Avengers sets box-office record; Dummies diss America

[Vagabond]

Avengers is a fun movie.  I enjoyed watching it with my five year old son.  That means most of the DUmp viscerally hates it.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002652173

MadHound (30,796 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail IgnoreSun May 6, 2012, 04:14 PM


 A sad statement on American culture
The new Avengers movie broke the record for initial weekend sales.

Look, I love comic books as much as the next person. I collected them throughout my childhood, teens, and twenties. My comic book collection ultimately allowed me to make a huge down payment on my first house. And yes, I collected the Avengers(and even had an Avengers #1 in pristine condition).

But still, a movie based on a comic book? Hardly high brow art.

Perhaps that is the secret, the movie appealed to the lowest common denominator in our society. And that is a shame.

I watched some of the comic book based movies. None were great, some were middling, a few were downright horrible. Overall, I don't think they have a track record that warrants a record breaking box office on this new release. I know that when and if I watch the Avengers, it will be on DVD, at home, preferably rented out from the one buck selection.

I know, I know, I'm sounding like an old, crotchety man. But really, is this what movies are degenerating into, refried comic books put on the big screen? I certainly hope not.

Shakespeare was not high brow.  Don Quixote, De La Mancha was basically a comic book.  They are both considered high brow these days.  That ought to make a crotchety old man at least wonder.

Liberal_in_LA (23,558 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

1. I've only seen a few of these 'comic book' movies - one of the batman, and one or 2 of the

xmen. wasn't particularly impressed.

You considered and inconvenient truth to be impressive, I bet.  Nothing but Al Gore's mug on the screen as lie after distortion was being sold as God's truth.

MadHound (30,796 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

6. Let's take a look at the French

Their top selling films are comedies, dramas, sci-fi, action, not a single comic book adaptation among them. Not high brow stuff, but rather middle brow, so to speak.

Comic books, lowest common denominator. A sad statement.

They still think Jerry Lewis is funny.  It's hard to get more low-brow than that, even standing in a ditch.

JonLP24 (12,541 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

12. It did well in France

While not quite reaching all-time levels, the movie also had very strong starts in South Korea ($12.9 million), France ($12.7 million), Italy ($10.4 million), and Spain ($7.3 million). Oddly, it only opened to $6.7 million in Germany, though looking at past Avengers movie grosses it doesn't appear the Germans are as fond of the team as the rest of the world.

http://boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3431

Using Germany would probably be a better look but the film is selling far more in the rest of the world than North America so you could say it is sad state of World culture.

Wet Blanket getting in the way of a good hate America fest.

spanone (63,538 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

22. america is hardly highbrow

in my experiences

Compared to what?  You think the English sit around in suits sipping tea and discussing the finer points of impressionistic art?

Egalitarian Thug (744 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

32. Two things. One, the film industry has not yet come to grips with technology and is

wildly thrashing about in an attempt to figure out a way of continuing to extract obscene profits from their craft, and so far, Big FX Extravaganza's are the only way they've found.

Two, H.L. Mencken identified the basis for their business model about a century ago. "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." 

He also said, "Giving every man a vote has no more made men wise and free than Christianity has made them good."  DUmmies are exemplary samples of that statement.

To be fair, more DUmmies are defending it than are using a movie as a vehicle to slam America.  It says a lot about a culture and who their mythological (comic book) heroes are.  Mine has almost always been Batman and Spiderman.

[Kimberly]

Wait until they figure out Robert Downey Jr. is a conservative. Then they will really hate the movie.

[dandi]

What the frick does it matter that it's adapted from a comic book? It's not like they just blew up frames from the book and put them on the screen. You're still employing actors to play the roles, using the sets and cinematography and musical scores that movies derived from other sources do, and creating an imaginitive world wherein you suspend disbelief for a couple of hours same as any other movie. It may not be artsy-fartsy but it's certainly no worse than any other escapist genre.

