The new Bond, Quantum of Solace, is well on its way to record box office for an espionage film. Here’s a scene from early in the picture.
** MORE THAN A QUANTUM OF SOLACE FOR NEW BOND FILM. As the Thanksgiving weekend ends, the new Bond flick, Quantum of Solace — an immediate sequel to 2006′s smash reboot of the Bond franchise, Casino Royale — is moving well into the top 100 all-time global box office list. Already a big international hit before it opened in the US on November 14th, the picture is a rapid-fire actionfest which lacks the elegance and breath (if not breadth, as it’s perhaps the most globe-trotting of Bond films) of its immediate predecessor.
It’s clearly geared for the global box office, with a British star (Daniel Craig), a Ukrainian/Russian supermodel leading lady playing a Bolivian/Russian spy (Olga Kurylenko), a Euro villain (French actor Mathieu Amalric channeling what he says is a funhouse version of Nicolas Sarkozy and Tony Blair), a female spymaster (the great British actress Judy Dench as “M”), an African-American Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright as the ultimately good guy CIA official), and a German/Swiss director (Marc Forster). Not to mention the heavy action emphasis, which rivals that of the non-stop actioners in the Bourne series.
Quantum of Solace may fall a bit short of The Bourne Supremacy for the spy film domestic box office crown, but it has already surpassed it at the global box office, and there is much more to come. The film hasn’t even opened yet in Japan.
In addition to the rapid-fire action, the rebooted Bond franchise has other things in common with the Bourne franchise. A very skeptical view of the CIA, and, not coincidental, a sardonic view of a corrupted world.
In the new Bond film, the CIA is in bed with a string-pulling global organization called Quantum, which hides behind a greenwashed facade in a bid to begin cornering the market on what may become a scarce resource. The CIA doesn’t care, so long as it secures the rights to feed America’s oil addiction. Which is beside the point of the real play.
Some on the far right, having gotten it all wrong in the real world of geopolitics, not to mention the presidential race, complain that the rebooted Bond is not true to his roots, that he is insufficiently patriotic.
Of course, it doesn’t really matter what they say about fiction, having been so wrong about fact, but it’s worth mentioning that the new Bond is actually truer to the original Bond than some of the films in the series, and certainly more than their misbegotten musings.
Ian Fleming, who wrote approvingly of Castro before he assumed power and turned out not to be a social democrat but a Communist, frequently decried what he saw as the philistinism of American culture.
And in Daniel Craig, who is of course a huge Obama booster, we have the Bond portrayal which is closest to Fleming’s conception of all the Bonds. No, he’s not the rather jaded sophisticate of most Bond tales, as the producers have taken the character back to the beginnings in Casino Royale.
In Quantum, he’s not fighting the Soviet Union — which Bond frequently did not fight in the original stories, as it happens — or Islamic jihadists (Bond might be a tad obvious trying to infiltrate Al Qaeda) but a global organization that funds and promotes terrorism of all stripes for its own ends. (Not that Al Qaeda is on par with the Soviet Union as a threat.) Rather like Spectre, the group which the earlier Bond frequently fought, notwithstanding the much greater threat of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. But without the cackling campy supervillains with penchants for fluffy white cats.
I don’t like Quantum of Solace as much as Casino Royale, which might be the best Bond film of them all — and certainly ranks, for me at least, with Goldfinger, From Russia With Love, and GoldenEye — but it is quite good in the new movie style. It actually played better the second time I saw it, with my middle-aged eyes adjusted to its quick-cut, Bourne-esque action stylings.
Daniel Craig, the best actor to play Bond, is again very strong in the role, with his Sean Connery-meets-Steve McQueen approach.
Oh, and regarding the title … It’s from a Fleming short story, which has nothing to do with the plot of the movie. It’s actually a tale told to Bond one night by the governor general of Jamaica about a failed love relationship. With a twist, naturally. I’d recommend the Fleming short stories about Bond. They hold up well, in some ways better than the novels. All of which I’ve read, as Fleming is one of my favorite “conservative” novelists, along with Robert Heinlein.
** OBAMA TODAY — SUNDAY. President-elect Barack Obama again has no public events as he finishes his “holiday” in Chicago. I say holiday advisedly, as he has been actively monitoring what may be a serious India/Pakistan crisis and will announce key members of his new national security team Monday morning at a 7:30 AM Pacific Chicago press conference.
