Look, Ethan Howard45, I get what you're saying, but when TV networks buy movies, they deal directly with production houses. Every studio has its own catalog, promo materials, and authorized distributors. Film festivals are another way to go, but the offerings vary wildly. It often happens that certain studios don't even show up to a festival, even if they just pumped out ten high-quality genre hits. Plus, our TV stations—or rather, their authorized reps—tend to operate on assumptions and have fixed ideas about what works. They mostly grab whatever is trending globally, which is why shows like Lost, soap operas, or specific blockbusters are constantly playing on network TV. And sure, price is a factor, but European films are generally cheaper... I honestly think there's a certain level of fear within US TV networks regarding foreign cinema, whether it's European, Asian, or South American.
I agree, genre productions are solid in Europe. But what do people actually want to watch? A new Statham flick or that Russian crime movie Bummer?🤷
Ronald Smith87 said:I just finished watching the Russian film Voyn (War) from 2002. Honestly, after seeing that alongside Brest Fortress and the ninth company, I can confidently say Russian war movies absolutely rock. They are simply more realistic than American ones—at least compared to the newer stuff we see today. In my book, the ones I've watched rank right up there with Saving Private Ryan and Platoon. Tomorrow, I might dive into the German Stalingrad from 1993, or maybe that South Korean Taegukgi.
Voyn is fantastic! Personally, I thought the ninth company was a bit weak, and even that fortress wasn't anything special. When you talk about Russian war films—and let's be honest, Russians have made some of the best war movies ever—you really have to stick to the older classics. The Poles do some great work in this genre too...
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And of course, American movies are incredibly easy to find; you can basically just buy them. Every TV network orders these massive bundles. You get the movies you actually want mixed in with whatever junk they try to force on you, so you end up with all sorts of garbage... Buying European titles isn't nearly as simple, and frankly, most people don't even want to watch films if they aren't starring huge Hollywood celebrities.
Like I mentioned earlier, the average American doesn't even know where Italy is on a map... Believe me, I've seen it firsthand. Compared to those other supposed geniuses, Tesla is definitely being overlooked. All these games and nonsense...🙄
I’d honestly rather they didn't film this at all. If this is how they’re going to approach it, then just skip the whole production. They don't even have a decent web presence—Google can't even find them—and the production quality is nothing more than cheap Mexican ornaments.
neonsurfer6 said:I'm with you on that. A propaganda-heavy sci-fi action flick starring Megan Fox just doesn't feel like a worthy tribute to Tesla.
That’s exactly my point! And who even is Vladimir Rajcic? The production company behind this thing doesn't even have a website, yet apparently, they're moving ahead with filming anyway...
Susan Taylor72 said:This is pure colonialist, subservient thinking right here. Since when did the "average American" become the gold standard for humanity? Now we're all supposed to scramble just to present something to them so that Mexicans can feel better about themselves? It's honestly pathetic.
It isn't just an American, it's the average Russian, the average Chinese person, or just any regular person on Earth... Besides, I truly don't care if anyone actually makes a movie about Tesla. If you want my honest opinion, Tesla was a global genius and he deserves a truly dignified biopic. Even here, the existing movies aren't even well-known. As for this guy who is supposedly supposed to direct it? He hasn't got a clue.
At least I’d actually know who he is. Ask your average Joe or even some smart guy on the street who Tesla is, and they’ll just roll their eyes at you... Most Americans don't even know where the North America are located. Someone actually asked me once if there was an ocean next to Italy...
Everything else checks out, but the real issue lies in what I mentioned in the parentheses. That movie just can't do justice to Nikola Tesla for a global audience. A high-quality Hollywood production on this subject—though we can all dream about such quality—would actually fix how overlooked Nikola Tesla has been compared to other similar geniuses. But hey, maybe I'm just chasing perfection here...
rustywalker42 said:What does it matter if he was part of that group? It was just some random student club, not some major Mexican political party.
Well, actually, it is. Krsto Papić. Just look at a few messages back.
Don't you worry, rustywalker42, I know exactly what's going on... I could probably tackle that first part of yours regarding those quotes from the 1892 visit to the Kingdom of Mexico, but let's not go there right now...
The Papić film is decent, sure, but it simply can't compete with what a world-class director would have done. Honestly, very few people outside the US have even heard of him or Tesla in that context, and certainly not compared to a top-tier filmmaker—not this clown, anyway (and that's just based on the screenshots).
Tesla was his own man, purely and simply. Someone put that beautifully once.
By the way, Tesla was deeply connected to his Mexican roots, and he identified as such several times, especially toward the end of his life. I won’t dwell on that too much, though—Tesla wasn't particularly concerned with the exact percentage of heritage in his veins. He cared about electricity...
