Terminator: Genisys

[Bryce]

I stopped watching after Terminator 3, so I guess I'm just going to have to die stupid

Bryce.

[seanb]

Well, Terminator: Genisys kind of flopped at the box office, so I think the chance of further sequels up to T99 has been diminished now. Unless this film does really well in China that is, but I doubt it...

I read an article on why films that flop do so well in China.
Basically China has only started receiving foreign films, to do with having to be passed by the govt first but the rules are relaxed now, and are lapping up anything that comes their way because it's new to them.
They have the same unrefined taste the west had years ago so I don't know how much the film needs to make but the quality of the film won't hold it back.
they'll go in droves.

[seanb]

I stopped watching after Terminator 3, so I guess I'm just going to have to die stupid

Bryce.

You will,  you watched 3.


I do really like the action scenes in 3.

[Morn]

James Cameron will regain the Terminator license back to him in 2019.

Cameron has already said he will only do Avatar sequels from now on, so maybe he will sell his license right back to Paramount. More dough for the movies with the big blue Smurf people from outer space. 

I stopped watching after Terminator 3, so I guess I'm just going to have to die stupid

Bryce.

Well, I watched the film and still can't remember what the reason for the strange name was (or much of anything else about the movie in fact). I think Arnold is starring though, that much I remember. 

I read an article on why films that flop do so well in China.
Basically China has only started receiving foreign films, to do with having to be passed by the govt first but the rules are relaxed now, and are lapping up anything that comes their way because it's new to them.
They have the same unrefined taste the west had years ago so I don't know how much the film needs to make but the quality of the film won't hold it back.
they'll go in droves.

To be fair, these new movies from warmed over old franchises like Jurassic Park and Terminator are not actually that bad. I mean OK, even absolute crap like Pacific Rim works in China right now, but T:G isn't quite in the same category. The fact that the movie flopped hard in the US had more to do with Schwarzenegger's failed marriage and terrible political career, not so much the movie per se. Genisys is like a best-of retread of T1 and T2 with much better VFX, so if the Chinese like it I can't fault them. Western audiences have just become a bit jaded.

[Bryce]

I read an article on why films that flop do so well in China.
Basically China has only started receiving foreign films, to do with having to be passed by the govt first but the rules are relaxed now, and are lapping up anything that comes their way because it's new to them.
They have the same unrefined taste the west had years ago so I don't know how much the film needs to make but the quality of the film won't hold it back.
they'll go in droves.

I stopped trying to understad TV/Movie decisions a long time ago. They seem to lack all signs of logic. A good example here in Germany at the moment: There was a series in the UK called Shameless. Excellent series, even won some awards I think. The Yanks tried to make their own version which was of course a complete flop. So the show arrives in Germany... The US version!!! Don't the TV series buyers read reviews??  The exact same thing happened with other series: Weed, IT Crowd. They make the same mistake every time and then they're suprised when they have to pull the show because nobody watches it!

Bryce.

[seanb]

Immature taste i think was the phrase used about the Chinese.
They haven't had much exposure to western films so are in a honeymoon phrase but as they watch more and become used to it their taste will grow...

Because shades of grey and twilight show a refined palette but at least there might be less sequels to bad films thanks to China and I'm not calling terminator bad as I haven't seen it.

As for Germany I've been under the impression they lap up anything American but as for shameless, never watched either version, i hear Emmy Rossum spends a fair bit of time in a less than fully dressed way.
That's almost enough to make me watch it.

I still won't

[Bryce]

She's in the US version, don't bother. The UK version is much better even without her.

Bryce.

[Morn]

I stopped trying to understad TV/Movie decisions a long time ago. They seem to lack all signs of logic. A good example here in Germany at the moment: There was a series in the UK called Shameless. Excellent series, even won some awards I think. The Yanks tried to make their own version which was of course a complete flop. So the show arrives in Germany... The US version!!! Don't the TV series buyers read reviews??  The exact same thing happened with other series: Weed, IT Crowd. They make the same mistake every time and then they're suprised when they have to pull the show because nobody watches it!

Bryce.

These kinds of series are probably not sold individually but as package deals bundled with other series, so US versions have an easier time getting marketed around the world than UK series. Also UK series typically have very few episodes per season, while US series stick to 26 or so, which broadcasters prefer.

And e.g. Downton Abbey is a UK series that was made for the US market (same with Game of Thrones) and financed by US cable channels, so even if they are ostensibly European series, they really are in the same category. So we get to see DA and GoT in Germany too because they have the US marketing connection.

UK television was very popular in Germany in the 80s (Fawlty Towers, Benny Hill, Mr Bean, Brideshead Revisited, Monty Python, ...) but these days it's mostly just Sherlock and Midsomer Murders. 

[seanb]

Thats probably all the uk has that's worth exporting these days.

Comedy is mostly topical panel shows while excellent and extremely funny won't sell abroad

[Morn]

Comedy is mostly topical panel shows while excellent and extremely funny won't sell abroad

Personally I'm fed up with all the US/UK/German crime dramas on all channels and would like to see more comedy and perhaps some good SciFi. I know Star Trek: Enterprise sucked, but there are days when I want it back. GoT is decently nerdy but not a full replacement for a Star Trek TV series.

What I don't understand is why we never see Doctor Who on German TV. It's like an embargo or something. Very mysterious. I guess a US network has to pick it up first, then it will be on German free TV the next month. 

[seanb]

Historically Australia tends to get dr who before anyone else including at times the uk.

Maybe because there's a lot of Nazi or ww2 episodes German networks won't touch it?

[Morn]

Maybe because there's a lot of Nazi or ww2 episodes German networks won't touch it?

Most Germans love nothing more than guilt tripping about the Nazi era, so normally that shouldn't be an issue. 

[Bryce]

I prefer comedy AND SciFi. If there's nothing on TV I put on one of my Red Dwarf DVDs and enjoy some real UK SciFi Comedy

Bryce.

[robcfg]

Red Dwarf is one of the best shows ever!

[EgoTrip]

They are filming new Red Dwarf, im cautiously optimistic.

[Morn]

I prefer comedy AND SciFi. If there's nothing on TV I put on one of my Red Dwarf DVDs and enjoy some real UK SciFi Comedy

What if I'd prefer this to be a TV series? Especially if Stephen Fry could narrate every week? 

[seanb]

They are filming new Red Dwarf, im cautiously optimistic.

The last ref dwarf set in corrie was very good.
Looking forward to the new one

[mr_lou]

I stopped trying to understad TV/Movie decisions a long time ago. They seem to lack all signs of logic. A good example here in Germany...
...
They make the same mistake every time and then they're suprised when they have to pull the show because nobody watches it!

This applies to almost anything nowadays I think.
Lots and lots of incredible stupid decisions all over the place. I'm surprised how various companies manage to survive all these stupid decisions. Makes me think it can't be that difficult to be independent.
I think it has a very simple explanation:
It's ultimately 1 guy who makes the decisions. And it wasn't his (lack of) skills that got him the job. It was more likely because he's a family member or something.
Yes, the world really is that simple, however incredible it may sound.

[Morn]

P.S. It looks like the Chinese box office miracle might be happening after all for Terminator: Genisys. Yay, sequels! Or OMG, sequels, depending on your particular viewpoint... 

Terminator Genisys tops Chinese box office, might lead to sequel | News |

Even though it seemed impossible, it looks like the Terminator franchise might be back. Terminator Genisys almost killed the machines-killing-humans franchise once again by earning so poorly in the States, but then Chinese audiences stepped in to make it one of the country's best openers of all time.