TAG Blog: The Bomb Called Ratatouille

Thursday, September 13, 2007

The Bomb Called Ratatouille

Somebody quick put me out of my misery.

On its website, New York Magazine labels Brad Bird's latest opus a "flop."

NYM's source? Jim Hill Media.

Why was I born, why am I living?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...: "NYM's source? Jim Hill Media."

*spit take*

(whoah... wipe off computer monitor... compose one's self)

Now, then:

Mr. Hill... may I call you Jim ?

Jim , your baseless ramblings get picked up by Google cache and from there by lazy New York Magazine writers who don't know what's going on , but when they "Googled" for it they read some chatter from a Disney "expert" and "insider" about how Ratatouille is a flop... OMG :-(

Not sure who I'm more disappointed in : Jimboy or the lazy New York Magazine editor who didn't bother to dig a little deeper than the first couple of hits his reporter dug up on Google.; Thursday, September 13, 2007 5:41:00 PM
Anonymous said...: That's a complete embarrassment for NY magazine, to use such a dubious "source". Couldn't they have checked it out at ALL? ANYWHERE else...say, Daily Variety? Jesus. This is MSM really scraping the barrel, in the same lame category as the "top story" on CNN HEadline news' "Showbiz Tonight"last night: they aired a 10 minute YouTube video that some guy put up as a (obviously phony)"Britney Tribute". Pathetic!; Thursday, September 13, 2007 6:05:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Nearly everytime imdb.com's news mentions something about animation, it comes from JHM. Not good.; Thursday, September 13, 2007 6:26:00 PM
Bill Robinson said...: Ratatouille is probably one of the best animated films ever made. So it didn't make as much money as other pixar movies...neither did Fantasia when it came out! The public is stupid and doesn't always know what's good til years later. This is a timeless enduring film that I think will be huge on DVD for years to come. Jim Hill is just a guy excited to see the big powerful pixar take a hit just like disney did back in the 90's.; Thursday, September 13, 2007 7:57:00 PM
Anonymous said...: "The public is stupid and doesn't always know what's good til years later."

Most would consider that a flop. Yes Fantasia didn't make as much money as other Disney films of the time... THAT'S WHY IT WAS CONSIDERED A FLOP WHEN IT WAS RELEASED. I find it ironic that you all chastise JHM so much because your OPINIONS on the film and its release differ. That makes you just as bad as him just on the other end of the spectrum. I agree that to call Ratatouille a "flop" is stretching it but man you are all just as bad as he is. Spend this energy trying to do something more positive or productive. There will always be naysayers, or "haters" if you prefer, you just have to let it go and let time, the ultimate judge of these things, tell the truth.; Thursday, September 13, 2007 10:46:00 PM
Anonymous said...: I guess Pocahontas wasn't a flop either...?

From what i understand Pocahontas made double what it cost domestically and Ratatouille made less than 25 million more than it cost domestically...; Thursday, September 13, 2007 11:29:00 PM
Anonymous said...: How to write a Jim Hill article:

1) Begin with a summary of the article, referring to yourself in the third person.

2) Use the phrase "this ________ (insert director name) film" interchangeably with the film's title.

3) Correspond with "inside sources" who hold strictly non-creative positions in the industry.

4) Credit Google Images for the pictures in your story.

5) Ask the readers what they think, even though their opinions hold no more weight than your own.; Friday, September 14, 2007 1:02:00 AM
Anonymous said...: "I find it ironic that you all chastise JHM so much because your OPINIONS on the film and its release differ. That makes you just as bad as him just on the other end of the spectrum."

Is that you, Jim?

The guy is a pathetic little hack. He's lost all his contacts since Pixar's taken over and the only ones he's in touch with are the ones who shouldn't be working there in the first place. Hence his nonsensical rants.

Explain me how a movie that has made $200M and $400M worldwide is a "flop" when it only cost $150M to make.; Friday, September 14, 2007 5:07:00 AM
Steve Hulett said...: My gripe isn't with JMH.

My gripe is with New York Magazine for describing Ratatouille as a "flop" and referencing JMH as the authority.

(For all I know, Pixar could well be pointing at Disney marketing staff and wailing: "The lousy 202 million dollars is all their fault!"

It wouldn't be anything new. Fifty-five years ago producer-director-writer Nunally Johnson said: "When a picture underperforms, production always says it's the fault of marketing..." Assigning blame is a Hollywood specialty.)

