Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[Tony the Tigger]

When we use language it should mean things - how do we define “propaganda?” I’ll admit that it’s a hard term to pin down, since all films contain moral and ideological positions they try to pass on to the audience to one degree or another. Is the original Ghosbusters, which has a strong libertarian tone, propaganda? Is In the Heat of the Night? Boys Don’t Cry? Amistad? Based on where we draw the line, all can be classed as “propaganda.”

For this conversation to have merit, we also need to have a sense of history and the willingness and ability to compare the cultural product of this particular moment to the product of other eras. What about modern films makes it appropriate to label them “propaganda?” What characteristics do they have that earlier films don’t? Is the label identifying something within the film itself or is it the product of cultural, social, political, economic, etc changes effecting the viewers perception of the film? Does the fault lie with the film or with the “political garbage” shaping its reception?

Propaganda is a function of government, not private organizations, though government can use private organizations to disseminate propaganda.

 

[LittleBuford]

That's just it, it's not outrage. You frame it as if everyone is running around with pitchforks and torches. It's a lot simpler than that. It's indifference. Example, I thought what will Smiths slap was disgusting. I won't ever see a Smith movie in a theater again. It's simple, it doesn't mesh with my values so I just ignore what he does. And to think that's not happened with Zegler, is a bit naive in my opinion. It's easy to not support people you don't like. And you don't even need to be outraged.

Indifference is not caring, which is not what you’re describing at all. If you’re bothered enough by someone to avoid watching a film they star in, you are certainly not indifferent towards them, even if you’re not outraged by them. (This isn’t a criticism, but an observation. I too would probably avoid paying to see a Smith film after what he did.)

 

[Casper Gutman]

Hah! Pot meet kettle. The guy who always has to interject when people use their own numbers, comes out with this Gem. Where's this data that says over 3/4 of people support the other side? Just like the analogy post, if you are going to lecture, please play by your own rules.

I might have missed it, but where did Irish state that 75% of the country supports the “other side?” They stated that 3/4ths of potential viewers were not included in Zegler’s condemnation, which is verifiably true.

 

[Chi84]

That's just it, it's not outrage. You frame it as if everyone is running around with pitchforks and torches. It's a lot simpler than that. It's indifference. Example, I thought what will Smiths slap was disgusting. I won't ever see a Smith movie in a theater again. It's simple, it doesn't mesh with my values so I just ignore what he does. And to think that's not happened with Zegler, is a bit naive in my opinion. It's easy to not support people you don't like. And you don't even need to be outraged.

Hah! Pot meet kettle. The guy who always has to interject when people use their own numbers, comes out with this Gem. Where's this data that says over 3/4 of people support the other side? Just like the analogy post, if you are going to lecture, please play by your own rules.

People are desperate to validate their thinking. If necessities cost more in a few years the leadership will flip again.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

The people who do that sort of thing have no true joy in their lives. If they weren’t the worst of humanity I’d feel bad for them.

I think society in general has become more nasty as we’ve become more isolated via technology, it’s ironic that we have more ways to communicate than ever before but that’s lead to more isolation and made it infinitely easier to be nasty since communication is rarely face to face anymore.

Online gaming is a great example of this, when I was a kid we played games side by side on the couch, we’d talk smack but you always knew if you pushed it too far there was a good chance you were getting punched, several years ago I played an online FPS game with my nephew and was absolutely shocked by what I heard, I’ve never heard people talk trash like that before, it was absolutely horrific and the level of abuse was relentless. My nephew said that’s normal and just part of the fun, I honestly don’t know how anyone could find that level of verbal abuse fun but to him it was just normal and just part of the game.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

From what I hear there was no interest in the outdated IP and the movie they chose to make wasn’t that good.

That is pretty much it

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I was talking about trusting Disney to always deliver on quality. As the poster I was responding to himself noted, Disney has had good runs and bad throughout its history. It’s not as if everything they produced was top-notch before 2020.

It’s cyclical.

There are highs and lows with any enterprise…particularly when it’s 100% unneeded product as Disney sells.

I think the overall point is right now they are at a “low trust” level…

They could sell ice to eskimos 10 years ago…but then they ran their core studios/properties aground…so there’s a lot of damage control to do. And that costs a lot of lost money.

I see some rumors that the weird “avengers” movie…the one where they paid Downey a blank check because they completely boned the franchise?…has the old fox xmen from 25 years ago?

