‘Body of Lies’ Tanks — Note To Hollywood: HateAmerica Don’t Sell
Posted by Dirty Harry on Saturday, October 11th, 2008
Rival Hollywood studios sensed weak wannasee around Warner Bros’ debut of the war on terror spy thriller Body of Lies – but no one expected it to underperform this badly. Its weekend estimate is only $13 million, which is disastrous for the huge budget/high-profile drama, after taking in just $4.6 million Friday from 2,710 dates. How humilating that Oscar-touted talent like Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe and Ridley Crowe were dogged at the box office for #3. (And, to think, Russell had to gain 50 pounds for the role.) But that’s what happens when the script doesn’t measure up.
The public’s soooo got Hollywood’s number and we know exactly what’s coming when the trailer’s all about meterosexuals running around the desert wearing ear pieces: An assault on our values, cheap shots at this great country of ours, and most unforgivably, an attack on the very people who risk their lives to protect and defend us.
If you can’t shine this turd with Russell and Leo — what’s left? Hey, you, behind the gate in the mansion living fat off the blood and sacrifice of others … give it up.
Filed in General |
Johnny Ed's Babyon 11 Oct 2008 at 8:01 am 1Hate America doesn’t sell in Hollywood - only on the campaign trail.
How did we get to the point that a former member of the socialist’s New Party and a friend to unrepentant terrorists become the favorite to win the presidency?
photomanon 11 Oct 2008 at 8:40 am 2Yes, how did we get to the point where a candidate who supports infanticide and get the nomination of a major political party?
Is that “Taps” I hear playing in the background over Hollywood? I fear its sound may resonate over the entire USA.
Johnny Ed's Babyon 11 Oct 2008 at 8:53 am 3Remember during the Clinton years when Hollywood made movies like Dave (a rehash of Gabriel Over The White House) or Air Force One (Indiana Jones saves the country).
If Obama gets elected the movies will show a president that can walk on water and make Muslim countries love Israel. And every garage will have a unicorn.
All the crap that he did to get elected will be forgotten as they credit him with saving the world.
formertucsonanon 11 Oct 2008 at 8:56 am 4Well, when you have Crowe playing a character who spends most of his time behind a desk and DiCaprio trying play macho it’s gonna bomb. Talk about a contradiction in terms.
Besides, HateAmerica is becoming such a cliche.
Kenn Christensonon 11 Oct 2008 at 8:57 am 5http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/ATA/24818BP~Nelson-Posters.jpg
Fiftyfooton 11 Oct 2008 at 9:00 am 6The denizens of hollywood spurt product to please each other. Wanked out, politically correct dreck, hung on the spongy story skeletons of supermarket check-out stand pulp. Click on my name and get back to the classics. Stories that have stood the test of time, feast or famine. Could use something surefooted and dignified for the times ahead.
Sharon Fergusonon 11 Oct 2008 at 9:23 am 7I lay the blame of this directly on Ridley Scott. He should have seen the writing on the wall by now at how well BDS has done for films, but I guess he wants to get another Oscar nomination and please all the little European film festivals. I can understand how a director wants to try all things at least once, but this is just a bad bad decision.
And God love Crowe - he’s one of the few actors out there that I was feeling I could readily and happily enjoy without the BDS ‘getting in my face’ and now even that’s called into question. Its the first Crowe movie I will deliberately NOT go see.
Johnny Ed's Babyon 11 Oct 2008 at 9:23 am 8Fox news just showed Palin entering a vehicle and a reporter yelled to her”Governor, did you abuse your power?”
And Palin responds, barely audible over the street noise -”No! Read the report.”
Why doesn’t McCain have a press conference to knock down this story? It is light as a feather but the media has the story they want.
If McCain wants to lose with honor, that’s one thing. But to not stand up for his VP and let the media and the Democrats (whoops, same thing) tear her down is not just wrong but dishonorable.
I can’t watch the news any more today. I’m off to Columbia to see my son and watch Mizzou play OK State tonight. If you watch on ESPN2 I’ll be the guy with the gold shirt on.
Stephen Lodgeon 11 Oct 2008 at 9:24 am 9You know, I don’t recall any of the old stars ever gaining, or losing, weight for a part. If the character they were playing needed to be heavier, pads were used under their costumes; lighter in weight, larger costumes were used to make them appear skinnier.
This new breed of actors continues to amaze me with their bullshit.
Kiton 11 Oct 2008 at 9:35 am 10Well, we all know that films about the War on Terror don’t sell.
People don’t wish to see films about the War on Terror.
Its the unpopularity of the Iraq War.
Kenn Christensonon 11 Oct 2008 at 10:00 am 11“People don’t wish to see films about the War on Terror.” Maybe they don’t want to see THOSE films - because they all paint us as the bad guy.
I firmly believe that is H-wood made an honest account of what we’re actually doing, over there - it would do gangbusters. Think another R. Scott film - “Blackhawk Down.”
