Forum - View topicNEWS: Appleseed Box Office Numbers
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craptacular
Posts: 3 |
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I saw it at the regal on union square as well. Although there weren't any posters advertising it(which would've been nice), the huge electronic side-scrolling banner in front of the theater was. The movie itself was mediocre, but what made it subpar for me was that they dubbed it and edited the music like crazy(where the music should've been kept jpop, it was changed to western pop, not as if I'm an avid listener of either, it just would've felt better to me if they left it as is). |
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief
 Posts: 1684 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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The biggest problem by far is that it's just not that great. All of the reviews (including the ones on anime-centric websites like this one) have been pretty lukewarm. They all pretty much say the same thing, which is, "Barely-existent plot, lots of action, and looks pretty, although the stylized pseudo-2D anime characters and photorealistic 3D backgrounds don't blend too well." This has been my reaction, and that of most of my friends who have seen it as well.
I've been fairly impressed with Geneon's marketing efforts, despite this being a small-scale release by a company that doesn't have much experience with theatrical releases. However, any anime is still, by nature, a cult-title, and without word-of-mouth, cult titles are dead in the water from the get-go. Why has no theatrical release since GitS (and Miyazaki movies) been as successful in breaking into the "underground" mainstream? Let's take a look... Akira and Ghost in the Shell had three things in common: They were visually amazing (especially for their time), were quite mature in nature and content, and were pretty much mind-benders in the plot department. They had enough intelligence and artistic value to them to please both critics and artsier filmgoers who were after something different and intelligent. They were visually crazy enough to satisfy college kids, many of whom are geeks, stoners, and pretentions intellectuals -- but more importantly, tend to be more open-minded. They were also sci-fi enough to get crossover from general sci-fi fans. Mononoke and Spirited Away weren't quite as adult, but were marketed better. They got a little more mainstream crossover, but predominantly the more intellectual, open-minded crowd. So what other theatrical releases have we seen since? - Escaflowne movie (Weak plot, good visuals, nothing groundbreaking) - Patlabor WXIII (decent plot, so-so visuals, nothing groundbreaking) - Perfect Blue (good plot, so-so visuals, nothing groundbreaking) - Jin-Roh (Amazing plot, but too gloomy to have much appeal) - Millennium Actress (Amazing plot, but the subject matter is unappealing) - Cowboy Bebop movie (Fun, but nothing awe-inspiring) - Tokyo Godfathers (Again, fun, but nothing awe-inspiring) - Appleseed (Weak plot, good visuals, nothing groundbreaking) et cetera. I know I'm missing some, but the point I'm trying to make is that none of these films have hit that "sweet spot" that appealed to enough different audiences AND were good enough to have significant critical acclaim and word-of-mouth. Most of these films are among my favorites, but trying to get even the more open-minded people to see them is like pulling teeth. There may be more anime fans than ever before, but to be truly successful, you have to attract more than that. Appleseed didn't cut it -- not even close. Will SteamBoy? Maybe. It sure has a better chance than this one did. |
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Haiseikoh 1973
 Posts: 1590 Location: Waiting for the Japanese 1000 Gunieas. |
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Metropolis (Spectacular Visuals, Okay Plot, but looked dated for a 2000 Production) |
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GATSU
Posts: 15310 |
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jsevakis:
I think the problem with Jin Roh wasn't how gloomy it was, but how the style was done better in other films.
It's not that the subject matter isn't appealing. It's just that it appeals to an audience that isn't mature enough to handle it. The fact that the Kill Bill anime got more attention is pretty much the problem with fandom at large. Haisekoh:
It's meant to be retro... Anyway, there's always the sequels, assuming Geneon finally got the rights to them... |
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Professor Genius
 Posts: 57 |
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All this rambling about Appleseed having a weak plot is ridiculous. If anything, the positive side to it was that it was simple enough to understand, but complex enough to be thought-provoking. People just can't stand for something to be comprehensible, can they?
