When movies ruled the earth
Size matters.
In terms of popular culture, anyway. It's how we know just how popular a piece of culture is, how much impact it's generated, how far it will seep into our common consciousness.
The size of an audience says things about what we need, who we are and who we will likely be.
And that's why all the hoopla these past weeks about "The Dark Knight" catching up to "Titanic" for the number one spot in American box office history needs to be put in context.
The biggest movie of all time is not about a bat, and it's not about a boat. It's about a Butler. And a mansion. And a war. And a romance.
It's also about 70 years old. The biggest movie of all time is "Gone with the Wind," which was released in 1939. It starred Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara and Clark Gable as Rhett Butler.
It has earned $198 million in theaters over the years, a nifty piece of change by any standards.
But when you factor in the dizzying ticket inflation rate of the past seven decades, its total comes to $1,430,476,000, according to the good folks over at boxofficemojo.com.
That's $1.4 billion (imagine Dr. Evil stressing the "beeellyun"). When you adjust for inflation, 1997's "Titanic," at $908 million, still isn't even close. And this year's champ, "The Dark Knight," at $491 million (and counting), is nearly a billion dollars short.
Actually, "Titanic" is only number 6 on the overall list when inflation is factored in. And "The Dark Knight" is way back at number 34.
Which only makes sense. Right now the average ticket price in America is about $7.08.
In 1939, according to boxofficemojo.com, the average ticket price was a whopping 23 cents.
Now nobody was keeping good statistics on admissions back in those days, but the number of tickets at that price that must have been sold to bring home even $100 million is mind-boggling.
And here's the big catch: In 1940 there were less than 140 million people in the U.S. These days there are over 300 million.
Movies today bring in a lot less while charging a lot more and playing to more than twice as many people.
It's hard now for people to even conceive what a huge cultural tidal wave "Gone with the Wind" must have been. A lot of people have seen the latest Batman movie. In 1939, virtually everybody went to see "Gone with the Wind."
And then they went back and saw it again. And over the years it would be re-released into theaters and people would go see it again.
The closest thing to it would be the "Star Wars" phenomenon of 1977, and indeed "Star Wars" is number 2 on the all-time adjusted list, with earnings of $1.2 billion.
Anyone who was alive at the time knows, "Star Wars" was everywhere. It wasn't just a movie, it was a way of life, it became part of our language, a constant reference point.
"The Dark Knight" is just a movie, it's not a way of life.
How could it be? It's got too much competition.
When "Gone with the Wind" came out there was no television, no videogames, no DVDs, no video-on-demand. Nobody was spending hours online every day, nobody walked around with plugs in their ears blaring music.
In terms of mass electronic media there was radio and, well, radio. Maybe you had a phonograph. Probably not.
In truth America will likely never again see a film as popular as "Gone with the Wind" or "Star Wars" or even "E.T." (number four on the list).
The modern media age offers too many options for any one to dominate so fully.
"The Dark Knight" is an incredibly successful movie. And if this past summer proved anything, with some dozen movies earning more than $100 million, it's that the blockbuster film business is alive and well and the long predicted demise of movie theaters is still a mighty ways off.
But movies are no longer as central to American life as they once were. Probably nothing is.
In the modern, scattered world they still retain a unifying power, offering common cultural ground, escape and glorious entertainment to many. But they aren't nearly the cultural force they were 70, 50, even 30 years ago.
The days of "Gone with the Wind" are indeed gone with the wind.
Worst blogger ever/Twilight
As far as worst blogger ever, that would be me. It's a direct result of also being busiest film critic ever.
Which is kind of weird because August is usually a pretty dead time for movies, but... Vicki Cristina Barcelona, Man on Wire, Elegy, Frozen River... what the heck is going on? Some really great films are coming out at this odd time.
