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David Poland

By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

Posted Monday, April 18th, 2005 - 12 Comments »

Too Hard?

I have now heard from a number of people who felt last Friday’s Hot Button was “a personal attack” on Gerry Rich and too harsh about his past and future.
I need some slightly less vested opinions. Please tell me your thoughts. Don’t feel obligated to sound off if you don’t have a sense of perspective on the story.
I acknowledge that Rich has had four #1 openings in twelve openings at Paramount and that Sahara was an especially strong achievement (even if they cribbed National Treasure). I also acknowledge that some of the strongest candidates for the job he eventually took have been taken off the field as potential near-future hires, by Paramount or anyone else, so the comparative threat has lightened.
That said… what say you?

12 Comments »

12 Responses to “Too Hard?”

  1. Martin says:
    April 18, 2005 at 5:12 pm

    who gives a fuckin shit about Gerry Rich. Sounds like an asshole to me.

  2. bakednudel says:
    April 18, 2005 at 8:29 pm

    I’m one of those who reads you for the movie reviews, etc. When you write about the business, I have no idea what or whom you’re talking about.
    I wonder if I’m the only one.
    Your Friday column was one of the ones I skimmed because I really did have no idea what you were talking about.

  3. bicycle bob says:
    April 19, 2005 at 6:36 am

    please don’t tell us ur going to be pulling ur punches dave.

  4. Martin says:
    April 19, 2005 at 6:41 am

    it’s like inside baseball here, maybe 10 people recognize who DP is talking about.

  5. Terence D says:
    April 19, 2005 at 8:10 am

    I didn’t know who he was talking about but since he wrote about I learned who it was. Keep it up David and do not worry about what people think.

  6. Joe Leydon says:
    April 19, 2005 at 8:35 am

    Have to agree with TD on this one, and go one step further: Like it or not, it’s these behind the scenes people who decide what we get to see, and whether we’re adequately informed and/or alerted about it. Ultimately, somebody like a Gerry Rich (or his counterparts at other studios) has more long-term effect on U.S. pop culture — nah, make that GLOBAL pop culture — on a week-in, week-out basis than a dozen film critics or a university’s worth of Phds.

  7. bicycle bob says:
    April 19, 2005 at 1:03 pm

    dave really why would u censor what u write? ur a journalist. independent one. who writes what he feels and wants people to know and what interests u. keep it up

  8. Dan R% says:
    April 19, 2005 at 1:32 pm

    I didn’t see anything wrong with what was written. You’re just calling it as you see it. Like Martin said some of us are learning about people we never knew of and how it all works. It’s cool to know.

  9. Mark says:
    April 19, 2005 at 2:24 pm

    Why don’t you post their responses to what you wrote? We’ll be the jury.

  10. Zube says:
    April 19, 2005 at 11:03 pm

    Why is it that i cannot get to the linked hot button article?

  11. Rockets Redglare says:
    May 1, 2005 at 9:18 pm

    Filmmakers beware of Mike Broder and Small Planet Pictures. They have been in breach of contract Ie they havent paid for the film Rockets Redglare and have ignored their contractual obligations since November of 2004. Small Planet Pictures are financed in part by Palasades Pictures. Mike Broder is a THIEF.

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