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It never fails to amaze me how studios convince themselves that up is down, and left is right. Here's an internal MGM memo giddy over the possibility that the new trailer for Tom Cruise's December 26th Nazi pic will translate into big biz:
From: Sandro Bellini [Digital Marketing | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc]
Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 4:27 PMAttached is an updated report on online buzz around the new Valkyrie assets:
OVERVIEW
Favorable Tone Dominates Trailer Buzz – Currently, reactions to the Valkyrie trailer are significantly favorable (approximately 80%) within Entertainment, Fan-Boy, Video Sharing, Social Networks, Social Bookmarks, and Fan communities. Fans deem the trailer “fantastic,” often praising the “stylistic” way that the footage was cut and asserting that it is “way better” than the initial teaser. Enthusiasts also note that the “intriguing” trailer has furthered their anticipation for the film’s release and anticipate that it will feature many great performances from the ensemble cast. Additionally, many viewers share avid excitement to see Bryan Singer’s “distinctive work” in the film and, while others admitted that they “aren’t fans” of Tom Cruise, they stated that the trailer has “sold” them on seeing Valkyrie in December. Neutral reactions (15%) arise from viewers sharing mixed reactions to the trailer, often asserting that while the film has the potential to be “awesome” they still have their doubts based on the initial critical buzz. The limited amount of unfavorable discussion (5%) stems from critics expressing general disinterest in the film, contending that the trailer makes Valkyrie look like “another Hollywood action movie.”
Additional Assets Also Garner Rave Reviews – In addition to the trailer, the Valkyrie one-sheet, featurette, and stills have been generating largely positive user reactions. The poster comprises the majority of discussion, as fans laud the “stylized design” and hope that it represents the “gritty” feel of the film. “I definitely want one of these up on my walls right away.” The stills garnered high profile placement with features including the LA Times – The Envelope and Fan-Boy sites such as Joblo. The Official Website has also had several mentions about its “cool new features.”
Lack of German Accents Still an Issue – While the majority of buzz about the lack of German accents is neutral, the topic is fueling discussion among online audiences. Critics contend that their absence creates a “lack of cohesiveness” while supporters believe that their inclusion would make the film appear “cheesy.” There were also numerous users sharing mixed opinions on the topic, stating that while the lack of accents is “distracting” and anticipate it will “take some getting used to,” the trailer “looks amazing” and they intend on seeing the film upon its release.
Trailer Coverage Widely Spread – The Valkyrie trailer was posted across nine alpha video sites, with the postings on Yahoo! Video, YouTube, Trailer Addict, and Spike generating the greatest number online views.
For an updated screengrab report, click here:
http://server.mammothnyc.com/valkyrie/valkyriereport.pdf
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Why may I ask is everyone is such a hurry to make Valkyrie fail? If the movie is garnering good reviews,why the constant bad-mouthing in the press.Just look at Roger Friedman articles trying to talk down this movie.He says in his latest article that the movie is “well made and an absorbing thriller but it’s not an Oscar movie.” He states that his sources who saw the movie didn’t find the lack of accents distracting either. So if Valkyrie is a good,well-made movie, why is they’re such an effort by the media and by Hollywood to shut it down.
I mean you yourself Nikki just posted postive reaction to the new Valkyrie trailer, yet you report those positive as if they’re negatives.If anyone is reporting what’s up is down and what’s down is up, it’s you.
I can see this film getting an audience and some critical love but nowhere near what MGM/UA will need either financially or in terms of industry kudos.
I just hope that we aren’t looking at this film as something that (once again) could make or break MGM/UA if it deosn’t hit.
Especially in this age of financial melt downs and implosions.
Frankly, I don’t understand why there would be an “issue” about the lack of German accents.
This is Byzantine, why should a movie endorse the local accent of the story location to be more authentic? This is Walkyrie, not an average episode of The Girl from UNCLE.
In this case, should there be a preoccupation about accent that would be about the Brit one… I had to watch the trailer even if I had not the slightest interest about this film, let’s call it the “Nikki effect”.
I found very strange the idea to make a movie about this (especially when you know the end in advance) but now, after watching the trailer, I think I will have a look at Walkyrie.