Add to that my Fall move preview (running Sept 12) and my annual pre-Toronto Film Festival juggling act, where I request approximately 413 interviews which eventually get whittled down to 7 or so -- at this point I only have confirmations on Philip Seymour Hoffman and comparative newcomer Rosemary DeWitt -- as well as the now-constant drone of Michigan film news...
And you still have a fairly lame excuse. So it's back to the blog with...
I've been reading the "Twilight" books -- I'm in the middle of the third one -- and while I can't say they're great (or even truly good) literature, they may be the best books I've ever read in terms of adaptation to film.
Why? Because although each book runs somewhere around 500 pages, almost nothing actually goes on. Each has 5-7 key scenes. Just like a movie.
I've never read a romance novel -- my loss, I'm sure -- but I have a feeling the "Twilight" books have much in common with them, lots of virginal huffing and puffing and longing and aching, told from a teenage perspective, with the added bonus of vampires and werewolves.
All that description can be boiled down to few lines and some brooding glances, which leaves the big scenes. And the big scenes should make very interesting cinematic fodder indeed, especially since author Stephanie Meyer leaves a lot of room for visual improvement.
Example: At one point a vampire is torn to shreds by werewolves. In the book, you only know it happened, it remains unseen. In the movie, well, obviously, you should get to see it.
The books could be transformed into real crap, no question, but director Catherine Hardwicke specializes in stories about young people, and her two films about edgy young people -- "Lords of Dogtown" and "Thirteen" -- are outstanding. Plus, star Kristen Stewart, who I interviewed last year in Toronto, is perfect for the lead role.
Whether the film can match the books' publishing success -- last time i checked the four Twilight books held four of the top five slots on the bestseller list -- is a whole other question, but obviously the studio believes it's got a literal monster hit on its hands.
You never know til you see the final product, but if ever there was a book series that screamed franchise, it was... Harry Potter. And Lord of the Rings. And Twilight.
Top 10 (end of summer version)
OK, summer is effectively over for me, since I've seen most of what will come out in the next two weeks, so it's time to post my seasonal top 10 update.
The list obviously looks a lot better than it did three months ago, but as you'll see, most of the changes occured quite recently:
1) "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" -- It's bizarre to say a 72-year-old artist who has already proven himself one of the finest filmmakers of all time is "maturing"... but he is. Absolutely splendid.
2) "Elegy" -- As good an actors' showcase as I can recall, with Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz perfectly in tune. Obviously this is Cruz's year. It comes out next week here.
3) "WALL-E" -- The second half isn't as good as the first -- humans always muck things up -- but this mix of classic storytelling and futuristic concerns is still a wonder.
4) "Man on Wire" -- Speaking of wonders, this documentary is just jawdropping. An incredible feat, an incredible personality -- thank heavens someone thought to shoot it all back in 1973.
5) "Wanted" -- I'm always a sucker for mad energy and this bang-bang celebration of rebellion overflowed with inventiveness.
And that's it from summer,I think.
6) "Cloverfield" -- Again, the energy thing, plus I loved the revitalization of the abandoned monster movie genre, and the whole average point of view thing.
7) "Horton Hears a Who?" -- The source material here is so strong that it's hard to top, and this animated film wisely stayed close to Dr. Seuss in spirit.
8) "Stuck" -- This modern horror story balanced humor and hysteria in a surprisingly artful way, as did...
9) "The Signal" -- An interesting indie zombie experiment, three directors, three perspectives that, like "Stuck," only devotees saw.
10) "Doomsday," "Brick Lane" and "Bigger, Faster, Stronger." If you can find a less likely tie, well, you're looking pretty hard. I loved the garish apocalyptic thriller, found the gentle immigrant awakening story lovely and the lackluster box office for the entertaining documentary on America's obsession with size was very bad news for doc fans everywhere.
Obviously awards season is beginning -- actually I think it's begun with "Vicky" and "Elegy" -- so if all goes right this list will be much changed by the time December rolls around.
Elegy and Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Separated at birth?
