Are American studios out of ideas?

[Honoruru]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Pun intended?

Not really. You got me!

[Random]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

"Bamboozled", just off the top of my head.

Oh, yeah. That sounds like an Oscar winner.

[Mike_Lowery]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Oh, yeah. That sounds like an Oscar winner.

Is that what we were discussing?

[Vanguard]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Don't forget remakes. Lately, there has been a lot of Hollywood remakes of foreign films. The thinking is that Americans don't watch foreign films, so a remake (with an American slant) will register as something new to American audiences. No need for original screenplays.

We had them decades ago, as well. Magicificent Seven is ripped from "Seven Samurai" I suppose it more rampant now, or at least much more noticable.

[sinjin]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

"The Last King of Scotland", the best film made last year IMO grossed only $17million in the US. Fortunately, it only cost $6million to make.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/...ofscotland.htm

[greentara]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

"The Last King of Scotland", the best film made last year IMO grossed only $17million in the US. Fortunately, it only cost $6million to make.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/...ofscotland.htm

I loved the Last King of Scotland ~ great film. Another good one is Little Children. What about the films coming from Spain and Latian America:
Y Tu Mama Tambien

Amores Perros

Babel

All of which are by Alejandro González Iñárritu ~ Mexico

Then we have all of the Pedro Almodóvar films from Spain ~ All excellent films. The most recent: Volver.

Most American films are made for the mentality of a 13 year old. Also, the films from Australia are much better i.e. Rabbit Proof Fence, Whale Rider (I think it was New Zealand). Once Were Warriors another good film from down under, (New Zealand).

Most, (not all) US film makers are interested in the bucks they don’t consider film an art form. A few good ones come out but they are from independent studios. Films really say a lot about our the Culture...

[Honoruru]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

What about the films coming from Spain and Latian America:
Y Tu Mama Tambien

Amores Perros

Babel

All of which are by Alejandro González Iñárritu ~ Mexico

Then we have all of the Pedro Almodóvar films from Spain ~ All excellent films. The most recent: Volver.

There's also Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, winner of 3 Academy Awards, and probably my favorite movie last year. Del Toro is Mexican.

And there's also Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron, also a Mexican director. This was maybe my second favorite movie (a battle with fellow Mexican Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel). Three Mexican directors, all directors of my three favorite movies last year. And all heavily recognized by the Academy Awards. What's happening in Mexico? And where are all of our new home-grown American directors?

[Random]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Is that what we were discussing?

I never heard of the film, and if I had it just didn't register on my curiosity meter.

[Random]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

"The Last King of Scotland", the best film made last year IMO grossed only $17million in the US. Fortunately, it only cost $6million to make.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/...ofscotland.htm

Unfortunately, it's an adaptation of the novel by Giles Foden. Not what the OP had in mind.

[Random]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

There's also Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, winner of 3 Academy Awards, and probably my favorite movie last year. Del Toro is Mexican.

Could one argue the parallel between the aforementioned film and the Chronicles of Narnia book series?

[Random]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

double-post removed.

[Hellbent]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Ummmm I heard Star Wars was lifted off of Kurusawas' Hidden Fortress, so that isnt original either.


They say nothing is original now, I know i've seen my share of Romeo and Juliet-like movies.

The thing im wondering is if it was always like this. I dont know how to explain it, but maybe its always been 70% of all movies released a year are crap. 5 percent are super good, and the other 25%? porn, maybe? =P

Lets see...
In 2000 we had:
Group A: 'Pop' Movies (low to medium cost and high return. mainstream stuff.)
scream3 budget:40m - world-wide gross: 161m
snow day b:13m - wwg: 60m
whole 9 yards b:24m - wwg 85m
final destination b:23m - wwg: 112m
coyote ugly b:45m - wwg: 115m
nutty proffessor 2 b:84m - wwg: 161m

Group B: Indie Flicks (low budget, lesser known or lesser hyped, but still profitable)
boondock saints b:7m - wwg: 250k
ghost dog b:2m - wwg:6m
crouching tiger b:15m - wwg: 213m
traffic b48m - wwg: 208m

and:
Group C: Crap (overbudget, overhyped, crap.)
battlefield earth b: 80m - wwg: 29m

The point im trying to illustrate here is that mainstream stuff and crap is made because you will go pay to see them. Indie stuff isnt as advertised or is lesser known but may have less appeal, deal with tricky issues, or just not distributed properly. Good stuff is out there, you just have to keep your eyes open.

