# Films (or film concepts) which would never be greenlighted today **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 30, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170 "2008-07-30T00:35:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/21 "2008-07-30T13:45:19Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] Seriously? In the aftermath of **The Passion of the Christ**? Not only would both of those movies be made, they’d probably be huge hits. [/QUOTE] POTC came out in 2004. If Hollywood merely followed the money, they would have made a bunch of religiously-themed moves in the four years since. They haven’t. Q.E.D. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/22 "2008-07-30T14:45:56Z")
I love the film but I’d think that _Harold and Maude_ would have trouble getting a green light nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/23 "2008-07-30T14:53:18Z")
> [@](#): > > That’s what I said: any silent film would be turned down. Your comment was ambiguous. I couldn’t tell if you meant a remake of a silent or a new, silent movie. **puppygod** pointed out last year’s **Call of Cthuluhu** , but that was an independent effort (by lovecraft fanatics. It’s a great flick, BTW), so i’m not sure it counts. I think you easily _could_ get a silent film made. They’re both getting pretty old, but Mel Brooks’ **Silent Movie** did pretty well. And **le dernier Combat** has not a line of dialogue in it. Heck, the previously-mentioned **Pasion of the Christ** is in Aramaic! And **Apocalypto** is in Mayan (albeit with subtitles). ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/24 "2008-07-30T15:03:14Z")
They had a story on NPR a couple weeks ago about the 20th anniversary of “Heathers”, and the filmmakers mentioned that they probably would not be able to make that movie today. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/25 "2008-07-30T15:06:41Z")
I really don’t think that [The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039169/) would get greenlit today. An art film that explores taboo relationships, like [Lolita](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119558/), is possible. A fun, frolicksome romp about a bachelor having to spend time with an underaged girl as part of a court sentence? No way. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/26 "2008-07-30T15:13:53Z")
**Gone With the Wind** would not be made today, for among other reasons: 1. Racist depiction of blacks, who are depicted as better off & happier living as slaves on the plantation. 2. Scarlett being raped by her drunken husband Rhett (or at least being carried up the stairs very much against her will to do the deed), and then cutting to the next morning in which she is shown to be happy as a clam. 3. Length - the movie runs close to 4 hours long. 4. It’s strong anti-war message (we’ve got to support our troops! How DARE Hollywood make a film showing Americans LOSING a war?? Even if they are Confederates…) ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/27 "2008-07-30T15:14:20Z")
[QUOTE=Shoeless] They had a story on NPR a couple weeks ago about the 20th anniversary of “Heathers”, and the filmmakers mentioned that they probably would not be able to make that movie today. [/QUOTE] Jawbreaker says hello. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/28 "2008-07-30T15:27:03Z")
12 Angry Men. A movie that takes place in one room, with essentially no action? I don’t think it’d fly. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/29 "2008-07-30T15:28:45Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] I think you easily _could_ get a silent film made. They’re both getting pretty old, but Mel Brooks’ **Silent Movie** did pretty well. And **le dernier Combat** has not a line of dialogue in it. Heck, the previously-mentioned **Pasion of the Christ** is in Aramaic! And **Apocalypto** is in Mayan (albeit with subtitles). [/QUOTE] I doubt it. Subtitled isn’t silent (otherwise, films would only be made in the US and UK). And a movie without dialog isn’t the same thing either – silent films had dialog. Also, the question is about being greenlighted, which implies being made by a studio, not an independent film. Any one of the suggestions here could be made independently, but not by a studio with an eye to the bottom line. **Silent Movie** (technically not silent, but close enough) was an anomaly. You haven’t seen anyone try to duplicate it (at a studio). And that was 30 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/30 "2008-07-30T15:33:55Z")
> [@](#): > > And a movie without dialog isn’t the same thing either – silent films had dialog. Similar enough, though, that the fact that le Dernier Combat was made is relevant. [/quote] Also, the question is about being greenlighted, which implies being made by a studio, not an independent film. Any one of the suggestions here could be made independently, but not by a studio with an eye to the bottom line. [/quote] [I recognize this, which is why I pointed out that \*\*Call of Cthulhu[/B was independent. Your comment doesn’t add anything. > [@](#): > > Silent Movie (technically not silent, but close enough) was an anomaly. It was a mainstream flick. It’s unusual, but there;s no reason this couldn’t be duiplicated. You can’t dismiss it by calling it an anomaly. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/31 "2008-07-30T15:39:49Z")
[QUOTE=BrotherCadfael] POTC came out in 2004. If Hollywood merely followed the money, they would have made a bunch of religiously-themed moves in the four years since. They haven’t. Q.E.D. [/QUOTE] There have been. Mary and Joeseph was the big release. There have been many more smaller releases. Passion of the Christ taught the studios how to market and release these films. Facing the Giants, did 10 million dollars, which doesn’t sound like much till you look at this movie that was made for a $1.95. The movie was never in the ‘major’ markets. It didn’t play in NYC or LA. Amazing Grace was a bigger release but still concentrated on the right markets. Trust me, ‘Faith Based’ films are being released and are in development. There has been talk about a 10 Commandments remake for sometime. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/32 "2008-07-30T15:39:53Z")
