MovieChat Forums > Bonneville (2008) Discussion > Why did this sit on the shelf for 2 year...

Why did this sit on the shelf for 2 years?

posted 16 years ago by b108rok
7 replies | jump to latest

Honestly, according to IMDb it debuted at festivals September 2006. I understand that studios keep movies they know aren't good in storage for a little while.... but I saw this yesterday and it wasn't bad. Another example of a film that I would say, is just as good as it can be. The performances are great, especially Jessica Lange. She is heart-breaking. The story is relatable. I wouldn't say it moves slow. Although it does reach a sort of lull in the middle.

If you like sentimental films, give this a try. It might not rock you to the core, but I think you'd find it worth watching. I did.

[–] ClassicsFanPalmSprings 16 years ago

I too wonder why the delay on release of this film. Interestingly enough, Jessica Lange's film, "BLUE SKY," was delayed three years which finally earned her a well deserved Oscar. I'm just seeing previews of "BONNEVILLE" and read today that it's being released on DVD on June 24. Not much chance for revenue at the box office.

[–] pjwoodall1 16 years ago

Just watched it and enjoyed it. I had never heard of it until I saw it at the local video store. Three fine actreesses as opposed to stars who are ignored in favord of younger, less talented women.

Of course, Fox could've tried to pass it off as another Thelma and Louise or a female version of Sideways.

There are a lot of good movies out there which don't get distribution. Sometimes you can find them at the local video store.

[–] bogwart-1 16 years ago

And sometimes you can find them in the rubbish bin, where this one belongs.

[–] pjwoodall1 16 years ago

i don't even remember which movie we're talking about. Unfortunatly there are a lot of lousy movies that make it to the theatres and a lot of good ones that don't even make it your neighborhood video store.

Conrad Brooks of "Plan 9" infamy usually shows up here in Gaithersburg, MD at the antiques and collectibles shows three or four times a year. His own movies look and sound even worse than "Plan 9". I think the worst movie I ever saw was NEKROMANTIK 2.

Ir ian't easy sometimes to find good movies for my wife when the plexes are offering nothing but crap.

See you at the movies.

[–] bogwart-1 16 years ago

The multiplexes have been the death of diversity in the same way that books and CDs outside the mainstream are now hard to find except online. The bean-counters answer only to the bottom line, and that's a death-knell for many artistic endeavours which cannot find an audience, let alone one capable of fairly judging the output.

I sympathise with your problem; hopefully the increasing spread of decent broadband in the US will mean that near enough everyone has access to VOD in the near future.

On the face of it this looked like a good bet. It's a shame to see actresses of this calibre wasted on stuff that doesn't even merit the sobriquet 'chick-flick'. Oh well, keep trying, and better luck next time.

[–] pjwoodall1 16 years ago

Thank you. BONNEVILLE was still better than Sisterhood 2. Why Joan Allen wastes her time with DEATH RACE isbeyond me. But BONNEVILLE reminded me just now of Graham Geeen's TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT.

I did try writing my fitst screenplay a few years ago, but Hollywood wasn't buying. The basic idea: THE WAGES OF FEAR with women. I still think it was better than the junk you see playing today.

See you at the movies.-

By the way, I used to be a bean counter briefly for a little agency Federal Energy Regulatory Commission which was supposed to regulate a little company named Enron. The little I knew about building oil wells for my story came from that experience. But that's anoter story.

[–] jackthemack 10 years ago

This movie sat on the shelf for a couple years because the marketing folks knew that it was no better than a Lifetime Original movie. Yes, it is THAT bad, and no major studio wanted it.