Washington Post Can’t Figure Out Why Iraq War Pics Flop
LOL, read this article and had to post it…
From Warner Todd Huston at Newsbusters:
On the 25th, the Washington Post served up a lament for Hollywood’s dismal box office returns for the many Iraq war pictures it has churned out over the last several years, wondering why they have all failed so spectacularly? The whole article amounts to the Post just not understanding why moviegoers have stayed away in droves from these dark and dismal movies. But with the anti-Military, anti-American point of view depicted in every single one of these movies, it is no surprise that Americans have ignored these self-denigrating flicks. After all, with soldiers really taking casualties on the battle field, who wants to see a film that tells us all it’s OUR fault?
Still, the Washington Post is mystified.
After five years of conflict in Iraq, Hollywood seems to have learned a sobering lesson: The only things less popular than the war itself are dramatic films and television shows about the conflict… A spate of Iraq-themed movies and TV shows haven’t just failed at the box office. They’ve usually failed spectacularly, despite big stars, big budgets and serious intentions.
The Post then goes on to wonder if audiences are “turned off by the war, or are they simply voting against the way filmmakers have depicted it?” As the post asks that question, you’d think they are on the verge of understanding. But, this question is dropped right away as the story details one flop after another. Ridiculously, the Post seems puzzled by the fact that audiences have not just mindlessly followed into the theater the “big stars, big budgets and serious intentions” of these failed flicks and no further attempt is made in this story to explore the public’s disinterest.
The Post quotes TV legend Steven Bochco who imagines that his TV series “Over There,” which failed after only 13 episodes, was not well received because Americans felt “a certain sense of powerlessness” about the war. The Post also quotes film historian Jonathan Kuntz of UCLA that the whole thing is just a “bummer.”
For now, Kuntz agrees with Bochco: “We’re bombarded by information about [Iraq] 24 hours a day,” he says. “We already know plenty about it. We don’t need to learn more about it from the movies. Right now, it’s something people want to forget and escape from. I speak for the American public when I say, ‘What a bummer.’ “
The American people are saying “what a bummer,” but you don’t speak for them, Mr. Kuntz.The “bummer” is coming from how the films depict every aspect of our current action as wrong, bad, even evil. Too bad the Washington Post dropped their initial inquiry because they might have had something interesting to explore with the question of how these movies portray the war and those participating in it.
Each and every film discussed by the Post portrays the war as wrong, the soldiers as dolts, mislead, murderers, drug addicts or victims of one sort or another.These films also constantly show a U.S. government uncaring and uninterested in the welfare of soldiers, their families or the people living in war torn areas.
There is nothing good depicted in any of these movies and that is why Americans don’t want to pay their hard earned money to go see them. The “bummer” is that each and every one of these movies are aimed at bringing down America’s spirits as far as possible in order to spur the public to acquiesce to Hollywood’s political agenda of ending the war and tearing down the U.S. military.
So, it is a “bummer,” Mr. Kuntz. It is a “bummer” that you and your friends in Hollywood want to make films that attempt to tear this country down and dispirit it’s people.
Fortunately, most Americans don’t seem to be dumb enough to waste their money on the garbage Hollywood is foisting upon them. But, too bad that the Washington Post eschewed the more interesting and probably more correct angle to this story just to give us the boring lament that America is merely “war weary” as opposed to detailing how Hollywood is failing because of its political agenda.
In the end, there is one thing that isn’t a “bummer.” It is good that Hollywood is losing their financial rear ends with failure after failure letting them know that America isn’t interested in their junk.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
I hear they are making Lone Survivor a movie let us hope that it is an inspiration and a hit.
March 25th, 2008 at 10:41 amI wouldn’t go see one of those protest movies that came out. I won’t even watch them when they hit cable mostly because either my head would explode or I would end up kicking in the TV. The new movie that is coming out, “Stop Loss” … that looks like another piece of shiite too.
I thought Bruce Willis and the maker of Armageddon was going to do a movie about the Deuce Four in Mosul. Also, is the movie about Markus Luttrell and Operation Red Wing being made?
March 25th, 2008 at 10:47 am
nate, I hope Lone Survivor has good people looking out for that story converted from book to film. Those SEALS deserve that. It WOULD be a movie I would pay to see.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:19 amHEY HOLLYWOOD!
WE HEAR YOUR MESSAGE AND IT DON’T SOUND GOOD!
Take your movies and your politics and shove ‘em!
March 25th, 2008 at 11:25 amI would love to see Lone Survivor as a movie-if they change it at all…
let’s hope they do not. if they do I will not trust hollywood again.
March 25th, 2008 at 11:52 amHollywood is so out of touch with reality, they probably think it’s the war that people don’t want to see and not their dismal point of view.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:12 pmMindy,
I am sorry you ever trusted Hollywood to begin with, but please, we forgive that, as you have long been a Dollardite…
I haven’t trusted ANYTHING California since MCRD
March 25th, 2008 at 12:16 pmIt is amazing that Hollywood studios do not want to make money. People would flock to movies showing Americans as the heroes they are. Here we have the most vile of villians - Jihadists - committing the most horrendous atrocities imaginable. No Hollywood production I can think of even comes close to the evil being perpetrated by our enemies. Against this we have American volunteers, average guys and women fighting selflessly first to liberate Iraq then to help Iraqis be able to protect themselves. I can think of no Hollywood movie ever depicting the level of bravery our troops display with regularity. There would be no need to hype anything. Just accurately depict what is happening. Throw in some international intrigue with what Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia are doing, and you have a blockbuster.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:24 pmGood article…
March 25th, 2008 at 12:41 pmI watched the first few episodes of “Over There” when it was on FX a few years back. It was complete crap. It depicted soldiers smoking pot on post with their buddies. Soldiers back talking their squad and platoon sergeant. It dipicted retarded SOP when they were in Iraq. For example, in one episode they are driving around in Iraq in a Duece and a half (What the Fuck?!?). And for no reason at all they slow down and pull over to the side of the road. I almost shit myself laughly at the utter stupidity of the writers.
1. On the roads in Iraq you NEVER STOP. NEVER EVER EVER EVER stop.
2. You only stop if one of the vehicles in your convoy gets hit and disabled.
3. If you do stop you just STOP. There is no pulling over. Fuck that. Since you are usually driving right down the middle of the road that is usually where you stop.
The show was complete crap. I stopped watching after 4 episodes.
March 25th, 2008 at 12:43 pmEvery time I go to the movie store I hide Redacted in some obscure location behind a movie I know no one will ever rent.
March 25th, 2008 at 1:04 pmI like how Cuntz says he “speaks for the American public…”
What fucking arrogance.
Shoot ‘em all, save six for pallbearers…
March 25th, 2008 at 1:38 pmI asked Marcus L. in a book signing in S.D. about H’Wood screwing up Lone Survivor and he looked me in the eye and told me basically “no way in hell” would he let that happen…
March 25th, 2008 at 2:07 pmThank G-d!
I hoped the guy would know better than to trust them.
March 25th, 2008 at 2:39 pmThey made a Generation Kill mini series on HBO it looked good from the preview for anyone who read it and One Bullet Away by Nathan Fick.
March 25th, 2008 at 3:47 pm