And I’m not a fan of Mr Cruise at all (really), but I try to keep an open mind. When I told around me that I had a good feeling about the third Mission: Impossible they thought I went nuts. Because I regularly compare M:I 2 to a ZAZ movie without Nielsen. M:I 3 is one of the most brilliant action thriller ever.
Yes Mr Cruise jumps on sofas but when I think about the state of the Hollywood industry he’s not on the top of the list of what should be rectified. If Walkyrie bombs (hum, sorry about this involuntary joke) he’ll do something huge later.
Pardon me, I’m French. We don’t even know who Tyler Perry is…
Early word from test screenings on the intraweb is all quite positive from what I’ve read so far.
Even Friedman, who hates Valkyrie and Tom Cruise with a passion (writing about it 7 or so times, all negative) must be kicking himself to hear that his sources actually thought it was decent.
Look if the film is good, then trust me while your watching the movie you won’t even give a damn about the accents.
Of course if the movie is crap you will notice and you will whine.
Accents don’t make a movie and there are plenty of other films that don’t use accents/Enemy at the Gates, ‘Good’ (2008) with Viggo Mortensen etc.
Consider the studio’s “sources” and know that this movie will bomb because middle America just don’t like Tom Cruise. A simple poll will tell you that. The film is a good story but Mr. Cruise’s presence tarnishes any decent profitability. So this will be a box office bomb but will it earn Oscar gold? Clooney has been in dozens of bombs and yet he still gets nominated so we’ll have to see how that plays out.
Technically the only buzz that the movie needs is to be discussed. Which it has, a lot. People are hovering on the edge of their seats to see if this is going to be the colossal flop that they think it is.
At this rate it might actually scrape even regardless of whether it’s good or not simply because someone will remember hearing something about it online – but not specifically what. They’ll head to the theaters and see the thing out of curiosity as much as anything else.
Where do you get that they are saying up is down and left is right? Everything in that memo sounded pretty darn accurate to me!
Sounds like Sandro has a great job just surfing the fanboy sites and writing up what people are saying online. Where can I get a job like that?
If I were MGM, though, I would want to know what the negatives of the marketing campaign were and focus on those to overcome them.
As for some of the comments above, moviegoers have been conditioned to hearing German accents in WWII movies, much like people are conditioned to hearing British accents in a Roman Empire movie and Russian accents in a spy movie. This is what people expect after 80 years of “talkies.” It helps to set a mood and create a time and a place within a movie. Enemy at the Gates did get criticized for its lack of accents and not a lot of people saw this great little movie.
As for criticism of the film, that’s what critics are paid to do. But you have to agree the picture has some serious problems. For example, if it had only cost $40 million, critics wouldn’t be fixated on it. But the fact that it cost $100+ million and nobody knows who the audience for this movie is, that’s a serious problem. The same picture can be a hit at $40 mil, but a bomb at $100 mil. Plus having United Artists and $500 million in financing disappear while this picture was being made makes it a loser even if it’s a winner.
So those are the issues. In Hollywood, it’s all about making the right picture for the right budget.
And you don’t think there are reports like this for EVERY movie, good or bad, that comes out? I’m sure if you didn’t have an axe to grind against this one movie, you’d be able to find trailer screening memos on everything from BOLT to ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO.
Frankly, I don’t understand why there would be an “issue” about the lack of German accents.
This is Byzantine, why should a movie endorse the local accent of the story location to be more authentic? This is Walkyrie, not an average episode of The Girl from UNCLE.
yeah, that’s typical Hollywood for you. American accents in movies about French, German, Italian, whatever people, haev always been common in the old days. So why should it be any different today? Mmmm?
Nikki, do you have any idea the shitstorm of insider leaking accusations you are going to start with this post? I can imagine the execs and filmmakers over at MGM going apeshit right now strategizing how to deal with this email getting to you. Unless, that is, you got it directly from the horse’s mouth. Good job! I love transparency.
I am German, I’ve seen the trailer, I couldn’t care less for Cruise, nor for the lack of accents.
