Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
James Cameron’s reputation for “spectacle” put avatar on its own plane that seems to sustain it…even though it generates near zero attachment to the stories and the characters, etc.
It is a unique study
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Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs
- Thread starter Disney Analyst
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It is a unique study
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Ok, video games have arguably more pop culture impact now than movies. How many Steve's were there before the Minecraft movie? Probably almost none but it was arguably the most pop culture "it" thing of the last decade, and yet no representation? Yeah, not looking good. And after the movie? I'm betting maybe a couple last year, and few more this year, but you probably won't see thousands of Steve's, or the chicken jockey, or any other character from the movie running around. You'll see the normal smattering of princesses, some unique joke costumes, and the normal action based ones.
Same goes for many other movies that are in the "pop culture", they won't get the Halloween costume that some think is this metric for the "it" thing right now. Its an outdated metric if it ever was one, and I sort of doubt it ever really was one. Just like the toy metric, these things had their time but society has moved on from them and don't buy toys in bulk like they used to.
I can’t wait to see all those Final Destination costumes this year
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Or that classic Ethan Hunt costume....
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
or Elio.
Also I don’t know if Halloween Costumes was ever a tell tale sign of popularity of a franchise…. I don’t recall seeing a ton of Marty McFly costumes in the 80’s
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
Oh my God, you don't pay attention to it do you? Minecraft Steve has been a staple of Halloween costumes by us since a couple years after the game came out. Personally I didn't think Minecraft was going to be as big as it was. UNTIL there were Steves all over the place at my son's Halloween parade. That's when I said this could be big. It was every grade, at least two or so kids in most classes. Minecraft is great example for the "theory" not an argument against it.
Is there a character in that franchise that is recognizable? After scream, that scream mask was very common till this day. Keep in mind as I've said, it's a spoke in the wheel, not some 100% formula. Just like box office predictions.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Agreed, I think its really only a few major franchises that ever really broke thru into costumes, and like toys Star Wars was just top of that list.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
So the two closest elementary and middle schools (the age of the gamers) has approximately 1000 kids between them that are literally walking steps from my house so I see all the kids walking by on their way to/from school, so yeah I end up paying attention as the little bastards tend to wander all over my yard leaving trash from the candy. And I think I've seen a total of 10 Steve's in the last decade, and half of those were in the last year. I mentioned it I believe at the time when this was brought up previously. And I live in the middle of the tech capital of the world, where this stuff IS popular. So yeah its not as popular as you think it is in terms of costumes. Maybe outside the big cities, but not so much IN the big cities where there are a lot more people.
The point being is that "spoke" isn't really that relevant as maybe it once was.
Wendy Pleakley
Well-Known Member
I really feel a lot, or most, of the "no pop culture impact" argument was just a weak argument people created to criticize the movie(s).
Being the most popular movie of all time it drew out a lot of the "I don't like this super popular thing everyone else does so I'm cool" crowd. People who really need to point out they don't like something everyone else does, as if anyone cares.
I would say very few movies really have a lengthy cultural impact beyond awareness. Star Wars created its own industry but that's not normal at all. There are movies like Indiana Jones and Back to the Future that maintained awareness over the years and generated some merchandise, but most movies don't exist beyond the experience of watching them.
So it's ridiculous to dismiss the most popular movie of all time because it didn't come with endless tie-in novels and action figures.
Except, of course, it did generate a super popular theme park land and attractions, with more on the way. Of course, people will dismiss those as well. They do the ride because it's fun but no one actually cares about, or likes, Avatar!
Then there were stories about people being depressed after seeing Avatar because they loved the world so much. I feel like that was probably made up, but it's still an example of the movie having a major impact on people and this alleged behaviour was mocked. Avatar has no cultural impact! Unless it does! Then it's nerds getting too into it so let's make fun of them for it!
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
No one said tell tale sign. Indicator? It can be. I saw plenty of Marty mcfly costumes. Heck, I still see them. The last comicon I was at, my kids school, my oldest nephew went as him a few years back.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
Hard disagree on that one.
