This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

Producer makes millions by defying film critics
I found this article fascinating and if I were a film studies professor I would probably assign it as reading. Some of the issues it brings up:

Film as an art form vs. film as a business. Are they opposed to each other? Are they inseparable?

"The only films that get good reviews are the ones that nobody sees." We can all name films that are extremely well-respected and did well at the box office, but they seem to be the exception. Why are critics' choices often ignored by the public. Is it because of lower production costs and less marketing, or is something deeper at work?

Film snobbery vs. "the unsophisticated tastes of the masses." How is it that a film like Norbit can be universally panned by critics, but, if Robbins is to be believed, "score[s] in the 90s with an auience?"

Who are the arbiters of taste and artistic achievement in society?

What is the impact of casting on a film? Will the right cast make the public want to see a particular film?

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

The human race as a whole is severly overrated.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

This is an interesting and thoughtful post. The fact that only one other person responded to it means that the producer wins.

Here is a link to the top 50 grossing films of all time, plus another list of films adjusted for inflation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...grossing_films

NOTE There are NO films rated R in the top 50 grossing films, except for the "Passion of the Christ"!

It is obvious that if you want to make a fortune in Hollywood, you need to make family friendly films. My question to the producer is: Why do the production companies make so many films rated R?

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

Certain films lose credibility without an R. And certain subjects are a natural fit for an R.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

"Why do the production companies make so many films rated R?"

Living here in la-la land, I know quite a few people making R rated movies. They live in an alternate reality world from the one that actually exists. Their lives consist of drugs and sex and alcohol and lying and cheating and stealing and that's what their movies are about.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

Jeez, their parents should just ground them.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

[ QUOTE ]
NOTE There are NO films rated R in the top 50 grossing films, except for the "Passion of the Christ"!

[/ QUOTE ]
err...Troy, The Matrix Reloaded, and Terminator II are all rated R.

As Blarg said, some films would be ridiculous without an R rating. Studios aren't trying to hit a home run with every film they put out.

Another thing to keep in mind is that teenagers (who make up a large % of movie goers) had no problem seeing R movies before Columbine.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

Something can be enjoyable and entertaining w/o having any deep artisitc meaning. The problem is that film snobs tend to want to grade all movies based on their artistic value, when they don't have any and aren't really intended to. With that said, I think that there's probably some selection bias related to your Norbit example.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

"Why are critics' choices often ignored by the public."

Because the public likes to be entertained? A lot of "critics choices" are often unwatchable crap which can only enjoyed by a true pretentious snob with a superiority complex. I loathe a lot of the critically aclaimed stuff some of the robots here slobber over. Doesn't mean I'm rushing out to watch Norbit any time soon though. I know what I like and what I don't like. I know after watching a movie whether it was an enjoyable 2 hours or not. Most adults have this ability.

Re: This is why Hollywood makes terrible movies
 

The two great artistic themes of the universe are: love and drug deal gone wrong.