United Artists was a movie studio founded by actors Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplain, Mary Pickford and director D. W. Griffith, to give themselves creative control of their own work.
Buffy: I was regrouping. Spike: You were about to be regrouped into separate piles.
'Potential'
The Minearverse 5: Closer to the Earth, Further from the Ax
[NAFDA] "There will be an occasional happy, so that it might be crushed under the boot of the writer." From Zorro to Angel (including Wonderfalls, The Inside and Drive), this is where Buffistas come to anoint themselves in the bloodbath.
Tom Scola - Nov 20, 2007 9:40:55 am PST #8399 of 10001
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.
Polter-Cow - Nov 20, 2007 9:42:50 am PST #8400 of 10001
What else besides ramen can you scoop? YOU CAN SCOOP THIS WORLD FROM DARKNESS!
Did it work?
Sean K - Nov 20, 2007 9:43:16 am PST #8401 of 10001
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
There's been a couple of articles in the LA Times recently making a pretty persuasive case that, no, in fact, the studios are not, in fact holding all the cards, Kevin. They just think they are.
Or, they're holding all the cards, but that the future is in video games.
Okay, I'm very tired, stuck in an airport, and trying to type all these thoughts out on an iPhone, so I need to stop with the crappy metaphors.
I guess I'm just trying to say that The Way It Always Has Been is not even remotely close to the same thing as The Way It Always Will Be, and continuing to behave as if it is only plays into the studios' hands. History says again and again that no monopoly on power or control ever lasts. I refer you again to the story of Unites Artists. Or just ask the major record labels how Business As Usual is going.
Sean K - Nov 20, 2007 9:46:49 am PST #8402 of 10001
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
Yes, P_C, it did. Sure, they're gone now, but nothing lasts forever, which is kind of my point.
Most importantly, the UA legacy lived long after most of its founders were dead. Not bad for a crazy scheme all the older studios said would never work, and desperately tried to stop.
Jesse - Nov 20, 2007 9:47:16 am PST #8403 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Isn't Tom Cruise in charge of United Artists now?
Sean K - Nov 20, 2007 9:50:11 am PST #8404 of 10001
You can't leave me to my own devices; my devices are Nap and Eat. -Zenkitty
Is it UA he's in charge of now? Are they still around? Bloody hell. Tired. Airport. iPhone. To hard to fact check my own points, but I think my points still stand.
Tamara - Nov 20, 2007 9:52:25 am PST #8405 of 10001
You know, we could experiment and cancel football.
Yes. Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner bought UA.
Jesse - Nov 20, 2007 9:53:10 am PST #8406 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
And, of course, I knew that was ridiculous as I was typing it: Paula Wagner is actually in charge. [link]
Frankenbuddha - Nov 20, 2007 9:54:47 am PST #8407 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
Are they still around?
I'm not sure they are around the way they used to be. History (or at least FINAL CUT) has written that the HEAVEN'S GATE debacle (the movie, not the cult) killed them, and yet you still see releases under their name.
I don't think they've been artist-controlled for decades, though (unless Cruise did take it over and they are again). I know after HEAVEN'S GATE, MGM bought them for their distribution arm, and did away with the production side. But as I said, things still come out with their name, so I don't know if it's an "in name only" thing or not.
Kristen - Nov 20, 2007 10:02:08 am PST #8408 of 10001
I don't think they've been artist-controlled for decades, though (unless Cruise did take it over and they are again).
He did. Lions for Lambs was their first release, I think, as the new UA.
I don't think anyone can accurately predict what the future holds. I think people will try new things. Some will work, some won't. Personally, I don't think the studios will ever truly go away. But, if they did, I'm pretty sure SAG, WGA and DGA would be phased out along with them.