Eli Roth's The Cell on Hold

maybe its so bad there ashamed to show it afterall it is a Eli Roth film

Actually, HOSTEL PART II can be considered a bomb.  Yes, the film made $30 million worldwide but you have to remember studios never get all that.  Typically they only see a return of roughly 50% of the final gross (with the other 50% going to exhibitors).  So they got back $15 million.  $10 million of that covers the budget so you have $5 million left over.  Given the extensive ad campaigns they had to do worldwide, I am sure they spent over $5 million on advertising so they are in the red and haven't show a profit.  Please know what you are saying about box office figures before you claim they doubled their profit.

The words "bombed so badly" in this case meant basically that the film did so horribly that he might not be given lee way with Cell which is untrue.. and even if your numbers are correct the film is going to collect big time on DVD.. films always do.. So "Please know what you are saying about box office figures before you claim" it can be considered a bomb..

Besides with your figures more than half the movies that are released would be considered a bomb.. Its a well known fact that exhibitors make almost all of there money from concessions.. According to your math every film would have to make more than double there budget to make a profit which is ludicrous..

One film will make or break his career? Highly doubt that.. Look at Uwe Boll he made about 5 or 6 dreadful films before he started to make any noise with Postal.. Look at Jess Franco he has made over 100 films and a LARGE majority of those films are horrid but people consider his a genre icon..

Despite what you may think Jmh of the man people who generally liked his first outing have liked every film after that.. So he has a following.. One film will only make or break your career if its highly offensive or somehow gets you blacklisted in Hollywood and sometimes that doesn't even stop filmmakers from continuing there careers.. Besides he has only made one film that "bombed".. Its pulled in about the same numbers as 1408 in terms of budget so is 1408 considered a bomb as well?

With Uwe Boll, tey dont use his name as a marketing campaign.  You dont see many his name in the marketing of titles.  They do this with Roth, and I think if Trailer Trash doesnt pull an audeince or is another mediocre affair it may limit his audience.  Sure he will have his followers, but no matter how bad someone is they have followers.  Boll has followers, Kaufman has followers.  He will always have followers, no matter how good or bad.

I wouldnt call 1408 a bomb by any means Goon.  I mean that movie has made more money in this country than Hostel 2 has made total worldwide.  Not to mention has had staying power in the box office longer than 1 week.  So to compare 1408 to Hostel just because of budget pull is a stretch.  There is a difference between making budget and making good money.  THe reason why I think Roth gets a small budget is because they knew his film couldnt pull what it needed to be successful with H2.  It is just not the type of movie that is set up to make bank. 

I still think a movie of all trailers isnt a great idea to pull people in outside of us genre fans.  Not the best idea in terms of audience.

Lets keep in focus everyone that the intent of this article is not to talk about Eli but more to address the fact the Cell is on hold.

I liked Hostel and I see The CEll as a chance for him to really show he can do more then just torture porn as the mainstream press calls it. I just hope that the studios dont say "ohhh sorry we aintmaking enough off your name anymore... pull the plug"

I dont want to necessarily see them pull the plug, but if the project is gonna be on hold for a while and they really want to get it done, they may always look into a new director to fast track this project.  Nothing against Roth totally, but I would love to see Cell done soon and dont think you need a horror guy like Roth in order for it to be successful. 

When I said it will make or break his career, I mean it just as Meh said, to see if he is a one trick pony or if he can actually do something different and not always have to push the envelope for no reason.

And Goon, both may have made 3x it's budget, but look at it this way.  Which film would studios rather have: One that made 3 times it's budet and profited $20 million and couldnt keep any legs, or one that made 3 times it's budget and profited close to $50 million and held it's own for a few weeks?  I rest my case.

Last edited by jmh314 (2007-07-30 18:33:40)

my bad on the incorrect name kids