I’ve been complaining for a few months now that the Autumn/Winter of Hiddles ended up being a real let-down. Crimson Peak was released back in October and the box office was pretty bad (it bombed in America, but as of this moment, it’s made about $72 million in domestic and international box offices). The reviews for I Saw the Light were so bad that the studio pushed back the release date until next year. And High Rise – which seemed like a promising sci-fi/drama – didn’t get an American distributor for months and months. Well… now there’s some good news! High Rise just got an American distributor. The bad news? It won’t be released until next year in America.
Magnolia Picture has acquired U.S. rights to “High-Rise,” a darkly comic look at social castes that had its world premiere at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. It plans to release the picture in 2016 through its genre arm, Magnet Releasing. Magnet has a history of working with “High-Rise” director Ben Wheatley, having previously handled the rollout of his first film, “Down Terrace.”
“I’m very excited about working with Magnet again,” said Wheatley. “They have the brains and the balls to handle the crazy beast that is ‘High-Rise.’”
“High-Rise” has a top-shelf cast that includes Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans and Elizabeth Moss. It documents the outbreak of class warfare in a giant residential apartment block following a series of power outages. J.G. Ballard’s 1975 sci-fi novel of the same name inspired the film, and “High-Rise’s” heavy dose of sex and savagery made it one of the buzzier titles at Toronto. Wheatley has a cult of fans for his previous films, such as “Sightseers” and “A Field in England,” that were hailed for their transgressive energy.
This seems like it would have been a decent test-case for the model that Netflix and Cary Fukunaga created with Beasts of No Nation, and I’m a little bit surprised that smaller films with potentially cult-like followings don’t try that out – do a small theatrical release in America, then quickly release the film on Netflix or a streaming service. The thing about High Rise is that I doubt anyone thinks it would be much of an awards-contender in America. Still, at least we’ll get to see it in some capacity here in the states. More Tom Hiddleston!
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet, ‘High Rise’.
The British, Canadian, and European releases dates are all in late winter/spring 2016 as well. The US isn’t going to be much different. Every film doesn’t have to be an awards contender and this one has such a small niche market, it won’t be in wide release. It was never intended to be a blockbuster.
The veranda is open. Colin is making latkes. Happy Chanukah! Also, Idris and my husband Tommy this morning makes for a happy start to my day
I actually want to watch this.
But I agree with Kaiser. My preferred mode of distribution for this kind of thing would be Netflix. I think their thinking is dated.
Welcome back, Sixer. Hope all is well. You were missed.
I really want to watch this one too and wish they would go the Netflix or Amazon route. Magnolia is a small distributor so I have no idea whether it will even show in this area, despite it being a major university city. I think more and more films will eventually be aiming for online distribution.
Thankee! I went Europe-hopping (well, Oslo and Brittany), visiting rellies. Plus London doing anti-bombing agitprop. Back now! Horrible pile of work to get done before Christmas (and London again).
I hope so. It suits me. Have posh telly. Not interested in bang-y crash-y event cinema. So I want stuff to be more quickly available at home.
At least I now know I will get to see it. I’m looking forward to it. I agree with Sixer though– why not Netflix?
Sixer has returned! Your snark has been missed.
I too thought that Netflix would have been a great vehicle for distributing such a niche film as this one, with films like Beasts of No Nation, Tangerine and A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence in the lineup this season. I too want my online streaming options to go wider.
Netflix has to be the better choice. I don’t understand why they don’t choose it. I want to see this, but not enough to drive 50 miles to the nearest cinema likely to be showing it. I would pay per view if offered.
Anti-bombing agitprop. Well done!
Sadly, Lilac, it was ineffective. And our finance minister took the opportunity yesterday to make a speech in which he suggested that bombing has given Britain its mojo back. I kid you not. Pro- or anti-, bombing is not a mojo-creator.
But I think we have the upper hand on idiots when we have Trump suggesting we ban all Muslims from entering the US.
Well, Trump is certainly an outlier. I’ll leave it at that!
Funnily enough, I was thinking the other day how ridiculous it is that public discourse is of such a low standard (UK and US) when we both have such good brains available. Inspired by reading something by a US academic:
http://philosophyfaculty.ucsd.edu/faculty/rarneson/ElizabethAndersonWhatIsthePointofEquality.pdf
and don’t forget Jerry Falwell Jr and his wanting people to have concealed-carry permits, so they could :end those Muslims”. Because that’s what Jesus would do, y’know.
No wonder people think we’re a confederacy of dunces…
I’d have to disagree with you. Everything I’ve heard about HR suggests you really need to see it with an audience.