What bothers me is that they don’t get the facts right. It’s not that this is something based on a best-selling fiction book where the original story can be tweaked for visual or emotional effects. This is history, something that actually really happened, something that didn’t need the Hollywood treatment in order to be understood.
From the look of the trailer, this attempt at retelling the story of von Stauffenberg in a respectful and historically accurate way will fail majorly.
Of course Cruise’s antics won’t help selling this project here in Europe.
It absolutely does matter about the accents. I can’t believe they left them out. It isn’t distracting to most because Americans always want to see things their way instead of the way it should be or really is/was. American’s go to France and make no attempt to speak the language. “Garcon…do you have some ketchup for my fries?” I always find it distracting for the simple reason that the actors are paid to do their work. When I go to see a film with a particular actor or actors, I am paying to see their work. I want to see what the finished product of their research, and artistic choices looks like. If I get paid 20 million to star in Valkyrie, you bet your ass I’m going to work out my German accent. I’M GETTING PAID to do the most work I possibly can to interpret the story as realistically as possible. To just leave it out is LAZY LAZY LAZY and arrrogant. If Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep can do it…why can’t anyone else who calls themselves an actor? For the record, I am an American born and raised. And, unlike many, I remain a fan of Tom Cruise. He hasn’t made the best choices in the past few years, but I hold out hope he will do more work such as he has done in Magnolia, Vanilla Sky, Rain Man, etc…Talk to me Goose.
Well, as far a we know, good Internet buzz doesn´t mean a shit in box office terms… Have you forgotten “Snakes on a Plane”?
This kind of post really illustrates the innocent ways a Byzantine studio overhead can muddy and convolute the production and distribution process. As someone who works in independent film, little tidbits like this offer me some very useful perspective. If you have the time Nikki, I’d love to see more of them.
All that noise from the kitchen makes sense when you know how many cooks are huddled around the stove. Thanks, Nikki!
Just saw the trailer before eagle Eye… thought it looked pretty good.
Nanea: Do people go to the movies to understand a moment in history, or to be told a story? If you want to learn about history, go to school. If you want to watch a movie, go to the theaters. They’re exclusive from one another.
How do you know they don’t get the facts right, Nanea? Have you actually seen the film? Its incredible to me how many people have made snap judgments and pre-determinations on this film — even some “respectable” critics and journalists — without having seen it. From what I know (and from having read the script), the film should be pretty damn accurate, with very few liberties taken. Singer’s a stickler for details like that and this story is way too sensitive for them to “Hollywoodize” it. Why can’t people just chill out and make their decisions on whether to like the movie or not WHEN IT COMES OUT and they SEE IT… and maybe… just maybe… they LIKE IT.
I am far more distracted by BAD attempts at accents than I am at a complete lack of them. I am actually very interested in seeing Valkyrie, and I haven’t paid cash to see a Cruise film since M.I. If I had to sit through Valkyrie listening to Cruise butcher a German accent, I wouldn’t be able to stand it. As it is, with all actors foregoing that ill fated attempt, I imagine the only thing distracting me will be whether or not the film is any good.
Trailer looks good to me.
I agree with J.R.
Read the script a while back. Liked it a lot, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a good movie. Hope I’m wrong.
Nothing against Tom Cruise at all. I wish his next film would be his biggest ever but I have virtually zero interest in Valkyrie. Go to Wikipedia and read up on the real events behind Valkyrie. Hitler lives, they failed. Cue the gallows.
Thanks K Reed, for your post. I think your dead on. I’m sorry Nikki but the new trailer is kinda awesome. The buzz on it is real. Yes, that first teaser put me off as well, but the script was great, and the reaction from people that have actually screened the film is very positive. So Nikki, why are you reporting that this internal memo is promoting BS?
So it’s been edited to a PG-13, apparently down from an R.
A PG-13 rated war movie? Could it be that the studio simply was not confident in the product and had to water it down to a teenage audience?
Does anyone know?
(and from having read the script), the film should be pretty damn accurate, with very few liberties taken.
Andrew: where did you read the script? Wouldn’t mind reading it myself.