I wish Geneon could've gotten this to more theaters. I live in the vicinity of Orlando and not one place in town is showing this, which is a damn shame because it should be shown! Luckily, I got to see it at a local anime club. At the end of the film, people were standing up and applauding the hell out of that film! If Appleseed were a live action film, it would likely be regarded as the year's best film and a super box office hit. The reason simply being that people have that whole "animation is for kids" idea in there minds. Apox them! X 1000000 Another big reason that anime doesn't do well in the box office is because anime-downloading retards just download the films and don't support the box office release. Then they go along and complain that "Oh, lord, Im not going to go see it if its dubbed....blah blah blah." It's not friggin' Yu-Gi-Oh! I'm talking about, okay? I'm talking about Spirited Away and Cowboy Bebop, etc. Those films are almost entirely unmolested. If you don't like the films, fine, don't go see them. If you want to see anime expand into a respectable part of the cinema in this nation, then vote with your money, people! Be a consumer whore! Write letters to these domestic anime distributors asking for sub showings or whatever, if that's what it takes for you to get out there and support the damn movies! |
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Sword of Whedon
Posts: 683 |
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I will not pay money for a dubbed movie. Period. I will not encourage the destruction of other people's work. It's not that people "don't support the box office release", it's called limited release, in a genre that has niche appeal. Deal with it.
They WERE unmolested, aside from being dubbed. Bebop didn't play in Philadelphia, and Spirited Away was dubbed (the art house that carried it said they would have gotten the sub print had Disney bothered to tell anyone they existed). As for the rest, the only prints we've gotten of anime films have been Manga releases until recently, and they only play in a theater with a screen smaller than some of my friends have in their houses.
I am voting with my money. I want subtitled, unmolested prints. I get it, I go to it. I go out of my way to go to it. Anime will expand into respectible cinema, but we need more Howls and Spirited Aways and high quality films. Not just action pieces. [/quote] |
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beelzebozo
 Posts: 308 Location: Aurora, Colorado |
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The article seems to say that Appleseed will not be roadshowed. That bodes ill for the rest of us seeing it in the theater, which, I assure you, people around here would go see it just because it has Shirow's name on it.
The soundtrack was not "Americanized". I've seen the Japanese trailer and it states that it includes music from the Basement Jaxx & Paul Okenfold (sp?). I'd prefer to see subtitled anime in the theaters, but I also realize that that is not economically feasable. The movie theaters that had GitS: Innocence playing had gotten so many complaints that they were warning people that it was subtitled before they'd sell you the tickets at the box office. I heard (during the first showing) someone tell his friend he was going to slug him for bringing him to a subtitled film. And this was my same experience with subtitled Hero, Iron Monkey, Crouching Tiger, and Brotherhood of the Wolf. The second the subtitles hit the screen, there are goans and some people get up and leave. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15310 |
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Whedon:
Actually, there was one user on T.H.E.M. who believed it was going to fail, and offered bootlegs to people who wanted to review it.
I don't really care if they're action-based. I just don't want that roricon and ultra-violence crap to be the selling point. beez:
That's what I figured. It was pretty obvious they were aiming for an international audience from the beginning, so I don't see why it being dubbed rubs you the wrong way.
That's weird, because Metropolis-which was only released dubbed in a few venues-did surprisingly better than Sony expected. It could be, because they saw the first GITS dubbed from Manga, and possibly SAC on CN later, and were hoping for Innocence to be dubbed as well.
The biggest effing success last year was a film in Aramaic with subs, so isn't about time more movie-goers grow up about subs? |
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bnewhall
 Posts: 110 Location: USA |
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Am I the only one who is just plain happy that Appleseed got an American theater release at all, and that it actually made more than a few thousand dollars?
