I saw Prey last night so, while I find Bobby Galinsky enormously entertaining, seeing this clip again makes it even funnier. The verdict? For what it is, it’s a lot of fun.
Have been wanting to see Mary and Max and Samson and Delilah, checked about half a dozen cinema complexes and came up with = 0
Does anyone know where or if these movies are showing anywhere? I’m willing to travel. Spoke to one of the theatre managers, who told me that Mary and Max were on for two days during the easter holidays. As for S and D, ‘never heard of it,’ he said.
These are both good movies, but they do not have drawing power at the box office, especialy S and D. Despite a five star rating from David and Marg and a lot of hype at the backyard barbercue, the great viewing public remain oblivious. No doubt both will lose $…
Despite their quality, these little flicks belong at the art-house end of the market. A good example of the priorities down at SA and FV. One reviewer recently said that S and D has rejuvinated the industry. Really?
Alex, I live in Geelong and Mary and Max is playing here. Samson and Delilah is on at Cinema Nova in Melbourne, all day.
More to the point, it’s not all about box office. They will both make their money back on both local and overseas theatrical, DVD, cable, free to air tv and licensing rights (and merchandising in the case of Mary and Max). They’ve made good films.. and good films find an audience. I’ll be first in line to plunk down my $30 for the Blu Ray edition of Adam Elliot’s masterpiece. They’re not the enemy.
I know you’re “disgruntled” but you’re also knowledgeable. I expect better critical analysis than this.
I forgot to mention both films have come in at a reasonable budget considering their potential for return, 1.6 mil for Samson and Delilah, 8 mil for Mary and Max. In the case of Mary and Max, consider that another stop motion flick currently in release, Coraline, had an 85 mil budget.
I haven’t seen Samson and Delilah yet, but Mary and Max is truly a universal, timeless story that should sell well to overseas markets.
The acclaimed feature debut of Warwick Thornton is off to a strong start, taking $199,000 over just 12 screens in major cities over the weekend, according to Nielsen EDI figures.
The filmmakers said Samson and Delilah took the highest screen average for any Australian film since Lantana in 2001.
The film took a massive $17,000 per screen, and didn’t seem to be hurt by Mothers Day on Sunday or the fact that its four NSW locations couldn’t open the film until Friday due to the Message Sticks premiere in Sydney on Thursday evening.
The strongest location was the Cinema Nova 8 in Melbourne ($35,678) and the Luna Leederville Twin in Perth ($25,926). The film’s total now stands at $220,000, after previews last weekend.
Mary and Max continued to hold its position in the top 15, taking a further $76,724 for a new total of $1.12 million, while Closed for Winter took an extra $1,485 for a total of $42,884.
Samson and Delilah will add more screens in coming weeks, with the film’s distributors currently inundated with calls from exhibitors keen to show the film.
The first weekend ‘rush’ is no indicator. Curiousity due to publicity. Readings Cinema ( 22 of them ) is currently only featuring Mary and Max in one ( Elsternwick). As for Sam and Del, time will tell. But I suspect it would have a limited appeal to the masses…The Nova and the Luna are two ‘arthouse’ cinemas…I hope I’m wrong, I hope these movies smash all box office records! But I just can’t see them – esp Sam and Del – appealing to the 12 – 25yr set ( the great majority of film goers) i.e. young people out for a good time and a few cheap thrills…
I managed to see Sam and Del, and although I feel a deep empathy for the plight of outback Aboriginal communities ( my grandfather on my father’s side was Aboriginal ) as a movie this fell way short of the mark.
I found it hard going. At the risk of being stonned to death in the square for blasphemy, I won’t be too critical. I just wish our film critics would CRITICIZE more from their heads rather than their hearts. Film criticism should be just that, not a feel good fest that issues encouragement awards…
Alex, S&D is not aimed at that mass demographic. Nor is it screening at the cinemaplexes.
I think the film has done well at the Nova because it’s the only place in Melbourne screening it, which seems pretty strange given the praise it’s received and its entry at Cannes.
Just saw S&D in Cannes and after some glowing reviews by our beloved Margaret & David and in Variety was extremely dissappointed. For me this was a film that needed to be made, but not one that needs to be seen. Ditto Bright Star which was even duller (cept this was a film that perhaps has a place on BBC TV) and Inglourious Bastards which will leave even the most avid Tarantino fan bored and dismayed.
