Is it ethical for Hollywood...

selfinflikted · Jun 30, 2008

...to release a film they obviously haven't previewed? This thread is in response to a post in another thread, and since most of the people I interact with at CF are in the E&M forum, I'd like to discuss it here.

The Happening

Discuss.

Personally, I thought this movie was absolutely, ridiculously, most certainly the worst movie I've ever seen. I wish you all could have seen the faces of the moviegoers as we all walked out of the theater that day. Everyone, including myself, looked as if they wanted to ask for their money back. I wished the plants had killed me, sitting right there in the movie theater. WTH was M. Knight Shaymalamamalman (sp?) thinking? Is this really the same guy who brought us The Sixth Sense? Does Hollywood have a moral responsibility to release at least decent films? I think they do. We should band together, and form support groups for those poor souls who were duped into seeing this horrible excuse for a film.

God-free · Jun 30, 2008

Hollywood has no moral responsibility per se. They release movies they think will net a profit. It's a gamble. The publics' tastes vary so some will like this movie and some won't. If it's as bad as you say then it will be reflected in box-office sales.

I haven't seen 'The Happening' yet, but it's in my NetFlix queue. So far, I've enjoyed M. Night Shyamalan's movies. Even if I absolutely hate this particular movie it won't prevent me from seeing future films from Mr. Shyamalan. Everybody screws up now and then.

~Barbara

selfinflikted · Jun 30, 2008

I know that Hollywood has no moral responsibility, I merely threw that in there so the thread wouldn't get moved. I just wanted to discuss The Happening here in E&M with everyone here, since most of the people I know from CF are here. That's all

God-free · Jun 30, 2008

Please pardon my faux pas, selfinflikted. I'm off...

~Barbara

selfinflikted · Jun 30, 2008

God-free said:
Please pardon my faux pas, selfinflikted. I'm off...

~Barbara

Granted

JustMeSee · Jun 30, 2008

I have seen all of Shamalan's (sp?) films since The Sixth Sense. I hate to say it, but he appears to be a one great hit wonder.

While his films have not been great, most of them have at least been interesting. His biggest problem IMAO is his plots are rather shallow. In the future, he should get help with his scripts to add an appropriate amount of complexity.

LittleNipper · Jun 30, 2008

selfinflikted said:
...to release a film they obviously haven't previewed? This thread is in response to a post in another thread, and since most of the people I interact with at CF are in the E&M forum, I'd like to discuss it here.

The Happening

Discuss.

Personally, I thought this movie was absolutely, ridiculously, most certainly the worst movie I've ever seen. I wish you all could have seen the faces of the moviegoers as we all walked out of the theater that day. Everyone, including myself, looked as if they wanted to ask for their money back. I wished the plants had killed me, sitting right there in the movie theater. WTH was M. Knight Shaymalamamalman (sp?) thinking? Is this really the same guy who brought us The Sixth Sense? Does Hollywood have a moral responsibility to release at least decent films? I think they do. We should band together, and form support groups for those poor souls who were duped into seeing this horrible excuse for a film.

I see nothing wrong in going to the Ticket office and demanding your money back-----of course you cannot sit through the entire film before you do that.

selfinflikted · Jun 30, 2008

JustMeSee said:
I have seen all of Shamalan's (sp?) films since The Sixth Sense. I hate to say it, but he appears to be a one great hit wonder.

While his films have not been great, most of them have at least been interesting. His biggest problem IMAO is his plots are rather shallow. In the future, he should get help with his scripts to add an appropriate amount of complexity.

I agree. But something else I noticed other than the horrible plot and script - the direction was atrocious. The acting was some of the worst I've seen this side of a high school production. I sincerely hope that Mark Wahlberg's career is over after this. He should be nothing less than ashamed at his own performance.

Really, I can't say enough how badly this movie stunk.

selfinflikted · Jun 30, 2008

LittleNipper said:
I see nothing wrong in going to the Ticket office and demanding your money back-----of course you cannot sit through the entire film before you do that.

Reminds me of the episode of South Park where the kids decided to see Mel Gibson's The Passion.. and tracked down Mel himself to procure their money back. Awesome times.

Battie · Jun 30, 2008

Wow, now I'm so curious I kind of want to rent it when it comes out. We could have an MST3K night with it.

Didn't the fact that the selling point was that it was "his first R-rated film" tip you off?