Among those to be announced tomorrow: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Obama’s vanquished primary rival, once tipped by many (but not here) as the obvious next president of the United States. Secretary of Defense Bob Gates, former CIA director, Iraq Study Group member, and current defense secretary under President Bush. National Security Advisor General James Jones, former commandant of the US Marine Corps and former NATO commander. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, governor of Arizona and a key early Obama backer. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, former assistant secretary of state and longtime Obama advisor. Attorney General Eric Holder, former deputy attorney general under Bill Clinton and co-director — with Caroline Kennedy — of Obama’s VP search committee, who will be America’s first black chief law enforcement officer.
I’ll have a column early in the week on this. One obvious comment now. The very top hands — Clinton, Gates, and Jones — are hardly the sort that Obama’s right-wing haters imagined. But then, they had no idea what they were talking about.
Did the Mumbai terrorists use Chechen tactics? Russia’s top counter-terrorism advisor thinks so. Because of the nature of the footage, you must sign in to YouTube and affirm that you’re an adult.
** MUMBAI MOP-UP. The last of the terrorist crew that assaulted multiple targets in Mumbai, India — formerly known as Bombay — were captured or killed late Friday. Now the assessments begin.
At least 195 people were killed in the attacks, which were highly coordinated, using AK-47 assault rifles, grenades, and other explosives. Six Americans are known to be dead, and others are missing.
All indications are that the attackers, some of whom are talking under interrogation, were Islamic jihadists. All were male, between the ages of 18 and 28, mostly dressed in t-shirts and cargo pants.
Precisely who is behind the operation, and why, is not entirely clear. There are evident links to Pakistan, India’s long-time and much-despised rival.
While Pakistan’s new prime minister had promised that the new chief of the country’s intelligence service, the dread ISI, would come to India to help with the investigation, the intelligence chieftain has decided against that move. Instead, one of his subordinates will make the trip. The ISI, or at least elements within it, has frequently supported Islamic jihadists, in India as well as Afghanistan, where it largely created the Taliban.
A sidebar issue, which I’ll get into as part of a column early next week, is a series of attempts by Pakistan’s new civilian government to bring the country’s army and intel operations more fully under its control. Several moves have been undertaken recently. With decidedly mixed results.
** OBAMA TODAY — SATURDAY. President-elect Barack Obama has no public events today. He’s vacationing with his family in Chicago and preparing to roll out key members of his national security team at a Monday presss conference in Chicago.
His office announced that Obama called Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday night to express his condolences for the great loss of life and his support for India. While Obama stressed that America “has only one president at a time,” he told the embattled Indian leader that he is monitoring the situation closely.
The terrorist siege of Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, has left India’s financial sector reeling.
** HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT! While Barack Obama promised “a new and brighter day yet to come” in his Thanksgiving address, an old and darker day yet to leave reminds that events — and perhaps political fate itself — can turn on a dime in presidential politics.
As Obama focuses this week on our grave financial and economic crises, one simmering geopolitical crisis — that between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, both with shaky governments — is on the edge of flaring into chaos. And another, the question of how to deal with resurgent Russia, has taken on an added dimension with Russian moves this week into Latin America.
For a political operation that prefers to focus on its preferences, it’s a sharp reminder to Team Obama that the presidency can be every bit as reactive as it is proactive. … From my new Huffington Post column.
** MUMBAI MALAISE (BOMBAY BLUES). Most of the fighting with terrorists who struck a series of targets in Mumbai, known as Bombay from the British colonial days, appears to be over. But not entirely, as the battle continues into a third day. India Today reports that more commandos have been brought into the city to try to root out the remaining assailants, who had attacked ten sites around the city in a highly-coordinated operation.
The assaults have shocked Indian and global elites. Mumbai, the world’s fifth largest metropolitan area, is the financial, commercial, and entertainment capital of India, one of the world’s biggest emerging economies. The Taj Mahal Hotel, site of some of the bloodiest fighting, is a central symbol of Mumbai’s, and India’s, ascendance, the place to go for global elites when visiting India. India’s stock exchange, located in Mumbai, was shut down the past two days, but reopened today. Trading volumes are thin, and activity is volatile. Mumbai is a very popular tourist destination, but cruise lines are avoiding it, at least for now.
Virtually all signs are pointing to a major Pakistani connection in the attacks. The new head of Pakistan’s dread ISI intelligence service will meet with Indian officials in a show of cooperation designed to fend off a major geopolitical crisis between India and Pakistan.
FBI counterterroism and forensic experts are en route to Mumbai now. They can’t operate there without the request of the Indian government.
