Why were Schwarzenegger's movies so popular? And why aren't they now? (1 Viewer)

[Dave H]

Lou is up there about 6'5" and 300+ pounds Arnold was about 6'2" and 240-250 pounds

Arnold was actually re-gaining muscle for the 1975 contest. He had just finished filming a movie with Sally Fields (name slips me). He re-gained nearly 30 pounds of muscle in a few months time to get to 230. Just goes to show you what great genetics and steroids can do for you. Lou I believe was at 290 for the contest. (I'm a bodybuilding junkie so I actually know these meaningless numbers).

 

[Terrell]

You're right. But Lou got even bigger in his later years. I remember when he competed at a much older age, he weighed in excess of 300 pounds. He was in his 40s I believe. Whatever the case, he's one big man. And considering he went deaf at a very young age, he speaks very well.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

It just seems to me that "simplistic" action flicks were very popular in the 1980's. I'm no sociologist, so I'll spare you my mindless thoughts on the socio-political reasons why moviegoers liked watching stuff like Rambo: First Blood Part 2, but on the whole - the machine-gun action genre houses a lot of guilty pleasure flicks.
Movie styles go in cycles, and back then Arnie, Sly, and a host of others were consistently trying to deliver the explosive action movies.
Perhaps this is damning Arnie with faint praise, but I think he was just the best of the bunch back then. In my mind, he still does retain some of his old-style charm, but his action schtick is growing a bid threadbare these days. I do have some high hopes for Terminator 3 and King Conan, though.

 

[Andy Sheets]

I use Bruce Willis as an example. Here was a man that started off in films as an action star. But unlike Arnold and Sly, he branched off into more dramatic and serious films. Bruce was also not afraid to take a backseat, or a lesser role instead of being the center of attention. I'm not sure if Arnold and Sly want to do that. They need t branch off like Bruce.

To some extent they've tried. I was really surprised by Collateral Damage, for example. Not because it was a great film (it wasn't), but just the break from typical Arnold formula in that film. He doesn't pick a single gun, he only kills a couple of people and even then it's as much in self defense as any "world saving" capacity, the movie has a serious attitude about violence and its consequences, and it even acknowledges that he has a European accent! Might not sound like much but it is a stretch for him and probably his most sincere attempt to get with current times and play a vulnerable character. But he just doesn't have the acting talent to pull that off and I suspect that audiences just don't want him to play characters like that anyway. He should probably stick to what he knows but his good sense for picking projects seems to have abandoned him. But hey, the guy's making $30 million for T3 so I guess it's not all bad for him

 

[Jeremiah]

I agree with most that say Arnold has made some ground breaking and classic films but he is just not a very good actor. Arnold was a big time action star but that is all he is, it's not bad, it's just the way it is. His movies are just the same as the others just the setting is a little diffrent, plus the guy is getting old.

Arnold has made about 8 movies I would have no problem buying on DVD and that is quite a few if you ask me. Not bad for an immigrant from Austria.

 

[Chris Lynch]

Let me start off by saying I like a great number of Schwartzy's films. Yes, he has limited range. Yes, no one wants to see him as a vulnerable character. Yes, he has made some piss poor career choices as of late. And of course, it seems that the genre where he excelled is a dying breed. But I refuse to fault him because of his accent.
Sure, his range isn't wide enough for him to "do" other accents, American or otherwise, but I don't see this as a reason to criticize him. Plenty of Hollywood actors don't do accents either, but they get away with it because they are "Blessed" by nationality. Within Arnold's manner of speaking, which, granted, he doesn't stray to far away from, he does an admirable job. Have you guys ever heard Wolfgang Puck speak? He sounds just like Arnie! This is how Austrians speak English. I don't think an accent explanation is even nessessary in his films, unless it adds to the story somehow. (edit: I don't intend this comment to be a generalization of Austrian people, but this is how it sounds to my American ears.)
I say not bad for the least favorite son of his father. Good luck, Arnold. Heres to hoping the cycle returns to your favor soon and your next few movies are mega-blockbusters.
Oh, and as for Last Action Hero, I really felt Arnold was less parodying the genre, and more parodying himself. Even the little jab at Stallone reflects back to himself.

 

[Terrell]

I'll give Arnold credit. He has improved drastically since his arrival in the industry. In his first couple of films, I would have sworn he would last 3 films. But every year he seemingly got better. And he continued to get better. I honestly think people have just gotten tired of the 1980s cookie cutter action films. They expect more. And those films just don't cut it anymore with the likes of Star Wars, LOTR, Harry Potter, and Spiderman films, and films of the like.

