Harvey Weinstein allegations; who's next when it comes to allegations? (1 Viewer)

[Jake Lipson]

I wasn't really sure where to put this, since it's not about a movie specifically, but it does impact one of the major indie studios and certainly one of the most powerful producers in the industry (until today), so I thought it would be worth bringing up. If this is in the wrong forum, moderators, please move.

The New York Times ran an article today detailing accusations of sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein going back over 30 years, including reports from "dozens of women" and payoffss to at least eight. It's extremely damning and a disturbing read.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/...ackage-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

On a personal level, I think it is clear that Weinstein's alleged behavior is gross, abhorrent and totally unacceptable in Hollywood, or anywhere else for that matter. I just wanted to say that right out front before we get to any of the rest of the discussion of he fallout from this.

From a business perspective and the point of view of "What is this going to mean for cinema?", I'm interested to see what The Weinstein Company does next. Harvey is already taking a leave of absence and issued a genuinely weird apology statement referencing Jay-Z and the NRA. Apparently he's also talking to lawyers about a lawsuit in response to the NYT piece. Here is the link to his apology: http://deadline.com/2017/10/harvey-...mes-sexual-harassment-allegations-1202182912/.

Variety says he may be ousted by Friday: http://variety.com/2017/film/news/harvey-weinstein-bob-weinstein-1202581952/.

But what's unique about this situation for the company is: Harvey and his brother Bob named the company after themselves. That means that, unlike Fox which can distance itself from Bill O'Riley or NBC which can cancel Bill Cosby's TV show development deal with them or Ain't It Cool News which can sever ties with Harry Knowles, even if the company board decides to fire him over this, they've still got his name front and center on every single thing they have put out or will put out. His name is the brand, and if his name is tarnished, will the company be able to survive? If they try to rename themselves, they lose association with the remarkable library of films they have built since 2005, but if they don't change their name, they're putting his name out there to represent their work even if he becomes no longer involved.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

When I first got word that an article like this would be appearing in the Times today, I had two immediate gut reactions: I can't believe this is being published, and, what took so long?

I've never met Harvey Weinstein personally. I've never worked directly for him. I am not a "Hollywood insider" or very connected to that part of the industry. And yet, I've been hearing rumors about this kind of behavior from Weinstein for decades. He wears it as a badge of honor that he's an unpleasant bully and is abusive to the filmmakers who work for him. He's known in the industry as "Harvey Scissorhands" because of his unrelenting desire to alter films he's distributing so he can feel a sense of ownership and creativity that may be unearned. There have been publicly reported stories of him physically assaulting filmmakers in the edit suite.

So that's where my disbelief in this being published is coming from - it seems like all of this stuff was known at some level, and that it never got covered made me think that there was a conscious decision being made that Harvey Weinstein was above it all. I'm obviously glad that that's not the case.

I have no idea what will happen to the company, but I think Weinstein's golden years ended when Miramax wound down. He ran out of filmmakers to bully and buy, while at the same time other independent distributors did better at the same job, and respected the filmmakers they worked with on top of it. If I was a young and upcoming filmmaker who was bringing my debut to a festival, and Weinstein offered me $10 million and A24 offered me $5 million, I'd take less money without wasting a second thought. Weinstein will buy your movie, but he'll cut it to pieces, he'll verbally abuse you every step of the way, and he'll threaten that you'll never work again if you don't make the changes that he wants - nevermind that he was interested in your film because it won the big award at the festival and is already appreciated as is. And, if you don't do every single little thing he says, and maybe even if you do, he still may not offer you the chance to make another film at his company. I really don't think there's any upset to picking Weinstein as your distributor, especially if you're up and coming talent in 2017. And this just seals the deal on that.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I think Weinstein has distributed some good films while at TWC -- how many of them are good because of his involvement is certainly questionable -- but his biggest financial successes were clearly at Mirimax, and TWC has struggled over the past few years, in particular, to find a genuine hit. Their biggest grosser of all time at TWC is Django Unchained at $162 million, which, while nothing to sneeze at, isn't particularly huge for a high mark for a star-driven vehicle (Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, etc.) in this mega-blockbuster era we are currently living in. I also think he's had a number of misses in recent years that should have been hits, including Big Eyes, Carol and The Hateful Eight (which opened well but didn't sustain.) So certainly, he has lost something of his magic touch (which seems gross in relation to this conversation, but you see what I mean.)

