Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Anti-American Movie Direction Will Have No Impact

John Hinderaker of Powerline has a post up on the film industry and their desperate move to "controversial" and "anti-American" movies to resurrect their plumiting customer number and revenues. Here is the summary per Jason Apuzzo & John:

PL

Slow to awaken after the 9/11 attacks, Hollywood has finally come around to contributing what it can in the War on Terror: namely, glossy, star-studded movies that sympathize with the enemy. Hard to believe? Here's the pitch: with box-office numbers trending down, studio executives are suddenly greenlighting movies they can describe to shareholders as 'controversial' or 'timely.' Whether the films are anti-American or otherwise demoralizing to the war effort is apparently immaterial. Its appetite whetted by "Fahrenheit 9/11"'s $222 million worldwide gross, Hollywood thinks it's found a formula for both financial security and critical plaudits: noxious anti-American storylines, bathed in the warm glow of star power.



I disagree with John on the impact of such a move by the movie hacks. I have not gone to the movies on a regular basis for about ten years. I take my kids for the "G" shows they want to see, but for about ten years there have been very few adult movies that I have paid for and seen in the theater. I go once in awhile but not often. It was not an intentional "boycott" but more a combination of bad product and bad politics from the creators. That's a deadly combination for a product, even the previously untouchable movie product....................

I hear from people who are not plugged in politically to either a right of center or left of center standing that they too think the hollywood offering is crap and they don't go as often. So it's a bad product right now from content, and that is driving down the volume for those who don't care politically. That's a really bad base to spin anti-America offerings to I say.

They have turned away even though they are not political and probably hate political the most because they don't follow it. To offer up that type of fare will I say will drive the numbers down even further. I don't think that anti-American movies will bring people back to the movies or spread the "hate America" message of the ultra-left. I think it will actually cause even more Americans to reduce their theater visits and CD purchases. Little "h" hollywood is moving to a permanent "c" version I say and if this move by the theater hacks is true then it will take them their faster. Time will tell.................................