Friday, August 12, 2005

Susan Sarandon is Destroying Hollywood (Part I)

"Igby Goes Down." "Earthly Possessions." "Alfie." "Shall We Dance." "The Bangor Sisters." "Moonlight Mile." "Joe Gould's Secret." "Cradle Will Rock." "Noel." "Anywhere But Here."

Not counting parts voiced for animated features, those are Susan Sarandon's last ten movies.

"Illuminata." "Twilight." "Safe Passage." "Dead Man Walking." "Little Women." "The Client." "Lorenzo's Oil." "Bob Roberts." "Light Sleeper."

These are movies 12 thru twenty in Sarandon's recent career.

In fact, in a career spanning thirty-five years and roughly sixty-five major motion pictures (and a half score of other projects), Ms. Sarandon has been in only one movie that could be called a major hit. That was the cult favorite "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" -- made thirty years ago in 1975 in which Ms. Sarandon spent three-quarters of the film running around half-naked and having sex with Dr. Frank-N-Furter's monster. The film was a flop in its original release and only became profitable as a midnight movie to be laughed at.

Since that day some thirty years ago, Ms. Sarandon has never had top billing in a movie that has grossed even half the figure usually associated with a major hit. In fact, a rough estimate of the gross domestic box office of Ms. Sarandon's live-action movies in which she received top billing comes to about fifteen million dollars per picture -- or less than the fee for any of a dozen top-named actors and actresses.

Even baseball players have to get a hit one out of every three times. Zero for thirty years? Only in Hollywood. This is because Hollywood is no longer in the entertainment or money-making business and Ms. Sarandon hasn't been for years. Both are now in the ideology industry and in this way -- and this way only -- Ms. Sarandon is a superstar.

That is, while Ms. Sarandon's movies have been failures at the box office. her choice of film scripts has reflected the far-leftist agenda nearly one hundred percent of the time. This is not to say that some weren't good. Ms. Sarandon is a terrific actress and, through the years, not so bad to look at. Rather that the actress selects her movie projects based not on quality of script or the chance to connect with an audience but solely to advance her far-leftist agenda.

Thus, while "Igby Down Under" may have been a poorly written flop, it's "message" of contempt for the nuclear family was one that was attractive to this Liberal actress. Similarly, while the concept of "Earthly Possessions" -- a minister's wife who is so bored with her marriage that she falls in love with the bank robber who has kidnapped her -- is laughably ludicrous it's attack on marriage (and religion) was one the starlet couldn't refuse.

In fact the only two things one can safely count on regarding Ms. Sarandon's career is that her movies will likely flop and that the movies; message will be anti-mainstream America.

A quick perusal of her movies bears this out:

The themes of Ms. Saradon's movies were anti-American (Bob Roberts), pro-communist("Cradle Will Fall") anti-heterosexual marriage ( "Earthly Possesions", "Shall We Dance"), pro-homosexuality ("The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "The Celluloid Closet") pro-promiscuity ("The Bangor Sisters"), anti-male ("Thelma and Louise", "The Client") and/or anti-nuclear family ("Igby Goes Down", "Anywhere But Here").

Ms. Sarandon's more recent choices -- soon to be released -- are along these same lines with "Bernard and Doris" -- The story of tobacco billionairness Doris Duke and her relationship with her gay butler, "Irresistible" -- about yet another bad heterosexual marriage, and "Mr. Woodcock" about a man trying to break-up his mother's storybook (heterosexual) wedding by proving that beneath this man's perfect image lies the same monster Liberals sell as beneath all heterosexual males.

By traditional Hollywood standards -- the box office -- Ms. Sarandon's career has been an unmitigated failure. As someone selling the leftist line she remains near the top of Hollywood's A-list.

In Part II I will explain why it is that actors and actresses like Ms. Sarandon can continue to find employment in Hollywood and thus explain why Hollywood is mired in an historic slump which threatens its very viability.

6 comments:

Alva Goldbook said...

Or is the problem with Hollywood is that CORPORATE movie studios have resorted to nothing but remaking films from the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s (when the originals were better), or making feature lengths out of 2nd rate TV shows? Look at the current box office “hits”. The Dukes of Hazzard. Deuce Bigalow 2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Must Love Dogs. Wow, real radical liberalism isn’t it? I guess they had trouble filming these movies, as the Chocolate Factory gnomes and Boss Hog was hard at work in Senator Byrd’s office, pressuring other Congressman to pass a law that eliminates capitalism, huh? I guess Hollywood has always been the center of all things liberal since they made such LEFTY propaganda as True Lies, Independence Day, Rambo, Top Gun, Black Hawk Down, and Shaving Private Ryan. This is why for YEARS genuine movie fans have instead turned to underground films, that aren’t produced by corporate dimwits, but by ARTISTS who know what the hell they’re doing.

As a general rule, you can always judge if a movie will be good or not by looking at how the critics judge it. If they give it 5 stars you can bet your bucks that it will not only be bad, but it will suck. Case in point: Magnolia. If the critics despise it and give it a thumbs down, then there’s a good chance it will be amazing. Case in point: Fight Club.

