Some of you will forgive me if I step on some toes here, but if I'm going to write anything, I have to be honest about it, so here goes.
It is my opinion that the movie which will be the most successful of the two will very much depend on each actor's releases between now and then. If the Muse's next two movies are well received and have good box office receipts, chances are Olympus Has Fallen will do well. If they do not do well, then White House Taken will be the winner. That is the name of the game. Winners breed winners in Hollywood and you are only as hot as your last movie. That is the fact unless you are Meryl Streep or Robert De Niro with a long resume of hits.
As I read the comments in defense of Gerry on some of these blogs, I start to wonder if perhaps his fans might do him a bigger favor by NOT saying how gorgeous he is and how you have been a fan forever, but by saying outright a very unemotional..."My vote is for OIympus is Down and I will be in a seat on opening weekend to support it!" Because ladies, that is EXACTLY what it will take to make any of Gerry's movies successful...the box office numbers on opening weekend and nothing else. That is the way it is in moviedom at the moment. If the numbers are not there the rumble starts that brings a movie down. Even if the critics don't like it, box office receipts are king in this town.
The trailer for Playing for Keeps was just released today. It looks like a sweet movie where Gerry gets to play Gerry with some very cute kids and some very pretty co-stars. I'm sure it has more depth to it than that and if it doesn't get a lot of competition on its opening weekend, it is likely to do well. BUT, if it doesn't get good numbers....it will disappear quickly. The same goes for Chasing Mavericks, which I think may do better because it will get the surf enthusiasts who will go just to see the waves and the surfing....but that won't be enough.
Gerry's female fan base, by and large, is made up of mostly middle aged and older women who think he is adorable. Adorable and 50 cents will get him nothing though if they do not swarm to the theaters on opening weekend to view his movies. I don't care how much you love him or how much time you spend on the internet singing his praises or answering negative comments from others....if you wait for his movies to come out in DVD your love and admiration will not do anything for him. What the man needs is for you to purchase a ticket to see Chasing Maverick and Playing the Field on opening weekend. Then if the movies pull in enough date night couples and surfers they will have a chance to make decent numbers. And those decent numbers will dictate if Gerard Butler's movie Olympus is Down will make the box office it needs to beat White House Down.
It's as simple or complicated as that. It's all in the numbers and if the movies make the numbers they will be in theaters longer and his name will be out there and it will prove he can be a box office draw and that 300 was not just a fluke. I actually wish he had a decent action adventure movie coming out first, but that is not the case.
So here's what you do, even if you think you will not be able to go to a theater on opening weekend, for whatever reason, or the movies are not playing in your neck of the woods just yet. First of all, you save your pennies. Then you go on the internet to movietickets.com or Fandango or ArcLight or whatever theater it is playing near you and buy your opening weekend tickets online. See...it's like voting by absentee ballot in case you are ill or going on vacation and can't make it to the polls on voting day. It's a guarantee that your vote will be counted no matter what your situation. Only for Gerry's movies, you will be voting with your pocketbook. AND, if you can make it to the theater, all well and good. But for those of you who can't...you will have put your money where your mouth is and where your admiration for this actor is...and that is what this particular man needs from you at the moment.
Soooo, if you think Chasing Mavericks and Playing for Keeps look wonderful or adorable or whatever you feel about it...purchase a ticket for opening weekend! Do your bit. Just like you would support your favorite candidate for President or your Representative or Senators by making even small donations to their campaigns and feel good that you are doing your part to get these people elected, so it is with your favorite actors.
The Muse needs your vote of confidence, not just your admiration. The way movies come and go today...you have to support the ones you want to see so that Hollywood will know this is what you want to see more of. With so many big movies that have flopped lately, executives are rethinking where they will put their money.
If you want to see more of the Muse onscreen, then vote with your dollars. But remember....do it opening weekend! It still may not be enough, but you will have done your part and voted your taste.
That is all that is in me today. It's too hot and I'm going to sit outside with a cool drink and my Ipod and daydream a little, looking at the stars.
Hopefully it's clear in Shreveport and the Muse is able to sit outside (slathered with lots of repellent) and enjoy his lake side perch if only for a moment before hitting the sack. I'm sure he's exhausted from the long hours of filming and the brutal heat...but if he could read this post I absolutely know he would agree with what I've said here.
Goodnight moon.
Songs out of tune, the words always a little wrong...Canzoni Stonate
Amen, I have heard so many Gerard fans say they haven't seen his last 2 movies. It would help if his movies showed up at a theater close by or even in the city you live in.
ReplyDeleteaprimitivesoul
And by the way I am there opening day to every movie of his even if I have to drive to another city.
ReplyDeleteYou have given me new insight into the movie business and I appreciate it. I will be at the rheater bright and early those two Friday mornings but will purchase my tickets in advance on Fandango. Thanks, again.
ReplyDeleteJoan forgets that Gerard's last two films were limited release so there wasn't much most Butler fans could have done. Not everyone has the time and money to fly to other cities or countries.
ReplyDeleteHowever it certainly looks like Playing for Keeps will be very wide release and Chasing Mavericks with its gorgeous cinematography is meant to be seen on the larger screen.
Ladies,
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting.
As for the fact the last two movies were not commercial releases, that is very true. However, the point still holds...if you can afford the price of a movie ticket and have access to the internet, you can still support him even if you cannot actually see the movie until it comes out on DVD.
Many of his fans attend multiple showings of his more commercial fare, so this would be no different...except that by buying a ticket to an opening weekend, even if it is too far for you to attend, it ups the tally when the box office numbers are recorded.
For those stating that they want to see more roles offered him, and in this case have Olympus is down win the race between the two similar White House movies, I have just offered those fans a tool to vote with their pocket books, whether the movie is in your particular area on opening weekend or not.
For the price of one or two magazines that one would purchase because it contains photos of him, one can buy a movie ticket that will help insure that this actor has more success in his movies and do more of them.
Hope this is helpful. It's just really a question of simple math and a common sense approach to support someone you want to see succeed.
Anon, I drove a car 40 miles away. I didn't fly to watch his movie. If you read I acknowledged it wasn't available everywhere. I think most of his fans are more into voting him the sexiest man alive which to me doesn't benefit his career.
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