IDIOCRACY ... spoilers

[Dr Doran]

Glad you saw it, Dixon.

A real eye-opener.

One thing I like about the makers is that they critique stupidity on both the Left AND the Right ...

... and they do it WELL.

 

[Selentino]

Funny I just watched it last night. Cable is running it this weekend. I really liked the part about mankinds best minds spending their time solving erectile dysfunction and male baldness.

 

[Dr Doran]

I liked the Burger King cash register in the hospital with icons that the doctor presses to figure out what is wrong with the patient. That was too hilarious/horrible.

 

[Mr. Lucky]

You mean to tell me it's NOT a horror movie! Oh.

 

[Dr Doran]

It's a comedy, but it's also a very very serious horror movie.

An acquaintance of mine said it best once: comedy can be very serious.

 

[Sefton]

Despite the 'spoilers' warning I've read this up till here and now I have to see this film. I haven't watched TV since last May and I didn't realize that "King of the Hill" was off the air. That's a shame,it was one of the few things besides TCM that was worth watching.

 

[Dr Doran]

Despite the 'spoilers' warning I've read this up till here and now I have to see this film. I haven't watched TV since last May and I didn't realize that "King of the Hill" was off the air. That's a shame,it was one of the few things besides TCM that was worth watching.

Oh, I assure you, Idiocracy is much more incisive, insightful, and (please insert another word beginning with the same two syllables that carries the gist of this idea) than King of the Hill.

 

[swinggal]

One of my fav movies. Hilarious and so cleverly done. I saw in 2006 when it first came out and did some research of my own. Apparently most of the big cinema chains in the US (and worldwide) wouldn't run the trailer. Something like 125 in the whole of the US did!!! So it flopped commercially thanks to the fact that the 'mainstream cinemas' decided what was good for us to see...BUT...it is one of the biggest selling DVD's of all time and is a cult classic.

Worst thing is that I can see this happening all around me. So many people have no clue about ANYTHING including history, art, whats going on in the world, the environment and they don't care either. So many of my friends - who are very intelligent, cool people - are choosing to have kids later in life but many are choosing to have none at all. All the people who would be great mums and dads are just not having them.

yeah, it's a pisstake and a great comedy - but it's also very wise AND scary. People really should take notice.

As of February 2005 the film's scheduled release date was August 5, 2005, according to Mike Judge.[5] In April 2006, a release date was set for September 1, 2006. In August, numerous articles[6] revealed that release was to be put on hold indefinitely. Idiocracy was released as scheduled but only in seven cities (Los Angeles, Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Mike Judge's hometown, Austin), and expanded to only 125 theaters, not the usual wide release of 2500-3000 theaters. According to the Austin American-Statesman[7], 20th Century Fox, the film's distributor, did nothing to promote the movie — while posters were released to theatres, no movie trailers, television ads, or press kits for media outlets were provided. The film was not screened for critics.[8] Lack of concrete information from 20th Century Fox led to speculation that Fox may have actively tried to keep the film from being seen by a large audience, while fulfilling a contractual obligation for theatrical release ahead of a DVD release, according to Ryan Pearson of AP.[9] In the New York Times Dan Mitchell argued that Fox might be shying away from a cautionary tale about low-intelligence dysgenics.[10] This was a result of the film's anti-corporate message, noting that in the film Starbucks now delivers handjobs, and the motto of Carl's Jr. has devolved from "Don't Bother Me. I'm Eating." to "**** You! I'm Eating!"[11] Also in the film, a Carl's Jr. vending machine cheats a customer, Fuddruckers' name gradually morphs into "Buttfuckers", the fictional Brawndo corporation buys the F.D.A. and the F.C.C, and the Fox News Channel is depicted in unflattering newscasts (20th Century Fox, which distributed the film, and the Fox News Channel are both owned by the Rupert Murdoch-controlled News Corporation). - from Wiki

 

[Charlie Noodles]

I reckon the mise-en-scene is funnier than the actual script, the shop signs and background stuff is top-notch, value in itself.

