The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, 2008)

[Jeff]

If the film cost the producers 7 mil and they sold it for four, wouldn't that be at a loss to them?

They sold the U.S. rights for four million. It is my understanding that there are, in fact, several other countries.

This video clip has short interviews with Aronofsky and Rourke, in which the latter explains how the former laid down the law before shooting. Some balls, indeed.

Here is Darren Aronofsky looking like some douchebag waiting for his promdate.

[domino harvey]

Rourke is about two more plastic surgeries away from being the Cat Lady

[Film Smells Like Candy]

If the film cost the producers 7 mil and they sold it for four, wouldn't that be at a loss to them?

They sold the U.S. rights for four million. It is my understanding that there are, in fact, several other countries.

The film found its initial financing from Wild Bunch Distribution in France. Rourke is seen as a God in France so it likely would've made its meager $7M back there if it never played anywhere else.

The fact that the film's getting the buzz it is now, and that it sold in the U.S. after an overnight bidding award pretty much assures that distributors in other countries will be falling in line one after another. They'll probably be completely in the black before the film screens anywhere outside a festival.

It'll be really interesting to see how it is marketed though. If they hit the pro wrestling audience alone, they could do good indie box office. Fox Searchlight also has a first-look with Vince McMahon's WWE Studios and Fox's parent company owns MyNetwork, which just got the rights to air WWE's Smackdown show. Synergetically-speaking, they have good cross-promotion platforms in place to sell it to one of their strongest demos. Also, pro wrestling is experiencing a resurgence in France of all places as well. The critical praise and the Oscar buzz sells it to a demo that could care less about pro wrestling.

One thing that troubles me are the rumors that Mickey Rourke is dating his on-screen daughter, Evan Rachel Wood. That could throw the "ick" factor into people wanting to see the film (especially given that their scenes together have been the most universally praised). Just one of the things people have always said about Rourke...letting his personal stuff screw up his career. I'd rather not know who he's sleeping with to be honest.

[flyonthewall2983]

It'll be really interesting to see how it is marketed though. If they hit the pro wrestling audience alone, they could do good indie box office. Fox Searchlight also has a first-look with Vince McMahon's WWE Studios and Fox's parent company owns MyNetwork, which just got the rights to air WWE's Smackdown show. Synergetically-speaking, they have good cross-promotion platforms in place to sell it to one of their strongest demos. Also, pro wrestling is experiencing a resurgence in France of all places as well. The critical praise and the Oscar buzz sells it to a demo that could care less about pro wrestling.

I really doubt this will happen. Nobody from WWE is in the film, and judging from the YouTube video out now, Ring Of Honor (ROH, one of the rising indie circuits in the country and has very little ties with WWE) is featured quite prominently in the film.

[Film Smells Like Candy]

It'll be really interesting to see how it is marketed though. If they hit the pro wrestling audience alone, they could do good indie box office. Fox Searchlight also has a first-look with Vince McMahon's WWE Studios and Fox's parent company owns MyNetwork, which just got the rights to air WWE's Smackdown show. Synergetically-speaking, they have good cross-promotion platforms in place to sell it to one of their strongest demos. Also, pro wrestling is experiencing a resurgence in France of all places as well. The critical praise and the Oscar buzz sells it to a demo that could care less about pro wrestling.

I really doubt this will happen. Nobody from WWE is in the film, and judging from the YouTube video out now, Ring Of Honor (ROH, one of the rising indie circuits in the country and has very little ties with WWE) is featured quite prominently in the film.

No but when it comes time to buy ads on TV, WWE television on USA and MyNetwork (and to a far lesser extent, Spike TV's low-rated TNA show) will be just some of the go-to guys. ROH, while a good minor league group, doesn't have TV, and offers nothing in the way of promoting the film beyond their core audience, which is already in the bag anyway. CZW was another (minor league) group used in the film.

WWE Studios is a funny story as well. They keep paying Lionsgate and Fox to distribute their self-financed films, which flop both critically and financially. Yet this little indie film hooks up with no-name circuits and puts together a respectable, and possibly financially impressive film about the industry they supposedly rule.

[flyonthewall2983]

It's a proven fact Vince can't do anything outside of wrestling successfully (bodybuilding, football, and the sadly short-lived Bobby Heenan Show come to mind). I think, in time, his film company will go the way of those ventures.

[Film Smells Like Candy]

It's a proven fact Vince can't do anything outside of wrestling successfully (bodybuilding, football, and the sadly short-lived Bobby Heenan Show come to mind). I think his film company will go the way of those ventures.

Don't forget his New York restaurant, the Debbie Reynolds hotel, the Sugar Ray Leonard/Donnie LaLond boxing pay-per-view, the ill-fated Mick Foley CBS pilot, and Evel Knievel jumping the Snake River Canyon.

