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Why do they do this?

S

StarStuff

Regular
Why do they release so many 'good' movies at one of the busiest times of year? Yes, the late year release is to get films out so they will be remembered at Oscar voting time. But isn't making large amounts of money the primary reason films are made. Wouldn't they make more money by releasing films when there is a chance of a larger audience.

Right now, in our local paper, there are eighteen new movies listed with three or four stars. (Three stars mean 'worthy effort' and four stars mean 'outstanding.') During the fall we sometimes looked for a movie worth seeing and couldn't find any. Who has the time, desire or money to see even a few of these new films. We have seen only two movies in the last four months - "Nemesis" and "Two Towers."
 
They *are* trying to make money.

First of all, the holiday period is one the biggest movie-going times of the year. If you don't think so, just look at the box office numbers over the last month or month and a half and compare them those of the autumn. You might argue (with some validity) that this is a self-fulfilling prophecy, that the numbers are bigger now because better movies are being released now. The fact remains that this is a time of year when history shows the studios that they can attract a large audiance to these movies.

Secondly, getting remembered in award season (especially by the Oscars) does also lead to making more money. Movies that garner major and / or numerous nominations tend to get a second burst of box office revenues as more people go to check out what the fuss is about, or so that they can feel like they have an informed opinion on Oscar night. Movies that *win* numerous or major Oscars then usually get yet another push at the box office. Big winners can also usually get more for broadcast rights and then can put those extra marketing phrases on the video releases (Winner of X Academy Awards).
 
I would also imagine the prestige of the award benefits the studio in the long run, since most people work for the same studio for a while.
 
Yes, it's all about money.

Here's a quote from a recent newspaper article, "The real reason the academy nominates mostly recent films is not because it can't remember the earlier films, but because an Oscar can't help a film that has already played out in theaters and on video. The studios put their promotional clout behind films that are still in theaters, or newly on video. It takes an extraordinary film from early in the year to swim against this tide."
 
Hey take a look at a movie like road to perdition which hardly got a nod since it was released so long ago.

Phil
 
If Two Towers didn't get any or many nods, it's probably because fantasy isn't taken too seriously. More than that, they probably don't want three movies of the same thing to dominate the awards for three years.
 
I don't think there is any threat of TTT not getting *any* nominations. Even with the "they were just here last year" prejudice, I think that the work with Gollum (which was largely new to this installment) makes them a mortal lock in visual effects.

However, I suspect that GKE has a point and they won't get as many noms as last year. They may get shut out of the major categories. Of the relatively major Oscars I think that TTT has pretty fair shot at getting and Adapted Screenplay nom (but unlikely to win). There is a smaller chance that they will get a Best Picture nom and the Jackson will get a Best Director nom. I wouldn't be overly surprised by a snub in either or both of those categories, though. I think it is unlikely that TTT will get any acting nominations.
 
Here's a quote from a recent newspaper article, "The real reason the academy nominates mostly recent films is not because it can't remember the earlier films, but because an Oscar can't help a film that has already played out in theaters and on video. The studios put their promotional clout behind films that are still in theaters, or newly on video. It takes an extraordinary film from early in the year to swim against this tide."
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Man ... just when I think I need to stop being so cynical I read something like this.

So, basically the Oscars are an industry construct to help their films make more money, and films don't get nominated if the Academy feels they were released too long ago for an Oscar nomination to help it to do that.

No wonder I usually don't agree with most of the winners!

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So, basically the Oscars are an industry construct to help their films make more money, and films don't get nominated if the Academy feels they were released too long ago for an Oscar nomination to help it to do that.
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If that's the case, there's no point in watching The Academy Awards, or placing any weight on whether or not something's won an Oscar. It's not based upon merit, but rather how they can manipulate us into buying more stuff.


No wonder I usually don't agree with most of the winners!
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Also, no wonder I have not seen and have no desire to go see most of the nominated movies. Hell, I've barely even heard of 'em, and they don't even sound interesting.
 
Wouldn't the studios have made tons of money if they had released one of the current 4 star movies in October or November and promoted it heavily? That way they could have taken advantage of the fact that there were few movies worth anyone's time or money. They could have cornered the market and made more money than their current strategy of hoping for (or buying) a Oscar nomination.
 
All I really know is that the December period is when most people go to see movies. I think it's like a studio's make or break month.
 
Yes, there is a summer "spike" period for hollywood releases too, isn't there.

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It just shows you that it's the kids dictating the box office. Biggest earning times = when the kids are out of school.
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Even if marketing is not the motivation behind the Oscars why would you put any weight into the elderly of the film industry getting hernias from the strain of patting themselves on the back?
 
Even if marketing is not the motivation behind the Oscars why would you put any weight into the elderly of the film industry getting hernias from the strain of patting themselves on the back?
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I sincerely believe that that is the best description of the Oscars I have ever heard in my life!
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I'm a horrible hypocrite, however.
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I literally stood up and cheered when Tom Hanks won the Oscor for best actor for "The Philidelphia Story".

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So I'm a hypocrite when it comes to the Oscars.
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