Cambiason 11 Oct 2008 at 10:10 am 12I have to agree with Kenn: if Hollywood made a movie which simply showed some of the _real_ courage, competence, and genuine heroism shown by troops in Iraq, it would make billions.
Of course, the writer and director would never work again . . .
Kenn Christensonon 11 Oct 2008 at 10:14 am 13http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQXXpUK49U4
-”That’s what I’M talkin’ about.”
“Of course, the writer and director would never work again . . .”
They wouldn’t need to.
ECMon 11 Oct 2008 at 10:16 am 14“I firmly believe that is H-wood made an honest account of what we’re actually doing, over there - it would do gangbusters. Think another R. Scott film - “Blackhawk Down.””
I think that’s about it: people will go see a film where our soldiers, intelligence people (even if they don’t at all deserve it, e.g. the CIA), etc. are portrayed as the heroes that, by and large, they are that people would be glad to go see it.
Of course there’s literally no chance of such a film being made so there’s also literally no chance of putting this to an actual box office vote.
Opuson 11 Oct 2008 at 10:17 am 15How humiliating it must be to be beaten by a film named Beverly Hills Chi-wow-wow
(Yes I know that’s not how it’s spelled but I’m too lazy to look it up)
(I like my spelling better anyway)
JimmyCon 11 Oct 2008 at 11:16 am 16Who’s Ridley Crowe?
Mr24pon 11 Oct 2008 at 11:39 am 17What’s with Leo’s “beard”? That’s the kind of thing a 17 year old tries to grow when he wants to look cool but only looks like a 17 year old that can’t grow a full beard.
Kenn Christensonon 11 Oct 2008 at 11:58 am 18http://www.neverpayretail.com.au/images/Arnold%20Schwarzenegger4.jpg “Girly-man!”
Kenn Christensonon 11 Oct 2008 at 12:00 pm 19Disclaimer: That’s the pre-governor Ahnold.
dcjuggleron 11 Oct 2008 at 12:38 pm 20I went to see this last night–even though I fully expected to see a lot of anti-American bias (I went because Crowe was in it). Wasn’t what I expected as far as that went.
What was Ridley thinking when he cast the little wimp (Leo) in that role? It was a casting disaster. He looks too young to be running things like that, especially with that crappy beard. I would have used Val Kilmer, but that’s another story.
Crowe wanted to kill the bad guys–nothing wrong with that. And a bunch went to their 72 raisins. He talked about this is a war–there are no innocents.
Great set-up of the architect; but remember, it was Leo’s character’s idea.
The female muslim nurse was not believable. She was working with the palis (at the health clinic)–in real life, she would have nothing to do with an American.
The CIA vs. Jordanian intelligence conflict–intel agencies don’t have friends; they have interests that sometimes coincide with each other.
I seems to me that any anti-american sentiments were said by the terrorists themselves and their muslim sympathizers–just like in real life. I could be wrong about this, though (wouldn’t be the first time).
This movie just seems like one that people who didn’t like it and those who did could still talk about it over a few beers and still get along without getting pissed off.
The quick set-up shot of Dubai was good. Count the number of buildings under construction in the scene and multiply by 10–the whole city is composed of work cranes.
The first Amman scene not realistic–needed a lot more cars on the street (traffic stayed between the lines and you could still see the pavement) with everyone blowing their horns.
Jusy my 2 cents worth on my first comment at DHP.
Carolynon 11 Oct 2008 at 12:47 pm 21‘We all know that films about the war on Terror don’t sell.’
WRONG! NONE of the films that tanked (’Valley of Elah’, ‘Redacted’, ‘Lions for Lambs’, etc.) had anything to do with the war on terror. They said they were but they were lying - the ‘war’ they were really showing was the one against America and its values.
That hatred stunk the screen up - which is why the audience stayed away in droves. And, of course, it didn’t help that the damned films were boring as hell.
Hate and boredom. Nope. Not gonna pay my bucks to see THAT.
PerfectTommyon 11 Oct 2008 at 4:28 pm 22Dogs rule; anti-Americans drool.
Looking Glasson 11 Oct 2008 at 6:08 pm 23Dirty Harry wrote,
Furious Don 11 Oct 2008 at 6:24 pm 24I think the casting may have worked if they had traded roles. Crowe as the grizzled field agent, and DiCaprio as a office-bound desk jockey who was promoted over Crowe because of his tech skills, pestering him over the phone and via sattelite.
That may have worked.
Boon 11 Oct 2008 at 7:46 pm 25We are about to elect a socialist as President and anyone is surprised at anything in America today?
SpideyTerryon 11 Oct 2008 at 11:36 pm 26Well, this is just great. Here’s hoping “W” tanks, too.
“I firmly believe that is H-wood made an honest account of what we’re actually doing, over there - it would do gangbusters.”
YES!
Note to Hollywood: The American military deserves respect - not to be portrayed/treated as sadistic, insane baby-killers.
Hey, here’s an idea for a movie - “A soldier comes home from war, goes to Hollywood and kicks the butts of slimebags that have been repeatedly trashing the military.” A thin plot, but I’d pay to see a movie like that.