I just finished Robert Kaplan's "Imperial Grunts," which showed troops from disadvantaged backgrounds (one Marine was even homeless before he joined), often driven by strong religious beliefs... and somehow he managed to refrain from looking down on his subjects or making them out to be victims. It allowed for criticisms of Bush/Rumsfeld, showed troops bitching contantly, and kept a consistent tone of admiration for their commitment and sacrifices. What's so tough about all this?

Its not that they think Americans dont want to see or know about these conflicts. After the flops of "Readacted", "In the Valley of Elah, "Lions for Lambs" and most recently "Stop Loss", Hollywood simply thinks the average American is TOO STUPID to get the message. A movie based on Gates of Fire or Marcus Luttrell's "Lone Survivor" would make box office gold.

"Hollywood simply thinks the average American is TOO STUPID to get the message."

Gosh, with an attitude like that, I wonder who they're supporting for President? (Is that old Variety headline "Stix nix hix pix" still valid, you think?) Guess the average adult movie-goer (most movies are obviously aimed at children and teen-agers) is pretty much a "typical white person" who is toting a Bible and a gun while married to a close relative and both of them are racist haters who are increasingly bitter about free trade. Otherwise these movies would be making a mint, right?

#10 on Amazon but how many ordered/pre-ordered directly from Yon as soon as they knew about this book.

Why does anyone think it's accidental or stupid on the part of Hollywood? The so-called liberals along with the usual suspects on the left have all joined The Internationale. They do not rout for American success. These are people who embrace Chavez. They believe that Amerikkka is imperialist and must be defeated. The movies all crashed and burned? And they continue to make more of the same? Perhaps once you've decided that this mission must fail and to deliver propaganda to help towards that end, the success of it is less important than the amount.

What's funny is their REAL target audience won't watch those movies. We aren't even a blip on the horizon. If the "millyuns" who are hating the war won't go and see that trash its because its too soon and emotions are too raw or some variation on that theme. They may have hit the nail right on the head with that supposition but all of us regular Americans are entirely outside of the box. My mind keeps getting drawn back to the Passion of the Christ. Hollywood could not process the success of that movie. They don't understand there is a whole 'nuther country out there which if understood could provide a huge market for what? Movies!!!

Luttrell's book has been optioned for a movie. You can google that to confirm. Surprised me too to hear about it. But Hollywood values money over prestige. The antiwar movies represent the sort of posturing and liberal pieties that prompt the self congratulation and status the schmucks in the movie business crave. But, well, money is money. If vulgar comedies make money, they produce vulgar comedies. If movies about feckless Americans being tortured in grimy Eastern European hostels make money, they make Hostel II. If a movie based on Lone Survivor makes money, we shall see.

Yon's book has been as high as #6 on Amazon. They must have run low, or out of books. I hope that will soon be remedied.

Hollywood's response:

*chirp*
*chirp* *chirp*

Tinselgrad is for makings of the collective-movie spirit! Boy-and-tractor sex movie, office worker girl meets Central Committee-falls in love-loses Central Committee-wins Chairmanship-liquidates oposition - you know, common peoples problemski not bitter and clingy peoples.

"The God Delusion" is #5. By your logic, Hollywood should be making lots of movies about atheism, since "we" are sick and tired of having religion shoved down our throats.

Right?