Eli Roth Blames Piraters for Death of Hostel Part II

[ROC]

Michael Moore's 'Sicko' Is Pirated

A copy of Michael Moore's Sicko, apparently spirited out of the United States and into Canada in order to avoid the possibility of its being confiscated by U.S. authorities, has turned up on the Internet on peer-to-peer content sites. Advertising Age commented on its website today (Monday): "Moore, and his distributor, The Weinstein Company, have every film maker's worst marketing nightmare on their hands -- how to persuade people to go to the theater to see a show that's available free on the Internet." Some analysts observed, however, that Moore's previous film, Fahrenheit 9/11, was also widely bootlegged but nevertheless went on to gross $119 million domestically. Meanwhile, director Eli Roth is complaining on his MySpace page that piracy did in his latest movie, Hostel Part II. Roth has written that "a stolen workprint" was uploaded before the release "and is really hurting us." He predicted: "Piracy will be the death of the film industry, as it killed the music industry, and while it makes a smaller dent in huge movies like Spider Man 3, it really hurts films like mine, which have far less of an advertising and production budget." Roth further charged that some critics -- he declined to name them -- actually reviewed the pirated copy. "I know who they are, as do the studios, and other filmmakers," he said, "and they will no longer have any access to any of my films."

[Bushmeister]

Wait, wait, wait.

Piracy killed the music industry? What? Did I miss a memo here or something?

[Draevyn]

I never knew the music industry was dead. As for Hostel II, I think the original Hostel killed Hostel II. I saw the previews for the original Hostel and thought it looked completely retarded, so if I didn't watch the first one, I damn sure wasn't watching the second one. That whole genre of movies really doesn't interest me. Not even the Saw movies interested me.

[MyKILLv2.0]

I get sick of hearing how "piracy" has killed the music industry.

I'm not saying it hasn't affected the industry badly in some ways, but in others it has helped the industry. I, for one, listen to music a lot more now then I used it, and it is because I have the ablity to listen to different types of music and musicians I never had the ablity to listen to before, and I doubt I'm alone in this regard.

The only thing it appears is that movie execs are now falling in line with music executs, and blaming "piracy" for their failed products.

Edited June 18, 2007 by MikelSweeten

[Rashid]

I have a fascination with the "torture" genre. I enjoyed the Saw trilogy, and Zombie's 2 "Firefly Movies". Hell, I loved Devil's Rejects. And I STILL hated Hostel and thought it was a disgusting, worthless piece of shit movie.

So it's no surprise to me that Hostel II is doing bad.

[KevinStorm]

Going from what I hear at work in a video store, Hotel sucking is what killed Hostel 2.

[EndOfAnEra]

Hostel II was a shit movie, plain and simple. Word gets around.

[SeanDMan]

It's easier to blame teenagers for the death of the modern world then yourself. People will shake a fist with you when it's the fault of those damn kids.

[TOG]

I don't think pirating is going to hurt films that badly anyway. Most people go to the movies for the social experience of seeing a film in the theatre with friends; that can't be replaced. It is a good excuse for terrible movies though.

[Quom]

Nah I pirate movies so I don't have to pay shit loads of money to sit in a seat that's way too cramped and have to put up with the lights being switched off and the noises of others. In my mind going to the movies costs way too much when you weigh it up against the cost of a DVD or other forms of entertainment. Especially if you have a large HD television and surround sound.

[Lowerdeck]

Why I didn't see Hostel II: reviews said it was shit. Movies cost way too much anyway, it takes something really important for me to want to go out and see one.

[livid]

Hostel would probably fair a bit better if ya' know, it had star power in it or something? Don't get me wrong, I like Jay Hernandez but part of the reason why it's not getting a lot of money is because there's really no reason to go into a theater and see it. There's probably enough reason to rent it, so I expect it to have fairly decent DVD sales just because people might be curious for around 4 bucks less.

[ROC]

Hostel would probably fair a bit better if ya' know, it had star power in it or something? Don't get me wrong, I like Jay Hernandez but part of the reason why it's not getting a lot of money is because there's really no reason to go into a theater and see it. There's probably enough reason to rent it, so I expect it to have fairly decent DVD sales just because people might be curious for around 4 bucks less.

Edited June 18, 2007 by Mr. Nic Offer

[The Kraig]

I liked Hostel...I'll see Hostel II eventually, probably sooner rather than later.

[livid]

Hostel was okay. I really looked forward to it and thought it was a decent movie, but it generally just seemed to lack the mystique that it was trying to convey. This may sound wrong, but it's being billed as an all out torture movie that's so fucked up that you can't help but be intrigued. Unfortunately, I just didn't get that feeling from it.

[Dr. Rated-R]

I'm a huge fan of Roth's work, but when I read his bulletin on myspace, my reaction was something along the lines of "grow the fuck up, man". Honestly, he shouldn't complain about it. It's 2007. If you don't want people to download your movies, don't make movies. Because if you do, it's going to happen. Illegal though it may be, movie piracy isn't going anywhere any time soon.

And aside from that, it wasn't piracy that kept Hostel 2 from making money anyways. It was the release date. I don't know whose idea it was, but moving Hostel 2 from the original early '07 release date to a date right in the middle of one of the most blockbuster-filled summers I can ever recall, was a decision of WCW-esque retardation.

[ROC]

I'm a huge fan of Roth's work, but when I read his bulletin on myspace, my reaction was something along the lines of "grow the fuck up, man". Honestly, he shouldn't complain about it. It's 2007. If you don't want people to download your movies, don't make movies. Because if you do, it's going to happen. Illegal though it may be, movie piracy isn't going anywhere any time soon.

And aside from that, it wasn't piracy that kept Hostel 2 from making money anyways. It was the release date. I don't know whose idea it was, but moving Hostel 2 from the original early '07 release date to a date right in the middle of one of the most blockbuster-filled summers I can ever recall, was a decision of WCW-esque retardation.

[Toe]

I enjoy going to the movie theatre and seeing a movie on the big screen. Whether it is available online for free somewhere doesn't even enter my train of thought.

And I really disliked Hostel. If you search through the "What Movie Did You See Today?" thing, you'll probably find the post I put up where I said I really disliked it. I actually laughed at parts, and cringed at some of the cheesy acting in the film.

[The Kraig]

Hostel wasn't a torture film. It had a few torture scenes but it was mainly a vaguely intelligent teen flick. Foreigners in Europe, falling victim to their own ignorance and a well organised pay-to-slay network (of which likely exist somewhere in reality).

I thought it was believable and pretty realistic, the characters were great (DE KING OF DE SWING BAYBEE~!) and can't really think of anything particularly bad about it. Even the acting wasn't bad. At quite a few points the acting was outstanding, Derek Richardson played a goofy, innocent teenager perfectly.

[TOG]

I liked Hostel as well.