How Big Brand Bias Ruined Sci-Fi's Funniest Movie, And Independent Publishers Saved It
Posted by Joshua Tyler | Published
Idiocracy it is now considered one of the funniest and most predictable science fiction films ever made. But it probably wasn't. When released, Idiocracy it was a big bomb. No one saw it, Idiocracy it didn't make any money, and it was out of theaters in less than a week. You only know that it exists now because of the work of fans and independent publishers.
Idiocracy's the failure was not accidental. Despite the high potential of Mike Judge's comedy to become a box office-hit, 20th Century Fox decided to end the film before it had a chance, and the reasons for the decision of the big company will probably be very familiar to those of you who follow it. and what Google has done to this website in direct and independent publishing in general.
How Corporate Bias for Big Brands Killed Slavery
By the director of time Mike Judge you are done doing Office Location, Beavis, and Butthead's His debut was ten years in the background, and he was looking for another job. This time he wanted to make a time travel film that satirized the current direction of American culture. Fox had already made a lot of money working with Mike Judge, so they gave him a sponsorship to do it.
Jaji called his new comedy film, Idiocracy.
How Fox Destroyed Mike Judge's Movie, On Purpose
With a brilliant script, Mike Judge directing, and a major film studio backing, Idiocracy they seem ready to make an interesting play. There was only one major problem: 20th Century Fox decided to destroy the film—on purpose.
It was in March 2005 that things started to go wrong. Idiocracy it was screened for test audiences, and the reaction was so bad that 20th Century Fox ordered a wave of remakes that would push the film's release date back forever.
By April 2006, Judge had the Fox team comfortable enough with the film to announce a September 2006 release. Fox agreed to release it, possibly because they were contractually required. That contract did not require them to do anything else.
While the film's September 1, 2006 release date began, Idiocracy he was dead when he arrived. Fox made sure of that by releasing it in only 130 theaters across the country, to viewers who didn't know it existed.
Fox never marketed the movie. At all. Idiocracy I never even got a trailer for the movie.
The only advertising materials anyone saw were two low-resolution images, which were obtained by a number of independent sites, such as Cinema Blend, and did their best to promote them. It wasn't much to work with.
People can't go see a movie if they don't know it's there. And no one knew Idiocracy it was there.
Killing Idiocracy
I only knew it existed because I was involved in Mike Judge's deep dive with my first independent entertainment news site, Cinema Blend. Very few other sites, and mostly not big brands, were talking about the next Judge movie, at all.
Idiocracy it was not pre-screened by critics, so the day it was released, I drove to the only theater in Dallas, Texas that was showing it, intending to buy a ticket. The movie wasn't on the theater's marquee lineup, and the ticket seller looked confused when I asked him to pay to see it. He had to check with his manager, before taking my cash (people still used those green paper things back then) and ushering me in.
An aisle marker showing which theater Idiocracy was playing in the middle, looking like it was printed on a Cinemark theater manager's personal inkjet. The theater where the movie was playing was empty, I watched it alone and laughed alone.
Two days later, that Cinemark stopped showing the film altogether. It didn't last a week, but it was fun, and the dozen or so people who actually saw it, loved it.
My review was one of 5 posted online and ranked on Rotten Tomatoes. Only three of those reviews were correct; predictably, the worst came from one of the two major outlets that reviewed it, a scathing critic at Entertainment Weekly.
Idiocracy ended its theatrical run after one week, grossing less than $500,000 at the worldwide box office.
Fox Destroyed Idiocracy for the Same Reason Google Destroys Independent Publishers
Fox killed his own movie. Why? Many people now believe that they are afraid of offending their corporate partners.
In all of them Idiocracycorporate America is cast as the main antagonist and the main cause of the anti-intellectual culture that has destroyed the world. The film captures the brutal changes in companies like Starbucks.
In the future, Starbucks stopped serving coffee and started serving blowjobs. Costco is now its own downtown district.
