Re: The Desolation of Smaug pre-release thread [2] [SPOILERS]

[Sinister71]

You're absolutely right about ticket price increasing, largely due to inflation but also 3D, which was not widespread until after Avatar in 2009.  The massive recent expansion of the global movie market outside of North America is also a factor.  I disagree that people who shell out for current movie ticket prices are morons (I do that whenever I want to see a movie in its opening weekend), but it's well-known that the bar to get to a billion worldwide has been considerably lowered.  Of the 15 movies that crossed a billion or more in the original run in theatres, 11 of them have done so in the last four years.  And none did so before 1997 (Titanic).

This is all unadjusted for inflation, of course.

I'm sorry Eldo calling them morons might have been a bit strong. IMO though paying 21 dollars a ticket to see a film is moronic. I can see 15 dollars at most. I mean if people would use their head they could find another theater within driving distance that even with paying for gas to get there would be less than 21 dollars. All them paying that kind of money is doing, is encouraging theater to keep those prices. If theater can't sell tickets at that price then they would have no choice but to sell them cheaper. I mean if I had a choice between 21 dollars a ticket and seeing it after a week or somewhere else. I'll see it somewhere else or wait the week to see the film.

[Tinuviel]

I have a feeling that DOS will draw more people than AUJ, not just because its the sequel and people are aware of it now, but it'll also draw every Legolas fangirl ever. I mean, at this point the only reason I want to see this movie is because of the attractive male leads and dragon that are going to be in it. Eye candy. But candy is just sugar; I won't be sustained.

[Eldorion]

Technically AUJ underperformed at the US box office. Adjusting for inflation it's $303,003,568 would yield $233,593,349 in 2001. FOTR had a US gross of $315,544,750 in 2001 which would yield $409,306,109 in 2012.

Agreed; AUJ's gross is very respectable but coming off of LOTR it's a bit of a disappointment. The budget is actually not unreasonable for a movie of its size by today's standards, so I'm sure AUJ turned a profit (whether or not the studio admits to that), but it didn't set the world on fire or anything.

[Eldorion]

I'm sorry Eldo calling them morons might have been a bit strong. IMO though paying 21 dollars a ticket to see a film is moronic. I can see 15 dollars at most. I mean if people would use their head they could find another theater within driving distance that even with paying for gas to get there would be less than 21 dollars. All them paying that kind of money is doing, is encouraging theater to keep those prices. If theater can't sell tickets at that price then they would have no choice but to sell them cheaper. I mean if I had a choice between 21 dollars a ticket and seeing it after a week or somewhere else. I'll see it somewhere else or wait the week to see the film.

The only time I've ever seen a ticket price of $20 or more is for IMAX, which is a very different movie experience than 99% of theatres and in my opinion worth the extra cash if its for a movie you're really excited about. I guess HFR might be that much, but I didn't see AUJ in that format so I can't say.

[bungobaggins]

I have a feeling that DOS will draw more people than AUJ, not just because its the sequel and people are aware of it now, but it'll also draw every Legolas fangirl ever. I mean, at this point the only reason I want to see this movie is because of the attractive male leads and dragon that are going to be in it. Eye candy. But candy is just sugar; I won't be sustained.

This is why I'm afraid to see DOS in theaters. I just know there's going to be a group of squealing fangirls, and when Legolas first appears they're going to swoon or clap or whatever it is they do.

And I'll just sit there like this.

[Sinister71]

This is why I'm afraid to see DOS in theaters. I just know there's going to be a group of squealing fangirls, and when Legolas first appears they're going to swoon or clap or whatever it is they do.

I hate dealing with that crap... My wife dragged me to the second Twilight film and I think I upset many of the fangirls by telling them "do you mind? Shut the hell up!!!" I'm not sure what was funnier the look on their faces or the look on my wife's face. I guess it boils down to whether you think a pissed off wife face or a look of shock on some pathetic fangirl face is funnier I guess. But unless its warranted (and Legolas is NOT warranted) I hate outbursts during a film, and have no problem telling the offender, if close enough to STFU.

[bungobaggins]

[Mrs Figg]

I may have a quiet squee! when I see Thandypants.

[Pettytyrant101]

I may squeal a bit too, but only when it gets to the point where I'd rather ram broken bits of buckie bottle glass into my own eyes than watch any more.

[Sinister71]

yeah that would sum it up bungo LMAO

[malickfan]

Whereas this sums up my feelings on The Tauriel: DOC news thus far (refer to my posting signature):

              

[Pettytyrant101]

I am a Sctoshobbit of simpler emotions than you are its seems Malick, my reactions thus far, well to everything, are-

                                                        

[RA]

I am a Sctoshobbit of simpler emotions than you are its seems Malick, my reactions thus far, well to everything, are-

                                                        

                                                          

[malickfan]

Ah fair enough, but I was attempting to do an illustrated chronicle of my reactions.