Trump, Carson, and Cruz are trying to outdo one another in a Hitler sound alike contest. It is disgusting and frightening how so few have called them on it.
And JEB and his commercials banging the drums of war, although he really doesn’t know where he’s sending people to fight his war, make me think he’s impotent and trying to compensate. I doubt that was his intent
Can I say that I am proud of Justin standing firm and not giving in to the mass hysterics, even though the right wing in Canada is trying to drag him through the mud now. Apparently under eight years of Harper we had no homeless or poor, they all appeared as soon as Justin said we would take in 25,000 refugees – which is not even a huge number, but better than what the US is doing… Apparently Canada cannot deal with both homelessness and refugees at the same time, we will crash the economy and institute sharia law as soon as those people arrive. Lord have mercy…
Sorry, went off on a tangent. Not sue about this movie despite Tommy. Not in theatres, anyway.
I’m vicariously proud of Justin.
I admire Justin. Here, the right wing is trying to pit refugees against homeless veterans because, you know, apparently, it is one or the other and we can’t help both and they overlook the fact that the House, which under our Constitution controls the money, has been held by them for the past six years and they’ve shown little interest in helping homeless veterans before now.
“But not until 2016” …which is in a few weeks. Granted I assume it’s going to be later in 2016 rather than earlier, but still a weird headline. Someone is really trying to make all the Tom Hiddleston news sound doom and gloom, when it’s not and I don’t really get why.
Tom is held to a much higher standard for some reason.
Oh come on that’s an over reaction other actors are criticised too.It’s not a fan site. The site is allowed to be as snarky or critical of him as they are of other actors.You guys shouldn’t be complaining anyway. Hiddleston is covered more on this site than any other gossip site. This site is practically the Hiddleston daily news.
The issue here seems to be more that he seems to be such a darling of this site that every time he has a batch of movies out prediction for Oscar nominations and world domination. It seems to be much more a case of unrealistic expectations and then the disappointment follows when nominations and box office success doesn’t come through.
Hannah, wouldn’t you say though that it’s not solely some commenters (if them at all) who are pushng this ‘Tom will win everything’ narrative? To me it’s actually the way the articles are written in the first place which bait and prompt the conversation. Kudos to CB they know what gets discussion, so they hint at awards and then focus on the ‘bombs’ for him and get the comments both positive and negative. It’s why he’s featured so often, he generates comments and hits.
There’s probably an element of that too.But then it’s also because people take the bait ,because they too have unrealistic expectations of him and his projects. Take Alicia vikander for instance who was ridiculed as an awards candidate/ break through actress not long ago both by the site and its commentators. But actually she was tipped as “most likely too” a long time ago by some respected movie critics who had seen her performance. And now that seems to be what’s happening right?
I will never forget when the commentators were talking about cumberbatch as an Oscar candidate, but all the buzz was actually about ejiofor and fassbender. Nobody in the real world was talking about cumberbatch that year. I do sometimes wish there wasn’t this (tumblr) influx of fandom in this site. It would make for more interesting conversations if there wasn’t the fangirl aspect. This is particularly true for cumberbatch and Hiddleston posts.
My expectations were for three films that I might enjoy watching. Nothing more and I definitely made no Oscar predictions or had any such expectations. And I don’t think an actor’s career is in free fall if he doesn’t win awards or have box office triumphs wit every film. Alan Rickman has done just fine
Count me out as part of the camp screaming he will get an Oscar nom or that he’ll explode at the box office. Maybe CB misinterpreted what Tompocalypse meant. It simply means the two year drought would soon be over and the dragonflies would get a deluge of photo ops, appearances, interviews, previews, and media push. Being deprived of any actual news or face time for a good two years makes people thirsty. I think the media went overboard with the Oscar buzz. I was glad he was getting buzz and sad nothing became of it, but I had no expectation going into it.
If there’s one site where Tom is not worshiped as a demi-god, I’d say it’s this one. I agree that the articles are written to bait readers into a strong reaction and here you’ll find plenty of logical, well-thought out responses to it. The hysteria that is present on Tumblr doesn’t find its way over here usually. If so, I wouldn’t bother clicking on this site… which is the only one I read with regularity or engage on.
@Lilacflowers
Really, Alan Rickman should be given all the awards just for existing.
Really, he was a trailblazer for Hiddles, when it comes to me, at least. If it were not for Hans Gruber, I may not have ever discovered that it was okay to love the villain. 🙂
I still root for Hans every Christmas season when my husband and watch Die Hard (because it IS a Christmas movie, darn it!).
@Abby-J, Truly, Madly, Deeply kills me.
