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“Christians” are to Blame for Basic Instinct 2’s Failure

Orginally published on Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:00 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Stone Hollywood elitists are saying that it is Christianity and conservatism in America that are the cause of the box office failure of Sharon Stone's new movie "Basic Instinct 2".

Paul Verhoeven, who directed the first "Basic Instinct" says:

"Anything that is erotic has been banned in the United States,’ said the Dutch native. ‘Look at the people at the top (of the government). We are living under a government that is constantly hammering out Christian values. And Christianity and sex have never been good friends."

Another Hollywood writer, Scribe Nicholas Meyer, said:

"We're in a big puritanical mode,’ he said. ‘Now, it's like the McCarthy era, except it's not 'Are you a communist?' but 'Have you ever put sex in a movie?"

America is puritanical? America is constantly hammering out Christian values?

Sorry, but I don't think the church can take credit for these things; little alone the failure of Basic Instinct 2. Most Christians are probably just waiting for it to come out on DVD.

(Sad, but true)

Todd

HT to Newsbusters for the quotes.

This post has been viewed 122 times so far.

TRACKBACKS: (0) There are 22 Comments:

Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:29 AM

I never saw #1 and will probably never see #2, but the main reasons folks don’t fill the seats is because either the content is not something that intrests them or mainly that the film is just plain bad.

Even reviewers that like this sort of thing said it wasn’t very good.

The same could be said about music too. It isn’t illegal downloads that is killing music sales, it’s the bad music!
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:39 AM

Excuse me, but Ebert & Roeper called it a bomb, never accusing Christians for the horrible script and acting. They weren’t the only secular critics of the film.

If Mr. Verhoeven doesn’t like it here, then hit the road back to Denmark.
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:53 AM

I wouldn’t come to the conclusion that Christians are unfriendly about sex , I do agree that I won’t pay $15 and a babysitter to see a sex thriller. Might pay $4 to rent it and watch after the child is in bed though. If it drags, I haven’t lost much by turning it off.
Posted by Randy Ehle

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:54 AM

Recent history has shown that when Christians band together to protest lurid movies, the movies usually end up reaping far more at the box office than their quality would suggest. In other words, when we protest, more people go to see it, if for no other reason than to see what we’re protesting. It happened 25 years ago with “Last Temptation of Christ”, more recently with “Brokeback Mountain”, and probably with several others between those that I can’t recall right now.

Considering that this is the first I’ve even heard of Basic Instinct 2, my hunch is that it was of such poor quality that not even the usual Christian voices spoke out. (Maybe that’s what Meyer and Verhoeven are complaining about - we Christians didn’t raise enough of a protest to drive up sales!)
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 12:57 PM

[Most Christians are probably just waiting for it to come out on DVD.

(Sad, but true)]

That’s probably a pretty acurate statement Todd, but I must confess, I’m a little surprised to hear “you” say it.
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 12:58 PM

So, is this Hollywood’s version of “the Devil made me do it?” We all need a scapegoat… TOO BAD the Christian community isn’t really that influencial in our nation.

Of course, They knew I would respond this way because I’m a radical right-wing born-again fundamental evangelical....

How old is Sharon Stone BTW? Maybe they should have released this film in nursing homes first?
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 1:48 PM

Wow, those “Hollywood elitists” are just so right. I didn’t go to see Basic Instinct 2 because of the sex and the fact that I’m a Christian. It never occurred to me to not see the movie because of the probable bad acting and ridiculous plot line. Or because it’s a sequel to a movie that didn’t need a sequel. Or because Sharon Stone is famous for what?

Sorry about the sarcasm today - it’s one of those days. And this was just too ridiculous not to comment on.
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 4:13 PM

Paul Verhoeven is one to talk! This is the hack who made “Starship Troopers” (I still want my money back) and “Showgirls” (a sex-fest which I skipped on, but it got some of the worst reviews in history). And http://www.rottentomatoes.com, which tracks major (and some minor) movie critics finds that 94% of movie reviewers in America think that “Basic Instinct 2” is bad. That’s an ASTOUNGINGLY high figure! Make a good movie, maybe people will come see it. Don’t blame believers for what’s your own fault.

Also, Randy writes [Recent history has shown that when Christians band together to protest lurid movies, the movies usually end up reaping far more at the box office than their quality would suggest. In other words, when we protest, more people go to see it, if for no other reason than to see what we’re protesting. It happened 25 years ago with “Last Temptation of Christ"]

Actually, although maybe that happened with “Brokeback Mountain”, it’s not what happened with Scorcese’s picture, which only grossed just under $9 million, effectively rendering it a commercial failure. So we “win some” and we “lose some”, I guess…
Posted by Bart

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 5:42 PM

Jeff said, “How old is Sharon Stone BTW? Maybe they should have released this film in nursing homes first?”

Just stab me with a knife would ya!! Maybe that is why the guys in my Bible study call me “dog” (Designated Old Guy) Gotta go, it is time to eat and I need to find my teeth.
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 6:09 PM

Jeff and Bart,

I hear Sharon Stone actually uses a “walker” in this movie!
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 7:58 PM

ha,ha,ha,hee,hee,hee,ha,ha,ha,hee,hee,hee…

They are hiliarious man. The only reason #1flopped is because Sharon Stone can’t act. Man this Chick is just like 7up… NEVER HAD IT AND NEVER WILL… The only movie I ever like her in was the one with Aronld and He told her “Then consider this a divorce and shot her.”

