Are there any casual fans anymore?

[Hosp]

Being a wrestling fan, I tend to get into discussions with people about what I think is going to happen with a wrestler or at an event. More times then not, these people can tell me every detail about the wrestler's health, what the person's relationship with the writers are, even if they're married and have children. This got me thinking about how before the internet only a few people would be privy to that kind of information or even care.

Then I realized it's that way with all aspects of entertainment. You can't just go and see "The Rundown", you'll have to know what The Rock was paid to be in the movie, it's gross over the weekend, and how it's doing overseas. You can't just sit down and watch The Bachelor, you have to know how it did in the ratings with females between 18 and 34. And you just can't go buy that limpbizkit cd, you have to know how many units it sold the first week and what it's rank on the Billboard charts.

So, as Americans, can we just be casual fans of anything anymore, or do we have to be complete experts on everything? And when did we make the change?


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[Furtherman]

Whenever someone starts telling me those stats that really don't matter, I tune out. I especially find it annoying when it comes to sports. I'm a Philadelphia fan (please hold all insults until end). The Phillies are out. That sucks, but I won't be reviewing what they did all season to find out why. The Eagles won on Sunday. Awesome! Who had the most yards gained? Who cares? They won. So yea, I'm a casual fan when it comes to sports. When people talk about games that happened years ago, I just feel those brain cells could be holding some more important information... like when your grandmother's birthday is or the anniversary of her death.

But I can see myself as a bit of a hypocrite on this subject because I will talk at length about movies - but only when provoked - so I'd say I'm more of a casual fan about movies.


As to when America made the change - Well, people are usually passionate about one thing or another. That's always been prevalent. It gives people something to talk about, something to feel proud of.

As for entertainment - specifically movies - that all started in the summer of 1975 when a movie about a shark came along and scared the shit outta everyone living near water. Jaws started the "blockbuster" trend. Opening weekend grosses weren't widely reported before then - or even made out to be the fighting challenges they seem to be these days. Music probably started with Michael Jackson's Thriller when that broke all sorts of records. It's all about the money now - it always was - but now it is even more prevalent.





Oh, and by the way... The Bachelor earned a 8.32 W18-49 for its 9/24 premiere.

[Hosp]

Oh, and by the way... The Bachelor earned a 8.32 W18-49 for its 9/24 premiere.


Oh that Bob!

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[Mike Teacher]

As for entertainment - specifically movies - that all started in the summer of 1975 when a movie about a shark came along and scared the shit outta everyone living near water. Jaws started the "blockbuster" trend. Opening weekend grosses weren't widely reported before then - or even made out to be the fighting challenges they seem to be these days.


Wow, can I vouch for this one.

The year the book Jaws came out my English Teacher let me read it for the 'reading day' we had. It was actually very cool; as long as they approved of what you read, and you read it, it was like the whole afternoon.

Anyway I ate up that book, and was hooked.

In 1975, I was 12! And I went to the Theatre; and people were literally screaming in their seats, and weeping. The tension in the movie is unbearable. Remember, you don't see much of the shark in this movie; it's a lot of quick cuts, and shitloads of Anticipation. Ditto with 'Alien' later.

What I'm saying is that while the movie 'Jaws' doesnt seem, in retrospect, a 'ghoulish' movie, back then it was so Huge, it freaked out So many people.

Everything went Shark. TV, magazines, newspapers. This was pre-internet, so news wasn't as immediate.

Oh YEAH, I forgot! The Biggest reason, I'd say, as to the success of Jaws [and Alien] was this: there was a Huge pall of Secrecy about these movies. The press didn't get shit during production, and the press-kits showed pictures of Brody on the boat, or Hopper looking at a Jaw, or some other thing. They showed NONE of the cool scenes in the Trailer; and what they DO show was just tiny bits.

Meaning, when you got to the Theatre, all you knew was this: The Movie WAS going to scare the shit out of you. And that made it fucking unbearable. I watched half of the first Alien movie through my fingers.

[EDIT: Wow can I fuck up a thread or what? Oops.]

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This message was edited by Mike Teacher on 9-30-03 @ 5:39 PM

[JustJon]

The internet changed everything. It used to be that all your info came from magazines, newspapers, tv, etc. All media outlets that the entertainment industry could control.

Then came sites like Aint It Cool, Gaming Insider, etc., where insiders were able to sneak info out and people could find out anything and everything.

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[Furtherman]

Oh YEAH, I forgot! The Biggest reason, I'd say, as to the success of Jaws [and Alien] was this: there was a Huge pall of Secrecy about these movies. The press didn't get shit during production, and the press-kits showed pictures of Brody on the boat, or Hopper looking at a Jaw, or some other thing. They showed NONE of the cool scenes in the Trailer; and what they DO show was just tiny bits.


Yes, Mike! THAT is the way I wish I could walk into movies... just like it use to be. Now I just stay away from press and websites - even turn off the radio when a movie comes up. But it is hard - and trailers suck. They show way too much. But it's all about filling the seats on the opening weekend to see that "cool" action scene.