Gay controversy about new major movie released now in Thailand

[Jingthing]

It's Ender's Game.

Sounds entertaining enough.

I think I'll watch it.

Apparently there have been protests suggesting gay people not see it, and then there is the other argument:

Nevertheless, the antigay views of Card, a man who once sat on the board of the National Organization for Marriage, and called for the criminalization of homosexuality, have begun to eclipse any merit his award-winning story may offer to Hollywood’s pantheon of science fiction films.

http://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/film/2013/07/31/queer-irony-enders-game

Showtimes!

http://www.movieseer.com/th/index.aspx

[onthemoon]

This sounds interesting indeed.

As they say in show business: There is no such thing as negative advertising.

[CWMcMurray]

Great book, will definitely be going to see this one!!!

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[LeCharivari]

If its an enjoyable movie Thais will go and see it; of it's not, they won't.

Whether the original author of the book the movie was based on disapproves of gays or gay marriage (no real surprise for Brigham Young's great-great-grandson) will be of no relevance and less interest.

[sustento]

It's got some quite good reviews and it seems to be full of action - stuff that Thais will like. I might go and see it at the weekend.

[onthemoon]

If its an enjoyable movie Thais will go and see it; of it's not, they won't.

Whether the original author of the book the movie was based on disapproves of gays or gay marriage (no real surprise for Brigham Young's great-great-grandson) will be of no relevance and less interest.

Just out of interest: How do you know whether you enjoy a movie if you haven't seen it?

I stand by it: There is no such thing as negative advertising for a movie. As long as it is talked about, people will go and see it, so that they know what all the talk is about.

[LeCharivari]

If its an enjoyable movie Thais will go and see it; of it's not, they won't.

Whether the original author of the book the movie was based on disapproves of gays or gay marriage (no real surprise for Brigham Young's great-great-grandson) will be of no relevance and less interest.

Just out of interest: How do you know whether you enjoy a movie if you haven't seen it?

I stand by it: There is no such thing as negative advertising for a movie. As long as it is talked about, people will go and see it, so that they know what all the talk is about.

"How do you know whether you enjoy a movie if you haven't seen it?"

I said "enjoyable" - to find that out you could ask a friend (if you have one*) who's seen the movie what they thought of it, read a review, read the synopsys, etc. Personally I would avoid a movie that was "talked about" if everyone said it was variously rubbish, boring, pretentious, etc, and I think others would too, but we each have our own views on what "people" do.

*: apologies to GB Shaw

[Jingthing]

Well, the reviews are ... mixed.

The invaders are ... buggers ... hey, that has a ring to it.

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2013/11/ender_s_game_adapted_from_orson_scott_card_s_novel_reviewed.html

Gay activist groups have proposed a boycott of Ender’s Game, to which Card (who has a producer’s credit) has responded that he won’t personally profit from the film, having received a flat fee for the rights long ago. (Anyway, Card already made his fortune from the 1985 best-seller, in which the insectoid invaders are referred to straight-up as “Buggers.”) I can understand wanting to skip Ender’s Game as a matter of moral principle, but you can also feel free to blow it off just because it’s not that good.

[CWMcMurray]

Have read the book and didn't notice anything anti-gay in the book ...

Have just looked on-line and seems that most if the anger is based upon the fact that the alien race are referred to as "buggers"

Although as these evil aliens are big giant insect creatures.... It is clearly calling them "buggers" because they are BUGS... Nothing to do with sexual orientation

Understand that are making something out of nothing because they do not like the author's politics, as he is outspoken against gay marriage

Fine to not like his politics and boycott for that reason , but don't say it is because the book/ movie is anti-gay

Also read that author sold the movie rights for a flat fee many years ago.... So reduced sales due to boycotting has no impact or effect to the author




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[Scott]

Also read that author sold the movie rights for a flat fee many years ago.... So reduced sales due to boycotting has no impact or effect to the author.

It will have an impact when he tries to sell his next movie rights.

[Jingthing]

The author isn't only against gay marriage. He's a RABID homophobe! Yet I agree no good reason to boycott this flic.

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[LeCharivari]

(edited)

Also read that author sold the movie rights for a flat fee many years ago.... So reduced sales due to boycotting has no impact or effect to the author

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Wherever you read that, it is incorrect.

Card was closely involved in the movie as both initial co-producer and as scriptwriter until 2011, and in the story line of the final production ( http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/10/cardqa/?cid=co13860944 ) .

[LeCharivari]

Also read that author sold the movie rights for a flat fee many years ago.... So reduced sales due to boycotting has no impact or effect to the author.

It will have an impact when he tries to sell his next movie rights.

