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Ghost in the Shell bombs at the box office

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IrishNinja

Member
poor Iron fist...finn was among the show's problems, but there was so much more than just him

anime is box-office poison

this could also be true, yeah

Not suprising since the source material was pure garbage to begin with.

i wouldn't go this far, but literally nothing in the franchise interested me up until Stand Alone Complex

... I guess they made just enough money to pay Scarlett Johansson then lol

...fuckin' ouch
 

watershed

Banned
This movie deserves all the criticism and all the bombing. It is a doubly whitewashed film, both in casting and in-narrative.
 
I had my doubts about this flick from the time they showed the first full trailer. As soon as I realized it was your typical amnesia/vengeance/robocop story, I wasn't interested. I'm glad I skipped it.


Yeah, the lack of an Asian female lead is bad. Yeah the plot line that writes it in is even worse. But I'm willing to say that if they had the story, the essence, the human aspect of GiTS then I'd overlook it. Instead... we got this. Damn it looks good though.
 

ultracal31

You don't get to bring friends.
I had my doubts about this flick from the time they showed the first full trailer. As soon as I realized it was your typical amnesia/vengeance/robocop story, I wasn't interested. I'm glad I skipped it.


Yeah, the lack of an Asian female lead is bad. Yeah the plot line that writes it in is even worse. But I'm willing to say that if they had the story, the essence, the human aspect of GiTS then I'd overlook it. Instead... we got this. Damn it looks good though.

It's why I refer to Ghost as the new Watchmen movie where like Watchmen everything visually is on point (heck one article was about how the cinematographer was getting the colour values from the original and lighting scenes from that)

Everything else outside of the visuals though is up to debate
 
how many fans of the anime are staying away due to the whitewashing debacle?

I know a few, myself included. It may not be many but it could cause a ripple effect where word of mouth advertising isn't as high.
 

kunonabi

Member
how many fans of the anime are staying away due to the whitewashing debacle?

I know a few, myself included. It may not be many but it could cause a ripple effect where word of mouth advertising isn't as high.

I am. I tolerate some of hollywood's obnoxious race bending but stuff like ghost in the shell and the new Spider-Man are enough for me to not hand over my money.
 
Yeah uh...the movie didn't bomb because of whitewashing

It bombed because it was shit

That's the main reason. It was a combination of being a mediocre movie, middling reviews, bland trailers, vague plot summary, and also the casting controversy was a smaller factor that didn't help the word of mouth. It really didn't have anything to sell itself on other than the visuals and Scarjo. I bet the movie would have performed way better were it written with an ensemble cast in mind and gave the rest of Section 9 more to do.
 
It's why I refer to Ghost as the new Watchmen movie where like Watchmen everything visually is on point (heck one article was about how the cinematographer was getting the colour values from the original and lighting scenes from that)

Everything else outside of the visuals though is up to debate
It's a shame you say that. I liked Watchmen. Changes were made but they weren't terrible or as terrible as this.
 
Yeah I feel people using Gits 2017 and Iron Fist as an example of white washing = bomba isn't really accurate. Both of these would have equally bombed for various reasons and if anything, having asian leads would have fed the "asian leads can't draw" nonsense. Much like last years ghostbusters debacle the majority of people don't give a shit about the race or gender of the charactes in a game/movie/show/etc and the people making a stink on both sides of the aisle online are a minorty of consumers.
 

LionPride

Banned
Yeah I feel people using Gits 2017 and Iron Fist as an example of white washing = bomba isn't really accurate. Both of these would have equally bombed for various reasons and if anything, having asian leads would have fed the "asian leads can't draw" nonsense. Much like last years ghostbusters debacle the majority of people don't give a shit about the race or gender of the charactes in a game/movie/show/etc and the people making a stink on both sides of the aisle online are a minorty of consumers.
Yeah they ain't shit because they got white leads, they shit because they ain't good movies/tv shows.
 

Karsha

Member
I love how people protect the original while calling this one shit, they both have the same strong points and weakness. Great visuals/sountrack but forgettable plot and in the movie I might add as well under developed characters.

Truth is the original GitS is way too overrated and people mostly judge it for the visuals. Stand alone complex was much better as a whole.
 
There were only like 8 people at the screening I went to today, There was a huge crowd outside for something though.

I love how people protect the original while calling this one shit, they both have the same strong points and weakness. Great visuals/sountrack but forgettable plot and in the movie I might add as well under developed characters.

Truth is the original GitS is way too overrated and people mostly judge it for the visuals. Stand alone complex was much better as a whole.

The 95 Motoko was way more developed (not in her origin like the new GitS), The puppet master as well (I know its supposed to be Kuze but its way more PM), section 9 is put on the side for the most part in both, the free city looked good in the new GitS but the city was way weaker.

I agree with you on somewhat but the music of the new GitS is weak in my opinion

I'm really late with this, but...

Not that I think they would ever attempt to adapt that series, but I suspect that they would've run into similar casting problems with it (both Revy and Rock are also Asian, but I doubt that Hollywood would care any more than they did with Major and Kuze in GitS).

This is the first I've ever witnessed anyone calling SAC's music weak. Can't say I agree with that or the assessment that Kusanagi was more developed in Oshii's film compared to SAC, which I agree was the stronger work overall in spite of liking the original film.

I said the music of the new GitS movie is weak, not the series or older movies music is weaker.
 

Korigama

Member
I'm really late with this, but...
They should have made a Black Lagoon movie instead.
Not that I think they would ever attempt to adapt that series, but I suspect that they would've run into similar casting problems with it (both Revy and Rock are also Asian, but I doubt that Hollywood would care any more than they did with Major and Kuze in GitS).
There were only like 8 people at the screening I went to today, There was a huge crowd outside for something though.



