Taken from an article from Yahoo News:'GODSPLOITATION'
Ralph Winter, a producer at 20th Century Fox Films, said Fox's home video department was leading the way in pushing for films for religious audiences.
"They're very interested in opening up that market so we have been making $2 million or $3 million movies based on (Christian) books," he said.
Winter said studios are looking for projects based on good stories likely to make entertaining movies, without being obvious efforts to proselytize and convert people.
"No one wants to be preached to in a movie theater," Winter said. "Movies that raise issues are more interesting than movies that try to give answers," Winter said.
Bock predicted religious movies would see a growth pattern similar to that of movies made by and about African-Americans.
"There were these 'blaxploitation' films made for very small budgets, then (it went) through maybe you can make a buddy comedy, and (then you) get to the point where stories of African-Americans could be out there," Bock said.
"There have been movies made that were low budget, lets call them 'Godsploitation films.' If they make money, they'll try more," he said, noting that New Line Cinema was working on a film called "Nativity" about the birth of Jesus with "a pretty significant budget."
Bock said that even the upcoming "The Da Vinci Code," condemned by many Christians for undermining their religion by saying Jesus was married and had children, was a movie that would probably be seen by a lot of Christians who realize it is better to see it and argue back than to boycott it.
"What they've come to believe is if the whole world wants to talk about Jesus, then let's be ready to have that conversation," he said."
For the full article go here: http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/tribeca/news/vat/20060505/114684738500.html
Something about all of this makes me ill. I am a sucker for big Hollywood Christian Movies just like everyone else, but this kind of Capitalistic fervor for all things Christian...
17 comments:
Well it's going to happen. It will succeed I think, simply because of the demand for it. I can't imagine great movies coming out of it, but who knows. If they make a movie on King David and screw it up I'll puke. But I must ask myself..."Who will play Bathsheba?" What? Don't look at me like that, you were thinking the same thing, or at least you are now. HAHAHAHA
Ha, just checked out this king of the Hill episode from over at Shauns blog. Just about popped something from laughing.
Hey, are you laying down in that picture?
Bathsheba... you evil, evil, man. I think they were thinking of Stephanopolus as Bathsheba.
liquidsolidarity is a sicko. typical man. and typical woman's response.
I for one, am glad to hear of the Godsploitation. It's a whole hell of a lot better than all of the titspoitation. (yet again, another comment by a bitter, bitter woman) anyway, I am glad those nasty bastards are planning to use their talents to exploit us. whatever gets the message out. I know I don't sound very christian, however, I have of late been very angry about all of the nastiness in movies, having recently become a parent.
my pick for a christian movie would be Ester or the apostle Paul. My pick for Ester is Zeta-Jones. Anyone care to pick a Paul? Probibly not, but oh well.
For a younger apostle Paul, Ben Kingsley.
For an older Paul, Anthony Hopkins.
Although Ben Kingsley becoming old would not look like Anthony Hopkins, so no good using them both in the same movie.
Operamama, you are hilarious.
*sighs* Liquid...all i have to say to you is...you silly silly little man. I will look at you like that and there is nothing you can do to stop me.
but i do agree with you, liquid...there is a market for it and it will continue to grow as long as there is a demand for it. I'll go see them, then i'll be discusted with them, then i'll ponder, then i'll move on..*shrugs* but isn't that how life goes?
Well Chard, can I call you Chard? I just wanna stop there.
Dearest Operamama,
Please look around you. If your in a stuffy office please go outside and stand in your backyard, yes I know you have one, and bask in the shade of you blossoming orange tree. Then take a deep breath and sing Barry Manillow's "I Can't Smile Without You" (don't skip the whistleing part it's the best part) and Chill OUT! The world is filled with wonderful, and beautiful things, and for those things you dislike I suggest that you quit emphasizing them by making them a bigger deal than they actually are. Your too wonderful a person to get bogged down by that crap. If you won't do any of what I suggested then please do one thing for me. Take a second and smile. Realize that you are one of the most amazing people I have ever known or ever will know...and I know a lot of people. ;)
Liquid,
Grammaticaly correct spelling for the contraction combining the words "you" and "are" = you're
Furthermore, if what you have said is true, that Operamama is "one of the most amazing people (you) have ever known or ever will know," then here's a suggestion for you. Consider that the underlying truth of what she is saying is quite valid and honorable and worth your consideration. And while your initial comment IS humorous, on second thought, it is also sad. By that, I refer to the immediate tendency of the man, or perhaps just this one, to wonder who will play the naked woman on which David casts his gaze. So, instead of encouraging the mother looking out for her children to smile and shrug her conscience away, I'd advise that perhaps you should take a look at your own.
