Carnahan’s pissed

Let the backlash continue. Just about everyone has their own opinion on why GRINDHOUSE tanked this past weekend, but the ones that interest me the most are the creative and cutting-edge filmmakers whose careers can be affected by a box-office fiasco like this one. If the studios see that audiences are skipping ambitious and original fare like GRINDHOUSE, to go see ARE WE DONE YET? well, the end results will speak for themselves.

Joe Carnahan (SMOKIN’ ACES) who isn’t short on trailblazing cinematic bravura himself; is worried and pissed that the American movie going public is becoming responsible for its own country’s cinematic demise. Although with the success of 300, he does see some light at the end of darkened theatre. He recently waxed poetic on the GRINDHOUSE debacle on his website, and here’s what he had to say:

How in the hell does a Rodriguez-Tarantino movie do that poorly? I’m going to see it tonight. Those guys, Tarantino especially, deserve a helluva lot more love than f*cking 11.6 million. What is wrong with American moviegoers? Is there nothing NEW that they’re willing to embrace? Jesus, it’s the worst kind of erosion. We’re making dumber and dumber films and they’re becoming cash cows. God Bless ‘300’, at least it’s got balls and the director WENT for it. THAT movie is good for the business, it’s good for everybody. But some of these other flicks don’t even TRY because they know in the end, EXACTLY the age range and demographic driving ticket prices these days. Those monstrosities (the names of which I won’t mention) are pure pieces of commerce, marketed to perfection.

I hope ‘Grindhouse’ recovers. It’s an audacious idea that I wish would’ve been given a bigger break. Maybe as they separate the two films, they’ll pry some sunshine out of the situation and the Weinsteins will save the day. It bums me the f*ck out though when something like that, a really cool idea that looks like a great time at the movies, made by real talent– can’t push past.

It’s just dead wrong kids…and we ALL pay the price when those don’t work.