The Big Picture: The Numbers

[plainlake]

Yeah, arent the geeks the ones who rule the world now Bob? Anyway, there is alot of people with my little pony images on their profile now.. Damn.

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

This is one of the reasons gaming is going down the toilet also. Hurray for the lowest common denominator.

 

[moosek]

There is a way to have both. Suda51 (head of Grasshopper studio) makes the weirdest, but still fun and artsy games that stretch the meaning of the medium. He also makes cheap, high profit Dynasty Warriors clones that totally suck.

 

[deckai]

Is it just me or was this whole episode a wide open door that was just kicked in?
More like a rant really. I understand where it comes from, but in his capacity as a movie-critic, Bob should try and focus on the movies that do come out. i understand it can be frustrating, but I doubt most viewers watch his reviews to hear him whine some more...

Well, since this is "The Big Picture" and NOT "Escape to the Movies" he is free to rant about he want.


I'm incredible disappointed that Mountains of Madness was canned... I pretty much enjoyed every single Lovecraft inspired movie I saw. And combining a already good story with fantastic visuals(by del Toro) sounded like gold to me.


On the whole Scott Pilgrim debate: There are several reasons why the movie bombed at the box-office, a mix between bad marketing, too much hate for Michael Cera, "small" demographic, bad timing, limited and delayed release outside the states ......out of 4 local theaters only one screened it, 6 months after the release in the states.. for only two evenings...

 

[dmase]

I feel like a 5 year old boy asking why he can't have a toy and mommy says because life isn't fair... But whyyy?

 

[LordBojangles]

Isn't the whole business model for the film industry kind of broken nowadays? People haven't primarily used theaters to see movies for a while now...why such emphasis on box office?

Because the audience is leaving for TV, so companies has to look at the box offices. Movies are a dying medium.

Hahahaha no, they just need to find a way (independent of theater ticket sales) to get their investments back.

 

[quantumsoul]

When I saw Scott Pilgrim there was a couple in their 50's that was there too. After the movie I hear them say it was really good.

Scott Pilgrim was funny enough for non-gaming nerds to enjoy. I think if it was more marketed as a comedy even as a romantic one(I can't believe I'm saying this) it would have done much better.

I think movies should be marketed at a general audience but actually be something good and original as a finished project. Nothing wrong with tricking people into seeing something good for once.

 

[Darkauthor81]

More Scott Pilgrim bullshit? Also The expendepals was not that bad. There are worse movie out there like Twilight

don't get your knickers in a twist. bob actually has a significant point this time.

True, but i'm tired of him prasing Scott Pilgrim like it's the spawn of Jesus. Do you want to know why it failed? It has a very small demographig who would go see it.

Those who are part of that demographic are ecstatic that a movie got made for us. A really freaking great movie to boot. So yes. You're going to hear us praising it until something else great aimed at us comes along. Which is going to be a very VERY long time.

So I guess I should attempt to fake an apology at this point for you having to hear us gush about it all the time.

Sorry. I'm so very... very sorry.



As to the original topic. Scott Pilgrim is going to be one of those underground movies that going to have a cult following for years to come. Like Princess Bride, Rocky Horror Picture Show, and Lost Boys. Long after people forget The Expendables ever happened people are still going to be talking about Scott Pilgrim and buying stuff that has to do with it. Too bad this aftermath revenue isn't taken into account.

 

[guntotingtomcat]

Very fine video.

The Horror that a studio taking bold artistic risks loses money as a result.

Can't wait until F&F6.

 

[Jazzyjazz2323]

Ya know I really dislike Scott Pilgrim and I probably always will but it's a damn shame that movie failing has caused a mastermind of cinema to have his dream project forestalled and we're getting another fast and furious movie.FUCK.YOU.HOLLYWOOD.