Rickman didn’t worm his way into my heart until Sense & Sensibility.
@Lilacflowers
I agree. Really, the only movie I can’t stand him in is Love Actually, and that is because I really just want to punch his character in the face so hard. Of course, that means Rickman did a great job with the role, but I still hate to watch it. 🙂
@Nutballs
Sense and Sensibility was amazing.
When I read the Harry Potter books for the first time, I read them imagining Alan Rickman as Snape. He was my perfect image. When he got that role, I thought I was going to die.
well, he had three films out in the past 3 months and all failed to connect with the audience and/or critics. I wouldn’t call Hiddles news great as of late, they are kinda doom and gloom
It is rather difficult to connect with an audience when a film has not been released to cinemas. Only Crimson Peak has had a theatrical release and in comparison to other films that were supposed to do well this autumn, (Rock the Casbah, Our Brand is Crisis, By the Sea, Burnt, Truth, Steve Jobs, etc.) it is only a mild disappointment. The other two films have only been shown at film festivals and his performances did receive critical praise even in ISTL.
Crimson Peak didn’t do as well as expected in the box office–but it didn’t bomb–and got mixed (but I believe mostly positive) critical reviews. High Rise has generally gotten great critical reviews in the few film festivals in which it played. Granted it will be a difficult movie due to the subject matter so I don’t think anyone is expecting a large audience for this film, but it’s too soon to say as it hasn’t opened anywere yet.
I’ll grant you that ISTL was a major disappointment as many thought it would not only expose Tom to a larger audience in the US, but perhaps even garner him an award nomination or two (and perhaps even a shot at winning). That being said, it also has opened yet, and I have a feeling it might do OK with both TH fans and country music fans. But the most important thing is that makes all this doom and gloom so weird to me is that all 3 of those performances were critically praised, even when the film itself was panned.
to lilac: that’s why I used and/or above. Because one has not connected with audience AND critics and the others with critics
@Maxime, well said.
@Miki, please see Maxime’s statement about critical praise.
to lilac/Maxime: I didn’t see unanimous praise about him as you note (shaky accent, etc) he got good reviews in general though. I saw unanimous praise for Lizzy.
And like I said, that’s why I used and/or critics/audience
OTOH, I might actually like him more if he carries on doing niche work and I don’t have to have his I’m-thirsty-but-cute-about-it schtick shoved down my craw. And of course, MY approval is more important than anyone else’s. So there’s that.
three films?
He had one.
ISTL and High Rise are released next year. Both films were always independent releases never mainstream.
I have not seen one review of his accent being shaky. I have seen one or two commetns from die-hard country fans saying his singing isnt close enough. His accent aparantly is bob-on, it’s not necessarily a direct impression of Hank W. Considering that footage of Hank talking is few and far between, i think some people are relying on memories and repeating others parrot fashion.
Crimson Peak got great reviews from UK newspapers, Telegraph and Guardian rated it highly.
“i think some people are relying on memories and repeating others parrot fashion.”
That severely annoys me too, hence why the doom and gloom tone of the last few posts. How can you judge something you haven’t seen and only mimicking other people’s opinions? Having seen all three, no I don’t think they’re horrible by any means. Tom was wonderful in all the films. I mean that genuinely. I was prepared to be embarrassed with ISTL, but he really impressed me. Lainey even couldn’t get over how good he was in ISTL and she was very critical of him. I appreciated his toned down style in High-Rise and let the facial expressions speak more. He played duality very well in CP. As a fan, he made me very happy to enjoy his work.
miki, you need to read more ISTL reviews. I’ve read all of them I think and they all praise Tom’s performance… it’s the script/direction that gets panned.
Personally I wouldn’t call this news doom and gloom at all. Much like US films are usually released in the US before the UK, so too are British films released in Britain/UK before the U.S. Considering High-Rise is out in the UK in March, I’m not entirely sure why it’s newsworthy that it won’t be out in the US until 2016 as well? A lot of films take a while to get to cinemas especially if they’re waiting to go to festivals first. That’s just how it’s worked out with HR. Sure, you can argue Crimson and ISTL haven’t done as well as expected, but I’m not convinced by the arguments against HR. It’s massively anticipated, already award nominated and will definitely do well in the British indie scene.
@ Maxine, I thought that too, it’s only 3 weeks until 2016. Would have been a bit of a rush job to get it out in 2015 now.
I’m waiting for more news about The Night Manager- initial reports back when they first started shooting were spring 2016, like March or April ish, but no word on an actual arid ate and it’s almost the end of the year! It wouldn’t surprise me if TNM ended up being a better reviewed and more enjoyable project than any of these movies.
