A look at why "Milk" has stalled at the box office...
Despite eight Oscar nominations, "Milk" just barely managed to pass the $25 million mark at the box office last weekend. It's been a bit of a head-scratcher why a movie that has had so much good buzz and came out of the gate on fire in limited release, has not expanded successfully.
AfterElton.com writer Brent Hartinger looks at what might have gone wrong in an article posted on the site today. I'm among the people he interviewed for the piece. I'm in good company - he also interviews Roger Ebert!
Here is a LINK to the story: Why Did "Milk" Go Sour?
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About Out
in Hollywood
Greg Hernandez authored Out In Hollywood for the Daily News from June 2006 to February 2009. He can now be found at Greg In Hollywood: www.greginhollywood.com
Oh, cmon.
This question is so obvious.
It didn't do well because no one in main stream america really cares about this. Look at the grosses for Frost/Nixon, The Reader, The Wrestler, Rev Road. I am surprised it did THIS well.
And then look at the hits. Paul Blart, Taken, Not Into You.
For the most part, America doesn't want to see biographical dramas. Throw in the gay factor and wham, forget it! Furthermore, I am willing to bet that 99% of straight Americans have never heard of Milk (and I bet a majority of gays too!) I don't think it is a homophobic thing so much as it is an ambivalence thing.
I write, not only to state the obvious, but also to note that the fact that you are asking is really the problem. Gay people far too often forget that the world is not NYC and Los Angeles. In most of the country (heck, in most of the state of California as it turns out) people are either anti-gay or just ambivalent about the gay community. Now I am not saying that the marketing failed or there was blockbuster potential here, but we have to stop being surprised that the world is not on our side and we won't be GIVEN equal rights, we need to FIGHT FOR THEM.
Whew, enough ranting for today.
Good post. I agree and could not have said it better. Who cares about San Francisco politics. Hell, in most of the Bay Area here we could care less about that hell hole. Famalies are leaving this strange place in real time and in real life. Schools are closing and people are bailing out of here faster than they are Londonstan.