Les points out the inevitable crowing over The Golden Compass opening not as well as expected — crowing, in this case, by the Catholic League, which had organized a boycott over the film’s ostensible anti-religion message (or, since that was largely elided from the movie, over the fear that it would entice kids into the books ostensible anti-religion message).
The Catholic League, which organized a boycott of the controversial film, as it would lead children to reading the anti-Christian books, saw the poor box office showing as evidence of a successful boycott. League President Bill Donohue said, “Our goal was to stop ‘The Golden Compass’ from meeting box office expectations, and we succeeded.”
Donohue suggested that considering ‘The Golden Compass’ “cost $180 million to produce, and another $30-$40 million in advertising, the inescapable conclusion is that our boycott worked.”
Because, of course, no movie with a large budget and big advertising campaign has ever flopped without direct action by the Catholic League.
Donohue concluded: “Let this be a lesson to militant atheists like Pullman: keep your hollow beliefs to yourself. …”
Right. People who want to proclaim their beliefs have no business writing books about them, or movies, or, y’know, press releases …
“… And ease up on demonizing Catholicism-no other religion has done more to promote human rights, science and goodwill.”
And we’ll economically crush (and, ironically, demonize) anyone who claims otherwise! Bwah-ha-ha!
Now, never mind that perhaps the film just isn’t that good. Or that, perhaps, if it really filed away a major theme of the books it simply made it a less-than-engaging film. The critics haven’t been all that kind to it (including sources that don’t seem to be parroting Catholic League fliers).
Or maybe it didn’t take in as much in its first weekend as Narnia ($26.1MM vs $65.5MM) because, oh, I don’t know, CS Lewis’s books are hugely more famous and well-known than Pullman’s. Naaah, that couldn’t have anything to do with it.
Or maybe fantasy films are fading as a post-LOTR genre (sadly). Gaiman’s Stardust had only mediocre box office, even though the Catholic League didn’t boycott it as far as I know.
Or maybe it was just a crappy time to release a film. I mean — going up against Disney’s Enchanted was going to be an uphill struggle, regardless. Heaven knows I didn’t have a chance to go see it. And, for all that, Golden Compass did actually win the weekend, and did as well as the #2-5 films combined. And it’s going gangbusters overseas, apparently (at least in its opening week).
I hope it actually hangs out in the theaters a few weeks longer — I’m actually interested in seeing it, regardless of the press or box office. In fact, there are a few movies coming up in the next few weeks I’m seriously thinking of carving out some time to see …
I wonder what Lewis would have to say about it. Probably something about being careful whom you end up serving with your lies and bullying…
Lewis would address his disagreements directly to Pullman’s work. He would state his objections, and the reasons for them, and leave it to people to make up their own mind about it.
GC is good, gorgeous and a little rushed — needed another half hour.
And twice as good as Narnia. Good vs. OK and gorgeous vs. pretty.
And, of course, Narnia (and Lewis) were demonic, too, so …
Everybody’s demonic to some types.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2224553,00.html
The other thing that bugs me about this (besides people seeing an attack that isn’t there — well, not in this movie, anyway — and claiming more credit than they probably deserve) is that the trend of judging a movie’s success by its opening weekend has actually gone further. I was reading remarks last Saturday about how the movie was a bomb because it had only made $X million on Friday night.
For the record: Saw it, enjoyed it, agree that it was too rushed, and would have benefited from the original cliffhanger ending instead of stopping it in the proverbial calm before the storm.
You’re right, Kelson — it’s akin to the “The Nielson’s for the premiere episode were mediocre, so the show has been canceled” kind of mentality.
And, unfortunately, too much of “word of mouth” has become “reporting on box office,” so that people are less likely to go to a movie if the box office is low, rather than depending on reviewers or friends who have seen it it. A self-fulfilling (and -defeating) practice.