The point is: Ratatouille isn't a flop by any sane definition. It will be in the black at the end of its worldwide theatrical run. It will make vast sums of money in secondary markets; it will add significatnly to the Disney Co.'s bottom line.

So for New York Magazine to label it a failure is patently idiotic.; Friday, September 14, 2007 5:57:00 AM
Anonymous said...: I suspect this NYM writer is about to be inundated with irate emails from the animation community, as he should be. Just keep it civil, folks.; Friday, September 14, 2007 9:10:00 AM
Anonymous said...: - "I find it ironic that you all chastise JHM so much because your OPINIONS on the film and its release differ. That makes you just as bad as him just on the other end of the spectrum."

Is that you, Jim?

The guy is a pathetic little hack. -

You just proved their point DCHall. Congratulations.; Friday, September 14, 2007 9:53:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Geeze. Get a grip. That link just goes to a New York magazine blog that mainly links to other sources and then dollops on some snark. It's not like it's some hard hitting expose. It's fluff.; Friday, September 14, 2007 10:57:00 AM
Anonymous said...: If anything, the article rolls its eyes at Jim Hill's claim. Look at the title: "Apparently, ‘Ratatouille’ WAS Pixar's First Flop" -- implying that it's not immediately obvious that Ratatouille was any kind of flop. Then it goes on to say: "And there's some truth to that; Ratatouille made $200 million, which seems pretty damn good, considering."

The article does more to ridicule Jim Hill than exalt him. First it repeats his statement, then it promptly smacks it down with actual box office numbers.; Friday, September 14, 2007 4:25:00 PM
Anonymous said...: As a member of SAG, AFTRA, WGA and TAG...I have come to this conclusion. TAG,(if this blog and comments reflect its members), wins the "Most Bitter Artists" award...The WGA is a very close second, though. But, TAG wins simply because the members go absolutely nuts, any time the words Pixar and something not effusive and congratulatory, is uttered. Man, what a lightning-rod. Food for thought...in the "real world", maybe one in fifty thousand people, know the difference between Pixar and Disney...and I'll bet One in ten million know who Jim Hill is! What an incredible waist of energy. Take in a nice movie...have a beverage or two. Cheers, D.; Friday, September 14, 2007 4:50:00 PM
Anonymous said...: "As a member of SAG, AFTRA, WGA and TAG...I have come to this conclusion. TAG,(if this blog and comments reflect its members), wins the "Most Bitter Artists" award...The WGA is a very close second, though. But, TAG wins simply because the members go absolutely nuts, any time the words Pixar and something not effusive and congratulatory, is uttered. Man, what a lightning-rod. Food for thought...in the "real world", maybe one in fifty thousand people, know the difference between Pixar and Disney...and I'll bet One in ten million know who Jim Hill is! What an incredible waist of energy. Take in a nice movie...have a beverage or two. Cheers, D."

THANK YOU D, You hit the nail right on the head here. There is so much energy spent by people in the "animation industry" trying to push these very narrow viewpoints that it just gets extremely old and frustrating after a while... DreamWorks is lame and all the care about it money... Pixar is infallible... Mocap was born in hell...; Friday, September 14, 2007 7:33:00 PM
Ryan Summers said...: "Explain me how a movie that has made $200M and $400M worldwide is a "flop" when it only cost $150M to make."

As far as I know a movie typically needs to almost double it's advertised "cost" in order to make it's money back. Those theater chains aren't placing the films for free. In theory, I guess that means that Ratatouille needed to make $300 million to cover it's cost, which it hasn't done domestically.

All that being said, I'm really starting to get more and more disappointed with movies being treated like sports, pitting animated movies vs each other like it's a football game. Even if Ratatouille made $20 I'd still rank it as one of the best movies of the year, especially when you rank it amongst it's summer-release peers.

I still want those 5 hours back from Pirates and Transformers!; Sunday, September 16, 2007 9:47:00 AM
Anonymous said...: "As far as I know a movie typically needs to almost double it's advertised "cost" in order to make it's money back."

Actually the 'rule of thumb' has always been 3x the cost of the film to break even. That, in theory, would help pay for the marketing and prints and distribution.; Sunday, September 16, 2007 6:04:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Yep, I agree with mister D on this.

We're supposed to be in an industry that delivers 'fun'. We're supposed to be happy lively animators...

We are a frustrated and bitter bunch. I guess some can only be happy by complaining and bitching about stuff.

'Hey bartender...where's my shot!'

Rufus.; Monday, September 17, 2007 5:08:00 PM