I remember back when MTV had "SHort Attention Span Theatre", and I thought that was a silly title. How prescient it was! Still, though the suits often dumb down entertainment, there are things that show it's not necessary. Slowly-unfolding-mystery shows like "Lost" and "Heroes" require a type of long-term attention, as they're not quick payoffs. You get some excitement each ep, but the ultimate answers are a long time coming. Viewers have to keep multiple characters and multiple storylines in their heads. That requires something beyond the quick instant gratification of one-shot shows. I think if we demand more from the audiences, sometimes--sometimes--they will rise to the challenge.
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Martin: i'm with you. When I rent DVD's I do double features, but for > the sure attention spans of the average movie goer, I wonder if it is > too long. I've been reading accounts of some movies many of us dislike, > but thought we might like where the powers that be decided that it was > too long or the plot too complicated and ordered as much as 40 minutes > out of the movie. This is getting increasingly common. > > Tracey > > Martin wrote: > > > > Tracey, foe me, I could tolerate the length of the LOTR movies because > > the books themselves read as though they were infinitely long as well. > > And, from my own history of illness, I'vve mastered the art of being > > still for long periods of time. > > > > "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > > > > > wrote: While I agree > > that three hours is too long, wasn't Kill Bill and lord of > > the rings long too? > > > > Tracey > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > > yeah, I hear that Planet Terror isn't thought to be as good as Death > > > Proof. I still wish > > > they could have left them together as one movie, though i admit that a > > > three hour length is too long. > > > -------------- Original message -------------- > > > From: "B. Smith" > > > > I better get my butt in gear and check it out before it disappears. > > > > > > I grew up in New Orleans and there were several Grindhouse type > > > theaters(The Circle, The Gallo, The Carver, The Famous, The Orpheum, > > > etc.) and I got to watch some of the same stuff that Tarantino loves > > > so much. Unfortunately those movies were cult flicks for a reason. I > > > get that Planet Terror is pastiche of Italian zombie gore flicks but > > > some folks don't. > > > > > > Another downside to the movie is the massive shift in tone from > > > Planet Terror to Death Proof. It seems to be throwing some folks off. > > > > > > --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > , [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > > > > > > I think I disagree with this. I don't think the idea of a double- > > > feature is that hard to grasp, even for youngsters who've never seen > > > one before. Hell, I'm 43, and though I'm extremely familiar with the > > > term, I never saw one at the theatre back in the day. I think it has > > > more to do with whether the subject matter and marketing themselves > > > were appealing. I think the girl with the machine-gun leg, adn the > > > cheesy zombie shots made some people laugh, but maybe didn't excite > > > them. People nowadays--espeically the young folk--seem to be going > > > for that disgustingly explicit and gore-based horror that's all the > > > rage. Stuff like "Saw", "Hostel", "Touristas", etc. Both of these > > > flicks are very tongue-in-cheek and self-referential. Now, I rmember > > > the days of crap like "Boggy Creek", "MAcon COunty Line", "The > > > Incredible Two-Headed Transplant", etc., so I want to see them. But > > > for those who aren't my age, and for youngsters, the lack of obvious > > > horror gore or "Kill Bill" style fighting and acti > > > > on may not be a draw. Perhaps--perhaps--the combined three hour > > > length hurt a bit of business. But I think a tweak in marketing--such > > > as trailers shown--would be more effective. I'd hate to see the > > > concept die just because the audience isn't hip or interested enough > > > to get it. > > > > > > > > Besides, sometimes the movie going public just doesn't get it. > > > That's what DVD and On Demand rentals are for. "Grindhouse" is gonna > > > do very well there... > > > > > > > > -------------- Original message -------------- > > > > From: "Tracey de Morsella (formerly Tracey L. Minor)" > > > > > > > > > ovie mogul Harvey Weinstein is planning to re-release Grindhouse > > > as two > > > > > separate films - after the double-bill flopped at the box office. > > > The > > > > > film, a double-feature directed by Quentin Tarantino and Robert > > > > > Rodriguez made just $11.6 million in its opening weekend in the > > > US. > > > > > Producer Weinstein is disappointed - and thinks Tarantino's Death > > > Proof, > > > > > starring Kurt Russell, and Rodriguez' Planet Terror, with Rose > > > McGowan, > > > > > will perform better on their own. He tells PageSix.com, "I don't > > > think > > > > > people understood what we were doing. The audience didn't get the > > > idea > > > > > that it is two movies for the price of one. I don't understand > > > the math, > > > > > but I want to accommodate the audience." > > > > > http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2007-04-11/ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > "There is no reason Good can't triumph over Evil, if only angels will > > get organized along the lines of the Mafia." -Kurt Vonnegut, "A Man > > Without A Country" > > > > --------------------------------- > > Get your own web address. > > Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