Huh??? Is this serious or an onion article?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Exactly this….the people upset choose their battles to prove everyone agrees with their narrative…. Every film they hate on is apparent it will not do well even without the controversies

So the hate network…again?

And I thought I was too repetitive

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Snow White has a 1.5 on IMDB. That makes it one of the worst rated movies of all time.

But there’s no hate campaign.

Maybe nobody wanted it?

Which was the core of the problem long before the trouble in Gaza.

No one is forced to buy something…indeed rejection keeps the market working as much as success.

Is that hate? Nobody will buy a Tesla now either…not the same 5 years ago

Seasons change

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Can we Knock off the “no one likes Snow White anyway…” excuses?

Thats a lie…to cover failure as usual…and the truth needs to have some value in this thread.

Snow White is as significant and ingrained in why Disney is what it is as Mickey Mouse and Disneyland.

Because people revel in being uneducated/stupid now…does not mean we have to give it air.

They did it wrong…it was handled wrong…in a dozen different levels. Take the hit…demand they do better…and just MAYBE they’ll actually consider not sitting on their brains and attempt to do it?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

This got me thinking. If, as has been claimed, Zegler’s comments are keeping half the country away, why is the other half not showing up either?

I don’t think it’s a majority of the other half, but a not insignificant portion are being kept away by Gadot.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t think it’s a majority of the other half, but a not insignificant portion are being kept away by Gadot.

8 billion people are that opinionated about gal gadot and Rachel Zegler?

 

[Agent H]

I don’t think it’s a majority of the other half, but a not insignificant portion are being kept away by Gadot.

In all the conversations about Rachel I must have missed this. What did gadot do?

 

[LittleBuford]

I don’t think it’s a majority of the other half, but a not insignificant portion are being kept away by Gadot.

That seems really, really unlikely to me. The idea that cinema-goers on the left or the right care about either actress to the extent that’s being suggested here just doesn’t ring true.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Side note: I put Mufasa on D+, predicting it would be background fodder as I prepped for our first trip to Costa Rica this Sunday, wondering if it would even play all the way through (as I had seen it in theaters in early January.)

I ended up sitting down and watching all the way through (to the detriment of my laundry.)

It will be interesting to see the streaming numbers since Moana 2 is still relatively fresh to the platform.

 

[LittleBuford]

Side note: I put Mufasa on D+, predicting it would be background fodder as I prepped for our first trip to Costa Rica this Sunday, wondering if it would even play all the way through (as I had seen it in theaters in early January.)

I ended up sitting down and watching all the way through (to the detriment of my laundry.)

It will be interesting to see the streaming numbers since Moana 2 is still relatively fresh to the platform.

I preferred Snow White to Mufasa, including the music. “I Always Wanted a Brother” has to be one of the most irritating songs ever composed!

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

This got me thinking. If, as has been claimed, Zegler’s comments are keeping half the country away, why is the other half not showing up either?

Not sure if this was already shared and I missed it but it was from a couple days ago, blue counties typically represent 67% of total movie ticket sales but only 60% of Snow Whites ticket sales, which ironically means it’s overperforming in red counties and underperforming in blue counties.

‘Snow White’: How Controversial Disney Princess Fared In Blue & Red County Cinemas – Box Office

'Snow White' did better in blue states at the domestic box office, however, the Disney movie overperformed in red states.

deadline.com

 

[LittleBuford]

8 billion people are that opinionated about gal gadot and Rachel Zegler?

According to many here, including and especially the poster you’ve declared our resident expert, @TP2000, a very large number of people cared deeply about Zegler’s statements. I tend to share your scepticism in this regard.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

In all the conversations about Rachel I must have missed this. What did gadot do?

Gadot is not Jewish…she’s Israeli. And makes no bones about her opinions.

That rubs a lot of people…just as the “free Palestine” side or the isle does

 

[LittleBuford]

Not sure if this was already shared and I missed it but it was from a couple days ago, blue counties typically represent 67% of total movie ticket sales but only 60% of Snow Whites ticket sales, which ironically means it’s overperforming in red counties and underperforming in blue counties.

‘Snow White’: How Controversial Disney Princess Fared In Blue & Red County Cinemas – Box Office

'Snow White' did better in blue states at the domestic box office, however, the Disney movie overperformed in red states.

deadline.com

That doesn’t surprise me at all and only bears out how needlessly political people have made this.