Unpopular movie opinions...

[Atomic Age]

Failing that, you have to make your money at the concession stand -- which is why concession prices are as high as they are.
People need to think about that the next time they think they're Sticking It To The Man by smuggling in their own snacks.

Exactly! When I was a projectionist, the AC returns for the theaters were up near the projection booth, so anytime people snuck food in, I would smell it. And I mean they snuck in KFC and Chinese dinners and all kinds of stuff. Well as soon as I would spot it, I would send the usher into take it away from them. They ether have to throw it out or leave, because frankly that was my pay check they were eating.

Doug

 

[Effingham]

If you don't see the political and sociological allegories in Star Wars then you just aren't looking for them.

Star Wars is and was always intended to be a metaphor for the Vietnam war. Its the project that Lucas made when he couldn't make Apocalypse Now. The Empire of course represents the United States, and the rebels are the North Vietnamese. More directly the Ewoks in Jedi represent the Vietcong, fighting and defeating an onslaught of high technology.

The great theme of all 6 Star Wars films is that man vs technology. At the end of episode 4, Luke is robbed of his technology (his targeting computer and R2 D2) and must attack the Death Star with his wits (and the Force) rather than rely on his gadgets. This all comes from Lucas' love and yet mistrust of technology.

OOooooooookay.

You do know Lucas got the idea for Star Wars from watching Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress," right?

 

[Stray Cat]

Of course, from a business standpoint, the purpose of movies *is* to sell popcorn. And soda. And candy. The Spiel-lucas style might be empty calories, but you can't say they don't do exactly what they're intended to do -- and the money such pictures make subsidizes the artier stuff.

So true, so true..
That is the main reason why I just stopped watching block-busters. They are so BIG, and yet.. they are so EMPTY. I leave the theater thinking not about the movie, but more in the lines of "So, what are we going to eat now". They spend so much production money on 3D and advertisement. The pace of the films is super-fast, so fast I lose myself (or dose off).
Most of the movies are just "one watch".. I never feel like watching them again.

 

[John in Covina]

It is true that after the theaters pay the rental fees for the films, most of the profits go back to the studios. The only profits left for theaters is concessions, which is why you are now seeing theaters offering things like Pizza and subs. There are some theaters now that are offering full course meals and a glass of wine. Doug

I haven't been to one yet but i was told that there are "uber" theaters. One describe to me was they put in very comfy seats, removed a couple of rows of seats to add some space between rows, put like a shelf or table in front of your seat for food and drink. I was also told that the food offerings are eclectic to gormet, they had an alcohol license serving wine and micro-brewed beers on tap. Sounds neat but it was a little on the pricey side for all of this luxury, I don't recall the ticket price but it was about 3 times the normal price at a regular theater.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We sell beer and wine at concerts and some film events, and there really isn't a lot of extra overhead involved. Pay someone $8.50 an hour to stand back of the counter serving the drinks, and that's about it. Nobody here would tolerate paying $9 for a movie ticket, so there's no way of passing the cost along there anyway. I suspect the places that do jack their ticket prices up are doing so to keep out the riff-raff who might drink too much and make a ruckus.

We serve lunch during the Metropolitan Opera simulcasts -- we have a deal with the bakery next door for pre-made sandwich halves, which we sell for $5 each. Not a lot of profit there, but the patrons demand the convenience, especially if it's a five hour opera.

 

[Atomic Age]

OOooooooookay.

You do know Lucas got the idea for Star Wars from watching Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress," right?

Yes but to say that is incredibly simplistic.

The basic plot outline was borrowed from Hidden Fortress, but you could also say that plot elements were borrowed from The Wizard of Oz, The Odyssey, and MANY other sources. Lucas studied mythology and classic story telling extensively before writing the script. Entire academic dissertations have been written on the mythology and allegories that make up Star Wars.

But the main inspiration for the plot of Star Wars was the Apocalypse Now project that Lucas started with John Milius in the late 1960s. Their plan was to make the film actually IN Vietnam on a very low budget. At that time the theme of the film was how the high tech American military was defeated by a low tech foe. This was before Coppola took over the film and turned it into a remake of Heart of Darkness.

Doug

 

[John in Covina]

I find that I also have certain films that were blockbusters or really a big deal at the time that I have yet to see. Some are a lack of opportunity, I forget that I wanted to see (insert title here) and just never seem to get around to it. Others I avoid, I have specifically stayed away from any "Saw" movie and most of this genre: "a group of twenty somethings playing teens finds themselves stalked by a maniacal killer."

The other thing is when watching a film I liked previously (when it came out 20-30 years ago) and finding it just did not hold up.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

If you don't see the political and sociological allegories in Star Wars then you just aren't looking for them.

Star Wars is and was always intended to be a metaphor for the Vietnam war. Its the project that Lucas made when he couldn't make Apocalypse Now. The Empire of course represents the United States, and the rebels are the North Vietnamese. More directly the Ewoks in Jedi represent the Vietcong, fighting and defeating an onslaught of high technology.

The great theme of all 6 Star Wars films is that man vs technology. At the end of episode 4, Luke is robbed of his technology (his targeting computer and R2 D2) and must attack the Death Star with his wits (and the Force) rather than rely on his gadgets. This all comes from Lucas' love and yet mistrust of technology.

The last 3 films are an Allegory for the Nixon administration. Of course the whole thing is a left wing hippie fantasy, wrapped up in a very entertaining package.

Doug

...and what did the action figures, blankets, McDonald's drinking glasses, night lights, trading cards, hallowen costumes, sugary cereals, toy light sabres, and the Disco version of Williams' music score represent--the Empire's ultimate triumph?