I don’t get the whole negative view of not using accents. I understand that it may set the mood and I agree that maybe an alteration in speech in order to put us in the time and place might be helpful but straight up German accents would just sound silly.
In the reality of the story, they are not speaking English, they’re speaking German so why should they have accents that are based on how Germans speak English? Isn’t that an antiquated idea straight out of the failed civilization of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin? I never get why there are ever these kinds of accents in Hollywood movies. There are always much better ways to suggest a location than doing a comic over the top accent. It reminds me of an article I read about someone praising a Jordanian movie but taking issue with the score not sounding “authentic” enough. Something which I find both condescending and slightly offensive.
Then again, we will soon be seeing the movie version of Nine that will probably mirror the last Broadway revival and do it all in Italian accents. So those of you who need that Rob Marshal’s got you covered
Oh please any movie that gets released generates positive buzz, if that’s all you want to find. I can guarantee the studio put out a memo claiming Lions for Lamb had great buzz and it bombed.
Proof that MGM execs and studio suits are completely out of touch with casual movie fans, despite their attention paid to “internet buzz”: their completely-off spelling of “Fan-Boy.” What a joke.
I really DO find the lack of German accents distracting, and almost pompous of the filmmakers.
Schindler’s list wasn’t cheesy. I think that movie would have lost something (a lot) if every actor used their native accent.
If you are going to see a period war piece I don’t think it’s at all outrageous to expect the accent to match the nationality portrayed. This isn’t Mission Impossible 4: They Valkyrie chapter – that’s just what it feels like. Including the explosive device.
“Consider the studio’s “sources”” Exactly…
Mammoth = LAME…
This memo reads like a restaurant listing in a Zagat Guide.
Really don’t understand why everyone is so hung up with accents.
It’s not like Julie Andrews had such an authentic Austrian accent in The Sound of Music and that was a pretty awesome film.
Perhaps we should see the film first and then decide…
I can’t get past the sight of Tom Cruise with an eye patch and in a German uniform, which are already over-the-top. Plus, he just isn’t tall enough and it looks like he’s playing dress-up.
As Addison DeWitt might have said, “Tom, you’re too short for that gesture.”
Wouldn’t using an accent be called “acting”?
Every time I hear Valkyrie, I think ValKilmer, and I’m still mad at him about Batman Forever.
The movie will be what it will be in three months, but that memo just doesn’t hunt.
“reactions to the Valkyrie trailer are significantly favorable (approximately 80%) within Entertainment, Fan-Boy, Video Sharing, Social Networks, Social Bookmarks, and Fan communities.”
That doesn’t make sense given that we know a good bit more than 20% of potential viewers have a severe negative reaction to Cruise at this point.
That got me to check out the mentioned postings “on Yahoo! Video, YouTube, Trailer Addict, and Spike.” Definitely didn’t see 80% favorable from what was there. If anything, folks just weren’t paying too much attention.
You know, I never seen so many men obsessed with one guy’s life.”We know that 20% of potential viewers have a severe negative reaction to Cruise at this point” says who?A lot of the negative press about Tom is media hype as well.The press and certain people in Hollywood don’t like him because he won’t give up his religios freedom.The same people who have attacked him,his wife,and his little kid for the last couple of years.Give me a break!Maybe everyone else in America lives in the real world and really don’t see a belief in L.Ron Hubbard as a threat to their daily existence.Perhaps you guys haven’t watched the news lately.Cruise isn’t running for Vice President.Now that would make me worried.
I think everyone is missing the point – the movie just looks boring / art house. Not enough action for a Tom Cruise movie….
The only thing that could make Valkyrie worse is if Madonna was acting in it.
The lack of accents was the FIRST thing I noticed. Could have been distracting/”cheesy” but without them, it looks equally as “cheesy”.
They yanked the report. Typical.
So a former great actor who has turned himself into a joke makes a movie about a racist genocidal Nazi ( read up on the history of this guy) who only tries to kill Hitler AFTER Hitler starts loosing the war, and this Nazi fails and get himself and all his co-conspiritors hung on piano wire.
Brilliant movie idea.