Everyone’s a critic but Sampson and Delilah is a successful movie. Shot for a very reasonable 1.6 million, it has almost made that back on the Australian cinema run alone. Factor in DVD, TV/cable rights and overseas sales and you have a very profitable production.
Add to that glowing reviews and positive word of mouth, it seems like a winner on all counts. While I’m all about addressing the issues in the Australian film industry, in my opinion S&D is not part of the problem.
Never said it was, just said I didnt like it. Who says there’s a problem in the Australian film industry anyway. We are lucky enough to have a number of funding bodies that support a lot of film production in this country. While they may reject a lot of applications (mine not withstanding) they do provide a valuable service making a large number of films that no body is particularly interestded in watching. Of course its not their fault, why would someone choose to pay $15 to go and watch a film that is essentially a romance between a petrol sniffing mute and a chick (who’s acting is on the wobbly side) and cost $1.6m to make, when for the same price they can go and see Star Trek, a gripping film about the early days on the Starship Enterprise that cost in excess of $150m? I only saw one particularly good film in Cannes this year and that was Gaspar Noe’s “Enter the Void.” A film that is perhaps an hour too long, but one that gets better the more you think about it.
The support of film production consists of taxpayer’s money. While we should be grateful we should not forget it can create a culture of dependency if not well spent.
I love how Garnet Mae, director of one of the worst films ever (Meat Pie or whatever they call it now) casts judgement on Jane Campion and Warwick Thorton’s films! Really intelligent to rubbish these critically acclaimed and important films when his own film is derivative, unfunny and an amateurishly cobbled together piece of shit.
I see you’re casting some judegments on me there anon, so Im guessing you’ve made some special films yourself. Or is posting my film on Youtube the closest you’ve come to making your own flick, nice one.
Well, what a difference a year makes? It’s been a crescent moon over a year since that prescient video that started this river of semiconsciousness–and now after every critic in Australia caned PREY like Israeli soldiers slicing through a Turkish flotilla outside the Gaza Strip, and all the auteur faves have disappeared like Adriana Xenides turning that last vowel….PREY has risen up as “THE OUTBACK” to tear through American cinema and DVD and delighting teenagers, investors, lesbians, amoratherapists, and people concerned with aboriginal curses as it makes it’s way into the pantheon of “films you hate here that delight auds in North America…” Now that we got that out of our system, is Garnet Mae retarded? Hmmm….I think he’s rather a nice guy, Certainly not retarded. If he made a film about assassinating Kevin Rudd and followed it up as a doco with the desired ending, he’d get film maker of the year in my book. But I am tired of films about abused children and strange sexuality. You’d think Mae would have had enough of sexually abused latent pedophiles having worked with Austen Tayshus on Meat Pie but sometimes you just can’t get enough of a bad thing…
I heard a lot about Meat Pie (AKA Going Down Under) and was prepared for the worst but my expectations were challenged. While the script made Police Academy: Mission To Moscow look like high art, there was a lot to like. The camerawork, sound, music, production value and editing were better than expected. The inspired pop culture cast did their best with the material available. I liked the high concept idea of the Australian version of American Pie.
There is a lot of hate for this project, I’m curious why. I’m also curious to see what he’ll do next.
It is a little odd and while “haha” (below) claims he has not posted the film on youtube, it is quite possible he is part of a group of disgruntled writers who’s ideas were not taken on during the writing process of Meat Pie. Most of the hate generated around this film was published before the film was even finished. Of course now that it has been completed this team of evil doers has even more ammunition to spread there love, ironically I dont think they are doing us any harm. Thanks for your positive response to Meat Pie, with this sort of Molly Meldrum “never say nasty” aproach to film reviews you will probably go far!
Im not sure which critique you are referring to and yes I am aware that a script is generally where a film begins. If you posted a critical analysis on the script for Meat Pie, you probably did so after it was shot.
nothingbutthestruth
Garnet, I was referring to this:
While the script made Police Academy: Mission To Moscow look like high art, there was a lot to like.
Thanks for your comments on the blog, I believe any kind of discussion is a good thing for the industry. In curious, do you have any idea why there is so much vitriol aimed at you?