Totally weird similarities between "Elegy" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona":
Each film stars Penelope Cruz.
Each film stars Patricia Clarkson.
In each film someone takes photographs of Penelope Cruz.
Penelope Cruz ends up in a photographic dark room in each film.
Penelope Criz is stunningly good in each film.
So is Patricia Clarkson, but then that sort of goes without saying.
Both films are about the ageless human trait of yearning for something beyond.
Both films have a strong connection to Spain (location in one, director in the other).
Both films are dramatic romances with a strong sense of humor.
Both films are based on stories written by old Jewish guys from New York City.
The director of each film was working in a foreign land: Woody Allen in Spain, Isabel Coixet in New York.
Each is one of the two best films so far of 2008.
The Oscar race is apparently on
Something very strange is happening this August: A quick burst of quality films are scheduled for release over the next three weeks.
Understand, August used to be the month when film critics could safely take a vacation, knowing that nothing but the summer's leftover trash would roll into theaters.
Woe unto the critic who misses these next few weeks.
True, there is some serious garbage on the schedule. But whether through chance or strategy at least four films with valid Oscar aspirations will debut here over the next few weeks. They are:
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" -- Opens Aug 15. Woody Allen's latest comic sex romp is being hailed as his best work in years -- of course such exclamations roll around regularly (and usually deservedly) -- with stars Scarlett Johansson and especially Penelope Cruz being singled out. This should work really well for Cruz, who also has...
"Elegy" -- coming out Aug. 22. This is hands down the year's best drama, with Ben Kingsley playing a college professor who falls for a student, played by Cruz. Both performances are nomination-worthy, as is Dennis Hopper's subtle turn as Kingsley's best friend.
"Man on Wire" -- is an absolutely stunning documentary about a French tightrope walker who pulled off a stunt on the Twin Towers in the '70s. An incredible story and a breathtaking visual experience. Aug. 22
"Frozen River" -- Aug. 29. Melissa Leo ("Homicide," "21 Grams") has been an actor's actor for two decades now, and buzz is this film gives her the showcase she deserves. Talk of a best actress nomination is everywhere and suddenly Leo is the new Tilda Swinton: A red-headed, pale-skinned, respected artist being recognized after years of stunning work.
All this goes to show that the old rhythms of the movie business are dying. Yes, the beginning of September looks bleak, and February remains the year's great dumping ground, but with so many movies out there, even the bad months tend to have jewels these days, and the Oscar race now may be expanding beyond the standard post-Toronto rush.
Which is nothing but good news for movie lovers. I've seen two of these films, can't wait to catch the other two. See you there.
Schlubs vs Batman
It's somewhat odd that this summer of blockbusters is going to end in a fight between Ben Stiller and Seth Rogen, two of the least likely movie stars around.
On the other hand, it's also something of a relief. Who would want to see the Hulk and Iron Man going at it this late in the game? Let the schlubs have the last word this summer.
No matter what, either Seth or Ben will likely be the ones to finally knock Batman off his perch atop the box office (good heavens, the godawful Mummy almost did it this past weekend).
I found plenty to laugh about in both "Pineapple Express" (which opens Tuesday night) and "Tropic Thunder" (which opens next Tuesday night), although I come down strongly on finding "Pineapple" the better of the two.
James Franco's sublime performance alone elevates the film, but Rogen also has the key sincerity in his script that Stiller has never been able to muster.
But "Pineapple" is also a stoner film, and could be held back at the box office by that.
It's also worth noting that both films are overwhelmingly guy-heavy ("Pineapple" has one female character, "Tropic" has none). Don't expect to see the "Sex and the City" crowd at either movie.
But by all means go see them both. Let's put Batman to bed with some laughs and move on.
Here comes the sun
It's time to lighten up, America.
As millions emerge from the bowels of movie theaters this week having had all hope pummeled from their souls courtesy of "The Dark Knight" and its creepy denizens, Hollywood stands ready to offer relief with a bundle of comic releases.
