Do they stand a snowball's chance??

[arrr&bee]

Hey gang,we have fun talking and debating about what films may be made about our music legends[someone mentioned sam cooke]but really are any of these films ever gonna see the light of day??here are just afew that come to mind...marvin gaye[how many more years on this one?]..berry gordy[haven't heard much lately]..james brown[is wesley snipes free yet,he's the only one who could do it right]..jackie wilson[we're still waiting]..nat king cole[rumblings]..clyde mcphatter[for those who don't think his story is not worth it better do some research]..aretha[well aretha??]dinah washington[she may be too old now but i like loretta devine in this role]...now i know most of this is just wishful thinking but i'm hoping as you are that maybe a couple of em will see the light of day,and while i'm throwing names out how about-smokey???

[paladin]

Loretta Devine would be a good choice for Dinah.

Jai let me say this, with the competition from HBO, Showtime and all these other cable networks , you can rest assured that some of these projects will see the small screen before the big one. I'd keep an eye on HBO who has traditionally showcased African American Stories. Either way it'll be a good thing.

while i'm throwing names out how about-smokey???

Now there's a role for Terrance Howard or Michael Ely.......

[ms_m]

Movies in general usually take a long time to be green-lighted but as long as full features with a Black cast continue to draw low opening numbers like the ones Red Tails pulled in [[which is an excellent film)....I would say hell would freeze over first Jai. I did read somewhere that Marvin Gaye flick was in the can but I haven't heard about a release.

[jsmith]

There were a number of proposals to make an 'Otis Redding Story' film in the past ... all failed to make it past the very early stages [[I recall Billy Ocean being touted as the guy to play Otis back when he was big in the charts).
I guess today, with the 'depth of knowledge' young blacks have about 60's soul music, very few would even know who Otis Redding was.

[Kamasu_Jr]

Movies in general usually take a long time to be green-lighted but as long as full features with a Black cast continue to draw low opening numbers like the ones Red Tails pulled in [[which is an excellent film)....I would say hell would freeze over first Jai. I did read somewhere that Marvin Gaye flick was in the can but I haven't heard about a release.

Ms. M, It drives me crazy how black films supposedly have low ticket sales, which is why Hollywood is reluctant to gree-light films with black casts. This is the main reason, we don't see serious films with black casts. The Help was a hit but the cast was not predominantly black. George Lucas finished Red Tails about three years ago but couldn't find a distributor. He now says he's going to distribute films from now on and hopefully some will come from black directors. Are we not paying attention to our ticket stubs? Because black films are well attended in Memphis.

[ms_m]

Kam it's worse than that, Lucas first started shopping the idea around 20 years ago. It just goes to show though, if someone like George Lucas has a hard time it should be obvious it's all about the money. I also saw an interview with the director and he even admitted it has opened his eyes to a lot of things.

It's doing well here too but overall, people are not supporting it. I saw the same thing happen with Beloved, Daughter's of the Dust, Eve's Bayou and a lot more, yet folks will dog out Tyler Perry for not making films that are more respectful or deeper or whatever folks claim they want to see....heck...he could make the films... and then go broke because the same people complainging wouldn't bother to support them. shrugs

[ms_m]

...to add more to this....the Help was a hit because it was supported by people on a much broader spectrum Kam....Non people of color supported the film, we complained about it. The low ticket sale are not a joke, the numbers are real.

Also keep something else in mind Kam, Memphis and Raleigh and I'm sure even a few more cities that are going all out only represent a very small percentage of the overall film market.

Now you'll also hear the argument that a lot of these films will do well in international distribution and that's true but if you're a business person and you know you can make money internationally but not on your own home turf....why bother with your own home turf....and on that note I definitely can relate!

[ms_m]

I guess today, with the 'depth of knowledge' young blacks have about 60's soul music, very few would even know who Otis Redding was.

...very true, but make a film about Snoop or Jay z and tickets sales would skyrocket....business is business, the bottom line rarely lies [[unless there is some creative accounting going on....LOL) but if more people would get a better handle on business, economics, etc. and how things really work out here.....they would see a different picture than what they think they know [[or feel) about what's going on.

[Kamasu_Jr]

Kam it's worse than that, Lucas first started shopping the idea around 20 years ago. It just goes to show though, if someone like George Lucas has a hard time it should be obvious it's all about the money. I also saw an interview with the director and he even admitted it has opened his eyes to a lot of things.