The shittiness of Garnet Mae’s films is irrefutable. Look at IMDB or the youtube comments. Or look at the films. It’s such a no brainer. Clearly, using terms like ‘high concept idea’ in relation to these z grade jokes is laughable.
FYI – I never posted anything on youtube. And my judgements are about your films Garnet, not you. Good luck defending a tarnished and irreversibly pathetic career.
And as for you “haha, Is Garnet Mae Retarded, Kill Yourself Garnet Mae” your passionate distaste for my films is admirable, why dont you come clean and tell us who you really are and how we have crossed paths in the past? If we havent met before and as you say your comments are about my films, then I apologise for suggesting you were simply a disgruntled, overlooked whilst obviously, at least in your own head, talented writer. And thanks for your posting re: Passion Love Beauty” my latest work. I am more than happy to take the Pepsi challenge with Samson and Delilah, and/or Bright Star. My film is infinitely better, not because it is especially good, but more because they are particularly bad.
i actually agree with Garnet Mae on his last commet – the “is garnet mae retarted” comments on meat pie all seem to be consistently written along the same tone of animosity which really sounds like some disgruntled ahole – what happened to supporting australian made – what about the australian movies that have influenced quentin tarantino – i say well done for having a crack Garnet and i have to say i always keep my eye out for meat pie everytime i walk past the aussie section of the video store and awaiting its release!
It is astonishing but true: Wherever Bobby Galinsky goes, people are left deeply and undeniably affected by his presence. See the Gulf War and the Suffragette Movement for examples of this. And now this thread.
nothingbutthestruth.wordpress.com 
I saw Prey last night so, while I find Bobby Galinsky enormously entertaining, seeing this clip again makes it even funnier. The verdict? For what it is, it’s a lot of fun.
I totally agree. I have the feeling it might become an Aussie cult classic.
Have been wanting to see Mary and Max and Samson and Delilah, checked about half a dozen cinema complexes and came up with = 0
Does anyone know where or if these movies are showing anywhere? I’m willing to travel. Spoke to one of the theatre managers, who told me that Mary and Max were on for two days during the easter holidays. As for S and D, ‘never heard of it,’ he said.
These are both good movies, but they do not have drawing power at the box office, especialy S and D. Despite a five star rating from David and Marg and a lot of hype at the backyard barbercue, the great viewing public remain oblivious. No doubt both will lose $…
Despite their quality, these little flicks belong at the art-house end of the market. A good example of the priorities down at SA and FV. One reviewer recently said that S and D has rejuvinated the industry. Really?
Al
Alex, I live in Geelong and Mary and Max is playing here. Samson and Delilah is on at Cinema Nova in Melbourne, all day.
More to the point, it’s not all about box office. They will both make their money back on both local and overseas theatrical, DVD, cable, free to air tv and licensing rights (and merchandising in the case of Mary and Max). They’ve made good films.. and good films find an audience. I’ll be first in line to plunk down my $30 for the Blu Ray edition of Adam Elliot’s masterpiece. They’re not the enemy.
I know you’re “disgruntled” but you’re also knowledgeable. I expect better critical analysis than this.
Time will tell…
I forgot to mention both films have come in at a reasonable budget considering their potential for return, 1.6 mil for Samson and Delilah, 8 mil for Mary and Max. In the case of Mary and Max, consider that another stop motion flick currently in release, Coraline, had an 85 mil budget.
I haven’t seen Samson and Delilah yet, but Mary and Max is truly a universal, timeless story that should sell well to overseas markets.
From Inside Film:
The acclaimed feature debut of Warwick Thornton is off to a strong start, taking $199,000 over just 12 screens in major cities over the weekend, according to Nielsen EDI figures.
The filmmakers said Samson and Delilah took the highest screen average for any Australian film since Lantana in 2001.
The film took a massive $17,000 per screen, and didn’t seem to be hurt by Mothers Day on Sunday or the fact that its four NSW locations couldn’t open the film until Friday due to the Message Sticks premiere in Sydney on Thursday evening.
The strongest location was the Cinema Nova 8 in Melbourne ($35,678) and the Luna Leederville Twin in Perth ($25,926). The film’s total now stands at $220,000, after previews last weekend.
