MovieChat Forums > Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie (2012) Discussion > Who thinks they should've stuck with ple...

Who thinks they should've stuck with pleasing the fans?

posted 12 years ago by harlowfan
9 replies | jump to latest

A lot of the more negative fan reviews refer to the "safe vibe" of the movie. I think what they're sensing is that for the first time ever, Tim and Eric gave a damn. :-(

They have always had free reign to do exactly what they wanted, and so they set out only to please themselves and anyone who liked their humor. This is the first time EVER that Tim and Eric deliberately tried to appeal to someone outside their fanbase. BIG error in judgement. Tim and Eric said themselves in Sundance 2012 interviews that they made this with the idea of appealing to both fans & the general public who've never heard of them. I respect that idea, but in the end, it was a mistake.

They achieved the former, more or less. Fans, of course, were on board, although I think some of them are kidding themselves a bit about how much they really like it. They didn't achieve the latter at all. The public has still never heard of them. I think they probably overestimated theater release, thinking the bigger names in the movie would interest big-chain theaters and this would sort of be their big breakthrough. Sadly, in the end, theater release was quite limited, to mostly small theaters in downtown areas of huge cities. So, in the end, they may as well have just stuck with pleasing us - the fans.

I can't imagine how "Eraserhead" (which I love) would've turned out if David Lynch had tried to appeal to late '70s disco-loving masses. :P (YIKES.)

Honestly? I would've much preferred to go down to one of those little quaint downtown theaters and enjoy a typical over-the-top Tim and Eric-style 90-minute mind F.
Like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8Yt2QPCloI

Oh, that was CUT from the theater release, BTW. ^^ Don't expect to see it.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mec_os 12 years ago

i'm not a huge fan of tim and eric. i used to watch tom goes to the mayor and loved it, i thought it was genius - awesome show, i never watched. but i was very disappointed how pedestrian this movie was. it felt more like a will ferrel movie than T&E

i haven't seen anyone on these boards make the comparison but to me T&E are a lot like John Waters with a slightly different focus. except when john waters went commercial he went full tilt while maintaining some of the water's kitsch and bad taste making the transition something fresh. when T&E try to make the transition the result is not really fresh because we've all seen the full spectrum of absurdity in comedy. so i also think they should of stuck to their roots because anything less than that has been done already.

[–] sea_monkey_junkie 12 years ago

You meant "should have" or "should've." There is no such thing as "should of." Please write this down on a sticky note and stick it to your computer monitor. Also, please tell everyone you know. Thanks!

There is no God. Free yourself from the oppression of religion.

[–] reverendtom 12 years ago

Of course they pleased the fans. This is the funniest movie ever made. For being awesome comedians, Tim and Eric sure have some lame, bitchy fans.

[–] harlowfan 12 years ago

They pleased all the fangirlies. There's a difference.

And then there are the cool fans like us who can think for ourselves and not insult someone just because they don't worship everything T&E do. Now that's lame and bitchy. Especially coming from the males. There's nothing about my opinion that warranted getting personal. It was an honest critique of the movie, not all favorable. You will deal.

[–] ripleylives 12 years ago

I watched the E-Z Swords commercial, and I'm not sure what your point is. The movie was chock-full of bits like that.

Also, I don't think one could say that any movie with an extended sequence of little boys spewing liquid schitt all over a dude in a bathtub was made to appeal to the general public.

I will say that I had never seen Tim and Eric's work before, and I was quite taken with the film. But I would rather die than be mistaken for a member of the general public.

[–] taumpy_tears 12 years ago

"Also, I don't think one could say that any movie with an extended sequence of little boys spewing liquid schitt all over a dude in a bathtub was made to appeal to the general public."

since when was toilet humour some underground thing?

[–] ripleylives 12 years ago

Toilet humor is rampant, for sure. But when children are used in the depiction of said humor, a line is definitely being drawn, and it's a line that the general public would prefer not to cross.

And we're not just talking a simple fart joke here. That sequence was like Hieronymous Bosch and John Waters directing "Salo".

[–] harlowfan 12 years ago

I watched the E-Z Swords commercial, and I'm not sure what your point is. The movie was chock-full of bits like that.

Like what?

Also, I don't think one could say that any movie with an extended sequence of little boys spewing liquid schitt all over a dude in a bathtub was made to appeal to the general public.

Actually, that wasn't shocking to me. It's the epitome of toilet humor.
It's like they thought, "What's the grossest thing that could happen? Someone getting diarrhea all over us." *shrug*

Actually I think their diarrhea dance routine is a lot more funny and creative, yet totally simplistic and stupid (in the greatest way).

I will say that I had never seen Tim and Eric's work before, and I was quite taken with the film.

Well then you should love their better work.

But I would rather die than be mistaken for a member of the general public.

LOL, no comment.