They’re giving away Oscars, almost giving away the commercials

IHateTheMedia.com ^ | 02/22/09

[slomark]

ABC Television has slashed the cost of commercials during today’s Academy Awards broadcast.

In 2008, 30-second commercials went for as much as $1.8 million. This year, they’re going for as little as $1.4 million.

Once considered invulnerable to economic ups and downs, the Academy Awards has discovered that it can’t get away with jacking up the ad rates every year. Especially in a year when all five Best Film nominees have been ignored by movie-goers.

Here’s a tip for the Oscars’ nominating committee:

[Dilbert San Diego]

And how many people who haven’t heard of Benjamin Button or Harvey Milk will sit through the awards show to find out if these win best best picture. How many are eager to be lectured about homosexual rights if Milk wins or Sean Penn wins best actor for Milk.

[HungarianGypsy]

Ever since 1982 when Ghandi beat out E.T. I have thought the Academy Awards was just a ceremony for movies the Hollywood directors want to be seen. How many movies never got any notice until they won an Oscar, then suddenly went onto must see lists just so people knew what the fuss was about.

[Smedley]

Besides the really lame writing and self-aggrandizing, who needs another reason not to watch this crap

[RayChuang88]

I think what I've said in the past is best: the Oscars now have the feel of a high-class version of the Independent Spirit Awards. The last "big" film that got a lot of Oscar nods was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King--and that was because the entire movie trilogy had such a gigantic lead in both public and critical acclaim over every other film of the period.

[RayChuang88]

However, Gandhi, unlike today's nominees, was actually an epic film, with many scenes full of large casts of extras and a long, historical sweep that is rarely seen in today's movies.

[hinckley buzzard]

I can't believe anyone even bothers with this nonsense anymore. Hollywood has been creatively dead on its feet for years already, cannibalizing comic books for godsake, and the talent is pathetic.

Besides, the Cavs are playing the Detroit Pissed-Ons tonight.

[caver]

The one that done me in was the year before: “Chariots of Fire” No one had ever heard of that movie and still hasn’t to this day.

[chae]

I’m hoping that Mickey Rourke wins best actor.

[lilylangtree]

Haven’t watched the event in over 20 years. Boring!

[cydcharisse]

Unfortunately, it seems Milk has turned a profit. Estimated cost to produce: $15 million. Box office, USA: $26 million. IMDB.

[Richard Kimball]

Actually, I thought the Dark Knight was one of the better movies I've seen in years, and the Joker was a great character. That being said, Ledger lifted the character almost whole from Andrew Robinson's killer in Dirty Harry:

The hair, mannerisms, insanity, and mind screwing were all based on Robinson's psychopath.

Dark Knight:
"Some men just want to see the world burn."

Dirty Harry:
"This guy's going to kill again."
"How do you know that?"
"Cause he likes it."

[verity]

There is some irony when an a**hole plays the part of a fag**. :-)

[johnthebaptistmoore]

If they would ever stop their assiduous bashing of “everything non-leftist” for always, then they really would see a big increase in who watches. For as long as non-leftists are not fully embraced for always throughout the entire entertainment world, enough people will always continue to not care that much, if they even care at all, about anything involving awards and the entire entertainment world. Leftists have profoundly politicized the entire entertainment world for way too long with no end in sight.

[PapaBear3625]

Unfortunately, it seems Milk has turned a profit. Estimated cost to produce: $15 million. Box office, USA: $26 million. IMDB.

Generally the way it works is that in the first two weeks of release the theater gets 50% of the gross and the studio gets 50%. Thereafter the studio gets a smaller and smaller percentage. Milk, up to this point, seems to have lost money.

Then again, with such a low budget (did Penn do it for free?) it's not a big deal for the studios.

[chimera]

I never watch them anymore. I don't go to movie theaters. I watch only a few movies on cable or DVD, ones that I like and have some sense of connection to.

The Oscars have become a political tool of the left. Time was the AMPAS awards were about honoring the art of film making and those who made quality films that the public enjoyed and demanded. Now it is more of a platform for leftist ideology, with the acceptance speeches, instead of humble and gracious, becoming leftist tirades and hate speech against anything that doesn't conform to approved Hollywood leftist ideology. If I wanted that I'd watch the network evening news for a half hour. I don't need five hours of prime time programming for that.

[FrdmLvr]

Cuz no one’s going to watch it and the advertisers know it.

[bray]

The Dark Knight was a great movie and Batman was modeled after GW. Gran Torino likely made more than all those nominated for Best Liberal Picture.

Pray for America

[chiefqc]

People are tired of watching the pretend people pat one another on the back for worthless pictures and the soreing egos of who act in them.