Mel's Revenge

USA Today had an article this week about Hollywood bemoaning their financial woes this year, with a box office dramatically down from last year because – in their words – they don’t have a hit like “The Passion of the Christ” this year.

Well, isn’t that special.

Mel Gibson almost single handedly saved Hollywood’s bottom line last year with the $400 million dollar box office of his privately financed movie. Not that it won him any friends there as Hollywood insiders loathed his movie and bashed him relentlessly for making it. Not to mention completely snubbing it at Oscar time. Oh, but they cashed the checks I’m sure.

Mel’s revenge, of course, was the $400 million box office and the freedom that will afford him from the Hollywood system. And Hollywood is left without a major hit this year.

Let them cry in their $300 power lunch soup.

Did Hollywood learn any lessons from all of this about what kind of movie is profitable? Of course not. They’ll continue to churn out ultraviolent R rated flops, and to cry about the lack of a hit.

Which they are entitled to do. It’s their money that they are losing.