But I can be a git of much cruder emoticons when required-my intial response to a solid 75% of the news regarding the film has been:

       

(Can I just say whoever designed the emoticons for Forumshire massive )

[Pettytyrant101]

I dont have enough reactions to fill a chronicle Malick, I've always found I only need my crabbit, it covers everything about life  

[malickfan]

Fair Enough.

I've found I only need the  and everything seems better...

[RA]

I'm pretty burnt out with the whole thing. Jackson pretty much said he doesn't care and his decisions reflect that well enough. All I can really hope for is a remake that doesn't suck  

[malickfan]

But would a remake be a new adaption of the Book, or a remake of Jackson's films?

[Tinuviel]

i'm literally not going to see this film because its the hobbit anymore. if i did, i would... well i'll follow the pattern here...

                                         

[Sinister71]

I'm pretty burnt out with the whole thing. Jackson pretty much said he doesn't care and his decisions reflect that well enough. All I can really hope for is a remake that doesn't suck  

I'm right there with you on that one RA. Once these films are over I give it 10 to 15 years and they will start all over again this time hopefully with the Hobbit and then LOTR. Although I think Jackson got the majority of LOTR right. Not so much with the Hobbit.

As far as my emotional journey about the Hobbit hmmmm...

when it was first announced:  
after seeing the first pictures of the dwarfs:      
a while after seeing the dwarfs and getting used to them:    
as more information became available:      
after seeing AUJ:         
with everything leading up to DOS:             

couldn't find the don't give a shit emoticon or the vomiting one... But I'll admit I'll catch the film after its been out a few day and go see a matinee for 5 bucks or I'll use someones suggestion and pay for another film and sneak into it so I don't give Peter Jackson any of my money.

[malickfan]

Is this a competition, see how crabbit you can get with the Emoticons?

It's got to the stage that I only want to see DOC so I can enjoy discussing it/kicking the sh*te with you guys and gals, Petty's script is sure to be very entertaining at least!

Well my expectations are at a all time low...so it can't get worse can it?

[Eldorion]

Maybe it's because I was a purist back when all we had was LOTR, but I don't find The Hobbit to be quite as disappointing as you guys do. I mean, I was definitely disappointed by the film, but I don't feel any anger or resentment towards it. I dunno; I sort of feel like this has come to be a contest to see who can rant the most about PJ. (It's Petty. It will always be Petty.) Like, why would someone refuse to see the film after anticipating it for so long? Even if it sucks, you get to go through the whole experience with the rest of the forum, which is always fun. And I know I mentioned the whole sneaking into another movie theatre thing a few days ago, but I was being facetious. That's a pretty underhanded move {{{though I did do it once to see an R-rated movie, but don't tell anyone that. }}}

[Sinister71]

I certainly have my complaints with the Hobbit. Most of them stem from the deviation from the source material and the (compared to LOTR) lack of realism in the film. I mean really, it got old with the dwarfs falling 4 million times and never getting a scratch and all the action sequences being OTT and completely unbelievable.

I don't know whether I'll like DOS but I started this train wreck 12 years ago i might just as well finish the ride. My expectations are 6 feet under with Tolkien getting rolled over again and again as the great professor turns in his grave. I guess I will never fully accept what Jackson has done with my favorite book but someday when the film version of the Hobbit is remade Hopefully it will be a better adaptation instead of a rewrite.

Oh and as far as sneaking into the Hobbit. The thought did cross my mind BUT by December I should have enough reward points for a free ticket anyways. So I'll just redeem my rewards for a free ticket to the Hobbit DOS and Jackson still gets none of my money  

[bungobaggins]

I don't know. I really don't care to see any more Tolkien adaptations on the big or small screen. And I'm sure with the overall success of these films we probably won't see another adaptation in our lifetime. I just want to finish this trilogy and move on. Maybe watch it all in 5 years and think, "Huh, did I really get upset about these movies? It's all just goofy nonsense!"

I'm hoping that I'll get to go to the movie with my brother (I never get to see my brother), we saw it together last year during my second and final viewing. Hopefully spending time with him will put me in an overall better mood so I can just try to enjoy it.

[Sinister71]

Speaking of small screen FOTR and TTT are on TNT tonight so I've been watching them. You know what's funny nobody gets hurt until the end of AUJ with Thorin getting some scratches on his face. In FOTR there was plenty of bumps and cuts and scrapes all the way thru the film. elements of danger. AUJ was missing that.