There are clips from TNM in the BBC1 season promos. We should probably learn within the next month when AMC plans to air it. I’m hoping March so it won’t interfere with Game of Thrones. I’m really looking forward to TNM.
Can you imagine if TNM, High Rise and ISTL are released/aired within weeks of each other?? With Tom presumably promoting during the break between Skull Island and Thor: Ragnarok, we could be getting another Tommy Tsunami of promotion.
NETFLIX! SAVE US!
Speaking of being saved by Netflix, planning on binge watching River some time this weekend.
I’m enjoying River, Sixer!
Lilac, I haven’t started Jessica Jones yet, but have a feeling I’ll be binge watching that after River.
I loved River. I cried at the last episode! I thought Stellan was immense. I’ve been watching Ben Whishaw in London Spy, which I thought was beautiful but has divided opinion – it is a bit up itself. Also, Capital, an adaptation of the John Lanchester novel, with Toby Jones. Enjoying that, too.
The Sixlets are watching Jessica Jones. SO not my thing!
Schmaltzy Sixer. Here, have a tissue…
Have you seen Short Term 12 yet? You need to, if anything because it’s the best film I can recommend on Netflix, that you may not have seen. The Sixlets might like it to. Hell, it’s a family film. Pop some corn and get cozy on the sofa. It’s good.
No, but I will! (We roast chickpeas here! Here being chez Sixer rather than Britain in general.)
Being a big fan of hummus, roasted chickpeas sound delicious!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Night Manager starts a few weeks before the Walking Dead ends for the year. I have no idea how that Badlands show is doing but I would imagine it would take its time slot.
I’m waiting for more news about The Night Manager- initial reports back when they first started shooting were spring 2016, like March or April ish, but no word on an actual air date and it’s almost the end of the year! It wouldn’t surprise me if TNM ended up being a better reviewed and more enjoyable project than any of these movies.
It comes out in the spring of next year
I can wait.
Hiddles who? I’m burned out
Why does everyone keep saying CP bombed? It’s not a major blockbuster – was it ever intended for that? – but it didn’t exactly bomb, did it?
It bombed, sorry. Not on the level that ISTL bombed, but it still bombed.
It didn’t bomb! it underlivered and it was disappointing, but it didnt bomb!
how many films make their money through DVD sales rentals, satelite syndications and downloads and then relaunches. THe film by the end of next year would have made a profit without doubt
ISTL hasnt been released yet, so how can you say it bombed?
Sorry, p’enny, it bombed. With the massive marketing push it got, it didn’t come close to living up to expectations. It goes beyond “underdelivered”. The studio easily spent over $100M (probably close to $150M, given that they spent a lot of money to promote it at Comic Cons, etc), and they have not recouped that investment during the entire international theatrical run. That is a bomb.
Will it eventually make money through other avenues, like home video and selling TV/streaming rights? Sure. All movies make money eventually.
no figures have been released about marketing spend, as far as i am aware, just a lot of guess work and it’s easy to exergerate marketing spend.
@ p’enny
I feel confident, having worked around movie studio ad campaigns for 10+ years, that they spent at least $60M on CP’s marketing. The rule of thumb is that for a mainstream, wide release like CP, you spend at least equal to the production budget on marketing, and I also know how much it costs to send a movie to Comic Con, and they sent CP twice. That alone is millions of dollars.
All you have to do to guestimate a movie’s marketing cost is look at the production budget ($55M reported for CP), then look at the saturation of TV ads (the most expensive element), and look at whether or not they spent on stuff like Comic Con and how extensive is the press tour. CP was maxed out across the board. That was not a cheap marketing campaign.
Who on earth would spend $60 million for a rated R movie for a director who hasn’t proven much box office success? I mean, as an insider, that should be a no brainer. I read somewhere that NBC did a deal with Universal, giving them $20 million in tv ads. That is way more believable. I doubt they shot up to $60 million for a movie with less budget than the promotion.
@ jammypants
The lovely thing about movie studios that are share parent companies with TV networks is that you can disappear millions in ad expenses by having the TV network “give” the studio “free” ads (like ABC does with Marvel and LucasFilm), but even with the gimme ads on one network platform, they still probably spent at least $50M . I’ve heard my boss’s boss, who does market strategy for studios, say that it’s basically impossible to launch a mainstream movie without a $100M ad platform. They spend *so* much on marketing. But let’s be conservative and say with $20M in gimme ads, they only spent around $40M, they’re still in the hole on that movie’s theatrical run. Remember the studio only keeps about 50% of the total box office. CP has made about $75M, which means they’re only getting around $37M back. With a total investment around $90M (conservative), they’re only getting 1/3rd back in theatrical revenue.