The effect of any "boycott" of the movie on the value of Card's movie rights is likely to be far less than the quality of the film, as Card himself said:

"No one will touch anything else of mine until they see how Ender’s Game does. Unless the film absolutely tanks, which I’m not expecting, then the floodgates could open. I have probably a dozen books that are much, much more doable on film than Ender’s Game.

But, you know, whether that happens or not, my career is in books. There I have an unlimited special effects budget. And I can cast however I want."

What this call for a boycott does, unfortunately, is highlight just how intolerant some of those who have demanded "tolerance" for themselves (and been given it) really are - as Card himself said in a statement :

"Ender's Game is set more than a century in the future and has nothing to do with political issues that did not exist when the book was written in 1984 .... With the recent Supreme Court ruling, the gay marriage issue becomes moot. The full faith and credit clause of the constitution will, sooner or later, give legal force in every state to any marriage contract recognised by any other state. Now it will be interesting to see whether the victorious proponents of gay marriage will show tolerance toward those who disagreed with them when the issue was still in dispute."

[Jingthing]

I've attended Wagner operas.

Hope the movie is less sleep inducing.

'Nuff said.

[Scott]

The man sounds like a butt-hole and I certainly won't be going to this movie or probably any other movie done by him.

[Jingthing]

I think it's OK to make a distinction between a person's politics and their creative product. For example many right wing Americans won't see any movie with Jane Fonda or Sean Pean, whether it's good or not. That's silly.

Now if a creative product itself it especially odious to you, that's a different story, so don't indulge, but also wouldn't justify censorship. This topic wasn't about censorship per se, rather boycotts, but often when groups of people are offended by creative products they support censorship as well.

Edited November 5, 2013 by Jingthing

[Scott]

OK, JT, let me re-phrase my post. His movie sounds like a load of crap and it's not the kind of stuff I would want to watch. I wouldn't want to see that kind of movie it were written by Liberace!

[CWMcMurray]

Have checked out the previews and they are not that impressive, but the book was really good

I will still be checking it out and advise if it lives up to the book or not

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[Jingthing]

I'll watch it soon but the reviewers consensus is that it doesn't live up to the film.

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[LeCharivari]

Have checked out the previews and they are not that impressive, but the book was really good

I will still be checking it out and advise if it lives up to the book or not

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Agreed, the book was excellent, but as it was really about what went on in Ender's mind I doubt if that can be reproduced in a movie so it looks as if they have opted for a rather less thought-provoking "sci-fi /action" movie instead.

I can't help thinking that anyone like "Geeks Out" (the group leading the calls for a boycott) who seem to advocate only reading books, listening to music or watching movies, documentaries, etc, by those whose views or lifestyles they agree with must be missing out on a great deal, not only in terms of enjoyment but in perspective - in Ender's Game, for example, Ender's taunting as a "third" in a world with a two-child policy has been seen to have many parallels with gays being taunted for how they were born.

[Jingthing]

OK, folks, drum roll ... I saw it.

It didn't change my life but I wasn't bored. Very watchable, moderately entertaining. You can live without it of course. Nothing related to "gay controversy" in this actual movie not that I was expecting any. Cheers.

[Jingthing]

More background on this issue:

Studio executives must be thrilled about all of this, especially since Ender's Game demands a sequel, if the $110-million film makes enough dough to warrant it. But there's something that Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate, and the filmmakers involved definitely are not thrilled about, and that's the politics of Orson Scott Card, the source material's author. For one thing, the 62-year-old American author hates gay people. Like a lot. We could spend all day going over the various ways in which Card hates gay people, gay sex, gay nuptials, gay everything. But the only thing you need to know about his views on the LGBT community is that he has openlysupported the overthrow of the US government if it legalized same-sex marriage. Card's general political paranoia is also something to behold: Obama is a totalitarian despot who, in his bid for lifelong rule, could soon recruit mobs of unemployed urban youths to serve as his leftist "brown shirts."

http://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2013/10/enders-game-boycott-orson-scott-card-gay-marriage-geeks-out

[Scott]

Well, he does write fiction after all. It helps to have a good imagination, or in his case, a dose of paranoia.

[LeCharivari]

Even paranoids have enemies ....

(Golda Meir)

[sustento]

Went to see the movie in Bangkok with the bf and enjoyed it enormously. Bought the book and enjoyed it even more. The bf enjoyed the movie even though people weren't being killed every minute and there were no ghosts in it.

[CWMcMurray]

Well finally saw the movie... It was ok and if I had never read the book I probably would have been more impressed

Unfortunately I have read the book (multiple times) and was a bit disappointed at how much was left out... Seemed like the cliff notes version of the book

Although to be fair, it was already Aprox 2 hrs long... So in order to really do it justice, would have meant 2 movies instead of 1....

Although would have voted for 2 film version

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