It's doing well here too but overall, people are not supporting it. I saw the same thing happen with Beloved, Daughter's of the Dust, Eve's Bayou and a lot more, yet folks will dog out Tyler Perry for not making films that are more respectful or deeper or whatever folks claim they want to see....heck...he could make the films... and then go broke because the same people complainging wouldn't bother to support them. shrugs

Ms. M, It is eye -opening when George Lucas can't get a distributor for one of his films. But it's happening to Tyler Perry as well. The attendance for his last films has dropped noticeably. If one of his films does not have Madea in it, it doesn't do well. But he has the right idea. He owns his own studio. He just has to work out distribution. Oh by the way, my brother went to ses Red Tails yesterday. He said the theater was empty.

[ms_m]

If one of his films does not have Madea in it, it doesn't do well.

Yep...what people claim they want and what they end up supporting tends to be two different things.

Yeah Lucas had a really difficult time getting this made....

I went in the mid afternoon and it was packed but mostly people my age and older, all us old retired and semi retired folks....LOL...It's really a shame too because it is an excellent film. For anyone interested in that old Hollywood feel of movie making days gone by...they will love it and of course the story is important and fascinating and the acting is outstanding.

[P-Shark: The Revenge]

Hey gang,we have fun talking and debating about what films may be made about our music legends[someone mentioned sam cooke]but really are any of these films ever gonna see the light of day??here are just afew that come to mind...marvin gaye[how many more years on this one?]..berry gordy[haven't heard much lately]..james brown[is wesley snipes free yet,he's the only one who could do it right]..jackie wilson[we're still waiting]..nat king cole[rumblings]..clyde mcphatter[for those who don't think his story is not worth it better do some research]..aretha[well aretha??]dinah washington[she may be too old now but i like loretta devine in this role]...now i know most of this is just wishful thinking but i'm hoping as you are that maybe a couple of em will see the light of day,and while i'm throwing names out how about-smokey???

Martin Lawrence is close to JB's height. I think he can pull it off. And Keenan Thomas could play Fred Wesley

[chidrummer]

Hold on there, partners. Red Tails may not be doing as badly as we think. A quick look at the numbers says the jury is still out on this film. Here's what I mean.

Notorious was budgeted at 20 million. The film grossed 20.5 million it's opening weekend then only averaged around 3 million a week. Three months later it's total take on its initial run was 36.8 million.

LaBamba, on the other hand was budgeted at 6.5 million, opened at 5.6 million and its three month gross was 54.2 million. That's 4.5 million a week or 8.91million per week in 2012 adjusted numbers.

Saving Private Ryan - budgeted at 70 million. Opened at 30.6 million[[!), but then averaged over 12 million a week so that three months later the total gross was around 170 million.

Red Tails had a budget of 58 million. Opened at 18.7 million and is currently averaging 12.5 million per week. At that pace, Lucas will have his money back in about five more weeks. I doubt that pace will hold, but if it did that would mean Red Tails would gross around 150 million after three months.

That tells me not to give up on this film just yet. It also tells me that if I were a movie exec., I might definitely take a meeting on a Tupac movie. If the budget is under 7 million, I could easily expect to make a tidy profit.

[ms_m]

I hear what you're saying Chi but opening numbers are important and based on your figures, 18.7 is low...heck look over all the numbers it seems to me the industry is taking a hit all the way around. PLUS we need to see what he put in before we can declare he's on track to make his money back. In movie land, 150 mil can be your advertising budget. Although I doubt that's the case with Red Tails but I'm just saying. Movie making at cheap.

[ms_m]

Oh and let's not forget, all the movies you're comparing Red Tails to were pre bad economy...hello.

[ms_m]

...and did I mention the critics don't get it nor are they feeling it....it's going to take some serious word of mouth to override the critic chatter

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485985/

[ms_m]

Chi...Different medium but remember the conversation we were having about the touring budget...folks have know idea what it takes to get things done out here.


BTW and per that conversation, I forgot to mention insurance cost


hahahaha...I have to get back to my thing but you and I both know.....what you budget for and what you actually end up spending can be two different things.

It's very possible the movie will eventually make money but the kind of money that will suddenly get major studios to start green lighting these types of films....I don't see it and one of the first rules of movie making [[or any major biz venture) is never use your own money to finance a project. [[and as always there will be exceptions to the rule)

[arrr&bee]

martin lawrence is close to jb's height. I think he can pull it off. And keenan thomas could play fred wesley

martin lawrence as[jb]...nooooooooooo...i'll wait for wesley snipes!!!