I think it was listed on the top 15 box office disappointments of 2015 by Forbes.
I was quite surprised to see it there.
it wasnt on the Telegraphs top 15 box office disappointments or flops.
It wasn’t in the Guardian’s either.
this one lists the 22 biggest movie flops to open over 22 cinemas in US adn Crimson Peak isnt on it. https://www.thewrap.com/15-biggest-movie-flops-2015-jem-and-the-holograms-box-office/1/
And it’s not in the latest flop reviews written by Enternament Weekly and Buzzfeed.
Yes, there were bigger and more dramatic flops. This one was just a flop.
I think we can add another big movie to the flop list. It hasn’t even opened in the US yet and already they are calling it a bomb.
http://variety.com/2015/film/box-office/in-the-heart-of-the-sea-box-office-flop-1201656532/
If nothing else, I think the studio bean-counters are going to have to radically alter their forecast models going forward – almost none of the big films (in terms of budget and effects) have done the box office they predicted, the Martian might be the only exception. Did The Hunger Games make what they thought it would? I haven’t really been paying attention to that one.
Mockingjay 2 didn’t do as well as part 1, but it’s still doing fine. It’s been #1 for three weeks and grossed over 500 mill so far.
I think this I a pretty good (and thorough) analysis of CP’s box office, marketing and the genre. http://www.forbes.com/sites/garysuarez/2015/12/07/phil-anselmo-superjoint-housecore/
I am a fan of GdT and have seen CP and was very confused about it. I think I actually enjoyed Pacific Rim more!
@Grace – I think the studio and industry insiders consider it a bomb (or it under-performed, if you want to be more diplomatic about it), but that’s a conclusion based largely on the fact that the US box office failed to meet their own projections and tracking models.
I really want to see this movie.
I checked the distributor, Magnet/Magnolia. It seems that Magnet specializes in European genre films and released “Let the Right One In” (2008) and “Tangerine” (2015). It depends on the demand for films, but in most cases, 30-90 theaters. HR has been shown in numerous film festivals during these 3 months, the last one at Bath. So 2016 opening is not strange at all. RPC planned its release that way from the first.
I have a mixed feeling about watching films in theaters. It’s a nuisance, certainly. But some films, including small budget films, are made to be enjoyed best in theaters. I was told that HR is a kaleidoscopic, rebellious visual feast, with great music. Wheatley and RPC may want to show their film best way.
For example I watched Macbeth in my local theater. Though I don’t like the director’s adaption, I like the visuals and music because in my local theater I can thoroughly immerse myself in the film.
This film will be perfect for Coolidge Corner or Kendall cinemas in my nick of the woods. 🙂
Having been to the Kendall, I would heartily agree.
For a town not known for it’s artsy-fartsiness, the Mile High City has THREE art house cinemas that would be good venues for HR. Managed to see ISTL at the annual film festival at one of them recently.
Or a week at the Brattle.
@Gingerly I’ve seen it and you’ve hit the nail on the head. There are some stunning visuals that you’ll want to see on the big screen, as well as the music.
But it’s not for everyone, so I imagine it will have a small run.
I think Magnet’s done some Netflix-like releasing in the past, too. Small run + VOD shortly afterwards.
If anything, I find it interesting that one of this site’s favorite sons is experiencing the same sort of lull that happens to every actor out there- no one hits it out of the park every time-and then to read the “but,but…” Comments to said news. Don’t get me wrong- for the most part Tom is great to watch on screen (excepting that horrid movie he did with Rachel W), but CP floundered. I applaud his desire to take on different roles, and will definitely see ISTL.
I agree Tig, every actor has flops so no one is saying his career is over, we are just saying that he didn’t have a great year.
Crimson Peak is a flop by the way. The film cost 55 million to make and 20-30 million to market. It has made 72mil worldwide and the studio only keeps around half of the money made at the box office. Not the biggest flop in the world and maybe it will make a profit on home video but it’s a flop never the less.
People aren’t just picking on him either, Chris Hemsworth has struggled to find a hit not name Thor as well.
not just home video, people dont realise how much money is made from satelite/cable syndication around the world! And, no we have internet stations, Netflix, Amazon, Google Movies to name just western download syndications. What about the rest of the World who has download and satelite syndications. it’s millions….
All movies make money eventually. When you talk about a movie flopping, you’re talking about the theatrical run, not whether or not it’s making money five years later through rights sales.