Mary and Max continued to hold its position in the top 15, taking a further $76,724 for a new total of $1.12 million, while Closed for Winter took an extra $1,485 for a total of $42,884.
Samson and Delilah will add more screens in coming weeks, with the film’s distributors currently inundated with calls from exhibitors keen to show the film.
The first weekend ‘rush’ is no indicator. Curiousity due to publicity. Readings Cinema ( 22 of them ) is currently only featuring Mary and Max in one ( Elsternwick). As for Sam and Del, time will tell. But I suspect it would have a limited appeal to the masses…The Nova and the Luna are two ‘arthouse’ cinemas…I hope I’m wrong, I hope these movies smash all box office records! But I just can’t see them – esp Sam and Del – appealing to the 12 – 25yr set ( the great majority of film goers) i.e. young people out for a good time and a few cheap thrills…
I managed to see Sam and Del, and although I feel a deep empathy for the plight of outback Aboriginal communities ( my grandfather on my father’s side was Aboriginal ) as a movie this fell way short of the mark.
I found it hard going. At the risk of being stonned to death in the square for blasphemy, I won’t be too critical. I just wish our film critics would CRITICIZE more from their heads rather than their hearts. Film criticism should be just that, not a feel good fest that issues encouragement awards…
Al
Alex, S&D is not aimed at that mass demographic. Nor is it screening at the cinemaplexes.
I think the film has done well at the Nova because it’s the only place in Melbourne screening it, which seems pretty strange given the praise it’s received and its entry at Cannes.
Hi Paul!
Mary and Max is screening at a number of cinemas in Melbourne (Crown, Jam Factory etc), not just the Nova.
Having seen it, I feel its a film that would be enjoyable to most audiences, but will obviously never get Wolverine numbers, which is a pity.
Steve, I was referring to Samson and Delilah.
Oops. Sorry Paul, brain meltdown!
I know how you feel…
I do it all the time, hehe…
Just saw S&D in Cannes and after some glowing reviews by our beloved Margaret & David and in Variety was extremely dissappointed. For me this was a film that needed to be made, but not one that needs to be seen. Ditto Bright Star which was even duller (cept this was a film that perhaps has a place on BBC TV) and Inglourious Bastards which will leave even the most avid Tarantino fan bored and dismayed.
”Inglourious Bastards which will leave even the most avid Tarantino fan bored and dismayed”. How wrong can you be lol
Thanks for your comments, Garnet (Meat Pie) Mae.
Everyone’s a critic but Sampson and Delilah is a successful movie. Shot for a very reasonable 1.6 million, it has almost made that back on the Australian cinema run alone. Factor in DVD, TV/cable rights and overseas sales and you have a very profitable production.
Add to that glowing reviews and positive word of mouth, it seems like a winner on all counts. While I’m all about addressing the issues in the Australian film industry, in my opinion S&D is not part of the problem.
Never said it was, just said I didnt like it. Who says there’s a problem in the Australian film industry anyway. We are lucky enough to have a number of funding bodies that support a lot of film production in this country. While they may reject a lot of applications (mine not withstanding) they do provide a valuable service making a large number of films that no body is particularly interestded in watching. Of course its not their fault, why would someone choose to pay $15 to go and watch a film that is essentially a romance between a petrol sniffing mute and a chick (who’s acting is on the wobbly side) and cost $1.6m to make, when for the same price they can go and see Star Trek, a gripping film about the early days on the Starship Enterprise that cost in excess of $150m? I only saw one particularly good film in Cannes this year and that was Gaspar Noe’s “Enter the Void.” A film that is perhaps an hour too long, but one that gets better the more you think about it.
The support of film production consists of taxpayer’s money. While we should be grateful we should not forget it can create a culture of dependency if not well spent.
I love how Garnet Mae, director of one of the worst films ever (Meat Pie or whatever they call it now) casts judgement on Jane Campion and Warwick Thorton’s films! Really intelligent to rubbish these critically acclaimed and important films when his own film is derivative, unfunny and an amateurishly cobbled together piece of shit.
Judge for yourself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thJC4l06S-w&feature=channel_page
I see you’re casting some judegments on me there anon, so Im guessing you’ve made some special films yourself. Or is posting my film on Youtube the closest you’ve come to making your own flick, nice one.