It's about time. Since summer began Americans have been battered with the dangers of rampant weapons technology ("Iron Man"), foreign scientific tampering ("Indiana Jones"), mass genocide ("Narnia"), more rampant weapons technology ("The Incredible Hulk"), spiritually misguided assassins ("Wanted"), the end of mankind ("Hellboy") and a thoroughly unwarranted chimp ("Speed Racer").
Even the supposed comedies in recent months have leaned toward the grim side. "You Don't Mess with the Zohan" dabbled in Middle East terrorism and "Get Smart" saw Los Angeles on the verge of a nuclear holocaust, while "Sex and the City" presented Samantha with the horrors of a monogamous relationship.
Let's face it: Entertainment has become exhausting.
The good news is whether it's all part of some massive planned cultural consciousness experiment designed by a Hollywood think tank (that's got to be an oxymoron) or a sheer lucky fluke, the future does seem to hold some escape from oppressive fare.
It's always darkest before the dawn, right? Well, in this case the dawn is a series of broad comedies starring dim-bulb characters who specialize in making bad choices.
This dawn actually began rising last week with the release of the splendidly stupid "Step Brothers," starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, and $30 million worth of filmgoers rushed out to bask in its healing glow.
The trend continues this week with the political satire "Swing Vote," starring Kevin Costner, which will then be followed by an odd trinity of consecutive high-profile Wednesday comedy releases -- "Pineapple Express," "Tropic Thunder" and "The Rocker."
Did somebody do a study and discover people are more open to laughter in the middle of the week? Or is Tinsel Town providing a service to traumatized Americans ("Help me! I saw the Batman movie twice!") by rushing these yuk fests into theaters?
"Pineapple Express" is a stoner movie starring and co-written by Seth Rogen ("Knocked Up," "Superbad"), the current holder of the "Everything I Touch Earns $100 Million" comedy title in Hollywood. "Tropic Thunder" is written, directed by and stars Ben Stiller, the former holder of said title.
People will go see these movies in droves. "The Rocker," on the other hand, stars Rainn Wilson, that goofy guy from "The Office." He has no title. But these are desperate times.
And that desperation has doubtlessly been reflected in all the perilous fare that's been pedaled in movie theaters over the past few months. Our fears of technology, terrorism and the unknown have been mined for hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars.
But now it's time to kick back and revisit our inner silliness. God save us from superheroes and thank heavens for dumb comedies.
155
Turns out 128 was a bit on the low side.
Try 155.
That would be $155 million, the estimated amount "The Dark Knight" will have pulled in between 12:01 Friday morning and 12 p.m. Sunday night.
That makes "Knight" the biggest opening ever, topping the former champ, "Spider-Man 3," which pulled in $151 million.
That's good news for Hollywood. But the even better news is that the top 12 films together grossed $249 million, easily flying past the previous record of $218 milliion, according to Media By Numbers. I mean that's a difference of $30 million!
While "Knight" was busy cleaning up, so was "Mamma Mia!" with $27 million, for the biggest musical opening ever (by a hair) over last year's "Hairspray." And "Hancock," in its third week, managed to pull in another $14 million.
Those are huge numbers. But before they start dancing down Sunset Boulevard someone has to point out: Attendance is still down more than 3 percent this year. And overall revenues are down about 1 percent, even though ticket prices are up.
Still, it's obvious Hollywood is offering Americans the escapist entertainment they crave these days.
Bat bucks: The Game
The most popular game in show biz this weekend is "pick a number for Batman."
So I'll pick 128.
I'm talking, of course, about how much money the latest Batman movie, "The Dark Knight," will earn over the weekend.
It will obviously bring in bundles. It's a sequel to a successful reboot of the series; it features Heath Ledger in his last role as one of the most popular villains in pop culture (and it is a brilliant, electrifying portrayal); and it's opening on 9,200 screens in 4,366 theaters, including more than 90 IMAX screens.
