John Carter is an example of one of those movies that needed to be made, but it was released at the wrong time. This one needed to be released about 1972 but in '72 we didn't have the movie technology to do it justice. But today, it's too old. The sci-fi fantasy genre has fallen out of favor with the general public, Avatar nonwithstanding.
Short story. Regime change at Disney and Ross, who had a reputation for cutting fat and wanted to keep that reputation did everything he could do to distance himself from the "excesses" of the previous regime even if it meant turning it into a write-off.
People are using John Carter [of Mars] as the reason for Rich Ross's failure. Well, in a sense they are correct. But it wasn't the movie that brought his much deserved downfall. It was his sabotage of the marketing for this fantastic movie. One thing that NO ONE is reporting in the wake of this news is that last night was the last showing of John Carter in Hollywood at Disney's own flagship movie palace, The El Capitan. Over 200 highly enthusiastic fans showed up with a few first time viewers. Several members of the cast and crew as well as a contingent from the Edgar Rice Burroughs company joined in the festivities. The theatre reported that it was the first time that they know of where the last showing had more than the very first!
Rich Ross did not greenlight this movie. His predecessor did. As mentioned, Rich Ross, a studio boss at a MOVIE studio, apparently didn't like movies and wanted to cut back on them. They say he was there to slash budgets and what does he greenlight? A movie called Prom which would be better suited as a tv movie, a Sam Raimi movie about L. Frank Baum, ...AND the Lone Ranger, a $200 MILLION project that trashes the Lone Ranger mythos, a Johnny Depp / Gore Verbinski vanity film that reportedly makes Tonto a comedic character, and may or may not include a battle with werewolves??? He brings in MT Carney, w who ho is not generally liked in Hollywood, but nevertheless does manage to court Steven Spielberg to have Disney distribute their movies. And just before the Warhorse is to be released, Carney is fired and according to a January 27, 2012 article at the Hollywood Reporter, Steven Spielberg angrily confronted Rich Ross at a Critics Choice Awards dinner about not being allowed to have a say-so in Carney's replacement.
Almost 3 months later, John Carter, a movie that Rich Ross obviously wanted to distance himself from, because of its budget (which also included, by the way, previous budget woes from a failed 1990s attempt by Disney to put it on screen) and because he wanted to be seen as fiscally responsible (except of course for the upcoming Lone Ranger movie which looks to be a real stinker in the making... anyone remember the 1979 Klinton Spillsbury bomb and the terrible aftermath of the producers suing Clayton Moore who was still doing promotions wearing the costume?) shows up in theatres after a reported additional $100 million was spent on marketing that I bet none of you saw. Was it all spent on ONE Big Game ad? Who was responsible for the marketing after M Carney left? Where were the fast food Woola and airship toys? Where were the action figures? Where were the special soft drink cans with the faces of the John Carter characters on them as in the ads for the upcoming Disney/Marvel "blockbuster"? And what about Rich Ross's decision to drop "of Mars" from the title? Not only did the trailers and movie posters we saw have no mention of Edgar Rice Burroughs or any indication of who John Carter is, but the white apes sequence made it appear the movie was a Star Wars rip-off. And yes, the movie did have the same fun Sci Fi Romantic Fantasy feel of the first three Star Wars movie, but it wasn't a ripoff. Fan trailers for the movie were far better than what Disney did in their "big spending" merchandising budget and it was more word of mouth by some very enthusiastic and vocal fans that has made this movie as popular as it is. Oh, and that's another thing... For two solid weeks, in Europe, free from critics who spent more time talking about the budget than about the movie, John Carter was NUMBER ONE in box office. And I can pretty much guarantee that this movie will end up being considered a cult classic in the near future. It already is with those loyal fans who showed up so fired up for the movie at last night's showing at the El Capitan!
Ya! What the heck is the matter with everybody? John Carter was the best action Sci-Fi, adventure movie that I have seen in the last 10 years. I don't need subversive collaborations with toy companies and fast food joints to help me decide which movies I want to see. It did have everything. A great plot, great acting, and excellent special effects. And you're talking to a guy here that never saw Avatar or any of the regurgitated Star Wars movies. Avatar was way too predictable for me. It's too bad that the movie going public has to be spoon fed weak, predictable plots with blood and gore in order to be happy. This guy at Disney deserves a freaking award for taking a risk thinking out of the box and in my opinion creating one of the best movies in recent history.
"2001: A Space Odyssey" Is still the best SciFi to make it to the Big screen, with "The Day the Earth Stood Still" a close second. The most frightening is "The Thing" Because it is on the earth and 'unkillable' because of its ability to survive when blown apart as thousands of pieces that grow and multiply. Did I say that it has the ability to mimic any organism that it comes in physical contact with.. Dogs, Plants, insects..... any living thing.... That is the scary part... it could be your wife just before you kiss her good night..
Rich Ross WASN'T the man who greenlighted John Carter. That honor belonged to the man who preceded him. Ross sabotaged the project with poor marketing, a name change that made people wonder "Who the heck is John Carter", and business decisions that left the $100 million advertising budget squandered on uninspired trailers and posters that gave no indication of what the movie was really about. For all appearances, he turned a great movie into a commercial failure to make himself look better than the guy whose job he took and he was justly burned.
I waited nearly 30 years to see the ERB books in film and almost missed it because of the poor marketing of the film John Carter (of Mars). When is the last time Disney released a movie that didn't have a ton of merchandise? Fast foot tie ins? Ads on every 20 minutes. I saw one ad, and I think one movie trailer last summer.
For those who haven't seen it, don't believe the negative hype out there. This movie had everything - great story, fantastic characters, action, adventure, humor, a non-sappy love story, friendships. Our entire family loved it.
