Giles

when a studio has no desire for a film of theirs to make any money - I question their policies.....

nothing in the DC area - lame

Zen Peckinpah

I remember reading one of Jessica Simpson's movies got dumped in a few second-runs in Texas and it actually got pulled in less than a week. Understandably, it got torn apart, but this movie has gotten some pretty decent reviews.

Which is weird, as Lionsgate has had an impressive track record of balancing great genre offerings (Crank, Devil's Rejects, Rambo) and Oscar bait (Crash, Away from Her, Fahrenheit 9/11) and being pretty damn good with marketing (not on stuff that looks like shit, obviously, but still).

Julie Walker

I also remember seeing the trailer earlier this year before Rambo. Was that in Janurary or February? I forgot,but it was when Rambo opened.

I was looking forward to it,as it said March something was the release date. And then it kept being changed around, and now finally comes to this. But it was the main film of what I'm aware is coming out anyway, that I did want to see.

I don't care about The Dark Knight(& still haven't seen Batman Begins) and practically everything else out in theaters currently. I was waiting for the 'Train' as my next definite theatrical venture.


I might try to see it tomorrow at the dollar theater. It's only playing in one 30 minutes away. I don't know the quality of this theater at all though. So I'm a bit worried at the same time.

Seantn

There's quite a controversy with this movie a brewin'.

You see, the new head of LionsGate is Joe Drake. He fired the old guy, and he appears to be trying to make all of that old guys movies tank so as to say "See, his movies bombed, good thing I'm in charge." They've done a few stories about this on Bloody-Disgusting.

Not only that, but Midnight Meat Train was supposed to come out in May, but Joe Drake, new head of LionsGate, pushed it back because he had produced the movie "The Strangers" that was coming out at the same time from a different studio, even though he was now at LionsGate. So he bumped MMT off to August 1st and released it only in dollar theaters.

Because of the whole dollar theater thing, it really can't be denied that it is clearly being set up to flop. How can a movie make a good profit when you only charge people $1 to see it? You simply can't.

True_Story1011

enough with the talk about dollar theatre showings...

WHERE'S THE REVIEWS!?

Supermallet

While the length to which Drake is going is a bit absurd, this really isn't too different from when any other studio changes their upper management. Usually any movie that was in the previous administration's good graces gets dumped on, while movies that were sitting in limbo suddenly have a chance of getting picked up.

Zodiac_Speaking

Even if this film is an "eh" I still want to see it! Usually LGF does a good job at these types of films and if this is a new direction they're going in then that's a shame. Or wy didn't they just hold it till September?

All these remakes get 1000s of screens and are shit, at least this comes out of an original story. Geez....thank God for DVD.

Supermallet

For those in LA, the Nuart is doing a one time midnight screening of the film on August 15th. The director will be there as well. You can order advance tickets at tickets.landmarktheatres.com. I already got a pair myself.

Giantrobo

That sounds like a blast! I have to work that night but I'll be there in spirit as I pass right by the Nuart on the 405 around that time.

Julie Walker

I'm unsure if I will see this in theaters now. I read some reviews on the theater it's playing at,and it's scaring me away. I always have to watch my money right now, with my work hours being cut drastically. So I can't realy waste all that gas driving out to this theater.

Also i'm depressed right now,and a grim horror film wouldn't be a good thing for me right now. Unless my mood changes before it's out of the theater. I'll probably just wait for the dvd.

RichC2

Requiem for a Dream cheers me up, grim movies can occasionally chirp people up

That should be interesting. Ryuhei Kitamura finally gets to break into US cinema and it gets short changed due to studio politics, wonder how thats got to feel.

The O

The Brookdale?

Oh, it's fine. It's a dump, but hardly a violent, crime-infested place many might have you believe. Just bring a popcorn offering for the great mouse king, and his minions will leave your feet alone.

Personally, I didn’t care for the picture (the crowd I watched the film with booed the flick), and some e-mail has trickled in proclaiming me dead wrong about this movie. However, when I press these faceless few for specifics, they fold like a towel.

So, for those who have seen it and enjoyed it, I would love to read a little more in-depth discussion on the positives.

Julie Walker

Yeah, they can make you realise you're life is not as bad

Speaking of which. I haven't watched Pink Floyd: The Wall since 2003 I think. That's one depressing,but amazing movie in my opinion. Maybe I should give my dvd a spin tonight?



Well I'm still unsure about going there, after complaints of it smelling like urine and being such a dump. So it's still a huge wait and see.

I might go if I can get a ride out there to save on gas. A guy friend of mine loves gory horror movies and keeps asking me what's being released. So I should see if he's interested in going to it or not. I just left him a message and said the film may not be there in a couple days,so to let me know.

I was so depressed last night that even ABBA couldn't cheer me up when played at the club! So I'm unsure if seeing Mamma Mia! would lift my spirits or not. That was my other film option to check out sometime to get me out of this funk. At least I know it'd be in a quality theater

I'm sure I'll feel better soon though. But just sad one of my best friends moved away today,and last night was our final night out together. So I kind of wish Midnight Meat Train opened wide months ago as originally planned. Since I would have saw it in a flash, instead of being uncertain right now with all that is going on.

RichC2

Go watch Mars Attacks! the sight of stampeding cows set ablaze with poor CG perks anyone up !!

Or not, but regardless.