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Professor Genius
Posts: 57 |
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How is it that dubbing something destroys someone else's work? That's like asuming that the dub is going to completely alter the context of a film before you've even seen the final product. It happens alot, for certain, but to say that dubbing something is destruction is ridiculous. Alterations are simply part of adaptations. Wether or not that's a good thing is up to you. A good majority of the anime out there is based on some manga. Let's take for example, Sorceror Hunters. Much of the humor was watered down for its adaptation to TV. Is that not a destruction of the manga authors' vision of Sorceror Hunters? The dub, which was constantly lauded by many pro-sub individuals out there, constantly rewrote the material and added in tons of dirty jokes. Although it may have been inadvertant, it's tone of humor was very much in line with the mangas. Not quite there, but certainly in the same spirit. This is, of course, my opinion, but in that sense the dub improved the material. So, basically, what it boils down to is that you don't like dubs. They're the spawn of Satan, right? So you don't support them. So you say we need more Spirited Aways and more Howl's Moving Castles. Who did Miyazaki make these films for? Children, that's who! Sure, they have appeal to people of all ages, but Miyazaki makes most of his films with children in mind. Don't tell me you expect children to go out to the theater and watch something with subtitles, do you? It's just not going to happen. Stop being such a sub nazi. Deal with the fact dubs are a vital part of anime's success in this country and suck it up...you sub nazi. 
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beelzebozo
Posts: 308 Location: Aurora, Colorado |
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Being dubbed rubs me the wrong way for several reasons, but outside of the fact that most dubs are done badly (not so much any more), my main reason is that I believe that the best way to experience a show is in the original language it was created in, be it anime or live-action. There are rare exceptions to this, usually for novelty value than anything else, but this is my preference. However, remember what I said later:
They tend to have slightly different audiences and I'm sure Dreamworks had higher expectations for Innocence because it was GitS. GitS catches a lot of the people who are more occasional fans (The kind that only have GitS, Ninja Scroll and AKIRA in their video shelf and may watch Adult Swim from time to time)
Apparently people were able to deal with the subtitles of Jesus Chainsaw Massacre because it was about a certain Joshua ben Josef. Make some Christian anime and I'm sure they'll be willing to suffer through subtitles. Unfortunately, the same people who go to anime screenings and those that went to Passion only overlap in a small minority.[/quote] |
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Tempest
 I Run this place.ANN Publisher  Posts: 10421 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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The idea behind the Appleseed plot are very thought provoking. But the actual development of the plot in the screenplay is quite weak. In short: Good ideas, bad development.
I think (Speculation) that they were hopping to expand it, but (this I know) since it didn't do as well as they hoped for, they will not be expanding it.
I've seen the movie on the screen once (a preview showing alst summer) and on screener tape once, and if it came to town I'd definitely go see it at the theater. It's good enough to be worth the price of admission. -t |
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Copper Rings
Posts: 7 Location: Somewhere there is sunshine :) |
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I saw Appleseed also. I don't think this one was marketing. Compared to the original story, this one seems chopped up and makes no sense. Forgive me, I've read the manga and watched the original anime, so I'm a bit biased. What made Appleseed interesting for me was the relationship between Deunan and Briareos. (Not going to say anymore for those who hadn't seen it). Now sinking a manga into a movie is hard work, but I feel the original anime seemed to grasp this better than the new movie. The new movie seems all flash and sfx, and throws in too many points that seem better executed in the original versions.
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GATSU
Posts: 15310 |
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beezle:
It made twice the amount of the first film. It fulfilled its expectations.
There was some guy in a letter to Animerica who defended some of the Tezuka Bible stories they released in English here. tempest:
That's Shirow's problem, not Aramaki's...
They told me they were trying to get as many theaters as possible. Thirty's probably all they could afford.
Doubt it. People would think of it as a Matrix clone, instead of a GITS wannabe. I mean look at Riddick. They had to release an animated spin-off, just to make a quick buck off anime fans.
The original film doesn't even explain why Deunan is in love with a cyborg. |
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Sword of Whedon
Posts: 683 |
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Absolutely. But the only reason they went for it was simple: They felt hearing it in Aramaic brought them closer to Jebus. God told them to watch subs, and so it shall be
A film is not meant to be seen in another language than its original intended. Period. Subtitles, properly done are the least layer between the intended experience and a non-OSL speaker necessary.
Actually you're going to be seeing a lot more cheap badly animated spinoffs. They see it as a way to tell bigger stories or side stories without spending a lot of money. Unfortunately they're usually animated terribly, even if the script is decent. I don't know if it's been greenlit, but the "Animated Alias" on the season 3 box was a "pilot" for a potential DTV animated film. Whether they'll listen to the advice I put in their survey(I don't expect them to) and hire someone like Production IG to do it is up in the air. |
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