Convict on 2/4/2006 at 09:10
I'd like to dissent. Hollywood made Brokeback Mountain and TransAmerica which are, I think, original pieces of film and eren't particularly popular at the box office. The criticism levelled at Hollywood is that they are making and glorifying movies of a degenerate nature, even at the expense of profits. This is a re-quote:
Quote Posted by The Times
Christian groups criticize Hollywood
Los Angeles.- Christian groups have launched a furious campaign against Hollywood, claiming the Golden Globe Awards promote films with gay or "leftist" themes to serve a political agenda.
The criticism was made after Brokeback Mountain, a film about the forbidden love between gay Wyoming cowboys that stars Australian Heath Ledger, won four awards on Tuesday.
Other winners included Philip Seymour Hoffman, named Best Actor for his portrayal of the homosexual writer Truman Capote; and Felicity Huffman, the Desperate Housewives star who played a transsexual with a gay prostitute son in Transamerica.
"Once again, the media elites are proving that their pet projects are more important than profit," Janice Crouse, of Concerned Women for America, said.
"None of the three movies - Capote, Transamerica or Brokeback Mountain - is a box office hit. Brokeback Mountain has barely topped $US25 million in ticket sales.
"If America isn't watching these films, why are they winning the awards?"
The criticism from the American heartland carried more weight than usual this year because Hollywood suffered the biggest decline in attendance in two decades last year.
One of the few box office hits of the year was The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which appealed strongly to Christian audiences.
Oscar pundits are now wondering whether the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will also reward Brokeback Mountain, potentially souring Hollywood's relationship with the American ticket-buying public even further.
Members of the academy must hand in their nomination forms by Saturday, with the winners to be announced on March 5.
Religious groups also pointed to the alleged political agenda of winners such as George Clooney, who won for his supporting role in Syriana, a film about the ethical pitfalls of the oil business; and Mary Louise Parker, who was rewarded for her performance in Weeds, a television comedy about a suburban mother turned marijuana dealer.
Much of the anger was directed at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group of 92 journalists from non-American publications who hand out the Golden Globe Awards.
The non-profit HFPA collects as much as $US5.7million ($7.6million) from selling the broadcast rights to the ceremony, which is consistently one of the three highest-rated awards shows in the US, along with the Academy Awards and the Grammys.
Stephen Bennett of Straight Talk Radio said: "When Hollywood is pumping out anti-family movies with sexually explicit, twisted and perverse themes that glorify homosexuality, transsexuality and every other kind of sexual immorality - then awarding itself for doing so - Middle America better take note.
"Hollywood (has) exposed its own corrupt agenda. (It) is no doubt out on a mission to homosexualize America."
Swiss Mercenary on 2/4/2006 at 09:21
Quote Posted by godismygoldfish
If I succeed wiht my plans (and oh I
will succeed) I'll be giving the film industry a righteous kick to the teeth with some of the films I'm going to get made. :sly:
(in making new awesome stuff that's not based on anything out there)
Remake of System Shocker? :bored: Originality, man.
OH, AND THAT STUFF BETTER NOT MAKE US CATCH THE GHEY DISEASE CONVICT QUOTED.
Fafhrd on 2/4/2006 at 09:21
That box office figure for Brokeback doesn't take into account how many screens it was released on. $547,425 on opening weekend (according to boxofficemojo), when it was only playing on 5 screens is fucking PHENOMENAL, especially for a film with "gay cowboy love story" as the plot.
Not to mention that criticizing the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes for awarding films that didn't make money is fucking stupid. They're supposed to be awarding the best examples of the ART from the past year, not the biggest money makers.
[edit]one final edit, and On Topic: The Weinsteins. They're why Hollywood has fallen into a morass of remakes and sequels. "What? Incredibly popular asian film with massive buzz in print and online? Quick, buy the distribution rights and then don't release it, ever, and get me a writer to hack together an americanized version!"
Convict on 2/4/2006 at 09:25
Brokeback and TransAmerica are still original plots. I have no idea about profits they made.
Myoldnamebroke on 2/4/2006 at 09:41
Quote Posted by This is a re-quote:
OH NO WE CAN'T CONVINCE ANYONE TO DO EXACTLY WHAT WE SAY RATIONALLY SO WE'LL TRY BEING WHINY
Character limit. Now back to sequelitis, because in the real world people aren't complaining about Hollywood making FILTH, they're complaining that the films are unoriginal, lowest-common denominator pap (of which I don't know how much is true and how much is looking back at an imagined golden age).
------------------
Actually, since I have to write something to take up space anyway.
Seriously, religion out of politics now. Surely you must recognise that faith and belief come from the heart. You can't convince people to come to god by legislating for it, imposing it on people, or getting angry. Not necessarily specific to this issue but on-topic anyway - resorting to asking the state to intervene is a desperate act by a faith that is failing to convince people by their actions. Loads of people acting according to the laws but not embracing the spirit isn't want you want, is it? If acting like Jesus told you to isn't pulling people in, complaining bitterly about how other people believe different stuff isn't going to win them over either.
If one group has an agenda you disagree with, then don't moan that they're allowed to do it, demonstrate why they're wrong. Present a positive agenda of your own. Evangelise personally, engage with people, don't sit in an armchair going OH NO WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO. WWJD indeed.
PS: I like the way in which when movies are made about LOL GAYS then everyone gets up in arms, but movies in which loads of people get killed? Fine!
Actually, yeah, what?! What's worse - Brokeback Mountain or James Bond? I would have thought a loving relationship was better than a string of unconnected affairs punctuated by grisly death.
Gingerbread Man on 2/4/2006 at 09:53
Quote Posted by Convict
LOL I DISAGREES
If Brokeback Mountain is such an original plot, how come it won "Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published"?
I suspect you don't comprehend half of what we talk about in here, honestly. Go back and read the OP, for crying out loud. ADAPTATION is one of the things. You with your jerky knee.
Morte on 2/4/2006 at 10:17
Of course, neither Brokeback Mountain, Transamerica or Capote were financed within the studio system, they're all indies that were picked up for distribution. (Well, Brokeback was in development at Sony for a while, but it went nowhere until outside investors stepped in.) Holding them up as an example of "Hollywood" trying to homosexualize America is utterly retarded. Hollywood didn't bloody well make them in the first place.
Convict on 2/4/2006 at 10:23
Ok I don't know about them since 1) I couldn't be bothered seeing them and 2) Brokeback Mountain was banned where I live.
Spitter on 2/4/2006 at 10:26
Quote Posted by Convict
Brokeback Mountain was banned where I live.
lol
Swiss Mercenary on 2/4/2006 at 10:34
I also love the way that these 'news' outlets cry about HOLLYWOOD USING FILMS FOR A POLITICAL AGENDA YADDA YADDA YADDA, when they would find more of that shit by looking in their own back yard. The hypocricy is killing me.