So Crimson Peak tanked. So what? Hiddles still has a lot of interesting work ahead of him and he’s hardly alone, 2015 was brutal. A lot of very good actors far more famous than Hiddles suffered even bigger bombs than he did.
who said five years?
DVD’s are released 4 months after cinema releases, SKY syndicated premieres pretty much soon after. By the end of the year one. It’s finished its DVD sales run.If they are BBC or Channel 4 films they are on television within 12-18 months after indie film release. Film rentals are also now in the first 6 months as well. Thats the ~UK, what about the rest of Europe and ROW?
“A lot of very good actors far more famous than Hiddles suffered even bigger bombs than he did.”
Bradley Cooper for example, yikes!
@ p’enny
Chill, “five years” was a random number given as an example. But for the record, unless a movie turns real profit in theatrical release (which many actually don’t), it takes at least two years on average for a film to start generating revenue for the license owner. So it’s not unreasonable to look at a movie like CP and think, yeah, it might take it upwards of five years to turn profitable for someone. They’ll be paying investors back first, and given the negative balance on theatrical release, those payouts will swallow the first-run home video, etc, revenues. Then they have to pay any back end points given to directors, producers, etc. Then the studio, assuming they still hold the license, can start keeping money. This is why so many studios cook their books in order to avoid paying back end points (at one point there was a lawsuit over a Harry Potter movie because Warner Bros claimed it was a loss and they didn’t have money to pay people’s back end percentages).
TL; DR, if your movie doesn’t make a billion at the box office, it’ll be a while before you see profits from it.
As no one seems to mention it while discussing Hiddles’ career, I would like to thank Letters Live for uploading the videos. I loved both letters and Tom’s reading. Durrell one is particularly good. TH has a great voice and he knows how to use it expressively.
I’m glad they finally uploaded some of them. The Durrell one is nice. However, they didn’t upload the ones that the newspaper reviewers described, like the Brando one he did. Why are they only releasing some but not all?
I was just about to say that… I enjoyed both his reading with Loo Brealey and his solo performance yesterday. I wish LL would be more accessible globally as it looks like something I’d enjoy.
“Beware of Crimson Peak” Damn straight! Awful disappointment. I hope this one does well. Looks interesting.
I’ve commented many times on CP, but I agree it was an awful disappointment. Especially as there was so, so much potential there.
yea, I gave it another try last month. Still a disappointment. Wasted potential. Wasted talent.
Count me in as one who was disappointed too. I wanted to love CP, but only came away with a lukewarm appreciation. Such a shame, it was obviously such a labor of love for GdT and his whole team. It was visually stunning, but it just misfired on too many levels for me. Even the cast, with all their considerable talent, couldn’t save it.
btw – it took me a while to notice, but just where in the hell did all of those leaves wafting through the hole in the roof come from? There isn’t a bloody tree within 300 hundred yards of the house. Or are they ghost leaves, the shadows of trees used for firewood by the Sharpe ancestors, descending on the occupants of the house to exact their revenge?
Yeah, I agree. I loved the visuals, but the story was pretty lame. Performances were fine, with Chastain being the most memorable, but I would have liked to see the stages in which Sharpe changed from a manipulative, cold-blooded killer of 4 women to suddenly gaining a conscience, falling in love with Edith and willing to protect her at the cost of his life. That transition happened way too quickly in the film for me to suspend disbelief.
If you need a TH fix, and who doesn’t?, the Letters Live performance is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_s_oPRDFLk
I watched half of this last night and really enjoyed his reading. His voice is so wonderful anyway, but I felt that he also read with sincerity. He seemed alternately touched and delighted at the appropriate times. It is a charming letter full of not just lovey-dovey words but also a great amount of wisdom and insight into human nature, love, and the complications of relationships. I enjoyed it tons and will finish listening tonight.
Umm…I Saw the Light had trailer come out last week and it was never mentioned. Just saying.
There was a post on December 1st.
Oh, was there? I must have been too busy. I stand corrected. Thanks.
I think it’s fair to say that Crimson Peak was a flop and that I Saw the Light was a big disappointment to those who thought it might be an Oscar contender but I just think all of the hand-wringing like it’s the end of the world for Tom is overdone.
Everything is phrased here like it’s a big tragedy – High Rise isn’t going to be released in the US in 2015! Oh no! Well it’s almost mid-December, did you really think it was suddenly going to be released in the next 3 weeks?
Releasing it at the end of the year when all of the Oscar-mongering arthouse films are fighting for space in the theaters and having it live or die based on award nominations doesn’t sound like a good idea for this movie. Critics seem to mostly agree that it’s an interesting, high-quality British film, but it’s not Oscar bait. Letting it have it’s time in spring or summer is probably a much better plan for this movie, and not the disappointment/disaster it’s being portrayed here as.
