MovieChat Forums > Stonewall (2015) Discussion > Something to consider before you celebra...

Something to consider before you celebrate this movie's epic failiure

posted 9 years ago by rudeatude
23 replies | jump to latest

This may be the last time in a very long while that a movie of this subject matter is ever touched by a major studio. Do you honestly think the board room full of movie executives, investors and producers really gives a damn about anything other than their profit margins?

No, I don't think so.

When the suits and the bigwigs look at the numbers and see how poorly this movie did on its opening weekend, do you really think someone will say that it must have been because of all the people who were so upset about the whitewashing of historical events?

No, I don't think so.

The only thing that will be going through their heads is: Movies about homosexual persecution don't bring in enough movie audiences. Not enough movie audiences means not enough money and not enough money means no profit. That's the only bit of moron logic these genetic defects will use when they decide to shelve the other LGBT centered movies that were in the works.

Do I have to remind you all that after the commercial flop of Batman & Robin, it was almost 10 years before we saw another Batman movie?

No, I don't think so.

[–] apache67 9 years ago

very well put. i posted the same feelings. completely idiotic on part of the lgbt and everything in between community. im actually pissed. they ruined any chance of other films with similar subject matter to be made. idiots.

[–] rudeatude 9 years ago

Believe it or not, your post is what inspired mine.

[–] preppy-3 8 years ago

Guys--I see your point but you're wrong. Look at "Brokeback Mountain". The movie was a huge hit and made millions for the studio. NOTHING came of it. No studio was suddenly jumping to do a gay movie. It's true Hollywood just cares about money but homophobia is still alive and well. BTW--I ignored the boycott and saw the movie up a theatre. It was terrible.

[–] stevenw-1 9 years ago

But where does the fault lie? The filmmakers had the chance to really make a film to be proud of but they failed. Their interpretation didn't connect and that is not the fault of the audiences.
Gay audiences shouldn't just be expected to accept whatever film is thrown at them in the hopes of getting something more down the line. That is unfair. A good, solid film is a good, solid film. Something as historically important as Stonewall shouldn't be treated this way.

[–] patrick_bateman_90029 9 years ago

No, the audience and community still has a part to play in what happened here. Yes, Emmerich didn't do any favors by opening his mouth and furthering controversy, but given how many people overreacted online and damned the film prior to release was still a major player in the controversy.

[–] stevenw-1 9 years ago

Having seen the 1995 original (this film, to me, is very much a reboot even though it's not been acknowledged officially as such) and this new film, negative audience and critical reactions were RIGHT ON TARGET. This film IS NOT an underrated, underappreciated, unfairly judged, underdog film. The negative reactions have merit and for the most part, I agree with them.
This story DOES need a proper film or, better yet, a mini series. SOMETHING more than this.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 8 years ago

Here's your something more. The American Experience: Stonewall Uprising. It's a movie-length documentary based on David Carter's book (which is also worth your time.) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/stonewall/

Roland Emmerich's movie was never intended to be the story of what happened at Stonewall. For what he set out to make, it's a good, entertaining movie.

The value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.-Oscar Wilde

[–] WarmSemenCannon 8 years ago

Maybe if the film was GOOD it would have made more money? People are reading the reviews a lot more these days and a lot more bad films are flopping.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 8 years ago

Most people who've seen it like it. On Rotten Tomatoes the critics hate it, but the audience score is 92%, and the average score is 4.6/5. People who depend on professional reviewers to decide whether or not to see a movie are sheep.

The value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.-Oscar Wilde

[–] WarmSemenCannon 8 years ago

^ It has an average user rating here of 3.0 idiot.

And can you share links to these made up "audience scores" you're talking about?

[–] gayspiritwarrior 8 years ago

Yes I can. Here's your link. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stonewall_2015/
See, calling names doesn't win your point for you. Grow up.

The value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.-Oscar Wilde

[–] puirt-a-beul 8 years ago

Thanks for the reference, gsw. I'm suspicious of Rotten Tomatoes, myself -- I rarely agree with the scores that site and metacritic translate reviews into -- but I'm inclined to put more store by the RT user scores than the scores on IMDb, just because of the general tone of the two sites.

But any film I'm actually interested in, I see for myself and make up my own mind. This one, I felt split its own vote. It seemed to set itself up as being about a significant moment in gay social history, but played like a (somewhat half-arsed) coming-out story. I was surprised at how inconsequential the riots seemed in the film, when they finally arrived; there wasn't any visual suggestion there was even any more to them than those ten minutes or so on the first night, until Ray said "Everything's changed now!" and one of the final text screens mentioned there weree three more nights of rioting -- but no mention of why, nor why they stopped.

I wonder what the original script was like? The final film made me wonder if the politics had been heavily compromised as a trade-off for getting the thing made.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] gayspiritwarrior 8 years ago

I don't think that at all. Emmerich paid for and made the movie he wanted to make. I liked it.

The value of an idea has nothing whatsoever to do with the sincerity of the man who expresses it.-Oscar Wilde

[–] picuco9 8 years ago

This is an INDEPENDENT film. No major studio touched it. Roadside Attractions acquired rights to distribute the film and they are not a major distributor either.

[–] dab6 8 years ago

Haven't seen it, but in any case it's unlikely that there's ever going to be a blockbuster LGBT movie that isn't a major Oscar contender like Brokeback Mountain and The Danish Girl or a song and dance musical.

Emmerich absurdly tried to make a mall movie, which was never going to fly.

[–] welsh_dragon_roar 8 years ago

They should look at films like Pride - that's the way to get LGBT films into the mainstream.

[–] Sanggie 8 years ago

Completely agree! Pride was based on true event and for the most part it was faithful to the story. And the writing was brilliant and entertaining and full of heart. I was amazed and tearful at the same time.
Stonewall, however, is unorganized and sloppy. But what's worse is the writing and most of the acting. Couldn't stand to watch after 10 minutes.

[–] ellehcor7111 8 years ago

White boys are not the center of the god damned universe and at some point, filmmakers are just going to have to come to grips with that. Just because everyone they consider 'important' is another white boy, that doesn't make it the truth. *beep* them if they think we have to settle for this piece of garbage.

[–] norman-dostal 7 years ago

Majority of those at stonewall the first night were white male prostitutes. That's fact, like it or not

[–] wylierichardson-966-922691 8 years ago

But whose fault is it that the movie itself flopped? Certainly not that of the movie execs! Without them, there would have been no movie to begin with!

[–] TennMom 8 years ago

I'm an aged 70 year disabled old straight lady who loves movies. I watched Stonewall to watch some of the stars. I was shocked enough to cover my eyes only one time. I cried five times more. I didn't know what homosexual meant until high school.I have several relatives who are gay, but they have never come out because of our very religious family. I don't believe I am supposed to judge anyone. We will be judged at the Gates of Heaven by God. This is my long way around way of saying thank you for this movie. I learn more each movie I see with this subject. My adult life brought me five gay friends who I love just as much as my straight friends. I never had the courage to ask about (how they received their love) in their lives. I was very interested to know, and now I'm finding out through the characters in movies. I liked the movie very much.

[–] dregj 7 years ago

it did what all hollywood movies do
played fast and loose with true stories
but for some reason people expected this movie to an absolutely perfect interpretation of reality in a way no other film ever has been.
im still amazed people hate this movie
have they ever watched a film before?
what where they expecting
really