One year later [Hollywood hates children's movies]

[Solo4114]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Not a great film. BUT... in my opinion, some really funny scenes:

The Tiger/Tuna story...

The Rock and Sam Jackson jumping off the building!

And the whisper fight...

And Walberg repeatedly hitting on Ferrell's wife...

And Ferrel ragging on Eva Mendes...

I found all of those scenes to be really funny. But then again I like Will Ferrel. So maybe that helps. I dunno.

Alan

The Tiger/Tuna thing was funny for the absurdity of it. It ALMOST went on too long, but barely made it in under the mark. The rest of it left me cold, though.

I might've felt differently if I'd seen it with people who found it riotously funny, but even then I think I just would've been chuckling fairly often rather than full-on laughing, and that'd be more due to the vibe of the crowd than the film itself.


I am, however, not much of a fan of Will Ferrel's movies and this particular style of humor.

 

[0neiros]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Remember, these movies are meant to sell worldwide, not just here, and frankly the rest of the world isn't prudish about bodily functions like the US. So while the kids love the gross stuff (let them, just educate them on the difference between fantasy and reality), everywhere else, the adults will laugh with them. I thought you were going to talk about "Mars needs Moms" where the Moms are KILLED when their Minds are drained into robots. A Fart joke or 2, no biggie, but That to me was "Holy Crap" Territory.

 

[jonny5]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

I'd argue your prudish vs. overseas audience position based on how so much of this humor is steeped in US cultural idiom that can't possibly translate well to non english speaking audiences. though I do wonder what Brits thought about the line in 'Megamind' (also Wil Ferrel) where one character says:

"There is No Easter bunny, there is NO toothfairy, and there is NO QUEEN of ENGLAND!"


Wow I totally missed Mars Needs Moms, and it was just out in mid March. Looks like it really tanked at the box office. I guess Alien abduction just doesn't sell to the Barney and Dora crowd. I'd be tempted to say the whole 'Your-mom-could-be-kidnapped-and-killed... g'nite kids' thing runs a tad dark coming from the house of the mouse, but complete nuclear families aren't exactly the norm in Disney fare.

Remember, these movies are meant to sell worldwide, not just here, and frankly the rest of the world isn't prudish about bodily functions like the US. So while the kids love the gross stuff (let them, just educate them on the difference between fantasy and reality), everywhere else, the adults will laugh with them. I thought you were going to talk about "Mars needs Moms" where the Moms are KILLED when their Minds are drained into robots. A Fart joke or 2, no biggie, but That to me was "Holy Crap" Territory.

 

[Lutso]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Are you guys familiar with the Garbage Pail Kids? I was just introduced to them the other day, and it made me think of this thread...

 

[darthgordon]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Poor children should not know what farts or pooping is. It's concentrated evil coming out of them and they should be punished everytime they do it.

 

[defstartrooper]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

........

 

[nickytea]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Then again, as an amateur filmmaker I have a big thing against tailoring movies to audiences in general, so perhaps I don't belong in this discussion.

Then you'll forgive us -- the audience -- for not bothering to watch your self-pleasuring product.

It's THIS sentiment I find most unattractive. Assuming the worst of the audience to the point of alienation has produced some of the most insufferably unwatachable "cinema" ever made. One must tailor the experience to the best in the audience. Not your audience of one, the best of the ENTIRE audience.

For my money, the greatest filmmakers are those that have the audience's experience in mind at every creative choice.

 

[Larry Young]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

For my money, the greatest filmmakers are those that have the audience's experience in mind at every creative choice.

I have this conversation at least twice a week with freelancers, and the difference between "the audience's experience" and "the audience's expectations."

 

[Solo4114]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Ok, I'll bite.

What's the difference? I'm genuinely curious.

 

[Larry Young]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

The storyteller has control over the experience but not the expectation.

 

[AdamNightmare]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

As a kid that grew up during the beginning of this whole ordeal (as we're trying to label it), I have this to offer:

Also,

I'm not saying that this kind of thing is ok for a 10 year old, but I was ten or so, and I lived.

I'm going to say the same thing I say every time someone brings up some sort of discussion about "kids these days" or anything relating to the topic - they are your children. This means it is your responsibility to ensure that they are capable of dealing with the way the world is - not anyone else's. Hiding the world from them won't make it go away.