Lucas just said it was a man vs. technology metaphor so Coppola wouldn't ignore him at cocktail parties.

 

[Atomic Age]

I haven't been to one yet but i was told that there are "uber" theaters. One describe to me was they put in very comfy seats, removed a couple of rows of seats to add some space between rows, put like a shelf or table in front of your seat for food and drink. I was also told that the food offerings are eclectic to gormet, they had an alcohol license serving wine and micro-brewed beers on tap. Sounds neat but it was a little on the pricey side for all of this luxury, I don't recall the ticket price but it was about 3 times the normal price at a regular theater.

This is the place that opened near me about a year ago. They actually have in theater food service.

http://www.ultrastarmovies.com/

Doug

 

[John in Covina]

Tonight's film will be presented in "Feel-around!"

 

[Atomic Age]

...and what did the action figures, blankets, McDonald's drinking glasses, night lights, trading cards, hallowen costumes, sugary cereals, toy light sabres, and the Disco version of Williams' music score repesent--the Empire's ultimate triumph?

Lucas just said it was a man vs. technology metaphor so Coppola wouldn't ignore him at cocktail parties.

Well to be fair, the toys and other merchandising items paid for the movies to be made. After Star Wars, all the films were financed by Lucas out of his own pocket. And in spite what many people may think, the first Star Wars film made Lucas rich, but not THAT rich. In fact because Empire went over schedule and budget, Lucas had to give up SOME of his rights to Fox in order to get money to finish the film. He later got most of those rights back, including ownership of the first film in the deal for Jedi.

Lucas film is NOT a major corporation, it is a privately held company. In effect it is a small business that has all the financial problems that most small business have. The toys and records allow Lucas to make the films he wants with out having to ask the major studios for anything.

And I think it would be Lucas ignoring Coppola at the party, given that he pulled Coppola's financial fat out of the fire more than one time.

Doug

 

[Pompidou]

OOooooooookay.

You do know Lucas got the idea for Star Wars from watching Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress," right?

I believe he also got a significant chunk of inspiration from Arthurian legend - at least the whole dysfunctional family aspect: father vs son, incestuous brother/sister relationship, etc.

 

[Atomic Age]

I find that I also have certain films that were blockbusters or really a big deal at the time that I have yet to see. Some are a lack of opportunity, I forget that I wanted to see (insert title here) and just never seem to get around to it. Others I avoid, I have specifically stayed away from any "Saw" movie and most of this genre: "a group of twenty somethings playing teens finds themselves stalked by a maniacal killer."

The other thing is when watching a film I liked previously (when it came out 20-30 years ago) and finding it just did not hold up.

I haven't seen a movie in a theater in over 2 years. Most of what is out there now just doesn't interest me.

I tried to watch E.T. recently and it really does not hold up well.

Doug

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Well to be fair, the toys and other merchandising items paid for the movies to be made. After Star Wars, all the films were financed by Lucas out of his own pocket. And in spite what many people may think, the first Star Wars film made Lucas rich, but not THAT rich. In fact because Empire went over schedule and budget, Lucas had to give up SOME of his rights to Fox in order to get money to finish the film. He later got most of those rights back, including ownership of the first film in the deal for Jedi.

That's only partly true. As far as the first film is concerned, there was very little Star Wars-related merchandise until Spring 1978, long after the film had become a hit. Kenner was caught by surprise and didn't have anything ready by Christmas '77.

As cynical as I am about Lucas and Spielberg, they were great movies to have during my childhood, and I'd much rather have had a Millenium Falcon toy ship than, say, an Alvy Singer action figure.

 

[John in Covina]

The last 3 films are an Allegory for the Nixon administration. Of course the whole thing is a left wing hippie fantasy, wrapped up in a very entertaining package. Doug

I always find it interesting that in reference to the Vietnam War so many people equate it with Nixon.
Also important is how they don't relate either Kennedy or Johnson with the Vietnam War.fftopic::deadhorse

 

[Romy Overdorp]

I haven't seen a movie in a theater in over 2 years. Most of what is out there now just doesn't interest me.

I tried to watch E.T. recently and it really does not hold up well.

Doug

I used to be so scared of E.T. that I never have seen the whole movie.

 

[John in Covina]

I used to be so scared of E.T. that I never have seen the whole movie.

This could be a whole new thread.

 

[Nathan Dodge]

I always find it interesting that in reference to the Vietnam War so many people equate it with Nixon.
Also important is how they don't relate either Kennedy or Johnson with the Vietnam War.fftopic::deadhorse

Not to worry, I associate it with all of them.

 

[Atomic Age]

That's only partly true. As far as the first film is concerned, there was very little Star Wars-related merchandise until Spring 1978, long after the film had become a hit. Kenner was caught by surprise and didn't have anything ready by Christmas '77.

As cynical as I am about Lucas and Spielberg, they were great movies to have during my childhood, and I'd much rather have had a Millenium Falcon toy ship than, say, an Alvy Singer action figure.

I know I was one of those kids that got the "early bird" card for Star Wars toys under the tree at Christmas in 1977. (By the time the toys actually started coming out however, I was almost 13 and getting a little old for toys.)

However what they did have, and what was totally owned and controlled by Lucas, because Fox didn't want them, was the poster, and the sound track album. It was primarily those two items along with the novelization that paid for The Empire Strikes Back.

Doug

 

[Atomic Age]

I always find it interesting that in reference to the Vietnam War so many people equate it with Nixon.
Also important is how they don't relate either Kennedy or Johnson with the Vietnam War.fftopic::deadhorse

Yeah I always find it amusing how many people put blame on Nixon for the Vietnam War, when he is the one who ended it. No one ever blames Kennedy for starting the damn thing!

Doug