And of course Susan Sarandon only makes horrible lefty movies. Which explains why she played a nun in Dead Man Walking, helping a convicted murderer to find God. And I’m sure she’s never had a decent role in her life, except of course in Cats & Dogs, the Rugrats sequel, Dead Man Walking, Thelma & Louise, The Witches of Eastwick, Bull Durham, and Rocky Horror….three of those which are recognized as some of the best classics of all time. I’m sure since Saran don’s a HACK who’s past her prime, that might explain why she’s working on 6 movie projects currently, to add to the SEVENTY films that has spanned her career.

But maybe you’re right, those lefty women are ruining Hollywood by making crappy movies. Of course those Reich wing women are fairing much better. After all, in the last 20 years Bo Derek did manage to get a small part in the box office smash TOMMY BOY.

Evan Sayet said...

I have a bit in my stand-up act about how leftists make a foolish point and then, when caught, simply jump to another foolish point. And how they don't care that those two points utterly contradict each other.

For example: "Bush LIED when he said Saddam had weapons of mass destruction." "Uh, but we know Saddam had WMDs" "That's right. And who gave them to him???"

So corporate America only makes horrible movies but then to defend the leftist Sarandon you say "and what about all the great movies she's made (corporate all)!!!"

It is telling, though, that out of the list of movies you show that Sarandon made that were good you have to include two cartoons she voiced just to get to, what, five or six out of SIXTY-FIVE?

Meanwhile, I don't think any of the movies you listed were made in the past decade (other than the cartoons).

Can you imagine any other profession where you've utterly failed in every effort for the last decade (and never once had top billing in a hit) and you still get to work on six more projects?

Alva Goldbook said...

Evan,
Unfortunately your bit leaves out some relevant facts that you cons somehow seem to never fail to forget. Yes, the US gave Saddam WMDs, as it is PUBLIC RECORD that we did so, during the Reagan and Bush Senior administrations. What you’re forgetting is the UN Weapon Inspectors, who removed or destroyed about 90% of Saddam’s WMD capabilities. But don’t let those pesky facts get in your way.

Yes, Evan, movies, like most popular culture (this is particularly true with music) is controlled by massive corporations that produce garbage. That does not mean that every once in a while a real ARTIST can act within that frame work and produce something brilliant. But you will find that the best art work is, and always has been underground, while the corporate influences is the LEAST.

I’m not exactly a huge Sarandon fan, but for ANY actor to make three separate movies that are considered to be all time classics is a title very few in Hollywood can claim. I can’t think of a single film that Eddie Murphy has done that can compare to Saradon’s work, yet would you say that Murphy isn’t successful? For the most part Murphy still gets major roles, although they are primarily voice roles.

Dead Man Walking I believe was made in 1995.

By what measuring stick are you calling Saradon’s work an utter failure? She gets plenty of roles, not because of her being a “liberal”, but because she is a fine actress. Also I might add that many artists are happy to seek more diverse rolls after they have MADE IT then when they are still struggling to build name recognition. You see this in both film and music. Hell Evan, if it wasn’t for Thom Hartmann, I would have never heard of you, despite that I love the art form of stand up comedy. Would that mean that YOU have been a failure for the last two decades?

Anonymous said...

wow! liberalism really IS a mental disorder. alva says she really doesn't like susan saranwrap, but then rabidly defends her (becuase you call her her a liberal ) like everyother topic she says shelter does care about.
of course she would probably call moore a "real artist" also.
well......he did tell a fairy tale....

Alva Goldbook said...

Sic,
Liberalism is a mental disorder? How is it classified in the DSM-IV? Oh, that’s right you get your psychology lectures from a racist dimwit named Michael WIENER. Perhaps you could ACTUALLY learn a thing or two about psychology by taking a look at a piece I wrote called Is George W. Bush A Pychopath?

By the way, if you question Moore’s artistic ability check out the last film John Candy ever starred in, called “Canadian Bacon” It’s hilarious.

Alva Goldbook said...

Miami,
Your refutes are getting lamer by the day.

Yes, it is public record that the US gave Saddam WMDs throughout the Reagan and Bush I administrations. Look up the Senate Foreign Relations Committee report “Duel Use Technologies to Iraq 1983-1989” reported on May 25th, 1994.

17 UN resolutions were passed in order to get rid of those very same weapons. Guess what? THEY WORKED.

Sure, those liberally slanted movies are dying in the box office. That silver screen classic “THE DUKES OF HAZZARD” reeks of liberalism doesn’t it? Next you’ll tell me that it’s the liberal’s fault that music is now being dumped with garbage like Jessica Simpson, Brittany Spears, and every other corporate plastic pop hit.

Um, last I checked, The Passion was not a CONSERVATIVE POLTICAL movie, but a RELIGIOUS one. Oh, that’s right, you guys have the damnedest time keeping church and state separate in your heads. Just a reminder, Dubya is NOT the Messiah.