New All Time Low For Hollywood?

[johnnya24]

I was perusing some movies sites yesterday, and noticed that The Lion King was number 1 in the USA for the second week running ... which I thought was odd considering it is 20 years old ... I then assumed it was a prequel or some re-make of the original. Nope ... turns out they have just re-packaged the same movie as 3D ... and are milking it for every penny.

Unsurprisingly, I pick up the paper this morning and notice that George Lucas is quickly on the bandwagon, and is planning to re-release all the Star Wars movies in 3D.

Not satisfied with just remaking every half decent old (and not so old) movie, now what? ... they are just going to re-release every movie in digital 3D? The success of The Lion King re-release is a very bad sign IMO. ... I'm betting that meetings are taking place right now to divert funds to 3D re-releases.

... I wonder if these clowns have ever asked themselves if the declining attendances (though not necessarily revenues) at cinemas has anything to do with the the crap they are producing?

Thank god for HBO, AMC et al.

[/rant]

[Hammer]

regurgitated crap, waiting a few months to see it on cable and 12 dollars a head makes me unwilling to go to the movies. I havent been in a theater in years.

[Bodhizefa]

I worked part-time at movie theatres for years just for the perk of getting to see free movies any time I wanted (well, that and the girls working there were usually hot and easy ). The rates they charge the public are a sham, and it's mostly the studios' faults, too. I rarely go to theatres any more unless it's free or if it's to see a huge action movie that needs to be seen big and proper.

[Erik]

My wife is obsessed with Disney, so we catch whatever Pixar puts out every year in the theater, and maybe one or two "regular" Disney movies. Otherwise, all our movie viewing is on Netflix.

We have not yet seen Lion King 3D, and I'd rather not.

[The Dane]

Keep in mind, that prior to the arrival of home video, Disney re-releasing their films was a seasonal occurrence. Four films a year for, like, 40 years, and just about every time those films would absolutely KILL at the box office. They only stopped doing that right around the time when Lion King was first released. If this is an indication of how pathetic Hollywood is, then it has been so for 60 years.

[Bob Kohm]

I honestly don't have a big problem with this. First, Dane is absolutely dead on with the Disney knowledge. To take it a step further, hell yes I would love to see Blade Runner or Gettysburg or even a tense movie like The Usual Suspects again on the big screen and even a flick like Avatar that can never be as stunning even on a big TV with a good sound system. In a five mile circle of my house are 16 screen, 24 screen, 18 screen and 8 screen multiplexes-- if by chance some of those screens aren't all running the latest Tyler Perry crap or Spy Kids sequel but instead a "big screen" classic that's great by me-- I'm a hell of a lot more likely to give them my money for that than Shark Night or the The Fast and the Furious 9-- Plug In Car Theives.

[johnnya24]

Keep in mind, that prior to the arrival of home video, Disney re-releasing their films was a seasonal occurrence. Four films a year for, like, 40 years, and just about every time those films would absolutely KILL at the box office. They only stopped doing that right around the time when Lion King was first released.

$60 millions in 2 weeks ... it won't be just Disney with those kinds of numbers. I guess my point is that if studios start seeing big profit here, that they will squeeze it for every penny.

Now the other side of the coin is that these re-releases will free up funding for more original productions and chance taking ... but I'll believe it when I see it.

If this is an indication of how pathetic Hollywood is, then it has been so for 60 years.

Yeah ... maybe you're right ... maybe I'm just rose tintin' at the good old days (whatever that means).

.... but I can't remember such a complete lack of imagination as we've seen in these last 5 years. When they started remaking rubbish TV shows, I thought they couldn't get any lower. In the 90's there was always something worth watching ... it might not have been "great" ... but lately you go to the cinema and it's like: Green Lantern in 2 screens, and cartoon / kids / Disney teen movies in the other 6.

[Gregg]

I would be happy to sit in theaters with my grandkids to watch the classic Disney movies. 3D not so thrilled about, but maybe it will be better than I imagine.

[DJBeasties]

I took my wife and son to see The Lion King on Saturday and it was great. I don't care about the direction of Hollywood really though. I never go to the movies unless my wife or son want to go and in those cases, it's usually a Disney movie.

[Steve]

If he's so great, why do the call him the Lyin' King?

Also, when it first cam out, the said it was Disney's 32nd animated feature. I asked my kids why we were going to see a 30-second movie.

I crack me up.

[Lucky]

You crack me up too, but my wife says it's a "dad" thing...a special brand of corny humor.

[heyelander]

I saw Contagion over the weekend and one the the "previews" was the original trailer for Ghostbusters which is apparently being re-released around Halloween this year.

[heyelander]

oh, and steve cracks me up as well.

[Bodhizefa]

I saw Contagion over the weekend and one the the "previews" was the original trailer for Ghostbusters which is apparently being re-released around Halloween this year.

I can't wait for this re-release. Ghostbusters is one of my top five favorite movies of all-time