Hopefully Midnight Meat Train will get a proper home release at least, this entire thing is complete bullshit.

clappj

Saw this last night, and thought it was very enjoyable!
They stuck to Barker's storyline pretty well, including the ending (which I was pleasantly surprised by).

Damn shame this will likely be the end of what Barker had hoped would be several of the Books of Blood stories being made into films!

Gunde

Yeah but why? Don't they wan't to make money?
I simply don't get it when any company shelves a movie. That has to cost more than risk making some money on a release..

Supermallet

For these guys, ego is more important than money.

Edit: And more than that, if the movie makes money, then the new guy can't justify being the replacement for the old guy, because the old guy's movies are making good money.

The O

Some more answers on DHD today...

"For those of you who are claiming that this is all “conspiracy theories” drummed up by bitter horror fans, I can tell you, THIS IS A TRUE SNUB FROM JOE DRAKE.

I worked on this film (yes, above the line) and have knowledge of the conference room dealings from when the original script was bought, the production of the film under Lakeshore’s guidance, through Peter Block’s departure and most recently during this dust-up over LGF’s decision to deliberately wipe the horror fans noses in their own sh!t.

Here’s some cold hard fact:

1) Drake produced The Strangers and wanted to clear the schedule for counter-programming in May. His hard R horror flick made over $50 million FOR ANOTHER STUDIO THAN THE ONE HE IS RUNNING.

2) Meat Train was put on the back burner and the decision was made to release without advertising support. That is fine. That is LGF’s choice and right. They had a deal requiring at least 100 screens, so that’s what they promised the producers and fans for the Aug 1st release.

3) they refused to release a list of any theaters to ANYONE involved with the film. When I spoke to a rep at LGF they promised the film would be in all the major urban centers at the usual LGF chains, etc. THIS WAS A BOLD FACE LIE TO KEEP THE FANS AWAY FROM THE FILM.

4) There are additional fees due to various parties involved with this film if it were to gross a meager $250 K on opening weekend. This in not profit participation (which started around $20 mil) and would have not been a huge amount of money. Far less than the amount of money the film would have made if released without any ad support in decent theaters with decent ticket prices where fans had prior knowledge and they were located in urban areas were they could find it.

5) Joe Drake has a well known personal vendetta against Peter Block and more recently Clive Barker. His desire was to quietly dump their movie and move on. What he didn’t take into account was the FANS who built LGF (and also pumped up his own resume with films of questionable quality like Boogeyman, The Eye, Strangers, etc…) would feel deserted and betrayed and would take offence to this action. He deserves hte hate mail and heat.

6) LGF could have easily let word of mouth drive Meat Train to a few million bucks if they just chucked it out to normal theaters (I’m not talking the Arclight… just your average Mann or Amc in a city near you). The money that they DIDN’T EARN by taking this vindictive approach is being paid for by the producing partners, the shareholders and the fans. THIS IS BAD BUSINESS and Drake should be held accountable to his board!

7) For those of you who want to hate on the film itself. Go ahead. We’re in the horror business. We’re used to people slamming our product for the crazy titles, gruesome violence and often questionable production value. The thing is, Meat Train, was at the very least a cut above the average horror film and had a strong buzz and want-to-see in the market. The issue here is not the film, but the way it was handled and how personal vendettas got in the way of good business practice and fan loyalty.

And that’s why you should have no qualms about posting this story Nikke, you aren’t supporting this kind of films but simply reporting, with factual evidence, on the state of a very lucrative part of the film business.

As for the rest of you haters, go ahead and cry liar and point your fingers and laugh at the title and look down your noses… but those of us who spent YEARS of our life trying to deliver something that the Clive Barker fans would appreciate can still sleep well at night knowing that our little film wasn’t a flop, it was DUMPED in the most humiliating way by an ego maniac who was caught acting like a angry six year old and in the process pissed off a lot of people.

We also know that the TRUE FANS love the film and feel very gratified that Clive’s work was treated with respect and not watered down into PG-13 pablum with the hope of drawing in a bunch of unwitting teens.

And for those of you who support the film, LONG LIVE THE MEAT!!!!"

Matthew Chmiel

LGF, it was good knowing you. I look forward to more shitty Tyler Perry films and Meet the Disaster Movie Epic Spartans.

I still have a gut feeling that Saw V is going to be the first Saw film to misfire at the box office, especially with High School Musical 3 opening in it's same weekend. Counter-programing? Yes, but I am also friends with a bunch of schmucks who want to see High School Musical 3.

My Other Self

Aren't those Fox?

Seantn

The new film Disaster Movie is LionsGate.

As for Saw V failing, I feel that this is the point in the series where each film makes less and less money, but I'm not sure if it'll fail (especially since they keep the budgets so low, right around $10 million).

I actually really thought that part 4 would be the first one to fail, and it still made a lot of money (but not as much as the previous ones)

Matthew Chmiel

Saw IV had the second highest opening weekend for the franchise ...

... BUT had the largest second weekend drop for the franchise (almost 70%).

The film put a BAD taste in everyone's mouth, so who knows what fate has in store for Saw V.

GatorDeb

Thanks for info. Although if it was all the way in Tropicana, gas would have negated any savings! (95 and Craig here).

candyrocket786

So I'm guessing this will be a film destined for "cult status" in the years to come?

Matthew Chmiel

It was located on Tropicana and Pecos (i.e. on the outer edges of the ghetto).

Vegas had a slew of second-run theaters in the '90s, but all of them went under leaving Tropicana Cinemas being the only one until a few months ago.