According to this Thompson on Hollywood piece, no one bought a damned thing in Toronto – save a few movies here or there, like A Single Man. Indie film is now taking a hit, this after a long spell where Oscar focused primarily on indies. As someone who covered it before, during and now that the indie thing is dying down, I can tell you that, all things considered, we won’t be better off. The Oscars kept the smaller movies going for a while there but ultimately the economy has taken things in a more drastic direction – down, baby, down. As this coincides with the Academy widening the Best Picture race, it’s going to be interesting to see where this all goes. Thompson’s piece talks about how it isn’t a matter of a name actor anymore.
But it got me thinking, if a film was really good enough, not just “okay” but really great, it would have been bought, wouldn’t it? Is it right to shape it into a story of how bad the economy is when, in reality, it might have been that the movies weren’t up to snuff? Thompson says:
Even Get Low, one of the hottest titles with Oscar-worthy performances on display, was still waiting at fest’s end for distributors to see it and place a reasonable bid. (As of Friday, Miramax, Sony Pictures Classics, Magnolia, Goldwyn were in the hunt.)
Might I say as someone who knows nothing, Get Low would be a good purchase. While it won’t draw in the gamers and torture-porners, it will definitely draw in everyone else, especially during the holiday season.¬† Thompson’s piece is a must-read.
Studios have to realize that in dire times people do need movies all the more, especially movies with lofty themes about life and death. Did the Depression teach us nothing?