Really? I think you're selling things a bit short.
Call it what you will. That's what most would call pop culture impact, or at least a big part of it. Merch in stores, costumes, people with tshirts, books, game tie-ins... I'm not dismissing the movie. But you would think that the highest grossing film ever would have more of an impact on all those things.
The world of Avatar is fantastic to look at. And yes, a lot of people do ride flight of passage just because it's a fun ride. Do you think that people are only riding Tiana's bayou adventure because of princess and the frog? No, it's a fun water ride no matter the ip behind it.
Sure it had cultural impact. It was the highest grossing movie of all time. You do realize that saying it had little pop culture impact and no cultural impact are different things right? My question for use is this. Why is it such a bad thing to say it didn't leave much of a pop culture foot print?
The movie was a spectacle with revolutionary 3d, set in a cool looking world. There's nothing wrong with that. Shakespeare it isn't. In my limited plain of existence, I just don't see many, if any, who loved the films. And that's not because they just want to be all counter culture.
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
I mean, the character has to lend itself to being made into a costume.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
In all fairness very few things on this or any other plane of existence are on the level of the Bard. So I wouldn't use that as some comparison. In addition I think Wendy is right, very few movies (especially these days) see any huge cultural impact beyond initial release. Most are instantly forgettable after a few weeks to a few months, certainly within a few years. I think some confuse the impact Star Wars had as some threshold that must be hit and everything else is failure rather than it being a unique lightning in a bottle situation of its time unto itself.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
It's sort of a joke.
It's clearly not scientific, and is subject to all sorts of variables to what part of the country my front steps are in on Halloween, what socio-economic neighborhood my front steps are in on Halloween, and now is highly skewed because for the past 20+ years (in two different states) I've been known as the suspiciously stylish confirmed bachelor on the block who gives out full size Almond Hershey bars and See's Candy gift baskets as costume prizes. The gift basket prizes alone would skew the results to more creative or thoughtful costumes from the children.
Again, it's a joke thing. It's kind of interesting though to ponder what the kids are wearing for Halloween, but it's not scientific.
Did I mention it was a little joke? A thing that makes me chuckle?
TP2000
Well-Known Member
You are giving out boxes of raisins on Halloween every year, aren't you? You need to give out better candy.
I give out full size Hershey Almond bars and/or full size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and my yard is pristine on November 1st.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Except me thinks it’s not so much a joke to you, just like it wasn’t years ago when you started bringing it up in the DLR forums, as you keep bringing it up now in these discussions. So it’s only a “joke” now that it’s being called out by many as being not really a thing.It's sort of a joke.
It's clearly not scientific, and is subject to all sorts of variables to what part of the country my front steps are in on Halloween, what socio-economic neighborhood my front steps are in on Halloween, and now is highly skewed because for the past 20+ years (in two different states) I've been known as the suspiciously stylish confirmed bachelor on the block who gives out full size Almond Hershey bars and See's Candy gift baskets as costume prizes. The gift basket prizes alone would skew the results to more creative or thoughtful costumes from the children.
Again, it's a joke thing. It's kind of interesting though to ponder what the kids are wearing for Halloween, but it's not scientific.
Did I mention it was a little joke? A thing that makes me chuckle?
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Actually no, being on a busy street directly across from a school we don’t get trick-or-treaters anymore. The kids stick to the side streets or go the “safe” trunk-or-treat offerings at the schools. I stopped buying candy years ago as it was just a waste. So I usually turn off the light and go to a movie.You are giving out boxes of raisins on Halloween every year, aren't you? You need to give out better candy.
I give out full size Hershey Almond bars and/or full size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and my yard is pristine on November 1st.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
It still makes me chuckle every time I type about it though, so it's a joke to me.
Clearly it's not scientific, and never could be. Yet still sort of funny (and fun) to think about, isn't it?