President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Camacho, played by Terry Crews, embodies this corporate satire. He is a former professional wrestler and sex star who delivers loud and stupid speeches while addressing the nation and firing guns.
In an interview with GQ in 2018, Terry Crews admitted that real advertisers poured money into the movie.thinking that they will get a good image. They were shocked when they saw that Idiocracy they turned their businesses into full-service massage parlors and accused them of destroying the entire world.
If Crews is right, it confirms that Fox was afraid of upsetting his business friends but was also contractually required to release the film. So they took it out, while doing everything they could to make sure no one saw it. All in an effort to avoid making big brands crazy.
Ironically, this was the same excuse that Google recently gave independent websites, when asked why they were giving old media special treatment. Some things, they don't change.
Mike Ijaji Still Won't Say Anything Bad About Fox
Taking a communicative approach, Mike Judge often points to the film's negative reviews as the reason Idiocracy I never got a Starbucks style full release. Judge also says that Fox always believed that the film would eventually become a cult classic with audiences.
I'm not sure I buy it. He sounds like someone who is trying not to upset his corporate partners.
However, that is true Idiocracy it quickly became a cult classic, and not because of Fox.
How Independent Publishers Team Up With Fans To Save Idiocracy
A few independent websites have been reviewed Idiocracythey work hard to spread the word. When Idiocracy came out on DVD, an independent website supporting readers who had seen places like Cinema Blend talking about it for months, picked up a copy and gave it a go.
Those people watched the DVD, laughed to themselves, and quickly turned away. They shared Idiocracy their friends and their friends share it with their friends.
Thanks to all the live sharing of Mike Judge's film and the support of independent entertainment sites, now almost everyone knows that Idiocracy it is a time-consuming intellectual exercise.
You will also see the praise of those big media companies that ignored you, back when they would have had to pay to see.
Is it Idiocracy have they become an old religion without independent media? It's amazing and I'd like to think so, but the movie was so completely buried by Fox that it's hard to know.
What we do know is that the situation will not repeat itself, as Google continues to shut down independent media and small publishers, pushing them off the Internet.
Judge Mike's Journey to Idiocracy
To understand what is happening Idiocracyyou need to understand the creator of the time travel movie, Mike Judge.
In 1993, Jaji scored his first big break with the debut of Beavis and Butthead. It was an MTV cartoon about two young boys who are not very good and always find themselves in trouble. In between making fun of MTV music videos, of course.
This show has become something of a lightning rod of controversy, especially in vigilante groups Beavis and Butthead its anti-cultural reputation and presentation of its creator's work. Judge found more success after the TV show when Beavis and his friend got a hit movie called Beavis and Butthead Do America.
Soon after, Mike Judge launched a popular series called King of the Hill on Fox. On the set, he switched to live action by writing and directing the funniest comedy film ever Office Location. He got Jennifer Aniston to co-star, in one of his first major film roles.
Mike Judge was on the list when he decided to act Idiocracy in 2005. Now she is so traumatized by the incident that she can't even talk about it.
Idiocracy Visits a Future Full of Stupidity
Since 2005, Idiocracy focuses on Luke Wilson's Joe Bauers, a middle-aged member of the United States Army. Joe is devastated when he learns that he is being removed from his post as secretary of war to participate in a government-mandated sleep study. He is joined in the trial by an animator named Rita, who may have been hired because she will do anything for money.
Joe entered the trial with the assurance that it would only last a year. Unfortunately, the government forgot about the project after its lead researcher was arrested for illegal activities. Joe wakes up 500 years later in a world very different from the one he remembers. Mainly, it is different because, due to idiots overbreeding, everyone in the world is very stupid.
In the future, the number 1 film in America is called Donkeyand it was only 90 minutes. One butt, on screen, all the time. It won eight Oscars that year, including best screenplay.
The plants are all dying because they are watering, with energy drinks. The English language has seen a mixture of hillbilly, valleygirl, inner-city slang, and various grunts.
Joe, who was once considered an ordinary boy, is now a genius.
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