He did just hire Freddie Prinze Jr. as a writer though, so his ticket to Hollywood respectability could be just around the corner.

*crickets chirp*

[lacritfan]

A Wim Wenders-led jury awards it's top prize to a movie about a blue-collar has-been with a Bruce Springsteen song on its end credits.
Shocker!

It's a good thing Spike Lee didn't have Miracle at St. Anna (actually given the subject matter why didn't he?) in competition and then lose to The Wrestler. After the Wenders-led Cannes jury gave it to Sex, Lies & Videotape over Do The Right Thing Spike would really have it in for Wim.

One thing that troubles me are the rumors that Mickey Rourke is dating his on-screen daughter, Evan Rachel Wood.

WTF! Who dresses him? Oh yeah, and the whole dating ERW, I thought Marilyn Manson was weird, yadda,yadda,yadda. Pleeease, pleeease, let them still be dating at Oscar time...

[tavernier]

That train wreck beats the Palin family by a mile.

[knives]

Home boy better keep it together at least until awards season. I really would like him to succeed. After Barfly he'll always be tops in my book. Also thanks on the distribution info.

[avner]

Those pictures are like a creepy version of the Beauty and the Beast.

As for the movie, it seems like Aronofsky adopted a more subtle and restrained filmmaking style than his other feature films. Maybe as a reaction to The Fountain detractors?

Sounds fine by me, as long as his intransigent personal vision and obsessions aren't somewhat diluted in that formal shift. But that's because I loved the sheer guts and ambition of his last movie, and think is one of the most emotionally powerful movies of this decade, even in its imperfect form, flaws and all.

I have great faith in Mickey Rourke's comeback, expecting someting monumental - his work in the 80's, specially in the great Year of the Dragon, is remarkable and proves undoubtly that he really was a great talent that got lost in the way.

[moviscop]

Here is Darren Aronofsky looking like some douchebag waiting for his promdate.

I can't describe how hard this comment, with the picture, made me laugh.

Release date is official: December 19th

[Fletch F. Fletch]

An excellent profile/interview with Rourke in the Village Voice.

Another excellent interview with Rourke.

[moviscop]

An excellent profile/interview with Rourke in the Village Voice.

Thanks for that, excellent read. What a harsh life/career. Glad to hear that this film was such a huge stepping stone for him.

[Barmy]

Um, this is a "festival film". Comeback perf, melodrama with comedy, and artsy director. Check check check.

Just saw this tonight, and haven't read any reviews, but, really, is this getting "masterpiece" treatment? It is awesome to see with a cheering fest crowd but I think it will fall flat in the multiplexes.

Rourke's perf is good but stunty. And his face is too fucked up, sorry. Aging stripper? Yep--there NEEDS to be one in this sort of film. Ditto estranged child (Er Wood--unlike Rourke and Tomei--is beyond awful).

I'd like to see Tomei leading some flicks. Couldn't care less if Rourke ever works again.

[tavernier]

Richard Pena was asked if he will feature a nude Tomei in every festival from now on: last year was When the Devil Knows You're Dead and this year The Wrestler.

He chuckled and said, "Maybe."

[Barmy]

Yeah, she's even nuder in this one. She is quite good, despite the extremely cliched role.

[tavernier]

Tomei is definitely the best reason to see the movie, although I don't think Wood's as bad as you say.

[Barmy]

Wood seemed very stilted to me. Of course, what can you do with lines like "I hate you. No I don't hate you, I feel nothing for you." There was no reality to her role--it just felt like screenplay 101.

Maybe Tomei can do a sequel--"The Stripper".

[tavernier]

You're right, she had the worst lines, but she did the best she could with them. I didn't think she was that wooden, although knowing she's fucking Rourke in real life made their scenes together as dad and daughter even creepier than usual.

[tugboat5555]

Wood brings the movie to a screeching, well, screech (?) every time she's onscreen. Her hollering and inexplicable emotional "reacting" is definitely the weakest and most unnecessary element of the film.

And God, this had BY FAR the worst opening title/credits sequence I have seen in a very long time.

But the movie itself, while surprisingly familiar in some aspects, is all in all a pretty effective work. Rourke has this indelible charm that seeps into the sad existence of himself and his line of work, and is impossible not to root for.

Tomei is great and GORGEOUS, the wrestling actors are quite good, and a ton of credit has to be given to DP Maryse Alberti for removing as much Aronofsky from the film as possible.

[jesus the mexican boi]

And now, finally, Rourke looks the part to play Henry Chinaski/Charles Bukowski.

[johnny truant]

yeah so this was amazing despite the daughter/father shit and evan rachel wood wasnt that bad
did anyone else feel like he was basically courting his daughter?

[knives]

I'm curious how he sneaks the Snoree (spelling?) into this? Would make for a very weird wrestling scene.

[Antoine Doinel]

Here's the poster.