** OBAMA TODAY — FRIDAY. President-elect Barack Obama continues his Thanksgiving holiday with his family in Chicago. Vice President-elect Joe Biden continues his holiday with family in Natucket, Massachusetts.
Obama transition co-director John Podesta gave an interview to Bloomberg News, saying that the Obama Cabinet will be “virtually complete by Christmas,” and that multiple Republicans will be seeded throughout the administration.
He also said that the government should demand changes and accountability from corporations in exchange for assistance, criticizing the federal bailout of Citigroup for not including more such reforms. As for the auto industry, Podesta said: “We need a vital auto industry that’s producing the cars that are necessary for the future — particularly ones that are cleaner, greener and deal with our energy crisis.”
** NUNEZ JOINS MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS. Former California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, a termed-out Democrat who was a national co-chairman of the Hillary Clinton for President campaign and, before winning election to the Legislature, political director for the LA County Federal of Labor, has joined Mercury Public Affairs. He will be a partner in the firm, whose California operations are headed up by two very prominent Republicans, Steve Schmidt and Adam Mendelsohn. Schmidt ran Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s landslide re-election campaign in 2006 and was chief strategist for John McCain. Mendelsohn was Schwarzenegger’s deputy chief of staff and gubernatorial communications director, and was his chief political advisor in the 2008 elections, engineering the victory of Proposition 11, the first successful redistricting reform initiative.
President-elect Barack Obama’s Thanksgiving video address. The holiday was created by Obama’s idol, Abraham Lincoln.
** MUMBAI MASSACRE (BOMBAY BLOODBATH). While Barack Obama promises “a new and brighter day yet to come” in his Thanksgiving address above, an old and darker day yet to leave reminds that events — and perhaps political fate itself — can turn on a dime in presidential politics.
Several teams of terrorists, perhaps fewer than 30 in number, stormed luxury hotels, a Chabad house, a famous restaurant, and one of the biggest train stations in the world, shooting tourists, business executives, and locals and taking Israeli, American, and British hostages in an operation that is still underway.
The action took place in the center of Mumbai, the center of Indian commerce, finance, and entertainment (home to Bollywood). The city was previously known, from the British colonial days, as Bombay. Now it rings more than a bell …
More than 125 have been killed, with more than 300 wounded in the attacks, which were carried out simultaneously at as many as 10 sites.
Who’s behind it? The emerging scenario is that it is an Islamic jihadist group tied to Pakistan. The ship which brought the attackers has been sourced to Karachi, Pakistan. The e-mail which initially claimed credit for an unknown group has been sourced to Russia, where servers are frequently used for all manner of nefarious activity.
Several of the terrorists have been captured, and at least one is reported to be providing information. Of course, this scenario was almost foreordained, no matter the facts. India’s government is shaky. If it is simply a homegrown operation, the government would almost certainly fall. Placing responsibility on its longtime rival Pakistan rallies the country to the government’s side.
India and Pakistan have been at very sharp odds since the two were partitioned by the British in the decolonization period following World War II. The disputed region of Kashmir has been a constant flashpoint. The two countries had a near nuclear confrontation in 2001 after Islamic terrorists attacked Indian parliamentarians in Mumbai.
This means that we are on the verge of another major geopolitical crisis.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mr. President-elect.
** OBAMA, ARNOLD, AND THE RENEWED CLIMATE CHANGE FIGHT. From my Wednesday Huffington Post column.
** OBAMA TODAY — THURSDAY. President-elect Barack Obama is spending the Thanksgiving holidays in Chicago with wife Michelle and their daughters Malia and Sasha. Vice President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden are spending the Thanksgiving holidays with their extended family in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Obama also delivered a Thanksgiving radio and video address, which you can watch above, excerpted below:
Nearly 150 years ago, in one of the darkest years of our nation’s history, President Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of Thanksgiving. America was split by Civil War. But Lincoln said in his first Thanksgiving decree that difficult times made it even more appropriate for our blessings to be – and I quote – “gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people.
This week, the American people came together with families and friends to carry on this distinctly American tradition. We gave thanks for loved ones and for our lasting pride in our communities and our country. We took comfort in good memories while looking forward to the promise of change. But this Thanksgiving also takes place at a time of great trial for our people. …
But this Thanksgiving, we are reminded that the renewal of our economy won’t come from policies and plans alone – it will take the hard work, innovation, service, and strength of the American people. …
That’s the spirit we must summon as we make a new beginning for our nation. Times are tough. There are difficult months ahead. But we can renew our nation the same way that we have in the many years since Lincoln’s first Thanksgiving: by coming together to overcome adversity; by reaching for – and working for – new horizons of opportunity for all Americans.