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

Though every single fibre in my body wants to shout out in anger and shout "YOU ARE WRONG BOB!", I know you are right. Our world is slowly getting dumber and dumber as this useless drivle and bad taste slowly comes out, and not only are the movie screens are suffering; games are suffering, and through that, our culture as a whole is suffering. Because people are so god damn greedy and no longer strive to fight for good things, all that is good and knowledgable is dying out. It just... makes me sad.

 

[rddj623]

Unfortunately money does talk in the entertainment industry. Music, movies, videogames, they all take cash, and especially in a season of tighter budgets, the safe bet is where the majority of the cash goes.

Hopefully a better consumer will be born that isn't so enamored with the mediocre.

 

[Redem]

Heh while the part about Mountain of madness were good, can't help but think a lot of it feel like rehasing part from older material (Expendeable made more money than Scott Pilgrim that is the greatest injustice in movie history! Fast and the Furious still make money!)

 

[rickthetrick]

Great video, only flaw in your logic is assuming that Scott Pilgrim was a good movie.

My opinion aside, Scott Pilgrim didn't fail because people are too ignorant or stupid to get it.
It failed because it was catering to a smaller demographic. The nerds/gamers, and lets be perfectly honest, we nerds/gamers are a fickle damn bunch who will nitpick the shit out of something until nobody enjoys it. Sure there are people who love this film, but there are a lot more who dislike/hate it. It failed on it's own merits, and the expendables had nothing to do with it. Stop blaming the general movie going public for not watching a movie they had no interest in, to begin with.

I don't know that I agree with you there. The Nerd demographic is at least big enough to warrant an Avengers movie and all the movies leading up to it. The Expendables was in direct competition to Scott Pilgrim so it is pretty relevant, though I think a better example for Bob to use would be Eat Pray Love, not only because everybody here at the Escapist hates romantic comedies, but also because it got a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 38%. It was #2 behind the Expendables #1 and people didnt even like it.

The difference between the avengers and Scott Pilgrim is immense. I don't think Joe Everyguy has ever heard of Scott Pilgrim, whereas The Avengers is a known property. Also the avengers will appeal to the masses through it's summer blockbuster release, and probable 3D...sigh at 3D. Scott pilgrim was a small movie about a lesser known series. If I wasn't a gamer/nerd, I probably wouldn't have even heard about it. Scott Pilgrim was simply an obscure property with not enough marketing..........and unwatchable, but that's just my opinion, and we all know what they say about opinions.

 

[Korne]

Cameron's last flick was a gigantic flop. Seriously, check out Sanctum.

 

[jamesbrown]

They did the same to the Bioshock movie that was going to be a "Hard" rated-R, I followed that movies production for 3 years. seriously, Bioshock was almost a movie. Then came the phrase "uncertinty". Now all thats coming out this year is sequels and spin-offs, seriously go to a movie theater, notice what they are advertising. Hollywood you have ripped out your creativity for money, good job.

 

[Chezza]

Damn it Bob... you made me sorta depressed...

But still, I disliked Scott Pilgrim despite its unique style implemented with quality. It reminded me of a demented virtual world of teenager's facebook personas mixed with Nintendo based video games.

Oh and Scott Pilgrim, I hated him in the flick! Maybe that was the goal, I never read the comics... but by god I wanted him to die.

 

[2ndblackjedi]

Aw man, I sorta liked The Expendables and FnF is one my favourite movie series. Sorry for ruining everything you guys.

 

[Redem]

Am I the only who Del Toro at the helms of Mountain of madness might have not been all that?

While Pan's Labyrinth one of the best movie I've seen, I can't help but think he's a bit of a mixed bag director who can easily fall into the trap of "style above substance" and churn out a pretty average movie overall

 

[ProjectTrinity]

Alternatively, the people who can thoroughly enjoy both for what they are will always be the better "fan" of movies in my opinion.

Naturally, my jaded tastes prevent me from liking tons of movies, both popular and Indie. ' -'

Though I did find Splice really interesting!