The sets were great. I love their 'pro wear' banner covered clothes. I could see people buying and wearing that kind of thing today; not even because they think it's funny or have seen the movie.

Vintage Idiocracy: The Marching Morons by Cyril M. Kornbluth.

 

[Dr Doran]

Perhaps the power of the corporations are behind the movie's tiny release IN THE SENSE THAT the makers were afraid of lawsuits?

 

[swinggal]

More like they thought it was 'inappropriate' and too close to the truth I think. They back so much utter trash but something witty like this didn't get through? Seems very fishy to me.

 

[Dr Doran]

Yes, I think there is something fishy going on, but I don't think they would pull a movie or refuse to back it just because of something as vague as "it's inappropriate." I think either the threat of corporate lawsuits or something else.

The fear of eugenics, perhaps.

 

[dakotanorth]

ACtually Swinggal, They didn't HAVE a trailer. Or a soundbyte. It was odd! I remember them discussing this film on NPR and they made a specific point to say "Normally we would run a sound clip, but we don't have one, because they didn't make one...." etc.
Maybe that's a formula for making a cult classic?

One of my fav movies. Hilarious and so cleverly done. I saw in 2006 when it first came out and did some research of my own. Apparently most of the big cinema chains in the US (and worldwide) wouldn't run the trailer. Something like 125 in the whole of the US did!!! So it flopped commercially thanks to the fact that the 'mainstream cinemas' decided what was good for us to see...BUT...it is one of the biggest selling DVD's of all time and is a cult classic.

Worst thing is that I can see this happening all around me. So many people have no clue about ANYTHING including history, art, whats going on in the world, the environment and they don't care either. So many of my friends - who are very intelligent, cool people - are choosing to have kids later in life but many are choosing to have none at all. All the people who would be great mums and dads are just not having them.

yeah, it's a pisstake and a great comedy - but it's also very wise AND scary. People really should take notice.

 

[BeBopBaby]

More like they thought it was 'inappropriate' and too close to the truth I think. They back so much utter trash but something witty like this didn't get through? Seems very fishy to me.

I had heard that Fox pulled their funding from the movie about halfway through filming. I think it was because the movie was hitting too close to home, as you mention, swinggal. I think the anti-corporation message of the movie was deemed too inappropriate. If you watch the movie, it also looks like funding was pulled about halfway through the movie, production-wise.

 

[Dr Doran]

ACtually Swinggal, They didn't HAVE a trailer. Or a soundbyte. It was odd! I remember them discussing this film on NPR and they made a specific point to say "Normally we would run a sound clip, but we don't have one, because they didn't make one...." etc.
Maybe that's a formula for making a cult classic?

Intriguing theory. A deliberate act to ensure cult status.

 

[donCarlos]

Oh my! I just finished watching this movie and... It´s not future, it´s today! (Or next year, whatever)

 

[Dr Doran]

Oh my! I just finished watching this movie and... It´s not future, it´s today! (Or next year, whatever)

yep.

 

[jamespowers]

Sounds like my day to day experiences around here. :eusa_doh:

 

[reetpleat]

NICE. And accurate! Haight Street in SF would be next year's location for the show! Maybe the Venice Boardwalk after that?

I know you are not a hardcore conservative or anti liberal, but must say that I hardly think that liberal concentrations have any monopoly on idiocy and misinformation. A recent trip through rural america will show that. No offence to either.

 

[reetpleat]

Yes, I think there is something fishy going on, but I don't think they would pull a movie or refuse to back it just because of something as vague as "it's inappropriate." I think either the threat of corporate lawsuits or something else.

The fear of eugenics, perhaps.

If a movie makes fun of most of America, it is natural that the movie chans would assume most of america would want to see it. And rightly so. I would be this movie would not do that well in many average american movie houses.