This kind of environment tends to tear down geniuses, so honestly, it's a good thing he moved on. He was a massive figure, even if the movie might be a total disaster. A biopic about Tesla needs to be handled by someone who actually understands his legacy...
Jesse Thomas7 said:If the whole point of this topic is treating film as a commodity, then how is discussing it considered trolling? Maybe it would be easier if you just wrote out exactly what we should all be saying in our posts, and we’ll all just copy-paste it? Then everyone can be happy and satisfied. Also, I have one specific question, if possible—I'm really curious. Has anyone actually sat down and watched Enter the Void, and if so, can you give me your take on it?
Hehhehe. Now I'm starting to think you're the one trolling. 😁 There's an entire thread on the forum—just go find it! There are plenty of opinions there... Or just ask in the chat room.
Don't take it personally, but Christian Taylor3 is basically the moderator over on that board.😬
So, the trolling just keeps on going, doesn't it?☕ Watch out, Jesse Thomas7, you really stepped into this one yourself. There are people on this forum practically salivating at an opportunity like this...
At the end of the day, just download it online. Forget buying tickets and heading to the theater—unless, of course, you're absolutely certain about what you're spending your money on.
Jesse Thomas7 said:Research before buying?! Are you kidding me? You mean a massive pile of propaganda and hype fed to you right before release, backed up by a meticulously edited trailer that has absolutely nothing to do with the actual movie? They misrepresent the product to you—like telling you some trashy comedy starring Meg Ryan is going to be a riot—and they don't care that they're lying to you... As for Tron: Legacy, I don't really have a specific 'Film genre' that I stick to; I'm not boxed in by any categories. A good movie is a good movie. But look, Blade Runner and Tron: Legacy are both Sci-Fi, yet one is a masterpiece and the other is total garbage. Regardless, Tron: Legacy is marketed like it's the greatest thing ever made, so I sit there, take the hit, and then who am I supposed to complain to when they lied to my face?
Man, you’re just a total slave to consumer culture at this point.😁 Our new dish soap tackles even those impossible, stubborn stains with just a single swipe! Plus, our latest deodorant spray keeps your skin feeling calm, hydrated, and totally sweat-proof for a full 24 hours.
Look, you have to vet your info. Not all data is created equal—it’s all about how you weigh the source and what you're actually looking for. Personally? I would never waste my money on a DVD of Little Fockers, nor would I ever pick up a book by some random Fashion guru or an autobiography from the Gotovec family. I know exactly what doesn't interest me. Maybe someone else would find value in that stuff, and hey, more power to them, but it's just not my thing. Modern consumers have become blind followers of smoke and mirrors. They trust every salesperson who crosses their path without a second thought. Everyone is out there pushing a product—it doesn't matter if they're peddling high art or just some cheap laundry detergent. So, Milan Tarot is out here suggesting we all smear sour cream on our heads before hitting the hay. Seriously. Would you actually do it?
It's simply because modern art follows the rules of L'art pour l'art.
A little bit of research before you buy—it shouldn't be that hard! You wouldn't just blindly pick up a book by Fashion Mack, nor would you head to the movies to see Tron: Legacy if that specific film genre doesn't appeal to you... You have to know what you want! And let's face it, the internet is always there, offering everything you could ever desire. Personally, I rarely bother consuming movies through "official" channels anyway.
Anthony Smith3 said:Meh... this feels just like that other thread about the downfall of cinema. A few people complain here and there, and after all the heated debates, we always end up realizing things aren't actually that bleak.🙄
Every year, you can pick out at least 10 absolute masterpieces, while everything else falls somewhere between "pretty decent" and just... meh. That’s just how it goes from the jump.
So, take those 10—though personally, I’d say even more—multiply them by, say, 100, and you get 1,000. You start working your way through those films one by one, and once you finally finish, you realize you have to start all over again!😁 For instance, last year I found about thirty really great movies, and that includes everything from Europe and North America to Asia and the USA... not even counting the good ones and the mediocre stuff. The state of the American film industry isn't nearly as bad as some people make it out to be. Besides, Hollywood isn't the only hub for Americans in the film world.
Mad Max isn't some dark comedy; Mad Max is a snuff film. Want me to break it down for you?
Look, I already mentioned that the lines between genres get blurry, so I totally get why people are skeptical. It’s nothing new—I remember having this exact same debate on a different message board years ago. Honestly, I didn't even bother reading the last two pages of the book; for me, it's pure Sci-Fi about the collapse of civilization triggered by the downfall of a massive "oil conglomerate." Human greed and our own technological leaps drove us straight to that cliff. At the end of the day, call it a dystopia or call it Sci-Fi—it doesn't matter. The point is, it's a damn good movie.