MovieChat Forums > Gene Hackman Discussion > WTF Happened to GENE HACKMAN?

WTF Happened to GENE HACKMAN?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDjlo4yzuhA

In our latest WTF series, we take a look at some of our favorite stars and filmmakers who have seemingly disappeared or altered their careers over the years to the point that begs the question; WTF happened? Now, before you think we're just picking on celebrities or running some gossip rag stuff, think again! We take a fun (and sometimes funny), researched and fair approach, looking at all angles that led our subject to wherever they are now (which isn't necessarily a bad place at all). If anything, it answers the question of where these fine folks went, how they got there, and where you can find 'em now.

For awhile, Gene Hackman was omnipresent in film. There's a joke in the movie PCU, where one of the frat boys is obsessed with proving that there's always a Michael Caine or Gene Hackman movie on TV, and sure enough between 1980 and 2000 (his most prolific two decades), he made thirty seven movies. Yet, after 2004's WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT, he abruptly retired and could not be lured back no matter how hard folks tried. So let's take a look at Hackman's amazing career - from his iconic turn as Popeye Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION, through Lex Luthor in SUPERMAN- THE MOVIE, to perhaps his greatest latter-day role, Royal in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS.

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At least he went out with a winner, WELCOME TO MOOSEPORT (2004). I don't know how successful it was at the box office, but my wife & I really enjoyed it.

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Are you being ironic? That movie bombed bigtime and killed off Ray Romano's movie career!

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OBVIOUSLY YOU DIDNT SEE THE BIG SICK OR THE LAST WORD...ROMANO RETOOLED AFTER EVERYONE LOVES...AND MOOSEPORT...HE IS REALLY EXCELLENT ON GET SHORTY WITH CHRIS ODOWD TOO....FOR THE BEST...ROMANO SHOULDNT HAVE BEEN A LEAD ANYWAY.

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No, I was serious. I admitted I didn't know how it did at the box office and what's Romano's movie career to me? This is what I wrote in my review from five years ago...

"Welcome to Mooseport" is a surprisingly good comedy/drama that spoofs presidential politics and small town-isms. Gene Hackman was 73 years old during filming and it was his final film to date. Hackman went out a winner because he shines in the role of ex-president. While Romano is equally effective as the ordinary guy, Gene takes the lead in a commanding performance. The movie is consistently amusing and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny. The story keeps your interest and you'll find yourself caring for the characters and the outcome of the various subplots. The negative reviews are inexplicable because everything clicks for a top-rate dramedy with a stellar cast.

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Ray Romano had a movie career? I have to see "Mooseport"

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https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2004-2/welcome-to-mooseport/

Intermedia Films was set to finance Welcome To Mooseport, but ended up only producing the film and FOX financed Mooseport for an estimated $30 million, with some capital from the German tax shelter fund Medieastream. After Welcome To Mooseport flopped, actor Ray Romano has not had another studio budgeted film packaged around his name and this disposable comedy would have disappeared into the ether if it wasn’t Gene Hackman’s final movie before his retirement.

FOX originally dated the pic for February 13, then shifted it to February 29 and finally settled on February 20. FOX held sneak previews at 800 locations on the 15th to help spread word of mouth. Welcome To Mooseport received poor reviews and bowed against Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Eurotrip and the delayed Against The Ropes. There was much speculation if the movie would launch a big screen career for Ray Romano, but that was immediately ended when it opened with a poor $6,775,132 — placing #4 for the weekend led by the holdover comedy 50 First Dates. Audiences gave the film a terrible C+ cinemascore and Mooseport fell 51.6% in its second weekend to $3,279,764 and followed that with a 69.4% plunge to $1,003,887 and the film was quickly out of theaters with $14,470,947. FOX would see back about $7.9 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, far less than their P&A expenses and the budget would be all red. For domestic television sales, FOX packaged their garbage releases Catch That Kid, Welcome To Mooseport and From Justin To Kelly together to ABC Family for $2 million, as the films had no demand in the cable marketplace on their own.

FOX dumped the movie straight to video in almost every overseas market and it received a token theatrical release in Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Spain to all of $144,152.

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Just goes to show that FOX sucks

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i knew you were gonna post this, bot

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enemy of the state is my favourite.

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Enemy of the State, along with Downhill Racer, The Poseidon Adventure and Mississippi Burning.

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I forgot the Poseidon adventure!!

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Bonnie and Clyde
I Never Sang for My Father
The French Connection
The Poseidon Adventure
The Scarecrow
The Conversation
Young Frankenstein
Night Moves
Bite the Bullet
The French Connection, Part II
Superman
Superman II
Hoosiers
Mississippi Burning
Unforgiven
The Royal Tennebaums

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Great movie ... the only movie I would ever watch with the odious Will Smith in it. I hate that guy, but they kept him under control in EOTS and it worked well.

Unforgiven is a classic.

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he's 90

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hownos- I was just going to say that! He made his last film when he was about 75. Was he supposed to work until he died? lol

He earned the right to enjoy his retirement. Hope he's having fun!!

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He's earned the right to retire and enjoy the rest of his days in peace.

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Well said

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Watched Unforgiven the other night, incredible performance from Hackman in that, one of the most well deserved Oscar wins I’ve seen.

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Retirement??? WTF!!!!

Barrel. Bottom. Scrape.

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he retired. that's no mystery. hilarious that people seem to think welcome to mooseport was so bad that it ended his career.

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Exactly! Dude just simply called it a career.

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