Bravo, Fanny!
pretty much
Magnet does a lot of on demand releases, so I think you’ll get your wish, Kaiser. They’ll put the movie in a few dozen theaters and put it out on demand at the same time. That’s the same model Netflix is using.
Yeah, between Netflix, Hulu or Vudu, one is likely to get it.
No I mean check your cable on demand menu, Magnet has its own “channel.” It’ll be on your cable on demand alongside a limited theatrical release, I guarantee it.
Since I ditched my $75/month cable bill 10 years ago in favor of Netflix, I’d hope they wouldn’t limit it to just cable subscribers. Beasts of No Nation shows there’s a market for simultaneously releasing it to a provider with an international viewership, if the price is right.
What they need is some kind of digital platform that’s all access to on demand subscriptions. Like an app on a smart TV/internet-enabled device where you can sign in and see all your subscriptions in one place, so you don’t have to toggle between apps and services to watch stuff. Also, the cable networks and carriers ought to be offering digital on demand subscriptions, so you can watch their on demand library without having to also have a hardline cable subscription (think HBO Now’s service). I think they’re beginning to slowly move toward this idea, but good lord it is taking them forever. It’s been obvious for the last five years this is where everything is heading.
We have a smart TV and it’s nice to have Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and Vudu right there. I do wish that other cable channels (AMC, are you listening?!) would add a subscription service like HBO Now. They’re missing a revenue stream from those of us who won’t shell out for full cable anymore.
Algernon, isn’t there one already, called Roku? XBox and PS4 does that, combine all the apps together in one platform and you can just have it all together. These devices have wifi capabilities so it’s easy to have instant stream.
Roku and smart TVs come close, but I’m talking about creating a single point of entry, like you go into one app and there is your queue for Netflix, your library from Amazon, your stuff from HBO Now, etc. Right now, you can get *most* of the apps in one place with Roku or a newer smart TV, but you still have to surf through different apps to access the different libraries. I think the content providers need to get together and create a single port, essentially, that warehouses all your subscriptions in a single app-based environment. That way you can log into one thing and watch Netflix or Amazon or Hulu or HBO without ever changing the “channel.”
Algernon, I think this may what you are talking about…or at least the start of it.
http://www.wired.com/2015/12/amazon-prime-members-can-subcribe-to-showtime-and-other-channels-a-la-carte/
My cable bill is obscene and I don’t even have any of the premium channels. I think if I did the math I could probably get everything I want online for a fraction of what I pay each month.
Maybe not all encompassing, but you can do an ala carte plan with SlingTV. I’m not sure they have all the premium stuff though.
I am crying to watch The Hollow Crown with Tom and Ben. C but don’t want to have to pay Amazon and don’t know which series has Richard3rd (Ben C). This is probably some of their best work….saw Crimson Peak terrible story
Richard III with Ben C isn’t out until next year.
Good to know thank you very much. I am coming from grade school ((The White Queen)) gonna try Shakesphere that will be challenging but very much worth the effort!
This may seem a really stupid suggestion, but if you are not used to following Shakespeare on screen and have any problems with the language or the story it sometimes helps to switch the subtitles on as well as listening.
Series 1, which at the time of production was the only series planned, has Richard II with Ben Whishaw and Henry IV 1& 2, and Henry V with Tom, who is in all three of those Henrys. PBS periodically reruns them and when they do, they are briefly available on the PBS website. Series 2 starring BC has not yet aired anywhere and will probably air on PBS some time next year
BBC Iplayer can be good it will be nice if they rerun the whole series when they release Richard iii. IMDB should have date wiill check, THKs
My local library has the dvds of the first Hollow Crown with Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Ben Wishlaw, etc (as others have mentioned the one with BC hasn’t come out yet). So not sure where you live, but it’s worth checking your library if you have a dvd player and don’t mind watching it old school style as it’s free. Also the first HC originally aired in the UK in 2012 and on PBS in the states in 2013, so it doesn’t get repeated all that frequently anymore (although I wouldn’t be surprised if they rerun it prior to the new ones coming out).
Am I the only one who really liked Crimson Peak?
No, I enjoyed it.
It had gaping plot holes but I enjoyed it. I wasn’t expecting a Best Picture nominee.
No, but I could still see a Best Costume Design or Best Production Design nomination. 😉
Those wouldn’t surprise me at all. The costumes were glorious.
@Lilac, you mean the gaping hole where leaves constantly fall through with no trees in sight? 😉
Overall I enjoyed it. Overall I am also disappointed.
