Slashdot Mirror
Star Wars Producer Says Box Office is Doomed
Cutriss writes "Seen at CNN, this article interviews Rick McCallum, longtime producer at LucasFilms. McCallum says that DVDs will be responsible for the downfall of the movie industry *without* taking piracy into account, due to the fact that people think the home theatre experience is just as good, or better than the big screens, and they know that in five months, the DVD will be out on the market. Of course, his claim that "studios are barely breaking even" falls on deaf ears when I hear about 9-digit salaries for individual actors in a big-name film that's just some rehash of an old concept. He also mentions, of course, that DVD piracy and movie "sharing" groups will only speed up the cycle, and that they'll be putting Hollywood out of business, possibly within the next three years."
Yeah, I think that it is comparable to the military spending $3000 bucks on a toliet seat.
But I get a lot more enjoyment out of my toliet seat than I do out of most hollywood movies.
(/local/home/curiosity)-#who -u|grep thecat|cut -c 44-49|xargs kill -9
Good movies won't be doomed, something McCallum & Lucas might like to try making some time.
George and I are just praying that we can finish 'Episode III' in time, before it's all over."
Its already over lad! George shot his own golden goose with Episode I. "Before its all over" reads to us fans like "before you suckers realize what tripe we are churning out each episode".
Starwars is dead. Long live Starwars.
Rapid Nirvana
5. Some young couple is making out. 6. You can't stop the movie and make out.
1. The food portions are smaller than a few years ago.
Go every day. Then you will hardly notice when they get smaller.
2. The price is WAY WAY higher!
Than what?? If you're comparing with a few years ago, see point #1.
3. People's cell phones are going off.
Build a Faraday cage over the building before you go in.
4. Some a**hole is giving comentary to the person sitting next to him/her.
Hmmm.. this is a tough one. I'm torn between a paintball gun and something like this.
Fascism should more properly be called corporatism, since it is the merger of state and corporate power.
And don't let the door hit you on the way out.
Slashdot Patriotism: We Support our Dupes!
You know, I've never been in a theater where someone was talking on their cellphone. I'm starting to wonder if this situation is just an urban myth... by the way, I'm posting this from a tub full of ice.
#
# Modus Ponens
#
I should have known better ;-)
Anyway, my favorite quote was at the end:
Personally, I'd like to see Lucas standing out on Hollywood Blvd holding a placard that says "The end is near! Repent from your evil filesharing ways!"
Karma: Bored. (Thinking about resurrecting the "Anyone else is an imposter" joke.)
But I get a lot more enjoyment out of my toliet seat than I do out of most hollywood movies.
more and more, what you find in one is coming from the other.
I can see the commercials now..
[Kid seated in front of a computer]: I just downloaded some movies.
[Shot of money being locked in a briefcase]
[Soccer mom at Wal-Mart]: I always buy DVDs for my kids, it's cheaper than the theatre
[Shot of a gun being cocked]
[Teenager at his computer]: I wasn't hurting anybody.
[George Lucas with a gun to his head]
[Voiceover]: If you pirate movies, or even buy DVDs instead of going to the theatre, you're supporting terrorism.
[Soccer mom again]: I wasn't hurting anyone...
[Fade to black]
Whoever stated that signature sizes should be limited to one hundred and twenty characters can just go ahead and kiss my
>There isn't a jury alive that will convict a
>baby.
Eh, maybe Texas.
-l
Is it just me, or does Mr. McCallum sound a little paranoid/delusional? If Episode III brings in less than half a billion in box office and 3 hundred million in merchandising tie-ins, I'd be surprised. Yet Rick and George "literally" have their "very lives" at stake. I guess they're just a few pirated DVDs away from living in a cardboard box.
The only thing i need is a baby crying, a woman talking on her cell phone, and teenage kids kicking the back of my couch to make it a true movie-going experience.
Yes, my girlfriend is a BitchX
It's good to hear that losing a kidney doesn't mean I can't participate in Slashdot discussions.
But the cell phone thing is not a myth. It happens to me all the time. You are a very lucky person (except for the whole kidney thing, of course).
Any sufficiently well-organized community is indistinguishable from Government.
I saw the first LOTR twice in the theatres. The first time, it was a great crowd, quiet, no distractions, so much fun.
The second time, three different cell phones rang during the movie, and two of the people even had converstations! If the one guy who was in the row in front of me was only a couple seats closer to me, I would have reached down and turned off his phone for him. Perhaps even with the power button instead of throwing it against the wall.
It's not an urban legend - they're not common, but it happens.
"You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
Sure, they say this, but are you telling me anyone is really checked before they come in to see if they have food with them. Some of the bigger items aren't practical, but candy will fit pockets just fine. If you live in colder climates, then just about anything is game thanks to winter clothing. You can fit a one liter or several 20 oz. bottles of soda in a coat sleeve and throw it over your shoulder. Those huge bags of popcorn that are sold in grocery stores will also fit in a coat sleeve - sure I got strange looks when the coat thrown over my shoulder had one sleeve sticking out at a 90 degree angle, but they people who work there really don't care.
To shoot anyone not playing in a paintball game.
That's what real guns are for.
paintball
Take all the megamovieplexgargantua theaters, and instead of each minitheater being open to all, have them designated as:
Theater 1, The Playpen: Squalling babies allowed, offering counselling at a premium for idiots who take their 2 year olds in to see the latest rated R slasher flicks.
Theater 2, The Lame Room: For people who really don't care about watching the movie, and instead want to talk, make out, use their cel phones.
Theater 3, The Idiot Room: for people who want to do their own MST3K performance.
Theater 4, Paradise: For people who actually want to *gasp* watch the movie.
That way, they'll actually make MORE money, rather than driving away the folks who would normally want Theater 4!
Meanwhile, has anyone else noticed the irony that this is the same Lucasfilm that not only took upwards of 5 years originally to release their movies to tape/DVD, but supported the old "pay to watch" DIVX standard, refusing to release the original trilogy to DVD until it died?
Just because you can mod me down, doesn't mean you're right. Shoes for industry!