The other reason is because they are not any good at being directors and holding the intrest of the movie goer. They’d be better off staying home and starting a floral shop. Besides why did they wait umpteen years to make #2. BECAUSE IT STUNK…

But since they say we are the ones to blame for speaking out against sex and sexual content. All I can say is, “YOUR WELCOME.” GOt a problem with that, my name is Jeff Ruble, I am a born again Christian, I am a nut for Christ, but I am screwed onto the right bolt.
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 9:10 PM

Jeff,

Nobody here thinks you’re screwed onto the right bolt, man… Just thought I’d let you know!
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:02 PM

I would like to see DaVinci fail miserably because of Christians:

Take a moment and mark your calendars and forward to all your Christians friends and family:

America is said to be 80% Christian and many know the DaVinci code to be a secular attack on the Bible.

As a group of Believers we can send a loud and clear statement to Hollywood and the famous actors like Tom Hanks (as we did when Mel Gibson’s Passion was released) that we don’t approve of their open and blatant attack on the Person of Jesus Christ and the Holy Scriptures.

The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6) and we can “uproot” some of the evil and hit hollywood in the pocket book by boycotting the movie “The DaVinci Code” until at least June 2nd, 2006. Let’s use our entertainment money to send a message to Hollywood…

Jesus is the Christ and The Bible is True!

With 80% of the population boycotting the movie, it will no doubt not make the money intended and Hollywood would hopefully begin to understand… The Christian Worldview will stand agaisnt lies and much deception.

Mark your calendars and Boycott The DaVinci Code until at least June 2nd, 2006.

Forward this email to all your Christian friends and family and register online at http://www.christianpulse.com to stand against Hollywood’s secular agenda with movies like the DaVinci Code and Brokeback Mountain.

2 Chron 7:14
Posted by

Tuesday, April 04, 2006 at 11:28 PM

[Most Christians are probably just waiting for it to come out on DVD.

(Sad, but true)]

My jaw dropped when I read this. Is this serious?! A movie that is full of blatent sexual immorality - not just indirect references. There is no grey area here and I can’t imagine a commited Christian person watching this with a clean and unaffected conscience.

I don’t want to sounds like a prude because I am still young and am not like that at all. But, if this is true, its very disheartening for me. Doesn’t anyone respect God’s laws in this area anymore?
Posted by

Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 6:10 AM

MJ says: [There is no grey area here and I can’t imagine a commited Christian person watching this with a clean and unaffected conscience].

[Doesn’t anyone respect God’s laws in this area anymore]?

MJ, we’re in a new day of Christianity. We’re told that movies like this and tv shows alike are to be used to help us be more relevant, and relate to the lost world better. It is the “new light” that as long as we can use things like this in some form to build a relationship with an unchurched individual, it is seen as justified.
Posted by Todd Rhoades

Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 7:27 AM

Yawn.
Posted by

Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 8:20 AM

Gee, Thanks Peter....
Posted by

Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 8:55 AM

No problem Jeff. If you weren’t totally off the chain, I wouldn’t like you so much!
Posted by

Wednesday, April 05, 2006 at 10:13 AM

My wife and I haven’t been in a theater since “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” We don’t miss going to the theater, the smell of stale popcorn and the wonderful sensation of not being able to pick your feet up off the coke stained floor.

All joking aside, there’s just not that many movies that come out of Hollywierd that interest me. I’m certainly not going to plunk down good $$ on what I feel is garbage. Every once in a while our satellite provider offers a free weekend on either HBO/Cinemax or Showtime. I’ll catch something on that, but I learned one night to be very careful about just flipping from one channel to the next (I’d forgotten about all the “not rated” aka soft porn programs they tend to have.

I find that it’s hard enough to walk the walk and just not talk the talk on a day to day basis, I don’t need to be filling my head with some of the stuff that is coming out of Hollywierd.

I echo what everyone is saying, btw, about BI 2,,, EVERY review I’ve seen and heard talked about how bad it is. Not on my list of movies to watch on the next “free” weekend :-x

Blessings,
Tony
Posted by

Thursday, April 06, 2006 at 11:16 AM

[I find that it’s hard enough to walk the walk and just not talk the talk on a day to day basis, I don’t need to be filling my head with some of the stuff that is coming out of Hollywierd].

Thanks Tony, I only wish more Christians took the same sentiment as you, when it comes to what they absorb. It is frustrating to see those who are more willing to speak out against those who call out the filth, rather than speaking out against the filth.
Posted by

Monday, April 10, 2006 at 11:26 AM

I would have to disagree with the statement “Christianity and sex never get along"… it’s our Heavenly father who created it and in the confines of Christian marriage it is an awesome thing!
Posted by

Monday, April 10, 2006 at 1:28 PM

I never see movies with numbers (ie. “2") in them. Nothing creative happens in them.

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Hi... I'm Todd Rhoades. I'm a Christ-follower, husband, father and I love to connect leaders with other leaders. Hopefully you'll find something here at MMI you like and will return often. If you want, you can find out more about me or follow my every step on Twitter.