That's the second-biggest opening ever, so you can pretty much expect the second-biggest opening box office ever. First place on both accounts will remain "Spider-Man 3" (10,000 screens, $151 million). But "The Dark Knight" should pull in mucho moola no matter what.
It has some things going (slightly) against it: it's two-and-a-half hours long and more importantly there are many other solid options for moviegoers in theaters right now (in superheroes alone you've got Hellboy, Hancock, Hulk and Iron Man).
Still, "The Dark Knight" is as sure a hit as you'll see all year. I'm guessing $128 million. We'll see
Indie to Iron Man
It's the American way, or at least the way America used to be.
Somebody starts out with a small business, they build a customer base and a good name, then move into the big leagues.
That's happening all over the place in Hollywood right now as people who've worked on small films or obscure foreign films move into the mainstream, bringing new energy with them.
The problem is, where will that energy come from in 10 years?
For the first time in memory no small film has broken out in 2008 and become a hit. At the same time blockbusters seem to be racking up positive reviews just as often as they rack up big box offices, often driven by those who've moved up the Hollywood food chain.
Check it out:
* The top movie of the year so far is "Iron Man," with $313 million in domestic box office. It was directed by Jon Favreau, who starred in and wrote one of the first independent movie success stories, "Swingers" in 1996.
* "Hancock" is at $167 million domestically, with another $179 million worldwide. It was directed by Peter Berg, the actor-director who first caught buzz as a star of the indie "The Last Seduction" in 1994 and whose first directing gig was the indie "Very Bad Things" in 1998.
* Last week's top movie was "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," directed by Mexican auteur Guillermo del Toro (next up: "The Hobbit"). "The Incredible Hulk," now standing at $130 million, was directed by France's Louis Leterrier. "Wanted," at $114 million, was directed by Russia's Timur Bekmambetov. All of these guys came from low-budget foreign film backgrounds.
* This week's top movie, and likely one of the top movies of the year, is sure to be "The Dark Knight," directed by Christopher Nolan, who gained fame with the 2000 indie "Memento."
Again, this is as it should be. Indeed it shows the very value of the indie system as a farm team for the majors. And the energy these directors bring to their films seems almost palpably different than the stock approach of ensconced Hollywood types. Compare, for example, the swooshing attitude of "Iron Man" to the staid, business-as-usual approach of the latest "Indiana Jones" film.
The problem right now is on the small business level. No one seems to be cooking at this point. Audiences have all but abandoned documentaries and foreign films, and the reaction to art house films this year -- by critics and audiences -- has been anemic. And indie studios -- many of which had big studio ties -- are folding at an alarming rate.
So where does the next wave of talent come from?
One problem with indies these days is actually one of oversupply; there are too many of them. Too many guys without a notion of how to make or produce a movie have gotten into the business and the market is overwhelmed with films no one will ever, or should ever, see. And some of the real talent is getting lost in the flood.
Another is the continuing growth of tent pole, blockbuster, opening-in-every-theater movies. As these films fill the multiplexes, medium-sized films are shoved into art houses, and art house films worth seeing are shoved out onto the street.
The question of whether any of those blockbusters will benefit from indie spirit in five or 10 years depends on whether Hollywood goes through some self-correcting phase in the near future.
Don't count on it.
Obviously a great number of filmmakers come from nowhere (although don't discount the power of family connections in show business; it's huge). And great talents have worked their way up through the studio system over the years, just as great businessmen have likely emerged simply by applying for a job with a corporation (OK, name one).
But the lack of heat down at the bottom of the system right now is every bit as worrisome as the influx of heat at the top is heartening.
You know how Mom and Pop stores are disappearing across the country? Let's hope the same doesn't happen to good Mom and Pop movies.
Or else the future is tired "Shrek" sequels for as far as the eye can see.