 

[Rob T]

I just hope he kicks ass in King Conan. Milius is supposedly going to use Arnold's age to present Conan as a King Lear type of character and I can't wait to see how he pulls it off.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

This thread is breaking my heart, well the original topic anyway. Arnold is a great success story, he came here from Austria, couldn't speak a word of english, and still managed to become one of the all time box office champions, quite an astounding feat.
I must disagree with an above statement that we don't want to see him vulnerable in films, that is precisly what made him so effective in Total Recall, and as a result, the movie followed suit and turned out great. One of my favorite roles of his is in Twins. Here he plays a very gentle and childlike man, and in more than a couple of scenes comes off very well. Watch the scene between he and DeVito when his charactor 'Julius' is telling DeVito's charactor 'Vincent' that he'll always be welcome in thier family even when he's been bad, and tell me he can't show heart on screen.
From The Terminator to Twins, from blowing away bad guys, to making us laugh, Arnold gets the job done.
Bottom line is that the man means no harm. He makes films to go see and just have a good time at and forget your cares for two hours, that's all. To somehow expect him to be like DeNiro, or Pacino is kinda missing the point with Arnold. He has provided me, and many others with countless hours of joy and entertainment, and for this i'll always be greatful to the big lug.

 

[Steve_Ch]

I like some of Arnold's earlier films, because they are simplistic, good clean fun and it's like watching 007 films, you know exactly what you are looking for, and they usually do not disappoint. A few posts mentioned such and such films were Arnold's best work, I disagree, my opinion is Arnold is always Arnold, all his "work" are the same, what distinguishes a good Arnold film (such as T2) from bad ones is not his "work", but the script (suitability), director, and the whole supporting cast and movie making crew. The real good Arnold scripts are really the Conans and T1/2, especially T1/2, where the requirement is for a hulk that's totally emotionless and expressionless. I don't really know if the newer Arnolds are worse, as I kind of lost interest in that type of films, and I haven't even seen a James Bond film for probably15 years (except on planes, TV, ..., etc).

 

[Andy Sheets]

The real good Arnold scripts are really the Conans and T1/2, especially T1/2, where the requirement is for a hulk that's totally emotionless and expressionless. I don't really know if the newer Arnolds are worse, as I kind of lost interest in that type of films

I can't necessarily agree about the emotionless thing. I think that's true on the surface but I think what made Arnold appeal to audiences so much is that you always got the feeling that there was more going on under that surface. Like he was secretly winking at you and just having fun being an entertainer. I never quite got that impression from guys like Stallone or Van Damme.

As for the newer movies being worse, I haven't made up my mind. Flawed though they are, I know I'd rather watch Collateral Damage or Eraser than Raw Deal, Red Heat, or Commando. I'm curious about King Conan even though I don't really like the original (except the musical score). OTOH, it's true that his movies just aren't the events that they used to be. He seems like he's fallen behind the times and is trying to catch up instead of being on the cutting edge like he used to be.

 

[paul o'donnell]

John Williamson, you couldn't be more on the money. *wipes tear*
Paul, there was a documentary on BBC1 a few weeks back, "When Muscles Ruled the World". It was all about the fad that was physical presence back in the 80s, quite a lot of cool memories. That would've answered your question I reckon
Back then, muscles meant money. But then the effects wore off and we demanded sensitivity etc from our leading men. That's pretty much it.

 

[Ben Osborne]

was really surprised by Collateral Damage, for example. Not because it was a great film (it wasn't), but just the break from typical Arnold formula in that film. He doesn't pick a single gun, he only kills a couple of people and even then it's as much in self defense as any "world saving" capacity, the movie has a serious attitude about violence and its consequences, and it even acknowledges that he has a European accent!

other than giving the audience a fight scene, regardless of how uneccessary it is? The movie has none of the subtelty or understatement of Davis' earlier picture, The Fugitive. Directors/screenwriters have got to stop going out of their way to Arnold-ize their movies just because Swartzeneggar is in them.

 

[Steve_Ch]

>>Like he was secretly winking at you and just having fun being an entertainer. I never quite got that impression from guys like Stallone or Van Damme.

 

[Romier S]

Bottom line is that the man means no harm. He makes films to go see and just have a good time at and forget your cares for two hours, that's all. To somehow expect him to be like DeNiro, or Pacino is kinda missing the point with Arnold. He has provided me, and many others with countless hours of joy and entertainment, and for this i'll always be greatful to the big lug.

John as stated above you brought a tear to my eye. I couldn't agree more!

 

[Vickie_M]

He had just finished filming a movie with Sally Fields (name slips me).

That would be the excellent Stay Hungry, directed by Bob "Five Easy Pieces" Rafelson, and co-starred Jeff Bridges. It's a fine little movie about a group of people working at a gym that's about to be sold. If memory serves (it has been ages since I've seen it), Sally works there, Arnold works out there (might work there too) and Jeff is a rich kid trying to learn his father's business. I believe he's the liaison between the buyers and the employees. Whatever. In any case, he comes to really like the people and atmosphere. There's no real plot, it's more of a people movie. It did wonders for Sally Field. It was her first major movie (this was pre-Sybil) and she's not only very good, she shows a fresh and down-to-earth sexiness that surprised people and got them to quit thinking of her as Gidget or the Flying Nun.
Vickie (who thinks The Last Action Hero is hilarious!)

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Thanks for the compliments you guy's, I just say what I feel.
And yes, I too think Last Action Hero is funny.