What’s next?John Travolta as a heroic research doctor sweating away with uncooperative patients in a nazi concentration camp…. Joseph Mengele?
You know, none of these people were speaking with accents in real life–they were speaking GERMAN–so why booger things up with a fake German accent, no matter how accurate? As long as the acting is good, it shouldn’t matter a fig. That said, Tom Cruise might still be the wrong actor for this. Not sure yet. Story looks great, though.
Dear Joseph Steel from Georgia:
You obviously haven’t read up on any of the history if you think the July 20th plotters were Nazis. They were in fact the farthest thing from it – especially the Stauffenberg’s (his brothers were active anti-Nazi as well).
Try Google or Wikipedia (or your local library).
To say it politely, “Joseph Steel from Georgia” doesn’t know his posterior from his elbow about the July 20, 1944 attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler. For starters, Stauffenberg was shot at the Bendlerstrasse (the Berlin Headquarters of the German Army), not hung from piano wire as many of the July 20th conspirators were. Moreover, Stauffenberg was NOT a Nazi but a devout Roman Catholic who was deeply disturbed about the moral quandry he faced, that is, the morality of murdering — and that’s what he planned to do — even someone as evil as Hitler. Finally, while the July 20th plot was hatched after Germany was clearly losing World War II, there were at least 19 previous plots to try to either assassinate or arrest Hitler, many of which were undertaken when either Germany’s fate was still in doubt or, in fact, even prior to the start of the war. So the implication that the July 20th plot — or any other plot — was undertaken solely because Germany was losing the war is plain inaccurate.
I love that there are people on here equating the use of an accent with good acting and with doing one’s job. Why? You can’t be a good actor without using an accent or is it that not doing an accent when some people expect to means you are not doing the job you’re paid to do? To accent or not to accent is an artistic choice, not a matter of talent or satisfaction of job requirements. Aaagain, they are actually speaking German in the story, not English. We are suspending our disbelief and choosing to accept the English translation as reality. Insisting that they have to give us accents on top of that is just an odd convention that we should have long moved past.
Well, at least this trailer doesn’t look like an ad for SmileBrite the way the old one did.
On the other hand, Tom still doesn’t seem even remotely authentic. They should have hired David Strathairn instead. Or a Brit. Or ANYONE ELSE!
It’s not the fact that there are no German accents — it’s that Tom’s California accent is painfully obvious.
One brief comment on the lack of German accents: One of the legendary movies on World War II, Twentieth Century Fox’s 1951 “The Desert Fox — The Story of Rommel” wasn’t hurt at all by the fact that James Mason, portraying Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, spoke in that wonderful melifluous British accent of his, as did Sir Cedric Hardwicke who played German resistance member Dr. Karl Stroelin, the Lord High Mayor of Stutgart. All the other actors such as Jessica Tandy, Richard Boone, Everett Sloane, Edward Franz, and George MacReady spoke in their usual American accents. And incidentally, the great Yiddish actor, Luther Adler, happened to bear an uncanny, striking physical resemblance to Hitler and gave (in his perfect American accent) what is generally considered to be one of the best interpretations of Hitler every put on film.
I concur with the view that when portraying a person who would have spoken German, speaking English with an American accent is no more silly than speaking English with German accent. Subtitles, people!
On a related note it always irritated me when non-English speakers in movies speak English amongst themselves for no good reason, or worse, speak their native tongue, then revert to English when they get excited
So Stauffenberg was a “a devout Roman Catholic who was deeply disturbed about the moral quandry he faced”
Wikipedia quotes a letter he wrote to his wife while he was an officer in the invasion of Poland, “The population here are unbelievable rabble; a great many Jews and mixed folk. A folk that only feels good under the knout. The thousands of prisoners will be used well in our agriculture.”
btw, Wikipedia defines Knout as “s a heavy scourge-like multiple whip, usually made of a bunch of rawhide thongs attached to a long handle, sometimes with metal wire or hooks incorporated. ”
So this is what he while a member of a racist army bent on world domination, and invading a foreign country, causing mass destruction, suffering, and murder of civilians.
Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t find in Sraffenberg’s own words a man, who as ewk wrote” was deeply disturbed about the moral quandry he faced, that is, the morality of murdering — and that’s what he planned to do — even someone as evil as Hitler.”
Was Staffenberg technically a Nazi? Well, no, he didn’t join the party. But did he behave and believe as Nazis did? Yes. So you’re quibbling about party cards and not actions.
Further, Staffenberg was all gung-ho for invading countries and enslaving civilians until Hitler ordered the invasion of Russia in 1941, an idea so insanely destructive to Germany that even Hilter’s own deputy, Rodolf Hess, secretly flew in a panic to England and tried to negotiate peace between England and Germany before Hitler invades Russia. But Hess failed, Hitler invaded Russia, opened a two front war – and Germany was in a military disaster.
And it’s at the point that Stauffenburg, the choir boy, started thinking Hitler may not be such a good idea. Yeah. At that point. Certainly not when Stauffenberg was gleefully envisioning enslaving women and children into German agriculture. And as Germany started having its army wrecked by vengeful Russians, and the German populations feared Russians invading the mother land and taking vengeance…. the assassinations attempts start in ernest.
Including Stauffenberg’s in 1944 – three years after Russia’s invasion.
ewk wrote, “So the implication that the July 20th plot — or any other plot — was undertaken solely because Germany was losing the war is plain inaccurate.”
Well, solely, no. Mostly, yes. Look, I get for marketing the film and in Germany needing to find some good in their past, it’s nice to claim that Staufenberg was a nice guy caught in a bad place, but history is quite different. Or at least the history as experienced and taught in Europe – expect of course, in Germany.
And my mistake, you’re right. Stauffenberg was shot, not hung. Him being shot rather than hung made his assassination attempt eminently more successful.
Oh, and to Emily, who kindly recommends that I educate myself through Google or Wikipedia or my local library.
I want to let you know I’m from Europe, where WW2, the General’s Plot and Stauffenberg are as taught as history, not as a movie script.
Here’s a tagline for the next trailer:
“On December 26, you WIll cheer for guys in Nazi uniforms”
What?
” I never seen so many men obsessed with one guy’s life.”We know that 20% of potential viewers have a severe negative reaction to Cruise at this point” says who?”
The original comment was meant to point out the absurdly pollyanish figures put out by the studio analyst rather than focus on Cruise but since you ask…
For one Summer Redstone, who “estimated that Cruise’s off-screen behavior cost…‘Mission: Impossible III’ $100 million to $150 million in ticket sales.” Even from the pool of those who were predisposed to watch the movie that is well over 20%.
A 2006 Gallup Poll showed Cruise with a 51% unfavorable rating. Admittedly, both Redstone’s comments and the poll are from the height of Cruise’s curious behavior but his public acceptance has not shifted dramatically enough since then to bring that negatvie rating under 20%.
“Joseph Steel of Georgia” has mutated into “Uncle Joe Steel”. “Steel” in Russian, of course, is “Stalin” who was from Georgia in the Caucauses and was dubbed here in America during World War II as “Uncle Joe” and “Uncle Joe Stalin”. A wicked, ironic sense of humor has our “Uncle Joe Steel”.
But I digress. . .
To get to the meat of the matter, I would respectfully suggest that “Uncle Joe Steel” avail himself of resources beyond Wikipedia and what he learned in schools in Europe to educate himself about the Nazi era and about Stauffenberg. Having both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Modern European History with special emphasis on Modern German History and Military History and having spent more than 20 years immersing myself in these fields, I could, therefore, happily recommend to “Uncle Joe Steel”, if he so desires, a good couple of hundred books that might cause him to broaden his horizons and understanding about the subjects of Nazi Germany, World War II and Stauffenberg.
As to Stauffenberg, the fact that he held a dislike toward the “rabble” in Poland does not make him a Nazi, nor does it lessen the fact that Stauffenberg was a devout Roman Catholic. Due to the complicated, tortuous history between the Germans and the Poles, especially in light of several million Germans being placed under harsh Polish rule because of the Versailles Treaty in 1919, the views that Stauffenberg held about the “rabble” were nearly universally held in Germany even well before the Nazi seizure of power in 1933. And I do not claim that Stauffenberg was without sin — after all a church is not a museum for saints but a hospital for sinners and Stauffenberg would be the first to admit he was a fallible, sinful man. Nonetheless, virtually all historians concur that Stauffenberg was a devout Roman Catholic, detested Nazi ideology, and loathed everything about the Nazi apparatus of state.