[QUOTE=The New and Improved Superman] 1. Scarlett being raped by her drunken husband Rhett (or at least being carried up the stairs very much against her will to do the deed), and then cutting to the next morning in which she is shown to be happy as a clam. [/QUOTE] I don’t think the idea of a woman being unwilling to have sex but being shown to have enjoyed it later has gone out of fashion in Hollywood. I’ll have to try to think of examples… ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/33 "2008-07-30T15:53:28Z")
[QUOTE=The New and Improved Superman] 4. It’s strong anti-war message (we’ve got to support our troops! How DARE Hollywood make a film showing Americans LOSING a war?? Even if they are Confederates…) [/QUOTE] You MUST be joking. Either that, or you haven’t kept up with Hollywood for the last 5 years. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/34 "2008-07-30T15:54:52Z")
Blazing Saddles. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/35 "2008-07-30T15:58:16Z")
[QUOTE=RikWriter] You MUST be joking. Either that, or you haven’t kept up with Hollywood for the last 5 years. [/QUOTE] I’m not sure any of the answers given in this thread are paying attention to the kinds of movies Hollywood comes out with. Similar stuff to nearly all of the answers have been released in the last few years. I mean Gone With the Wind would never be made today? Really? The highest grossing movie of all-time (adjusted for inflation) wouldn’t be made today? Come on. EDIT: [QUOTE=Weirddave & RikWriter] Blazing Saddles [/QUOTE] Again, why not? Wouldn’t Dave Chappelle may perfect for a movie like Blazing Saddles? ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/36 "2008-07-30T16:07:34Z")
Wall-E is not a silent film, but it is based on the pacings of silent films. I see no reason why a silent film couldn’t be made, if the idea was big enough… as opposed to a technical limitation on the movie process. See: Buffy The Vampire Slayer: Hush. Almost the entire episode was silent. As far as Forbidden Planet? Shakespeare is always popular. Just got to pitch it right. ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/37 "2008-07-30T16:24:58Z")
[Freaks (1932)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022913/) It’s possible (though unlikely) that someone might remake the film using CGI. But to use actual “freaks” as in the original? Would never happen today. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/38 "2008-07-30T16:37:57Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] It was a mainstream flick. It’s unusual, but there;s no reason this couldn’t be duiplicated. You can’t dismiss it by calling it an anomaly. [/QUOTE] So how many others have been made in the past 30 years? I’d say a single Hollywood film out of the thousands made in that period (and for almost 30\* years previously) clearly fits the definition of anomaly: > [@](#): > > anomaly –noun, plural -lies. > > 1. a deviation from the common rule, type, arrangement, or form. > 2. someone or something anomalous: With his quiet nature, he was an anomaly in his exuberant family. > 3. an odd, peculiar, or strange condition, situation, quality, etc. > 4. an incongruity or inconsistency. There’s no reason why _any_ of the films mentioned couldn’t be duplicated, if Hollywood wanted to. Hell, Hollywood did a remake of **The Jazz Singer** – blackface and all. They could even do a remake of **Birth of a Nation** , if they wanted. But they probably won’t want to, for reasons that vary for each film. \*More than 30, if you don’t want to consider Chaplin’s 1930s silents as being studio productions. ---
**Author:** ![Superfreaknduper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Superfreaknduper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superfreaknduper)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/39 "2008-07-30T16:42:31Z")
[QUOTE=Justin\_Bailey] I’m not sure any of the answers given in this thread are paying attention to the kinds of movies Hollywood comes out with. Similar stuff to nearly all of the answers have been released in the last few years. I mean Gone With the Wind would never be made today? Really? The highest grossing movie of all-time (adjusted for inflation) wouldn’t be made today? Come on. EDIT: Again, why not? Wouldn’t Dave Chappelle may perfect for a movie like Blazing Saddles? [/QUOTE] I agree about Blazing Saddles not being made now-a-days. You’re right Dave Chapelle could pull off playing the sheriff. But I think the MPAA would have a field day throwing out NC-17 or worse ratings making the movie all but completely unmarketable. If Dave Chapelle wrote it it might be a different story, but an older white guy writing a movie with so many racist overtones (yes completely comic and ironic) I think people would be up in arms about it. Nas wasn’t allowed to have his album named Nigger and he is a black man old enough to make his own decision, that word is loaded to no end now. It is said wayy too many times in Blazing Saddles… one of my favorite movies btw. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170/40 "2008-07-30T16:49:28Z")
[QUOTE=Superfreaknduper] I agree about Blazing Saddles not being made now-a-days. You’re right Dave Chapelle could pull off playing the sheriff. But I think the MPAA would have a field day throwing out NC-17 or worse ratings making the movie all but completely unmarketable. If Dave Chapelle wrote it it might be a different story, but an older white guy writing a movie with so many racist overtones (yes completely comic and ironic) I think people would be up in arms about it. Nas wasn’t allowed to have his album named Nigger and he is a black man old enough to make his own decision, that word is loaded to no end now. It is said wayy too many times in Blazing Saddles… one of my favorite movies btw. [/QUOTE] An album titled “Nigger” is a lot different than a movie titled “Blazing Saddles” (that has the word “Nigger” in it a lot). EDIT: And the “official” reason for the name change was that Nas thought the title would overshadow the music on the CD. Billboard has been following it closely and it’s been an interesting story to read. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/films-or-film-concepts-which-would-never-be-greenlighted-today/458170.md?page=3)