Look at movies adapted from novels. They never, ever do the art contained in the book justice. How mamny times have you ever read a book first, then went to see the movie, and felt let down? It's not possible to cram all that imagery, plot development and character development into a something as short as a movie. So what happens? They reduce the novel into a comic book version of the original and that's what ends up on the screen. How are taking stories and characters directly from comic books and enhancing them to make an interesting movie any worse?

[thundley4]

The DUmmies don't get it.  Fantasy escapism movies always do good when the economy is in the crapper and people are worried about what's going on.  They only want the dramatic serious shit when their own lives are going great and they can feel sorry for the screen characters.  Right now people don't want serious movies to remind them how much Obama has screwed the country.

[CactusCarlos]

spanone (63,538 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

22. america is hardly highbrow

in my experiences

 

[BEG]

Some people (read normal people) just want an escape every once in awhile and to not think of starving people in Africa or the state of the economy at home. You people are one huge wet blanket.

Oh...and I would be Robert Downey Jr.'s baby momma in a heartbeat.

[Revolution]

Perhaps that is the secret, the movie appealed to the lowest common denominator in our society. And that is a shame.

No it didn't, DUmbass. You and your ilk didn't go see it.

Seriously, you guys make it too easy. A blind man could hit the pitch you throw. I just did. Out of the park.

Wait until they figure out Robert Downey Jr. is a conservative. Then they will really hate the movie.

That's freaking awesome. Iron Man...all the way!

[Ballygrl]

Some people (read normal people) just want an escape every once in awhile and to not think of starving people in Africa or the state of the economy at home. You people are one huge wet blanket.

Oh...and I would be Robert Downey Jr.'s baby momma in a heartbeat.

Downey is so adorable, from Wikipedia:

Downey has indicated that his time in prison changed his political point of view somewhat, saying: "I have a really interesting political point of view, and it's not always something I say too loud at dinner tables here, but you can't go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal. You can't. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone else, but it was very, very, very educational for me and has informed my proclivities and politics ever since.

[Doubleplusungood]

spanone (63,538 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

22. america is hardly highbrow

in my experiences

Hey, France just went back to marxism. Perhaps you should go there, and GTFO this country. If you need cash assistance jut sign up here and ask for it. We'll take up a collection and make sure you get there, but the catch is that you can never return.

[Doubleplusungood]

And I will add that I'm glad at least the movies with Captain America recently have been the conservative, pro US Cap, and not the crap leftwing slant the writers of Marvel have been infected with. The liberal version of Cap hated the US, hated the Tea Party, and the Red Skull was no longer a NAZI, but an American capitalist.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

Wait until they figure out Robert Downey Jr. is a conservative. Then they will really hate the movie.

LIBERAL REASONS TO HATE "THE AVENGERS"


Tony Stark is a 1%er...and lives the life...and he dissed the Senate

Steve Rogers believes the US is the greatest nation ever.

Thor ackowledges religion (particulrly the mythology favored by uber-Christians JRR Tolkien and C S Lewis)

Black Widow is a former Soviet agent that left the KGB for higher ideals

Bruce Banner proves science doesn't have all the answers

Nick Fury is black but is never depicted as using an EBT card

[andhe78]

Avengers is a fun movie.  I enjoyed watching it with my five year old son.  That means most of the DUmp viscerally hates it.

Cool, I've got a rare day off today and we are going to see this movie in three hours-looking forward to it.

[Gina]

spanone (63,538 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

22. america is hardly highbrow

in my experiences

  SNOB!

[Chris_]

spanone (63,538 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore

22. america is hardly highbrow

in my experiences

It wouldn't matter.  You DUmmies would still find something to cry about.

[wasp69]

MadHound (30,796 posts)

A sad statement on American culture
The new Avengers movie broke the record for initial weekend sales.

But still, a movie based on a comic book? Hardly high brow art.

Perhaps that is the secret, the movie appealed to the lowest common denominator in our society. And that is a shame.