Touche' Fancy, touche'! However I do take Operamama seriously, very seriously. On another note... do we really want to see what Hollywood makes of Esther? It might be interesting, but it won't hit the screen without some sex and violence. Hey, I'm only a film production major, what do I know? Perhaps I'm way in left field, but damn, the view is nice from here.
So liquid, are you saying that the view of the sex and violence looks good from where you are sitting? or are you trying to say something a little more profound. need a little clarity here.
I'm stating what I consider to be a fact. Hollywood is all about the numbers, all about the dollars. A good virtuous woman won't sell to the masses, at least in "hollywood's" perspective, as much as the never failing equation of sex and violence, which sells every time. Acception? Mel Gibson's flick...well at least the sex part, and that was Jesus. A much more popular figure than Esther. I hope I'm proven wrong. I think the Bible is an amazing story as is. I mean come on! It's riddled with sex and violence, why add too it, but back to the point. Hollywood will always be this way as long as people buy, and people will always buy what they sell....well for the most part.
Oh i was Liquidsolidarity. I'm tired of being called liquid.
I think you need to stop watching movies with soundtracks that sound a little bit like this: bom chick-a-bom-bawwwm... Maybe you would find a virtuous woman in one of those... maybe?
Seriously, there are plenty of great female actors who have made it through their career with their bras still in tact. I agree that hollywood will deliver wherever the cash floweth the most, which is the whole point of this post. They are seeing that maybe there is an audience for movies with religious and non-sex and violence saturated. I mean the Passion WAS the most violent movie ever, but It was because of the charachter portrayed that people went. Do you think that they would have went to see a violent picture about you? ( I might have as long as it involved large nasty burly men forcing you to smell their armpits. )
Sex and violence does sell. It is proven, but so do films with a Religious message. Those religious movies do NOT need an over exposure of boobies to rake in the chips.
The prince of Egypt?...The Passion...?
1. The Passion: do an image Google search on Monica Bellucci, who played Mary Madeline.
2. Your right there is religious movies with good upright women in them. You can find 99.9% of them on TBN..How convenient. Like the Left Behind series. Woooo HOOOO! The best clean movies ever are old movies and I love them. Vertigo, John Wayne films, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, War of the Worlds, there are too many to mention. It seems like you think I need T&A for a good film. I don't have a problem with it, but it's not a necessary ingredient ever! So I'm curious. What is the actual issue here? Is this an issue of what does Joey believe and why? Or is this a sociological issue that we are, or want to debate?
The issue:
"Something about all of this makes me ill. I am a sucker for big Hollywood Christian Movies just like everyone else, but this kind of Capitalistic fervor for all things Christian..."
Let me see if I'm tracking with you here Seth. The hype about creating Christian movies makes you ill because capitalism, specifically movie production companies, are seeing that they might possibly be able to make a profit from the Christian public. So, they take advantage of the Christian community to make a buck. Hmmm...sounds a bit like the Christian music industry. But isn't that what the Chrisitian community has been ranting and raving about? We want movies with a good message without the filth. So, I don't think it's wrong to do this if there is a demand for it. I think it's wrong to charge admission to go to church. But we're talking about something different. I just hope these movies are good, cheese free, well done movies.
Exactly, except I really dont want people to make movies because they want to capitalize on my faith. I want them to make it because there is something magical about it or something about it means something to them. Now I am not a total idealist in that i know a mans got to make a buck.
Conservative Christians have been whining about "more movies about God" so now we are getting what we asked for and guess what? 9 out of 10 says they get it wrong anyway and if they do get it right it will be a massive flop because they don't really believe it. What I would prefer would be this: Make movies. If a film maker comes along and wants to make a film about the incarnation or Moses because it inspires him or her then more power to them. I just know I don't need Hollywood to capitalize on my faith so as to make biblical movies to increase my faith becausse i am jusf fine with or without them.
What bothers me is the motive. "Hey, I smell money... lets make a God movie" ANYTIME Chrisitanity gets into bed with Capitalism it backfires. And I bet we see some backfire from the next wave of Christians-boycotting-DaVinci-Code-encouraged God movies.
I guess we'll see.
I definitely hear what you're sayin. I assume movies based on religion will be more apt to move and intrigue us if the makers are inspired to make it. The alternative being makers that could care less and are just making a film. I think any film with this attitude will probably pretty much suck. But that's just speculation.
The WHY of the whole thing IS a bit disheartening. But ideally, producers who raise their budgets toward religious films will attact directors who are inspired by our faith, which perhaps is their own faith as well. And then a rockin film will be made! Ideally.
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