So this weekend – with one heart, and one voice, the American people can give thanks that a new and brighter day is yet to come.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has left California with his family for the Thanksgiving holidays.
** SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: MASTERSTROKE, MOUSETRAP, OR BOTH? Potential Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Masterstroke or mousetrap? Or both? And for whom?
The political world has been all aflutter for the better part of a week at the prospect — initially portrayed as a done deal — that Hillary Clinton will be Barack Obama’s secretary of state. On the Republican side of the aisle, Henry Kissinger calls her “highly qualified” and Arnold Schwarzenegger dubs it “a great move.” The Clintons’ opponents in the Democratic Party have been restrained in their response. The media loves it, running with endless references to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin’s very fine book on the Lincoln Cabinet, an Obama favorite, “Team of Rivals.” … From my November 19th column.
** MIAMI BLUES: PALIN AND NATIONAL REPUBLICANS LOOK LIKE THE SAD CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY. … From my November 14th column.
** GLOBAL OBAMA: BIG OPPORTUNITIES, BIGGER CHALLENGES. If he wins, Obama will have the global popularity that no American president has had in a great many years. But what sort of challenges will counter the global opportunity that an Obama presidency might afford America? … From my October 24th Huffington Post column.
Indian commandos stormed luxury hotels in Mumbai, formerly Bombay, to root out teams of terrorist gunmen.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel. You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, which I know as a former DemRussia advisor, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** SCHWARZENEGGER’S CALIFORNIA. Here is my series of five columns on the governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Los Angeles Times in debate with Pulitzer Prize-winning former Times reporter/editor Bill Boyarsky, whose columns are also included.
Among them is what I’m sure is the first piece examining Schwarzenegger’s legacy as governor of California. Since he will actually be governor of California until 2011. No technology known to be disruptive to the space/time continuum was used in its preparation.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. After crashing over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, crude oil is trading around $54 per barrel. That is up about $7 in the last week, with the Indian terror crisis adding a new geopolitical risk factor.
OPEC forecasts a 0.6% decline in global oil consumption in 2009. But sees a 2.5% growth in oil consumption in developing nations.
The drop of $93 per barrel since the record high over the summer comes on acknowledgment that the weak US economy will cut future demand and on the easing of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. It is clear that that, contrary to much chatter, neither the US nor Israel is about to launch a strike against Iran. And the Russian war with Georgia, confounding much speculation and reporting to the contrary, actually decreased the geopolitical risk premium in the oil market.
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| Comments (67) |
Jack, that’s the rap against the two latest Bond releases. Too much action and dourness, not enough Bond-ish light moments (and secondary characters).
>Jack Aubrey Says:
I feel like we’re living in a Bond movie. why am I not having any fun?
What new video today, Obama and Hillary?
You’re psychic.
Daniel Craig is not Roger Moore, that’s for sure.
I think he’s dour because the storyline is dour.
It’s right in tune with the Casino Royale novel by Ian Fleming.
># Chris M Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 10:06 pm edit
Jack, that’s the rap against the two latest Bond releases. Too much action and dourness, not enough Bond-ish light moments (and secondary characters).
>Jack Aubrey Says:
I feel like we’re living in a Bond movie. why am I not having any fun?
75 shirts?!
># Chris M Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 8:07 pm edit
There are worse things in life to be than a rich New Russian. A Muscovite in town to visit her daughter and newborn granddaughter for a few months told me that before she left for the USA she bought her husband 75 shirts so he wouldn’t have to worry about doing any laundry while she was away.
Still, I with ya’.
>Jonas Blane Says:
I think I’m glad I don’t live in Chechnya or Russia.
Oh, I think we’ll learn.
># marcus waldron Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 7:03 pm edit
It sounds like India is too weak in its government to learn what really happened in Mumbai. That means crisis now. Weaklings always try to sound tough. That sounds like the Indian government. God help us all.
Because it’s a Jason Bourne movie?
># Jack Aubrey Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 6:02 pm edit
I feel like we’re living in a Bond movie. why am I not having any fun?
I could live in Moscow. Chechnya, however …
># Jonas Blane Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 2:28 pm edit
I think I’m glad I don’t live in Chechnya or Russia.
>> Bill Bradley Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
There’s truth in this.