Source
Also, i think these are ticket grosses, dvd/vhs sales are not included. (sometimes dvd sales are equal or greater than movie grosses)

ps, i liked children of men much better then pans labryrinth myself.

[Random]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Ummmm I heard Star Wars was lifted off of Kurusawas' Hidden Fortress, so that isnt original either.

So, we're left with Bamboozled.

BTW, it's not the motion picture that is diminishing our children's reading abilities, it's iPod and Podcasting.

--card-carrying member of "I hate iPod" club.

[Vanguard]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

Ummmm I heard Star Wars was lifted off of Kurusawas' Hidden Fortress, so that isnt original either.

If you watch Yojimbo, you're also going to see a scene or two that inspired Star Wars scenes. For example, the hero hiding under floor boards (the compartments in the Falcon when they were in the death star). That scene in Episode 2 when Anakin and Padme were rolling in the grass; it was in "Seven Samurai" and in "No Regrets for Our Youth", as well.

IMO, this is a ripoff of sorts, but not as blatant as all these remakes and unoriginal boring drivel flicks being put out lately. I haven't even been to the movies since Revenge of the Sith (I wanted to see Letters from Iwo Jima, but I missed it, waiting for the DVD now).

[greentara]

Re: Are American studios out of ideas?

There's also Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, winner of 3 Academy Awards, and probably my favorite movie last year. Del Toro is Mexican.

And there's also Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron, also a Mexican director. This was maybe my second favorite movie (a battle with fellow Mexican Alejandro González Iñárritu's Babel). Three Mexican directors, all directors of my three favorite movies last year. And all heavily recognized by the Academy Awards. What's happening in Mexico? And where are all of our new home-grown American directors?

Can't wait to see Pan's Labyrinth ~ next on the queue. Forgot about Children of Men ~ haven’t seen it but definitely on my list.

There are good American directors ~ Scorsese ~ Altman ~ Coppola ~ Allen, (not a favorite of mine but does get recognition) Coen ~ Fargo, Eastwood, David Lynch. But these are the older guys and they have proven themselves to be excellent film makers. I would have included Gibson but after seeing Apocalypto I would really think twice about seeing another of his films. But what about the new blood, can't think of any that will be as great as the older guys. The only young guy I can think of off hand is Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), ok but what has he done since then it's the same old theme of violence. Perhaps we will see more new actors turning to directing like Eastwood. Not quite sure what’s happening in Mexico. These guys seem to be quite international a new global Latin intelligentsia perhaps??? Some outstanding books are and have been coming out of the Latin cultures for quite sometime ~ now the filmmakers ~ don’t know just a guess.

By Peter Brat ~ Variety
There's a big difference, however. The Italians of that period made their films in Italy. The Mexican trio are true internationalists, which has both good and bad connotations. Their recent films -- "Babel," "Children of Men" and "Pan's Labyrinth" -- reflect a range of settings around the world. Indeed, the three filmmakers, though separated by continents, still talk to one another virtually every day, exchanging war stories.
But here's the rub: Though all three love their home country, it's no secret why they do not shoot their movies there. The threat of kidnapping looms so large in Mexico that high-profile artists opt instead to live and work in London or Los Angeles or Spain where they and their families are safe from violent crime. Making films is itself a high-risk adventure, so why add personal dangers to the mix?

I wonder if they live in the US does that make them American Directors? Hitchcock was not born here (UK) and he is thought of as a great "American" director.