 

[darthgordon]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

I'm feeling all nostalgic after that post.

 

[defstartrooper]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

........

 

[Lutso]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Then you'll forgive us -- the audience -- for not bothering to watch your self-pleasuring product.

It's THIS sentiment I find most unattractive. Assuming the worst of the audience to the point of alienation has produced some of the most insufferably unwatachable "cinema" ever made. One must tailor the experience to the best in the audience. Not your audience of one, the best of the ENTIRE audience.

For my money, the greatest filmmakers are those that have the audience's experience in mind at every creative choice.

You seem aggressive and a bit rude, Nickytea. I'm not really interested in derailing the topic and getting into a big thing with this (I shouldn't have even mentioned it like I did), but I'll ask that you don't jump the gun on what type of filmmaker I am from that statement alone.

What I was talking about are the films that are made with the corporate "people like this crap, so we'll give it to them" mindset. I referred to that mindset, perhaps incorrectly, as "tailoring". I don't appreciate that. It's thoughtless and uninspired.
On the other hand, I don't much appreciate the avant-garde folks who are just out there to make statements about their personal problems and crack inside jokes, either.
I like a thoughtful film treatment that can be used to express, but can also be understood. I like to think of a director "sharing" something with his friends, as opposed to a) selling snake oil tonic, or b) talking to himself in a mirror.
A great director will indeed always have the audience in mind, but I don't believe that this means he should "water down" his potential for the sake of making it easy for folks to understand.
Like everything in life, I think it takes a little of both. There's a fine line of compromise.

 

[jonny5]

Re: Hollywood hates children's movies

Well it seems that HOP was just released on DVD and guess what scene is NOT in the DVD trailers?

This is very much to my point.
If it is a throw away gag and irrelivant to the story, why then is the only bit of bathroom humor featuered so prominently in the trailers?

What 'coke-snorting-marketing dip-hole' layed out a sucessful case in some meeting that a CGI rabbit pooping jellybeans on the hood of a car was THE SCENE that summed up the heart and soul of this little $38M gem, and would make people flock to theaters to lay down $10 a head to watch what is essentially an Easter themed version of Tim Allen's 'The Santa Clause'?

It is this sort of advertising that keeps me away from what for all I know might well be a cute little film aside from, this one pointless gross out gag.

Now you just watch. The people who make trailers for movie releases are clearly not the same people who make trailers for DVD releases. I'll wager my years salary to this date* THAT bit won't be in the commercials for the DVD relase of HOP.


(* Prize value $0.00 I've been un-employed since Sept 2010.)

 

[Stormie]

There are plenty of bad things to worry about in this world other then fart jokes.. It's pretty petty, maybe you should just let them watch movies from your childhood if your so concerned. I could care less about the stupid jokes, but I don't watch a whole lot of modern films. (If can call them films.) Maybe your kids will enjoy Transformers The Movie (The animated one,) it is totally voided of fart jokes and it's good if you can get past wheeler.

 

[jonny5]

It's not that I am morally opposed to fart jokes. It is that the trailers for children's movies always include the one (irrelevant to the plot) example of base humor in the entire movie while the DVD release commecials don't.

My point is not about stoner pics or gross out teen comedies.
I am not using G rated movies as babysitters to educate my kids*
(*thats what ultra-violent video games are for!)

And these are all valid points in the discussion regarding the decline of morality in western civilization.

I am just commenting on an obvious (dare I say, schizophrenic?) difference between how children's movies are marketed for 'Theatrical Release' vs. 'DVD Release'.

Some movie trailers are all but designed to make the film tank at the box office. Then the DVD comes out and it looks like a totally different movie. It's like they have some insane static view of the economy:

'Every parent in the US will send their brats to see our movie. If not in the theater, we will get their $$$ when the DVD comes out.'

Clearly, there are different people doing the advertising. WHY? I mean except for adding a bit about the special features on the DVD why should the "Now on DVD!' commercial be any different from the trailer?

Also the arguement that all kids films are hastily made schlock doesn't hold up when it is happening to Pixar and other big budget kids flicks.