BigBadWlf · Jun 30, 2008

selfinflikted said:
...to release a film they obviously haven't previewed? This thread is in response to a post in another thread, and since most of the people I interact with at CF are in the E&M forum, I'd like to discuss it here.

The Happening

Discuss.

Personally, I thought this movie was absolutely, ridiculously, most certainly the worst movie I've ever seen. I wish you all could have seen the faces of the moviegoers as we all walked out of the theater that day. Everyone, including myself, looked as if they wanted to ask for their money back. I wished the plants had killed me, sitting right there in the movie theater. WTH was M. Knight Shaymalamamalman (sp?) thinking? Is this really the same guy who brought us The Sixth Sense? Does Hollywood have a moral responsibility to release at least decent films? I think they do. We should band together, and form support groups for those poor souls who were duped into seeing this horrible excuse for a film.

I dont know about worst movie ever. Ive seen Left Behind. Not voluntarily mind you

morningstar2651 · Jul 1, 2008

BigBadWlf said:
I don’t know about worst movie ever. I’ve seen Left Behind. Not voluntarily mind you

Is it worse than Plan 9 from outer space?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHRq80QNnJM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSw6u6loD7k

cantata · Jul 1, 2008

Is it as bad as The Oxford Murders? It has to be the worst film I've ever seen. The major sex scene involved spaghetti.

morningstar2651 · Jul 1, 2008

cantata said:
Is it as bad as The Oxford Murders? It has to be the worst film I've ever seen. The major sex scene involved spaghetti.

I just watched that movie out of curiosity. It wasn't as bad as I expected...but the spaghetti was weird.

I had it figured out shortly after the first murder...which kinda disappointed me.

SallyNow · Jul 1, 2008

What do you mean by Hollywood?

The writers?
The actors?
The directors?
The producers?
The designers?
The crew?
The editors?

A film company wants to release a film, and does so without anyone saying "you can't do that!" It's a myth that Hollywood is some governing body over movies that screens them and decides which are good and which are bad.

A distribution company buys a film, and it goes to the theatres. If a film looks like it's not going to make money it gets shelved if it's bad or, if it's good, goes the art house or limited release route, because it may be very good, but too intellectual or specialized for a broad audience. If a film looks like it's going to make money, even it's as bad as possible, it'll get distributed to every theatre the distributor works with.

Worst film in the last 20 years: "Biodome" or any other Pauly Shore venture.

cantata · Jul 1, 2008

morningstar2651 said:
I just watched that movie out of curiosity. It wasn't as bad as I expected...

Are you kidding me?! It's probably funnier if you live in Oxford because they mess with the geography, but seriously, the dialogue! "When this nightmare is over, we'll fly away somewhere - somewhere with no books and no walls..." o_0

morningstar2651 said:
but the spaghetti was weird.

I love the bit where Elijah gets all philosophical and the spaghetti is still sliding down her neck!

morningstar2651 said:
I had it figured out shortly after the first murder...which kinda disappointed me.

Indeed

DeathMagus · Jul 1, 2008

Is it sad that my immediate answer to the title was "no" before I even opened the thread and read the full question?

Caylin · Jul 1, 2008

Ha, I read the "twist" for the happening and I think my IQ was cut in half. I'm so glad I didn't pay to go see it. PLANTS?!?! SERIOUSLY?!?!

morningstar2651 · Jul 1, 2008

cantata said:
Are you kidding me?! It's probably funnier if you live in Oxford because they mess with the geography, but seriously, the dialogue! "When this nightmare is over, we'll fly away somewhere - somewhere with no books and no walls..." o_0

Yeah...that was pretty stupid.

Caylin said:
Ha, I read the "twist" for the happening and I think my IQ was cut in half. I'm so glad I didn't pay to go see it. PLANTS?!?! SERIOUSLY?!?!

Why does this guy keep getting funding? He makes the same crap over and over. A bunch of crappy dialogue, contrived unrealistic premises, and cowering in cramped spaces and dealing with strained relationships.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIvsJVPCzAQ

FaithLikeARock · Jul 1, 2008

You know, I heard about The Happening and it's plot before it was released and thought "Oh, that sounds interesting". But the day it came out I saw people crying when they came out of the theatre.

In my opinion, they can, but they have to reconcile it with awesome movies like Wall-E.

Is it ethical for Hollywood...

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