># sergei Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 2:47 am edit
The worst gangsters and terrorists in Russian Federation are from Chechnya. Islamists came to Chechnya as a next Afghanistan. They enacted worst atrocities on Russian soldiers. They didn’t succeed.
WE, OUR, AND REAL CHANGE
Ira Chemus chernus@colorado.edu.Says:
It’s also (our) job to move the administration and the public toward peace, demilitarization, and an end to the foreign policy of empire — which, of course, began with FDR. They would support major reductions in the military budget and in the U.S. military presence abroad. They would support major reductions in the military budget and in the U.S. military presence abroad. They would favor a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations. And yet they might well not favor a candidate who took just those stands. Again, it all depends on how those policy changes are presented.
Triathlon Says:
Here we go again with word’s like (WE), which ends up being (ME), the guy hit the (W) key vice the (M) key, and in the case of the (OUR), he forgot the (Y) key, for (YOUR) job. Another Liberal who thinks that the (US/MIC) United States Military Industrial Complex is just going to lay down and go away, that the (51st) State of Israel is not going too continue to get (1/3rd) One Third of the foreign aid supplied by the (US/MIC) to Israel and continue the supply of the latest weapons without charge, to support the Clinton/Obama Islamic Palestinian Solution The United States has provided Israel with the (X-Ban Radar) units, Patriot Missile Systems and (1K) One-Thousand Bunker Buster Bombs, and the Clinton/Obama administration will continue keep on the table a pre-emptive strike Shi-ite Persian Iran with Nuclear weapons to remove a Nuclear face off between Israel and Iran within the next (24) twenty-four months, continuing and increasing the Bush Administration Palestinian policy position, allowing Israel to have free reign, continue building the Israel version of Adrian’s Wall, to build illegal settlements on the West bank, completing its occupation of Palestine while looking beyond too expand its borders.
That the (US/MIC) would favor a policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations, as long as that other nation is the (51st) State of Israel and the new generation of young Israeli kids is standing up to the Israeli government – they call ‘em “Shministim.” The Shministim- all about ages 17, 18, 19 and in the 12th grade who are taking a stand. They believe in a better, more peaceful future for themselves and for Israelis and Palestinians, who are refusing to join the Israeli army. In jail and going to jail in Israel while holding strong against immense pressure from family, friends and the Israeli government.
Whatever Liberals are smoking or drinking these days is better than the (60’s), WE and OUR, WE have got to work and provide food and shelter for OUR family, WE elected the Family Business Members (Clinton’s, Kennedy’s, Hunter’s), and their extended family’s to do OUR business in the way WE wanted. And, what did WE get the usual Family Business Ex-Members, with the same old answers, same old positions, and were going to get the same results. Get real, WE, OUR and Real Change don’t hold YOUR Breath.
TRIATHLON
DIE HARD SCOTS
Now, being a Scot myself and understanding we or Me with the (W) inverted were the kilt to let our Pride Hang out can say that the real James Bond was Shawn Connery, another Scot. And, we really don’t like anyone blowing smoke up our kilts telling us it’s a warm southern breeze and pissing on our feet saying its a warm gentle rain.
But, this (WE) and (OUR) when you mean (ME) or (Your) is both blowing smoke and raining on my parade. It’s remained me of Die Hard with another Scot John McClain (Bruce Willis), were the kid ask him why he was doing what he was doing, and his asnwer basically was I’m the go to guy and no one else is going to do it. Another Scot who got the (WE) and (OUR) treatment.
So Bill, stop blowing the breeze and rain, like the (WE) and (OUR), give me a break! My body has had enough damage from (WE) doing (OUR)duty for the (US/MIC) United States Military Industrial Complex,its like Sharpe’s Rifles, seen Napolian and lived to remember it.
Now, its time to hold there feet to the fire, and not put them on some sort of pedistal, as Demi-Gods, they are there to sever the people and not for the people to serve them as slaves or mindless chemical-electrocal machines. I’ve have a “WEE” bit of Scot Pride for the (US/MIC), WE YA Right!
TRIATHLON
RECESSION MOVIES TV AND ADVERTISING
We are entering a DEEP recession, now during the Great Depression Movies were cheap so it was a way of getting away from reality, but today, going to a Movie House the IMAX wide screen, doby surround sound, popcorn, soft seats, trying to see around other indiviuals head isn’t going to work, so we should see a drastic loss in Movie House (IMAX)locations.
