Movie studios spend millions to have an A-list star in their movie. This is supposed to bring in crowds and up ticket sales but to A-list celebrities really make the difference?
I think this question was really raised with the release of Paranormal Activity in 2007. The budget for the whole film was around $11,000. This probably wouldn't even pay for a super stars list of demands while working on set. The movie ended up being extremely profitable staying in the number one spot for several weeks. Two unknown actors were cast in the leading roles and the movie was noticeably low budget. So is it really worth it for a studio to put out the big money for a big name?
Recently, Moneyball, starring big names Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill, was out shined by two different movies. The film was beat out by Lion King 3D in its first week then Dolphin Tale in the second. While Dolphin Tale did have reasonably known actors the film clearly was not in the same budgeting field as Moneyball. The studio probably thought Brad Pitt would be sure to draw in audience but he really did not compared to other movies.
I think people do not go see movies for a variety of reasons these days. One reason could be financial woes and I think people are trying to be smart with their money. With the $1 movies at Redbox a lot of people just opt to wait for the video to come out on DVD. I know I don't see movies because of all the outrageous prices so I really have to be motivated to go to the theater.
Another reason could be, people are savvier. People love celebrities but they do realize the “stars” are looking to make money and can make duds (not saying Moneyball was, I really liked it). I think there are some actors that are picky about their films and will not just do a movie to make a quick buck but most are not like that. It is understandable people want to make money but it can create less of a loyal fan base.
Lastly, maybe people judge movies based on the actors involved. Thanks to reality shows, Facebook, Twitter and sites like TMZ, we know a lot about the everyday lives of celebrities. People are obsessed with them, annoyed by them, discuss them or have some type of hatred toward them. All of this can help or hurt their image. You can really create an opinion about a celebrity and choose to support them or not. It could be that people just do not like Brad Pitt because of all his personal decisions. His wife’s movies have not always faired well either.
These days, a lot of factors go into going to see a movie. It can be costly, it can star someone we hate or love, or it can just be the sense of something different. Whatever the reasons may be, I think it is a good idea for studios to do their research and find out what people really want to see.
I feel as though Brad Pitt isn't in too many movies nowadays, however, I thought that when he actually made it back to the big screen, it'd be for something more grandeur. With that being said, Moneyball doesn't look like a terrible movie, but it just isn't very Brad Pitt-like. I imagine him to be in something more action-packed.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to The Lion King, I find it fascinating that it was brought back to the big screen, however, with the cost of movie tickets nowadays, I don't really think it's worth it. I'd rather just buy it on DVD to have a higher-quality version, as opposed to a VHS copy. To each his own I suppose!
I feel like more people are becoming desensitized to celebrities and that plays a huge role in the reason people don't go out and see movies. The more people learn about a celebrity the more likely they are to generate an opinion about them. My dad for example cannot stand Nicholas Cage and refuses to see any of his movies because he feels that he is a bad actor. That being said, more people are noticing how dramatized movies are as well as how little common sense is put in to a script.
ReplyDeleteWe're realizing that it's not worth it to spend $10-$15 to see a movie especially when you can download it illegally, wait for the dvd, or see it netflix or on demand for $5 dollars. The cost of a movie just isn't worth the possible let down either.