Americans: Stupid, or Just Idiotic?
Iowahawk covers the disappointing earnings from Hollywood's latest wave of hard-hitting anti-Santa, anti-Christmas movies:
Star power was also unable to save Sundance Films' "Dialog On 34th Street," Writer/ Producer/ Director/ Star/ Costume Designer/ Makeup Artist Robert Redford's take on the Christmas quagmire. Just last month the film had a triumphant debut for Redford at Redford's prestigious Sundance Film Festival, where it brought home Best Picture and earned Redford the Golden Redford for his portrayal of a young, gauzily-lit rugged dissident intellectual cowboy filmmaker who exposes the lies told by a department store Santa Claus (Tom Cruise) to a cynical 7-year old girl (Meryl Streep). During its national weekend opening, however, it was only able to generate $7,425 in tickets sales, a figure which some industry analyst said would not cover the film's advertising budget, let alone the CGI and spackle cost for Mr. Redford's closeup scenes. The film may have also suffered from lukewarm reviews that faulted its overly cerebral tone, and 68-minute laptop dialog between Cruise and Streep.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, who gave glowing, 5-star reviews to each of the films, said he was not surprised by their poor financial performance.
"It's sad, but hopefully these wonderful films will do much better in the overseas market," said Ebert. "No matter how much down inside they know how Christmas is wrong, and Santa is wrong, it's hard for Americans to see their elves portrayed in a balanced, realistic way, as tragically haunted sadistic pederasts. By contrast European filmgoers are much more sophisticated and educated, so they eat that shit right up."
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Dear, dear! Why don't you actually listen to what the man (Don Henley) has to say intead of parroting pseudo modernist tosh? When you know as much as he does about what's going on in this world, then your comments might have some substance. Until then, save your nonsense for the many idiots out there.....please?
Posted by: Sharmian at November 24, 2007 07:21 PM (pfPo2)
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Hi, Sharmian!
I hope I didn't hit a nerve.
But when I hear Henley complaining to our local DJ ("the last DJ," in fact) about people "violating his copyright" by posting Eagles clips to You Tube, it makes me cranky.
Jim Ladd played right along, though, and proclaimed it "immoral" to rip someone else's CD to one's own iTunes program (or even tape an album, for crying out loud).
I assume, of course, that Ladd has never, ever borrowed a book from a friend, and thereby violated a writer's "intellectual property rights." Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying musicians haven't been ripped off for decades by the music industry: I'm only saying that the end user shouldn't be made into the enemy, here.
Ladd: "You have a reputation as being someone whom, in business, you do not want to cross. They say you have an army of lawyers on your side."
Henley: "Well, you need 'em these days."
I'm only expressing my gratitude that The Great Don Henley allowed me to link a video with one of The Sacred Tunes on it.
Now if only, in concert, he'd let someone else do the drumming on "Hotel California," so he wouldn't be out of breath while he's trying to "sing" it (that is, sort of wheeze it out). That would be nice, no?
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 24, 2007 08:49 PM (aywD+)
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Since when is publicity a bad thing? Does anyone really think the YouTube offering will
do anything other than increase sales by exposing the material to a new audience?
Posted by: Darrell at November 25, 2007 07:28 AM (RH4kj)
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Wow! You hit the nail on the head. I'm embarrassed to say that, for whatever reason, I never really listened to the lyrics before. That despite the fact that I probably know ALL of the lyrics to Hotel California.
Speaking of Hotel California, in 1973, after living for 4 years in California, I moved back to Kansas. I was alone, driving a Pinto station wagon pulling a small U-Haul trailer (don't ask). West of Oakland, on a really long downgrade, the trailer went haywire on me (due to faulty loading, probably), came around and smashed into the rear quarter panel of the car. Fortunately, there wasn't much traffic and I was able to get stopped on the shoulder of the road without further damage.
After getting some help from a local U-Haul agent, I was able to get my bent hitch straightened, re-arranged the load in the trailer, and proceeded on. I was feeling pretty shaken by the incident and dreading the 1800 miles or so I still had to travel.
That evening I stopped at a motel on I-5. It was a nice motel, almost new with a Spanish mission theme, but out in the middle of nowhere. And it was almost deserted. I had a sandwich and a couple of beers in the attached restaurant/bar and there were, at most, 2 other customers. Given my mental state at the time, it was really spooky. I did not sleep well that night.
In recent years, I had almost convinced myself that while I was at that motel, the lyrics to Hotel California were running through my head. But, since the song came along about 4 years later, that's obviously not the case. However, to this day, I can't hear the song without thinking of that motel.