The 95 Motoko was way more developed (not in her origin like the new GitS), The puppet master as well (I know its supposed to be Kuze but its way more PM), section 9 is put on the side for the most part in both, the free city looked good in the new GitS but the city was way weaker.

I agree with you on somewhat but the music of the new GitS is weak in my opinion
This is the first I've ever witnessed anyone calling SAC's music weak. Can't say I agree with that or the assessment that Kusanagi was more developed in Oshii's film compared to SAC, which I agree was the stronger work overall in spite of liking the original film.

EDIT: Ah, you meant the live-action version's music. My apologies.
 

Z..

Member
I love how people protect the original while calling this one shit, they both have the same strong points and weakness. Great visuals/sountrack but forgettable plot and in the movie I might add as well under developed characters.

Truth is the original GitS is way too overrated and people mostly judge it for the visuals. Stand alone complex was much better as a whole.

Your level of ineptitude is embarrassing. That SAC could even begin to compare is ridiculous. SAC is an entertainment driven show with very little narrative value. The 95 film is an ode the like of which we rarely see, and the visuals, while great, are definitely NOT the best part about it. The only way the plot could even be argued to be forgettable is if you did not actually understand what it was referencing. Oo
 
I went to saw Logan the night this was premiering at NYC's best theater (Lowes Lincoln square). There was press, security and red carpet. I figured Scarlett jo was probably in the house. After I finished the movie, I saw a bunch of people linning up for autographs. I was rolling my eyes hard all through it. Not just because of the movie(forget the whitewash, I already know the whole story because of a fuckin trailer) but the fact that people are linning up for scar jo's autograph. Like, lmao bro, talk about priorities.
 

ZehDon

Gold Member
As a fan of the 1995 animated film, the casting turned me off flat, and the trailers just reinforced my fears. Anything less than absolute universal praise meant I just wasn't interested. But this is a minority opinion; I doubt mainstream audiences even know what GITS is. The film is clearly just not very good, and that's probably what's really killed it.
 

Kelsdesu

Member
Gits was always about politics for me. The action was just a consequence of said politics. This is what I believe Hollywood got wrong about it.
 

Indelible

Member
I enjoyed the original anime but I have no desire to see a watered down live action version. Hopefully this means Hollywood stops with these half-assed anime remakes.
 

ultracal31

You don't get to bring friends.
It's a shame you say that. I liked Watchmen. Changes were made but they weren't terrible or as terrible as this.

Oh totally, I give Watchmen a pass (7/10) and it didn't go out of its way to insult me the way Ghost has.

I'm purely comparing them on a visual surface level where both productions kept mentioning "oh we copy these visually elements frame for frame, that's what you guys want right?"
 
Your level of ineptitude is embarrassing. That SAC could even begin to compare is ridiculous. SAC is an entertainment driven show with very little narrative value. The 95 film is an ode the like of which we rarely see, and the visuals, while great, are definitely NOT the best part about it. The only way the plot could even be argued to be forgettable is if you did not actually understand what it was referencing. Oo

When they said Project 2501 a minute into the live action movie I almost threw up.

Its just a reference, like Kuze being named Kuze just to be a reference, that was a lot of everything in the live action movie
 

Karsha

Member
Your level of ineptitude is embarrassing. That SAC could even begin to compare is ridiculous. SAC is an entertainment driven show with very little narrative value. The 95 film is an ode the like of which we rarely see, and the visuals, while great, are definitely NOT the best part about it. The only way the plot could even be argued to be forgettable is if you did not actually understand what it was referencing. Oo

Yeah and said memorable plot is developed when? In the last 10 minutes ? The movie is just a big chase + final monologue, even that isn't anything special we already had a lot of movies that developed those themes even in 95. Stop trying to give value to something that doesn't have them.

The most interesting thing about the old movie was the interaction between the characters, we had Togusa that acted as the simple mortal, with his morals and values asking everything, Kusanagi that was slowly getting detached from the world around her and Batou who acted as a missing puzzle to them and the rest of S9. This was totally lost in the new movie.
 

Haly

One day I realized that sadness is just another word for not enough coffee.
People coming out of the woodwork to shit on Oshii's masterpiece is just sad.

SAD.
 
Patlabor 2 is Oshii's superior film. Beautiful, cohesive, thrilling, and haunting soundtrack.

Fully agreed. You don't get to know the characters but it's all the things you said and beautiful. He uses the same bleached look technique here as well. It rambles a little but makes up for it with everything else. Definitely not for those with short attention spans.

Oh totally, I give Watchmen a pass (7/10) and it didn't go out of its way to insult me the way Ghost has.

I'm purely comparing them on a visual surface level where both productions kept mentioning "oh we copy these visually elements frame for frame, that's what you guys want right?"

Oh I gotcha. I agree. It works for some films. But it has to be played carefully or you get the physco remake.
 
I saw the trailer for Transformers 8? I thought it would be sweet if they gave Gundam and 8 movie run

One of them would have to be good, right?

Those arguing about 95 vs Sac, that's just a difference of opinion, they are both great lets not get ugly.
 

LotusHD

Banned
only if you ignore:

Pokemon
Digimon
Sailor Moon
Yugioh
DRAGONBALL FUCKING Z
Yu Yu Hakusho
Hunter x Hunter
Attack on Titan
Akira
Astroboy
...

Think before you post lol.

Damn, I don't have any faith in potential future adaptations for the stuff you listed lol
 

LionPride

Banned
Yea I'm aware lol



People definitely know about One Piece
outside of the US
I was just thinking US. The only people I know who knows about any of those anime outside of Naruto are people who watch anime period.

GiTS ain't a Digimon, Pokemon, Yugioh, Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball level type shit.
 
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