensus…you’re the elitist here.
    You are, so amusing.

  86. Blau says:

    LDB: Why shouldn’t I slam your bitch mother? You think it’s OK to call a stranger who has stated his opinion an asshole or a dick, like it’s any less likely to get your teeth hammered out. Insults are insults and you don’t get to reinvent the rules as you go along scumbag.

  87. jeffmcm says:

    Don’t be too mean…he’s probably only 15 or 16 and doesn’t know any better.

  88. joefitz84 says:

    LDB is a bitch. Why even bother?

  89. Mark says:

    LDB, really has no clue. He just rambles and rambles and rambles. I wish he had a point.

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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.

And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.

There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.

I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.

So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”

My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher

“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.

~ David Simon