Too bad the political in-fighting at Disney torpedoed the Epic Adventure film that is John Carter of Mars !!! Where was the mention of Edgar Rice Burroughs? Where were the books??? Seems to me that those who read the books loved the film, while those who criticized it never even saw the film !! Carl Sagan said he was inspired by ERB, as were a lot of other scientists. I, too, was inspired by Burroughs' books, and have waited decades for A Princess of Mars to be made into a film. Superman, Star Wars, Avatar, etc. and all those who copied from John Carter books, all fell short. Finally we got the real thing, and no one even knew about it.
WHEN is the media going to start listening to John Carter fans?? John Carter was an excellent, brilliant movie that was never marketed well. I've seen the movie several times with family and friends and would love to see Disney make a sequel! It was well written and directed and the cast was incomparable! John Carter wasn't a flop with my family and friends. This was the fault of Disney and a change in marketing execs. There is a huge campaign for John Carter....TAKE US BACK TO BARSOOM!
WHEN is the media going to start listening to John Carter fans?? John Carter was an excellent, brilliant movie that was never marketed well. I've seen the movie several times with family and friends and would love to see Disney make a sequel! It was well written and directed and the cast was incomparable! John Carter wasn't a flop with my family and friends. This was the fault of Disney and a change in marketing execs. There is a huge campaign for John Carter....TAKE US BACK TO BARSOOM!
Oh, dear lord, is this the man also in charge of the Disney TV junk? And I mean junk! Never a serious story for kids to watch, all these junky, tawdry sitcoms, really awful. All these squealy voices, canned laughter, loud so the kids will pay attention! Whew. Disney is plummeting. Sad to see.
I'd not heard of "John Carter" in any way, shape, or form until today but I'm more likely going to seek it out than any hollywuss remake, and that is a fact.
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People are using John Carter [of Mars] as the reason for Rich Ross's failure. Well, in a sense they are correct. But it wasn't the movie that brought his much deserved downfall. It was his sabotage of the marketing for this fantastic movie. One thing that NO ONE is reporting in the wake of this news is that last night was the last showing of John Carter in Hollywood at Disney's own flagship movie palace, The El Capitan. Over 200 highly enthusiastic fans showed up with a few first time viewers. Several members of the cast and crew as well as a contingent from the Edgar Rice Burroughs company joined in the festivities. The theatre reported that it was the first time that they know of where the last showing had more than the very first!
Rich Ross did not greenlight this movie. His predecessor did. As mentioned, Rich Ross, a studio boss at a MOVIE studio, apparently didn't like movies and wanted to cut back on them. They say he was there to slash budgets and what does he greenlight? A movie called Prom which would be better suited as a tv movie, a Sam Raimi movie about L. Frank Baum, ...AND the Lone Ranger, a $200 MILLION project that trashes the Lone Ranger mythos, a Johnny Depp / Gore Verbinski vanity film that reportedly makes Tonto a comedic character, and may or may not include a battle with werewolves??? He brings in MT Carney, w who ho is not generally liked in Hollywood, but nevertheless does manage to court Steven Spielberg to have Disney distribute their movies. And just before the Warhorse is to be released, Carney is fired and according to a January 27, 2012 article at the Hollywood Reporter, Steven Spielberg angrily confronted Rich Ross at a Critics Choice Awards dinner about not being allowed to have a say-so in Carney's replacement.
Almost 3 months later, John Carter, a movie that Rich Ross obviously wanted to distance himself from, because of its budget (which also included, by the way, previous budget woes from a failed 1990s attempt by Disney to put it on screen) and because he wanted to be seen as fiscally responsible (except of course for the upcoming Lone Ranger movie which looks to be a real stinker in the making... anyone remember the 1979 Klinton Spillsbury bomb and the terrible aftermath of the producers suing Clayton Moore who was still doing promotions wearing the costume?) shows up in theatres after a reported additional $100 million was spent on marketing that I bet none of you saw. Was it all spent on ONE Big Game ad? Who was responsible for the marketing after M Carney left? Where were the fast food Woola and airship toys? Where were the action figures? Where were the special soft drink cans with the faces of the John Carter characters on them as in the ads for the upcoming Disney/Marvel "blockbuster"? And what about Rich Ross's decision to drop "of Mars" from the title? Not only did the trailers and movie posters we saw have no mention of Edgar Rice Burroughs or any indication of who John Carter is, but the white apes sequence made it appear the movie was a Star Wars rip-off. And yes, the movie did have the same fun Sci Fi Romantic Fantasy feel of the first three Star Wars movie, but it wasn't a ripoff. Fan trailers for the movie were far better than what Disney did in their "big spending" merchandising budget and it was more word of mouth by some very enthusiastic and vocal fans that has made this movie as popular as it is. Oh, and that's another thing... For two solid weeks, in Europe, free from critics who spent more time talking about the budget than about the movie, John Carter was NUMBER ONE in box office. And I can pretty much guarantee that this movie will end up being considered a cult classic in the near future. It already is with those loyal fans who showed up so fired up for the movie at last night's showing at the El Capitan!
For those who haven't seen it, don't believe the negative hype out there. This movie had everything - great story, fantastic characters, action, adventure, humor, a non-sappy love story, friendships. Our entire family loved it.
Carl Sagan said he was inspired by ERB, as were a lot of other scientists. I, too, was inspired by Burroughs' books, and have waited decades for A Princess of Mars to be made into a film. Superman, Star Wars, Avatar, etc. and all those who copied from John Carter books, all fell short. Finally we got the real thing, and no one even knew about it.
I'd not heard of "John Carter" in any way, shape, or form until today but I'm more likely going to seek it out than any hollywuss remake, and that is a fact.