MadHound (30,796 posts)

6. Let's take a look at the French

Their top selling films are comedies, dramas, sci-fi, action, not a single comic book adaptation among them. Not high brow stuff, but rather middle brow, so to speak.

Comic books, lowest common denominator. A sad statement.

spanone (63,538 posts)

22. america is hardly highbrow

in my experiences

Egalitarian Thug (744 posts)

32.

Two, H.L. Mencken identified the basis for their business model about a century ago. "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."  

A movie that doesn't spend two hours running down the US, shows heroic deeds by those that love the country and their fellow man, doesn't fit some sniveling "French" model of movie revenue generation, and the DUmmies whine about it being low brow art...

Cry me a river, you sniveling bitches.

[BannedFromDU]

      A movie about two butt-****ing cowboys is the greatest cultural expression imaginable, however.

       

[movie buff]

I went to the midnight premiere of 'The Avengers.' I freaking loved it! It was literally everything I had hoped it would be and more, and well worth the four years I had been awaiting it. Easily one of the best movies I've seen this year, if not THE best.
Of course, considering it is a good, fun movie, the DUmmies hate it.
However, I think it goes a bit deeper than that, in their dope- addled minds. Let's look at some of the Avengers:
1. Iron Man. I'd imagine the DUmmies hated him from his first movie. In that one, the corporate CEO/ weapons contractor Tony Stark is a hero with US soldiers/ military personnel also shown as good guys, and Muslim terrorists were villains (While simultaneouly portraying some Arabic characters as good guys, ensuring that no accusations of racism could be leveled against the filmmakers). If the DUmmies were writing that movie, the roles/ portrayals would be reversed. Then, of course, in 'Iron Man 2,' Tony Stark stands up to and amusingly humiliates liberal politicians, and fights a villain who was a Soviet leftover sporting hammer and sickle tattoos (Not to mention a funny cameo appearance from Bill O'Reilly). Together, these explain the DUmmies' hatred of Iron Man.
2. Thor. His movie was all about how good leaders and heroes alike need to be people who can demonstrate humility, wisdom and self- sacrifice for the good of all, qualities Thor gains over the course of the film. DUmmies hate those qualities, hence why they voted for and continue to support a president who is completely devoid of those qualities.
3. Captain America. Where to begin? Obviously, he is a hero who supports America and defends American values. DUmmies hate America, as seen in this thread. Like 'Iron Man,' Cap's first film portrayed the US military as good guys and showed his eagerness to join them, something the DUmmies would never support. Also, Cap is a Christian, as shown in the comics and by a faith- affirming comment he makes early on in 'The Avengers,' a big no- no for DUmmies. Out of all the Avengers, the DUmmies probably hate Captain America most.
4. Black Widow. A strong, intelligent, capable and beautiful woman, of the sort that liberal men (An oxymoron, I know) could never get with, and liberal women could never be (Considering most of them are either skeletally- thin drug addicts, or repulsively- obese sows). Also, she never (At least from what I remember) launches into long- winded speeches about how hard it is to be a woman in a man's world and how feminism is the only way to go, which is what liberals expect all female heroes to do.
I thnk that about explains it.

[Gina]