Well, what a difference a year makes? It’s been a crescent moon over a year since that prescient video that started this river of semiconsciousness–and now after every critic in Australia caned PREY like Israeli soldiers slicing through a Turkish flotilla outside the Gaza Strip, and all the auteur faves have disappeared like Adriana Xenides turning that last vowel….PREY has risen up as “THE OUTBACK” to tear through American cinema and DVD and delighting teenagers, investors, lesbians, amoratherapists, and people concerned with aboriginal curses as it makes it’s way into the pantheon of “films you hate here that delight auds in North America…” Now that we got that out of our system, is Garnet Mae retarded? Hmmm….I think he’s rather a nice guy, Certainly not retarded. If he made a film about assassinating Kevin Rudd and followed it up as a doco with the desired ending, he’d get film maker of the year in my book. But I am tired of films about abused children and strange sexuality. You’d think Mae would have had enough of sexually abused latent pedophiles having worked with Austen Tayshus on Meat Pie but sometimes you just can’t get enough of a bad thing…
In defense of Garnet Mae..
I heard a lot about Meat Pie (AKA Going Down Under) and was prepared for the worst but my expectations were challenged. While the script made Police Academy: Mission To Moscow look like high art, there was a lot to like. The camerawork, sound, music, production value and editing were better than expected. The inspired pop culture cast did their best with the material available. I liked the high concept idea of the Australian version of American Pie.
There is a lot of hate for this project, I’m curious why. I’m also curious to see what he’ll do next.
It is a little odd and while “haha” (below) claims he has not posted the film on youtube, it is quite possible he is part of a group of disgruntled writers who’s ideas were not taken on during the writing process of Meat Pie. Most of the hate generated around this film was published before the film was even finished. Of course now that it has been completed this team of evil doers has even more ammunition to spread there love, ironically I dont think they are doing us any harm. Thanks for your positive response to Meat Pie, with this sort of Molly Meldrum “never say nasty” aproach to film reviews you will probably go far!
I just call them as I see them, Garnet. Did you skim over the critique of the script, which is the foundation of any film.
Im not sure which critique you are referring to and yes I am aware that a script is generally where a film begins. If you posted a critical analysis on the script for Meat Pie, you probably did so after it was shot.
Garnet, I was referring to this:
While the script made Police Academy: Mission To Moscow look like high art, there was a lot to like.
Thanks for your comments on the blog, I believe any kind of discussion is a good thing for the industry. In curious, do you have any idea why there is so much vitriol aimed at you?
The shittiness of Garnet Mae’s films is irrefutable. Look at IMDB or the youtube comments. Or look at the films. It’s such a no brainer. Clearly, using terms like ‘high concept idea’ in relation to these z grade jokes is laughable.
FYI – I never posted anything on youtube. And my judgements are about your films Garnet, not you. Good luck defending a tarnished and irreversibly pathetic career.
Sorry to hijack the comments, nbts. If you want to see Mae’s latest crapshoot, look no further: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA5v_-LJZpo&feature=related
And as for you “haha, Is Garnet Mae Retarded, Kill Yourself Garnet Mae” your passionate distaste for my films is admirable, why dont you come clean and tell us who you really are and how we have crossed paths in the past? If we havent met before and as you say your comments are about my films, then I apologise for suggesting you were simply a disgruntled, overlooked whilst obviously, at least in your own head, talented writer. And thanks for your posting re: Passion Love Beauty” my latest work. I am more than happy to take the Pepsi challenge with Samson and Delilah, and/or Bright Star. My film is infinitely better, not because it is especially good, but more because they are particularly bad.
i actually agree with Garnet Mae on his last commet – the “is garnet mae retarted” comments on meat pie all seem to be consistently written along the same tone of animosity which really sounds like some disgruntled ahole – what happened to supporting australian made – what about the australian movies that have influenced quentin tarantino – i say well done for having a crack Garnet and i have to say i always keep my eye out for meat pie everytime i walk past the aussie section of the video store and awaiting its release!
It is astonishing but true: Wherever Bobby Galinsky goes, people are left deeply and undeniably affected by his presence. See the Gulf War and the Suffragette Movement for examples of this. And now this thread.
You are the Nostradamus of media. Go with God.