Posted by: Suds46 at November 26, 2007 08:20 PM (OcYMU)
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If you want spooky, here's this: there was clearly, at one point, a Hotel California. On Los Feliz and . . . um, Riverside? . . . (near the fountain where young Latino couples have their wedding portraits taken . . . someone help me out, here). There are a bunch of old signs (presumably on property that is owned by the city and part of Griffith Park, right off of Riverside) mostly unlit neon IIRC, that say "Hotel California" on 'em. There obviously used to be a Hotel CA in the area (now converted into apartments along Los Feliz, I imagine), and no one can decide whether to junk the signs or make 'em into a museum. So, there they sit. Rusting.
This is right by the L.A. River, which even oldtimers cannot agree on--that is, is it a real river that got reinforced with concrete, or is "river" just a fancy name for an old water-delivery system?--maybe that one that runs through the Central Valley itself? (Now, of course, after 15 years of floods and soil and whatnot, a whole ecosystem has grown into the L.A. River: islands with trees on them, thick brush, rocks and sand . . . all framed by those odd concrete banks).
I don't know the history. But I love it.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 27, 2007 01:17 AM (aywD+)
More on Those Lights Going Out in Georgia . . .
I still love this song. I suppose I should download Reba's version on iTunes, and then I can hear it back-to-back with Vicki's on my iPod.
But of course I've never been able to figure out the time frame involved in the story: it starts in the evening, when Andy and his friend are having a drink at the bar, and in that same evening Andy gets killed, Dear Brother is arrested, a trial occurs, and the Sheriff/Judge still get home in time for supper.
It seem to me that unless there's a time machine involved, there had to be two nights which, cumulatively, led to the lights going out in Georgia (or at least—metaphorically—for the narrator's brother).
Which is better for the story arc, but not as good for the scanning of the lines in the chorus:
Those were the two nights that culminated in the lights going out in Georgia,
On the second of which they hung an innocent man,
So don't trust your soul—or, at least, the physical part of your being—to no backwoods Southern lawyer,
'Cause the Judge in the town has been corrupt and sloppy in the past, and after this incident he had blood on his hands, though not really in the same sense as Lady MacBeth did, and these ones might someday wash out.
Andyway, here are Vicki and Reba talking about the song—and then singing Reba's version. Reba has a better accent for it, and she does fabulous things with her eyes. On the other hand, she does flub the lyrics slightly.
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Great song, I haven't heard or thought about this one for a while. One of my favorites growing up. Other songs I enjoyed that were similar were "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" by Cher and "Ode To Billy Joe" by I think Bobbie Gentry. Thanks for reminding me of some of the classics. If you don't mind, I'd like to link this post from my blog.
Posted by: Dieter at November 23, 2007 07:38 PM (2tG0R)
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That's fine. BTW, I did download Reba's version of "Night . . . Georgia," and listen to that one. Someone told me that McIntyre "popularized" the song, but Vicki's version went to #1 in the early 1970s, so I think Reba just took it to a new audience (iTunes classifies Reba's as "country," and Vicki Lawrence's as "pop").
The way I got the story, someone sent the song to Cher, but Sonny turned it down on her behalf, thinking it might be offensive to Southerners. Cher only heard later (apparently) that she'd been offered the song.
I love those old Cher songs--"Gypsies" is great. I also like "Half Breed." Both very guilty pleasures.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 23, 2007 08:07 PM (aywD+)
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Wow, talk about songs bringing back memories! I loved "Nights", "Gypsies" and "Half Breed" when I was little. Add "Delta Dawn" by Tanya Tucker to the mix and I think you've covered my entire repertoire as a kid.
Hm, come to think of it, later as a teenager I was really into Southern Gothic fiction. I think we've found a theme - not sure that it's a particularly good one. ;-)
Posted by: Janette at November 24, 2007 07:28 AM (5R+zg)
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I was more familiar with Helen Reddy's version of "Delta Dawn." And I also loved her "Angie Baby."
She used to drive around here in a huge red boat of a 1970s semi-low-rider convertible, with a license plate that read "IM REDDY." I saw it in front of a liquor store once, but I didn't go in to look for her, 'cause I don't gawk at people.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 24, 2007 01:51 PM (aywD+)
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The night of the hanging was the night the lights went out. The night of the murder was kind of like the night they switched to compact flourescent bulbs. If they would have had them in 1973, that is. I like to think of that as the real reason she didn't come forward sooner to save her brother.
I really loved "Take The Ribbon From My Hair" by Lynn Anderson. Some people know it as "Help Me Make It Through The Night."
Take the ribbon from My hair
Shake it loose and let it fall
Lay it soft upon my skin
Like the shadows on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early morning rides
All I'm taking is your time
Help me make it through the night
I don't care what's right or wrong
And I don't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
But tonite I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrows out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
Oh I don't wanna be alone
Help me make it through the night
Posted by: Darrell at November 24, 2007 02:26 PM (GdI34)
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Reminds me of "Put Your Ring on a Different Finger," by Elvis Costello (one of his psuedo-Country songs).