As to the 19 or more plots to arrest or assassinate Hitler I mentioned in an earlier post, the common thread between them WASN’T “We’re losing the war, Hitler’s gotta go”. In point of fact, the common thread among these plots was “Hitler’s going to bring about the ruiniation of Germany” and “Uncle Joe Steel” should note that at least two of the plots occured PRIOR to the start of World War II, and one occured in November of 1939, shortly after the invasion of Poland when Germany was absolutely triumphant (an attempted assassination by a bomb that only failed because Hitler had some sixth sense premonition and left the Burgerbrau Keller, the sight of the bombing, 12 minutes before the bomb exploded that would absoultely have killed him). In the case of Stauffenberg’s assassination attempt, it is well-established that Stauffenberg viewed murdering Hitler as the way to save millions and millions of German lives and prevent the further physical destruction of Germany. Saving lives and preventing destruction as primary motivations is quite different from the motivation of “We’re losing the war so let’s get rid of Hitler and maybe we can cut a deal with the Allies.”
As to Stauffenberg’s moral quandry about the absolute necessity of committing murder — and high treason — it is well documented that Stauffenberg met repeatedly with his Priest-Confessor in Berlin and discussed this moral dilemma, his last visit being just prior to his traveling to Hitler’s headquarters to plant the bomb.
Incidentally, the German army (and Hitler) were NOT, as “Uncle Joe Steel” indicates “bent on world domination”. Masters of Europe — yes. Masters of the World? That’s just plain twaddle. Hitler never envisaged or planned for German world domination. The “bent on world domination” schtick is the kind of junk history peddled by William L. Shirer in “Look” Magazine 40 years ago.
But I digress. . .
The trailer was cool for the second time in a row. But my major problem is that for the second time in a row any actor in the film who isn’t Tom Cruise is being completely ignored. I don’t know about any one else, but the one actor I’m NOT looking forward to is Cruise. Show me some more of Bill Nighy or Tom Wilkinson or even some Eddie Izzard (I’m pretty sure that was him speaking when Tom was playing with the explosives). Still, at least in interviews, Cruise is only too willing to talk up the cast.
This has nothing to do with Scientology- which happens to be the hate monger push-plug for Cruise to blame the films failure upon when he has to meet with the investors after this film bankrupts them- he can then persuade them to take the tax write-off then invest in another film- a better film which he will only produce and not star in (yet at the last minute before filming begins he will step into the lead character due to problems and will take the role on for scale plus-ten and perks). This project will also fail because of the endless attacks from a group of pesky internet predators who go by the collective title Anonymous who will stop at nothing to destroy him and his precious belief systems- this blame-fest will end with Cruise in tears as he finally opens his heart and bares his sole(!) as he explains to an uninterested world how Anonymous penetrated his bond with Paula Wagoner and destroyed the relationship of a lifetime. Upon contacting Wagoner there will be a strange period of silence after which it will be revealed she mysteriously died from an unknown illness while en route to Tom’s emergency care specialist- in fact even her body will not be found- there will be an overturned ambulance, a white V for Vendetta mask will be found floating in a pool of blood.
Then again- it may have a happy ending when through no fault of his own- and God knows he tried with all he has- that Tom Cruise simply cannot act- and in the end the acceptance of this simple truth will finally close the chapter of pain and loss of wealth shared equally by theater goers everywhere. Tom’s memoir would be entitled- “He had the guts to try”…. and how many people can actually say that at the audiences expense?
Have you noticed how many trailers are put together the same way now? Small pieces of scenes interspersed with black screens. I’m so bugged by this that everytime I loose my interest in the new film.