I went to the midnight premiere of 'The Avengers.' I freaking loved it! It was literally everything I had hoped it would be and more, and well worth the four years I had been awaiting it. Easily one of the best movies I've seen this year, if not THE best.
Of course, considering it is a good, fun movie, the DUmmies hate it.
However, I think it goes a bit deeper than that, in their dope- addled minds. Let's look at some of the Avengers:
1. Iron Man. I'd imagine the DUmmies hated him from his first movie. In that one, the corporate CEO/ weapons contractor Tony Stark is a hero with US soldiers/ military personnel also shown as good guys, and Muslim terrorists were villains (While simultaneouly portraying some Arabic characters as good guys, ensuring that no accusations of racism could be leveled against the filmmakers). If the DUmmies were writing that movie, the roles/ portrayals would be reversed. Then, of course, in 'Iron Man 2,' Tony Stark stands up to and amusingly humiliates liberal politicians, and fights a villain who was a Soviet leftover sporting hammer and sickle tattoos (Not to mention a funny cameo appearance from Bill O'Reilly). Together, these explain the DUmmies' hatred of Iron Man.
2. Thor. His movie was all about how good leaders and heroes alike need to be people who can demonstrate humility, wisdom and self- sacrifice for the good of all, qualities Thor gains over the course of the film. DUmmies hate those qualities, hence why they voted for and continue to support a president who is completely devoid of those qualities.
3. Captain America. Where to begin? Obviously, he is a hero who supports America and defends American values. DUmmies hate America, as seen in this thread. Like 'Iron Man,' Cap's first film portrayed the US military as good guys and showed his eagerness to join them, something the DUmmies would never support. Also, Cap is a Christian, as shown in the comics and by a faith- affirming comment he makes early on in 'The Avengers,' a big no- no for DUmmies. Out of all the Avengers, the DUmmies probably hate Captain America most.
4. Black Widow. A strong, intelligent, capable and beautiful woman, of the sort that liberal men (An oxymoron, I know) could never get with, and liberal women could never be (Considering most of them are either skeletally- thin drug addicts, or repulsively- obese sows). Also, she never (At least from what I remember) launches into long- winded speeches about how hard it is to be a woman in a man's world and how feminism is the only way to go, which is what liberals expect all female heroes to do.
I thnk that about explains it.

Wow!  very good info

[Ballygrl]

Does the Hulk have a significant role in this film? I'm a huge Hulk fan.

[movie buff]

Does the Hulk have a significant role in this film? I'm a huge Hulk fan.

Yeah, he plays a pretty important role (And Mark Ruffalo does good job playing his alter ego Bruce Banner), and there is an awesome scene when he confronts Loki in the film's climax.

[Vagabond]

Yeah, he plays a pretty important role (And Mark Ruffalo does good job playing his alter ego Bruce Banner), and there is an awesome scene when he confronts Loki in the film's climax.

Spoiler alert:

"Puny God! "

""Target Engaged!.........Target Angry!  Target Angry!"

[Ballygrl]

Yeah, he plays a pretty important role (And Mark Ruffalo does good job playing his alter ego Bruce Banner), and there is an awesome scene when he confronts Loki in the film's climax.

Oh good, thanks!

[Ptarmigan]

The DUmmies don't get it.  Fantasy escapism movies always do good when the economy is in the crapper and people are worried about what's going on.  They only want the dramatic serious shit when their own lives are going great and they can feel sorry for the screen characters.  Right now people don't want serious movies to remind them how much Obama has screwed the country.

Exactly. People want to escape this screwed up economy. I know Star Wars did well in part because of that in the late 1970s to early 1980s, when the economy was in a bad state.

[AllosaursRus]

The DUmmies don't get it.  Fantasy escapism movies always do good when the economy is in the crapper and people are worried about what's going on.  They only want the dramatic serious shit when their own lives are going great and they can feel sorry for the screen characters.  Right now people don't want serious movies to remind them how much Obama has screwed the country.

No kiddin'! Look how the gangster movies did durin' the Great Depression! We didn't have TV, and radio was full of detectives and gangsters fightin' it out. Either that or the radio's version of Alfred Hitchcock and Edgar Alan Poe. How is it any different than the comic book fantasies?

These people are morons! It's fiction ya ****in' idiots!

BTW, I still listen to old time radio. It's a helluva lot better than watchin' Comedy Central, DUmmies TV station for "political" fact!

[Delmar]

Yeah, he plays a pretty important role (And Mark Ruffalo does good job playing his alter ego Bruce Banner), and there is an awesome scene when he confronts Loki in the film's climax.

Thumbs up for the scene that you're talking about.

And how about that scene with Harry Dean Stanton?