This year, his best film out yet has been Wind River, which I thought was good enough to be a genuine Best Picture contender, and has the pedigree, since Taylor Sheradin's Hell or High Water was nominated last year. However, I do think today's news will recontextualize the Oscar chances for that film in particular, because its central plotline involves the violent sexual assault and murder of a young woman, and it's now a film about that subject going out with Weinstien's name on it at this particular time, which is rather hypocritical, and I doubt awards organizations will want to recognize his attachment to it, which is unfortunate since it is a great movie.

 

[Bob Cashill]

Theatrically TWC has been running on fumes for five years, with only minor hits like LION and WIND RIVER. I guess it has a few things going on TV but it's a spent force--if it were still roaring along like it was 1998 I doubt we'd be hearing about this. Weinstein and the Weinstein brand are weak deer, ripe for taking down, and this should finish the run. Even Tarantino will have to find a new patron.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Maybe the Oscars can finally give Spielberg the BP Oscar he should have won for Saving Private Ryan if Weinstein hadn't rigged the vote.

No of course they won't.

 

[Edwin-S]

It doesn't surprise me that the man's abusive actions are coming to light. A guy who has no respect for the films he acquires and even less for the people who made them certainly wouldn't have any respect for women.

 

[JohnS]

Didn't Kevin Smith have interesting Weinstein stories he's shared numerous times?
I remember him talking about his demeanor.

 

[SamT]

Wait a minute. You mean this kind of behavior is not acceptable?!

 

[Robert Crawford]

An updated Variety article.

http://variety.com/2017/film/news/harvey-weinstein-sexual-harassment-1202581704/

 

[Worth]

Wait a minute. You mean this kind of behavior is not acceptable?!

Depends on how successful you are.

 

[TravisR]

Given everything you hear about Weinstein's boorish behavior, I just assumed he used 'the casting couch' all the time.

 

[Ruz-El]

They can shut it down for all I care. I'm sick of these guys abusing their behaviour. It seems never ending.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I guess Judi Dench needs to have a little work done on her ass...

 

[Malcolm R]

Given everything you hear about Weinstein's boorish behavior, I just assumed he used 'the casting couch' all the time.

Yea, I'm surprised this is "news". Seems like I've heard these things forever about HW.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I'm thinking Meryl may want to convert to a new religion...

 

[JohnRice]

I'll just throw in my $0.02. About 15 years ago I was watching Asia Argento's autobiographical movie Scarlet Diva. When a scene came on with an insane movie producer chasing her (I think he was naked. I'm going to check it to confirm that.) through a hotel, I said out loud, without a doubt, "that's Harvey Weinstein." Argento had starred in a Weinstein produced movie, B. Monkey, a few years earlier. If this is all a secret, it's the worst kept secret ever.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

She just confirmed that to the New Yorker, except it would seem that sadly the real life version was even worse.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

The guy is pretty far from a decent human being...

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

The thing about this story is...it was not a secret...lots of people knew and yet, Harvey as we see in the videos I posted above was not just well thought of...he was worshiped by people like Streep and Dench and many others. So, if you are some up and coming actress or unknown it was open season for a guy like this to prey on you. Tattooing his name on your ass or calling him "god" just fed the idea that the guy could easily make or break you if you did not do what he asked.

What typically happens is all these industry people and politicians are aware of the rumors but they dismiss them and don't listen because this guy is helping them. They don't want to know, they want to look the other way, because this guy is a major connection for them...either through the jobs he can get them or the money he can secure for them in donations. It is ugly in a big, big, way. This guy was best buddies with all kinds of people from the cream of the crop in Hollywood to presidents and presidential candidates...some who made sure to be his next door neighbors.

He's done now but look how long it took and how he rubbed...well more than elbows obviously...with the biggest and best and they spoke glowingly of him. They will now condemn him...because what else can you do, it would be total poison not to...but the condemnation rings a bit hollow from those that profited off of his friendship for decades.

And look, you have to be a realist...politics and the entertainment industries are dirty businesses where if you want to play...you are going to get some muck on you or worse.

 

[TravisR]

They will now condemn him...because what else can you do, it would be total poison not to...but the condemnation rings a bit hollow from those that profited off of his friendship for decades.

I'm just glad that the public hasn't acted like TWC board did some great thing by firing him. If anyone on planet Earth knew how he acted, it was the people who worked directly with him. Acting once it becomes public is solely them covering their own asses and not concern for anyone else.