Interesting. I think the critic’s whining about the film (let’s face it that’s what they’re doing) might actually draw a crowd-at least for opening weekend. The danger here is, I would guess the target audience would be “older”: 30’s and older (or anyone with an interest in WW2). Typically, folks in this demographic wait to see movies: to see how the critics review it-and to avoid the crowds. They might have shot themselves in the foot using Cruise (who is losing his audience) as the lead. Maybe someone like Daniel Craig would’ve been a better choice.
My guess is it will open to fair numbers, will leave theaters after one run, but will make up its losses overseas-especially in Germany, and in DVD sales/rentals.
for those of you who think middle america hates tom cruise, dont forget most people associate him with top gun, one of the most patriotic gung ho movies of the cold war
Wow….accents?! Frankly, the one thing that ruins the Hunt for Red October for me is Connery’s accent. I must agree with the common opinion here that if they don’t speak german with subtitles then English is just fine. I think the swastikas, feldgrau, and hitlers will be enough of a period clue.
In any case, as a WWII buff I am looking forward to this flick. Love Singer’s work, and the cast looks awesome (check out the featurette on rottentomatoes.) Even if Cruise mucks up this role, with a cast like that his drag wont mean as much…and that’s IF he drags.
Also, anonymous, your response to Uncle Joe Steel was priceless. Hope you don’t mind but I quoted your line about sinners and church on my facebook
Nikki, the memo might be optimistic to a fault, but taking a “look at these idiots” attitude is no more becoming. I almost hope the movie succeeds for no other reason than to sling some mud your way. THat being said….looking forward to it………Singer has yet to disappoint me.
The film just doesn’t look appealing. It doesn’t seem to have the spark. There are so many great war movies that have been done and have been done well – RECENTLY Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, Downfall – that people aren’t going to accept Tom Cruise in a Nazi uniform. I mean, the hype for Tarantino’s outrageously inaccurate Nazi-killin’ epic Inglorious Basterds has already surpassed this film — which might be very good in it’s own right — and Q.T.’s film hasn’t even been made yet. There is nothing exciting about another ‘based on true events’ WWII story.
20 mil opening weekend, tops, and from there, a slow trickle down to Blockbuster and Netflix.
Tom Cruise is the wrong actor for the lead role in this movie. I like Cruze but not for this one. Too bad though. It looks good otherwise. I might still watch it if I got the chance to borrow it maybe.
Forget the accent thing, the couch-jumping, etc. Do you really think that the average family will go out in droves to see a movie about a killer-Nazi at Christmas of all times. They probably would have done better to release it when it was the only thing to see in a movie drought. Instead, there’s Adam Sandler’s movie, and the crazy dog movie that will truly appeal to families (anyway) and it doesn’t leave much of an audience for this to do well during a movie-going holiday. If I wanted to be bored and depressed, I’d stay home. Most people go to be entertained.
With regards to the accent issue, if all the performers had roughly the same accent it would be less distracting but with English and American accents in the same film, it’s jarring — as if the costume department had dressed half the cast in nylon and the other half in wool. Every other department went all out for authenticity so why not the actors? Isn’t adopting accent supposed to be part of the craft? It comes out whenever they set a film in Ireland, so why not for a film set in Germany?
I don’t think Tom Cruise knows how to do an accent.
Yes the savages were out on this one in advance. “Why would people be so quick to criticize ahead of time…?” Because the corporate uber skankzer krup von dueschbag central at CAA or wherever decided ahead of time to hate on Tom Cruise ahead of time for some crap they read in a book by Andrew Morton which had absofookin lootely nothing to do with this film. In fact, said Krup worked so hard to derail the project they did manage to get it delayed until the wife of the actual hero, died in 2006 so at least she wouldn’t see her husband honored. Pity, corporate thinkspeak rules, there is no freedom, no art, no true commentary, merely duechebag beancounters pushing agendas. The film was excellent. I just saw it. If anyone is even interested in that salient point anymore.
which actor wouldve bn more convincing?- i think daniel craig after seeing him in his polish resistance movie wouldve bn great.Cruise dosent have enough depth-i find him too one dimensional.he dosent capture in reflective moments,the personal torment of compromising his his own & family’s safety.