I can't believe Hollywood is so out of ideas.

[Akira Tubo]

Do any of you remember the episode of Married, With Children in which a French exchange student came to live with the Bundys and subsequently took over being #1 school slut from Kelly?

Now there's a movie based on that!

Before Goldmember (in my theater anyway) there was a preview for a movie called "Slap Her, She's French!"  It's about an unintelligent, boy-obsessed cheerleader (hmm, kind of like Kelly!) who has all aspects of her life stolen by a . . . French exchange student.

I'm sure Married, With Children wasn't the first to use that plot but "Slap Her, She's French!" looks like it was determined to be as similar to the MWC episode as possible.

I can only shake my head and weep.

[Chris K.]

Ah Hollywood. The day has come that they are running out of ideas and either have to remake an older film with their so-called "new ideas" or result in an idea that is less satisfactory. It's amazing that in the independent department, they are coming up with ideas that are new and yet when shown to Hollywood moguels they are either unimpressed or complain that it's not "big budget". Then the next year or so, Hollywood comes up with a new film that's the same as the independent product that they have alreadly seen!

[Nick]

I think the real problem now is that the hollywood machine has been on automatic to long and now they are afraid to shift down and take the wheek again.  They are so paranoid to try something new that they are only looking with tunnel vision toward the ideas that they know will be a success to the masses.  Actual value in an idea is side stepped so that they can get "public appeal", or for that matter critical aclaim (from critics whom I am convinced watch movies with their hands over eyes and ear...something about 3 monkies?) and that is now what gauges what a sucess their half-assed creation was.  I have seen better movies lately that are HBO produced straight to Cable or for that matter just watching old movies...because as the first message indicated it is more or less the same ideas, movies and I am not out the ticket cost.

[Susan]

Hollywood fears something new. A sequel of a famous movie guarantees perhaps the same profit ballpark. It's about money. Taking a chance of a movie with A. unknown actors B. risky topic or C. no special effects is way too much for them to even conceive. Leave that for smaller studios..who can make better films but don't have the money to really market it.

Then you have to compete with mass merchendising. Before a movie is even comitted to paper I can bet you that execs sit around a table and first contemplate how much money they can make in merchendising the Soundtrack, if the movie can be sequeled, toys, mcdonalds or burger king deals..etc.

It's always been about trying to make money but substance is being sacrificed for "formula" way too much these days by trying to play it -safe-

[John]

>Then you have to compete with mass merchendising. Before a movie is even
>comitted to paper I can bet you that execs sit around a table and first
>contemplate how much money they can make in merchendising the Soundtrack,
>if the movie can be sequeled, toys, mcdonalds or burger king deals..etc.

 There was a commercial like that a year or two ago. I forget what it was for, but they were discussing a movie called Death Slug. The execs were showing the boss the music video, the toys, etc. and when he asks about the movie itself, one of them replies "We don't have a script yet, but we can bang one out by Friday."

[Steven Millan]

                        A pre-fame Milla Jovovich was that French exchange chick,on that very episode,proving to Al Bundy that she was the stupidest girl in the world,as Kelly was the stupidest girl in America(and damn proud of it).

[Neville]

Not the only case of TV-to-movie plagierism I have heard of, the main idea of "40 days and 40 nights" was taken from a Seinfeld episode, as many people have noticed.

Anyway, it is common practice these days. Can't remind how many movies I have seen where terrorist assault any type of buildings and are defeated by people who shouldn't be there, or how many dumb action movies involve stolen nuclear weapons.

[Kyla]

Milla was that girl!??!
wow ! would i love to see that episode!
or better yet... get a copy of it...
i have WAY to many guy friends obecessed with her...
ahhahaha

[Private Joker]

John wrote:
>  There was a commercial like that a year or two ago. I forget
> what it was for, but they were discussing a movie called
> Death Slug. The execs were showing the boss the music video,
> the toys, etc. and when he asks about the movie itself, one
> of them replies "We don't have a script yet, but we can bang
> one out by Friday."

Slug burger: You put salt on it, it SHRIVELS.

[Akira Tubo]

I thought it was a slug taco.

[John]

>wow ! would i love to see that episode!
>or better yet... get a copy of it...

FX airs Married With Children weeknights at 11pm.

[yaddo42]

Or if an original idea appears in a foreign film, Hollywood buys the rights and remakes it as typical Hollywood boilerplate crap. I'm trying to imagine how watered down an American version of AUDITION would be. I haven't seen RING  yet, but I've heard about the remake. Hmmm.

Or a talented overseas actor or director comes to America and either gets stuck making crap (Ringo Lam) or is ruined by their exposure to America (John Woo). I wish Jean Reno would make more films in America like RONIN and THE PROFESSIONAL, instead of ROLLERBALL or GODZILLA. A French flick like THE CRIMSON RIVERS proves that he can carry a mainstream actioner or thriller even when the story is not so great.