In the (TV) industry we advertisers are going nuts about (TVO) recorders and we all hit the fast foward thru the commercials, they are footing the bill, and no one is watching. The word is they entent to embed a system to stop the fast fowarding thru them by some means.
Now, in the (50′s) the IKE years the advertising (NEW NAMES) same idea, was done right on the programs, you want to advertise McDEE’s you went to it and bought a Big Mac, or if you were pushing a cereal you ate that cereal with the label front and center, or the kids asked for Wonder Bread, and the new Sony TV that was bought for Christmas.
This Recession will serve some good purposes as well as a lot of bad ones, a recession, depression creates its own dynamic for change, that no government even the (US/MIC) United States Military Industrial Complex can forsee.
Bill Bradley works in the industry and yet has not addressed the changes, to busy building a pedistal for a demi-God. But change major change is coming to the Movie Industry, its not cheap to go out to the mall and watch a movie that will be on TV within (6)six months to a year, advertisers aren’t going to make the public happy by forcing them to watch advertising they don’t want to watch, but at the same time where is the money going to come from to fund new entertainment projects?
This recession is going to bring about changes in the Movie, TV, and entertainment industry that haven’t taken place in years the fight between the (TMZ) Thirty Mile Zone and the Tube, may well end in this either Deep Recession or Depression, but either way its going to be interesting
TRIATHLON
TELEVISION AND THE RECESSION/DEPRESSION
Both the movie industry and television were the vision of Thomas Alva Edison, and both were born in Upstate New York, the first Television live broadcast ever done was from (SCCC) Schenectady County Community College in the late (40’s) and since that time the two siblings of the General Electric Company and brain children of Thomas Alva Edison have been at each others throats for the affection of the public.
The two sibling industries have grow up together in good time since the birth of Television, the older industry the movie industry has been thru the lean times of the first Great Depression, but its younger sibling industry Television has never seen lean times, until now. And, now the entire entertainment industries are fighting for the love, affection, and smaller ticket sales.
The Great White Way of New York City and its theaters has dropped (75%) this year alone in attendance, the show won’t go on without ticket sales, or audiences, and the first item to go in the budget is entertainment, that has a high value cost, babysitters, gasoline, parking, dinner, ticket, refreshments, and possible overnight stay in the city.
The movie Industry is suffering under the very same conditions as the theaters, but with added pressures as the public is more willing to wait for it on (DVD) Digital Video Disk, and now Blue Ray, and those who don’t want to purchase are willing to wait to rent from the movie rental companies.
But, the Television Industry is now feeling the pain of the recession/depression, and its not caused by viewer ship, but by the recorder, the public has the option to purchase a two at a time movie recording system or a four at a time movie recording system, which all seems well and good until the question of advertising revenues comes into question, what company is willing to fork over millions, billions of dollars in revenue in advertising as the public zips thru them on their recording systems?
The problem has grown to the point its is putting the shoe on the other foot or changing the entire power structure, across the entire entertainment industry, the Stars have been calling the shots since the mid-sixties but that is fast coming to and end, you want to work take a pay cut, (2) Two (30) Thirty year veterans of the SOAP industry contracts came up for renewal and they weren’t renewed, their cost was beyond the budget’s. If a new show doesn’t click within (3) three showing it’s gone, they don’t get a chance to develop and audience, or change to another time slot, if it can’t beat the competition its history, and it doesn’t matter who the star is.
Live entertainment is being move from the late slots to the prime time slots to see if that will increase direct commercial time viewership as no one would want to see a day late, late show, as the jokes could be seen on the computer.
There is also the question as to if television is being used by the government for social change, or its trying to be on the cutting edge of social change, with Lesbian Lovers on the Soaps, Captain Jack of Torchwood the any sex is good sex hero, House and the Black on White Lovers, and (CSI) Crime Scene Investigation Vegas with the White Star leaving being replaced in Mississippi West with a Super Black Star.
Recession/Depression has effects that are BAD, but its like the God-Father sometimes you have to have a war to clear things up, and sometimes hard times are the times that are needed to really create change, the change’s in the entertainment industry will be deep and once again we may see the owners telling the employee, if I don’t see that ceiling your painting at my cost on the program your gone, and the star will last only as long as they toe the line, you can always be replaced, the unemployment lines are long, and if she has a large backfield she better be able to get it in motion or its going be kicked out onto the street.
The show must and will go on but at who expense,and were will the power lay, public, government,advertisers,owners, directors, stars social change or entertainment agenda?
TRIATHLON
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