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 24, 2007 04:29 PM (aywD+)
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I never considered it a song about cheating. Extramarital? Yes. Not caring to verify marital status? Yes. A pioneering song for a more innocent time.
Posted by: Darrell at November 25, 2007 07:25 AM (RH4kj)
I <3 Brian May
Via Ace's news sidebar (his mini-blog, to the left of the main one) comes this little tidbit about Queen's sainted guitarist:
LONDON (Reuters) - Brian May, lead guitarist from rock band Queen who has just completed a doctorate in astrophysics, was on Monday named as the next chancellor to Liverpool John Moores University.
May, who will take up the role early next year, became an honorary fellow of the university earlier this year in recognition of his contribution to the arts and for encouraging public understanding of science with his book Bang! The Complete History of the Universe.
Three problems with the Reuters story: 1) that horrific dangling participle; 2) the egregious omission of the fact that—alone among the top guitarists of all time (Harrison didn't do it, Clapton didn't do it, Hendrix didn't do it; no one did it) May built the guitar he later played in concert for many years. He still has it; he still plays it. It's his signature. He fashioned it as a teenager, with his father's help in their workshop. (Maybe that was in their GARage, it being England and all.) He's not just a physicist; he's an amazing engineer.
And an underrated guitarist. Remember: before News of the World came out (or maybe it was The Game; I'll have to check), Queen produced sounds that were semi-orthodox for the time, but every other prog band was using synthesizers to do it. Queen's first five albums used no synthesizers at all. It was all Yankee British ingenuity, and Brian.
And 3) this:
"In this age of celebrity culture, it is rare to find someone who has fame, fortune and universal acclaim and yet who remains true to his core values of learning and enlightenment," said the university's vice chancellor Michael Brown.
The boys from Queen were all academics; even Freddie had studied visual arts formally. And they weren't alone in not checking their intellects at the door when they got into entertainment: after all, the guys from Monty Python and Beyond the Fringe are/were the same way.
Now if only someone would coax John Deacon back into the spotlight. Hermit Boy: your fans need you.
Giving the Lie to Producers' Claims.
Re: the writer's strike, Glenn has a note from one of the writer/producers involved, along with some devastating video that shows them bragging about all the revenue they'll be making from the internet—while continuing to insist that writers' compensation shouldn't take these monies into account.
Bonus question for my younger readers: The added background sounds are a persistent clicking, along with the ringing of a bell (thank you, foley artists). What are these noises meant to represent?
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hahahahahahahahahahahahha. I remember those thingies....
Posted by: caltechgirl at November 13, 2007 01:37 PM (IfXtw)
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When you wonder why Hollywood keeps producing movies which embody a worldview in which America is evil, perhaps the answer is that these Hollywood people just look in their own hearts and report what they see.
Posted by: pst314 at November 14, 2007 06:13 PM (lCxSZ)
King Crimson
. . . just re-issued its first album, totally remastered.
The first guy I lived with—the architectural designer—used to go to sleep to that album. At that time, nothing would relax me enough to help me sleep,* but I still liked the music, and have fond memories of lying in a dark room listening to "The Court of the Crimson King."
Val bought the remastered CD recently for Beatty, and I got to hear it again. I'm trying to work on Beatty, to get him to loan it to me so I can rip it to iTunes. Though I might just break down and buy it. (That sort of thing has been happening with shocking regularity lately.)
* That was before I discovered meditative techniques and Ambien.
Attention, Denizens of Cleveland!
Direct from the Moving Picture Institute's press release:
The Moving Picture Institute is proud to announce that The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque will screen Indoctrinate U
on Sunday, November 18th at 4:00 pm.
Screening Location:
Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque
11141 East Boulevard in University Circle
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
216-421-7450
Tickets will be $8 and available at the door or in advance by calling 216-421-7450. Free parking is available in the Institute lot.
Featured on Hannity's America and in the New York Times, Maloney's pathbreaking documentary has caused a sensation among journalists and higher education leaders. "This film hits you in the gut" wrote Stanley Kurtz in National Review Online, while Carol Iannone, editor of the journal Academic Questions, has called the film "shocking -- even to someone who knows a lot about political coercion on today's campuses."
Indoctrinate U's Washington premier at the Kennedy Center during the American Film Renaissance Film Festival was filled to capacity with 500 people, who gave the film a standing ovation. Almost 30,000 people across the country have signed up at www.IndoctrinateU.com to see the film -- and in response, MPI is arranging screenings in a number of major U.S. cities. Details will be announced as the events are scheduled.