Well, that was one of the gaping holes. And the trunk hidden in plain sight. And the paperwork all arranged in neat packages when it should have been destroyed. And the voice recordings. And why she never asked her husband where he was when she woke up in the middle of the night every night. And, of course, the fate of the dog.
Del Toro tried to make Edith smart, but I found her too naive.
And Tom thought Sharpe was a decent guy with some flaws that were correctable, but I found him to be a lying, manipulative a-hole, whose transition to good guy was a little too unbelievable.
A friend gave me the CP art book, which includes a small snippet of the biographies GDT gave the actors. He should have worked more of those into the film. Lucille began abusing Thomas very young.
@Nutty, agreed
@Lilac I also agree. Instead of starting with Edith’s childhood, I felt he should have started with the Sharpe’s childhood (but leave out the incest or any indication of it til the big reveal later). Mother Ghost was so utterly pointless. I’d rather Edith get to Cumbria and learn from the ghosts there about the house’s horrors. Like how does Mother Ghost even know how to predict the future? The past is more evident and damming. In fact by starting the film with the Sharpe children, when you see them as adults, you wonder why they are in America. You wonder what happened to those kids you saw in the mansion. Del Toro should have shown less scheming and more of the Sharpes being pleasant and charming to everyone. More of Thomas falling for Edith. I think the unraveling of the Sharpes’ past was done too subtly and sloppily that you barely feel much for them by the end, whereas the scheming was made too obvious. It made the film feel more hollow. Also, Lucille overeacting to Edith after learning they slept at the depot was ridiculous. She should have already came to that conclusion before she met with Edith in the kitchen the next day. Her overreaction was such a big giveaway that there was incest involved.
I enjoyed it too. The plot holes were easy to overlook once I realised what it was – a statement of love declaration from GDT to Gothic romance the genre.
I loved Crimson Peak! But I have peculiar taste in films sometimes and it just hit all the right marks for me, personally.
I’ve also loved London Spy, which seems to have really disappointed a lot of people this week by turning out to be an arty relationship drama about love and truth with spies in it rather than an actual spy drama with a realistic plot.
SPOILER ALERT
The ending of LS was rubbish, they could just have killed him as they did others.
Yes
I think when you accept that CP is a very close, meticulous imitation of the old literary genre, Gothic Fiction, in its really strict sense, you can accept the film on its own terms. Elements like stereotypical characters, frequent uses of (visual) symbols, and almost simplistic plots are all characteistics of the genre. The authors of the genre were NOT very interested in a realistic plo or rounded character but symbols and mood. Thus questions that readers should ask in reading Gothic novels are somewhat different. It’s much better to ask what does this red clay symbolize, which scenes are contrasted rather than trying to fill gap holes in the plot.
You may still accuse GdT of making a 55 M film with such an old literary genre – Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights are more of ralistic novels. GdT picked up Radcliff as his chief influence which were nevere made into TV drama or film because it jarrs with modern sensibility and expectations for the story and character- and I want ao ask why we modern audience should resurrect this genre in 2015? I think he can answer if he has time. I don’t like Gothic novels and I hate horrors. But I can see what GdT wanted to creat and could enjoy it quitr much. I gave it 7/10. I don’t know much about Mario Bava but there seems to be an homage to his unique film style as well.
I enjoyed it; didn’t love it, but didn’t hate it either. The special effects disappointed me the most. I am easily startled and found the ghosts more distracting or humorous than scary. I think that it would have been more effective if they were more subtle. And given the gorgeous costumes and set design, knowing what a visual director GDT is (having seen some of his earlier sketchbooks on Charlie Rose) and knowing the GDT had about a year for post-production, I expected more from the special effects that were more laughable than scary. And I get that it is more a gothic romance than a horror film, which makes the over-the-top ghosts that much more unnecessary. That bothered me more than the plot holes, although I agree with everything stated above.
@ maxime ducamp
I thought the ghosts looked more alien than ghosts in the cinema too. Until I read somewhere that it was a deliberate choice done to blur the line between the dead and the living.
I loved what it aspired to do. Everything you describe is what I looked forward to. I just don’t think it turned out well. The main problem for me was the sloppy script and immense plot holes.
This could be really good. Ben Wheatley makes really interesting films. Watch Kill list it is brilliant.
Crimson Peak may have had some scripting issues, but it was absolutely gorgeous and Hiddles was charming as ever.
Cate Blanchette is in talks for a part in Thor 3. I’m hoping for The Enchantress. Watching her and Tom plot bad things with one another and against one another would be delicious.
I hope this too. It would be amazing to watch.