I've seen several different versions of this movie, since it's been in-process for a few years, and there's always a new segment to be viewed at the Liberty Film Festival. Evan Coyne Maloney is one of a kind: he doesn't necessarily make the Academy look that good.
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Write Enough . . .
on the writer's strike. Keep scrolling; just because a person is a libertarian, doesn't mean he doesn't believe in collective bargaining.
At least one of the entertainment-industry locals—the makeup union—has informed its members that the Writers' Guild is not a real union; it's only a guild. So its members are required to ignore the strike, cross the picket lines, and go to work.
This has led a lot of industry folk into a "damned if I do, damned if I don't" mindset.
Ideally, however, I'd like to see creative people—those who actually come up with ideas that enrich our lives, whether they are writers or musicians, sculptors or painters—get better and more consistent rewards for what they do.
As things stand, being in any creative field remains a hell of a way to make a living (or, in many cases, not). Despite what People magazine would have you believe about the lifestyles of the rich and frivolous . . .
Posted by: Darrell at November 07, 2007 12:00 PM (Yguc3)
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Guild? Not a Collective? Or am I warching too many Dick Wolf productions? Amazing how big a role the Patriot Act and the Department of Homeland Security play in everyday crimes in NYC.
Posted by: Darrell at November 07, 2007 02:56 PM (Yguc3)
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I support the writers, and I support their strike.
Posted by: Chuck at November 07, 2007 07:35 PM (H4W1a)
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What's up with the studios? It looks like the writers are looking for an extra dollar or so on DVD and electronic residuals. Don't the networks realize that making a 39% profit instead of a 40% profit will make for more motivated and happy writers? (WARNING!, guestimated profit numbers)
Posted by: Dieter at November 07, 2007 08:40 PM (bcVBL)
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Happy writers?
I've heard of them, but I didn't think they existed anywhere in the universe... (paraphrase of Dr. Lexi Zarkov--Flash Gordon)
The "happiness" of a raise lasts about two weeks on average. About the same as the "new car" high. The industry knows that the actors will knock next. Then every other craft and trade. Right now, internet money consists of the higher ad rates that networks receive due to the ratings bump, since streaming is free. And I believe current contracts already reflect those revenues, no?
I do support writers(heck, I may even be one!). But I prefer to do it directly with premium gin. And socks. Nice socks. My old work is still floating around and I never get residuals. Unless if you consider people making fun of my predictions from twenty-years ago residuals.
Writers and actors can get a cut of TV series DVD sales. Fine. Both sides have to realize that the last time they lost their audience it NEVER came back. Maybe people will realize that they really can live without Leno, Letterman, and Kimmel. Settle now! So shall it be written, so shall it be done!
Posted by: Darrell at November 07, 2007 10:29 PM (v2X0x)
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On the other hand, I'm not sure that the average engineering career encompasses the same risks as creative writing. Just a thought. And nothing against the fabulous socks I'm wearing AS WE SPEAK. (My warmest ones. So glad I insisted on keeping them, when you wanted me to trade them in for a scarf or something.)
I'm waiting for the Governor to weigh in on this dispute. After all, he went to some lengths to make sure Terminator III was made here, rather than in Canada—including taking a pay cut.
If this drags on too long there are a lot of people who will be hurting; there aren't any easy answers, here. But the producers are, speaking in broad demographic terms, sleazeballs. Thought you'd want to know.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 07, 2007 11:33 PM (aywD+)
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Who's average?
Been a consultant since 1990, and there are LOTS of similarities. And risks. And jacking around. Etc.
I see your point, but I will never pay a fee for every viewing of something I purchased, just like I would never buy a book that had a counter telling them how many times it was opened and assessing a fee accordingly. Ditto for paying for content on the internet.
Get your salary upfront. That's the best way to minimize future risks and uncertainties. And not have to deal with the sleazeballs and creative accounting, by the way.
Posted by: Darrell at November 08, 2007 11:35 PM (bckFZ)
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I agree with you in theory, but there are a lot of writers and actors who out here who died in dark smelly little apartments while studios raked it in on the fruits of their youthful work.
The thing no one ever spells out is that being a writer or actor in L.A. is very similar to being an athlete, stripper, or whore: one has to sock it away while one is young. The difference being that once in a while one wins the "comeback" lottery, and suddenly finds oneself buying planes (or other silly stuff), a la John Travolta.
It's important to keep two things in mind: (1) in order to work as a TV/feature actor or writer, one must live in one of the 2-3 most expensive cities in the world (L.A., London, NY), and (2) most people who make it here just scrape by. Or, one year there is a $300,000 salary, from which the government takes $100-$150, which will never return. A few years later, the award statues need dusting, the bank account is depleted from an outrageous cost of living, and one cannot afford even to wash the car.
Posted by: Attila Girl at November 09, 2007 12:19 AM (aywD+)
