Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession)

[thehog]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

US release is now on hold due to the poor UK results.

Flop.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

US release is now on hold due to the poor UK results.

It's worse than that: the US rights weren't picked up until September and only went to Entertainment One (see the comments on this Hollywood Reporter story to see what people made of that). It was a US flop even before its UK opening.

 

[thehog]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

US release is now on hold due to the poor UK results.

It's worse than that: the US rights weren't picked up until September and only went to Entertainment One (see the comments on this Hollywood Reporter story to see what people made of that). It was a US flop even before its UK opening.

Release date: TBD

They may try to recover their money from Netflix and streaming options. At this point outlaying more money on advertising in the US and trying to get it into cinemas would be a wasted effort an run a loss. Cinemas won't run the movie at loss.

And to think Walsh was trying to have a jab at Gibney. At least his movie played in cinemas in the US!

 

[Beech Mtn]

Does Lance make any money from the Walsh film (or the other one)?

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

And to think Walsh was trying to have a jab at Gibney. At least his movie played in cinemas in the US!

Personally, I'd fully agree with what Walsh said about Alex Gibney. The Armstrong Lie is a bad documentary, a poor attempt to salvage what looked like a not very good hagiography derailed by the Feds and USADA.

Walsh (to HeyUGuys):
"[Gibney was] enjoying his ride with Lance, he was a friend of Lance's, he was kind of being sucked in, he was enjoying that celebrity connection. And I would say [to him], 'Alex, you just neglected your journalistic self for a few months, or for a year, whatever and you were sucked in by it. You were crazy, man.'"

That said, if I was sitting down with Walsh and he said that to me, I'd have to throw Inside Team Sky back at him, starting with this passage:

"I sit silently, letting two of the best brains in the business air their thoughts, hopes and nerves without interruption. As I look out upon Auvergne's hills and pastures, post-stage analysis as my sound-track, I am acutely aware of the access I am enjoying. Other journalists will now return to their hotels for another round of dinner, sleep and breakfast with only their speculations to cling on to between stages and press events. Instead, I live among the riders, coaches, managers, mechanics and carers that keep this team in the yellow jersey, following the Tour from inside Team Sky."

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re:

Does Lance make any money from the Walsh film (or the other one)?

Not directly. Indirectly, he'll probably benefit, I think it'll help his rehabilitation, Foster and various reviewers seeing the film as justifying his doping. Which is ironic when you consider that that's the opposite of Walsh's argument. But that's films for you: they buy your book and can do what the hell they like with it after that.

 

[fmk_RoI]

What happened to The Program in France, where it came and went in mid September with hardly anyone noticing?

This from the Hollywood Reporter helps explain:

"French disgust with disgraced Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong seemed to carry over to Stephen Frears' film The Program, with only 55,000 moviegoers interested in reliving the steroid saga that played out in newspapers and on television in France for years. The Program is a French-British co-production from StudioCanal."

55k tickets sold equates to abt €301k gross (£214k). For the French Top 10 in The Program's opening weekend, see Allociné.fr but remember that the number given is number of tickets sold.

 

[D-Queued]

A mixed blessing.

Doping shouldn't be profitable.

While there is really good reason to publicize Lance's nefariousness, there is some sort of argument that other folk shouldn't benefit from all the bad things that he did.

I hope that they make enough money, or better enough critical acclaim, that the effort justifies the investment.

Of course, perhaps we should cue the Floyd supporters here for justification of excessive profit taking from someone else's bad deeds when you were doing the same bad things.

Dave.

 

[thehog]

Re:

What happened to The Program in France, where it came and went in mid September with hardly anyone noticing?

This from the Hollywood Reporter helps explain:

"French disgust with disgraced Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong seemed to carry over to Stephen Frears' film The Program, with only 55,000 moviegoers interested in reliving the steroid saga that played out in newspapers and on television in France for years. The Program is a French-British co-production from StudioCanal."

55k tickets sold equates to abt €301k gross (£214k). For the French Top 10 in The Program's opening weekend, see Allociné.fr but remember that the number given is number of tickets sold.

Thanks, I need to change from flop to bomb!

 

[thehog]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

This will upset a few...

A federal judge has denied a request by U.S. Justice Department attorneys to ask Lance Armstrong more questions about his controversial traffic accident last year in Aspen, Colo

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/cycling/2015/10/29/judge-says-no-more-questions-lance-armstrongs-fender-bender/74841902/

 

[Kennf1]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

The Program was selected as the closing movie for the Austin film festival, which ends next weekend. Will be interesting to see how it's received there.

 

[MarkvW]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

This will upset a few...

A federal judge has denied a request by U.S. Justice Department attorneys to ask Lance Armstrong more questions about his controversial traffic accident last year in Aspen, Colo

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/cycling/2015/10/29/judge-says-no-more-questions-lance-armstrongs-fender-bender/74841902/

Shouldn't. The deception around the traffic accident wouldn't likely get in front of the jury, anyway. The rules discourage cross examination based upon specific acts of dishonesty (because they can turn one trial into one trial plus a zillion distracting sideshows). The feds already have a warehouse full of Lance's lies (and lies under oath), already.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Personally, I'd fully agree with what Walsh said about Alex Gibney. The Armstrong Lie is a bad documentary, a poor attempt to salvage what looked like a not very good hagiography derailed by the Feds and USADA.

I must say I did like it.

Too bad I never saw the original hagiography.

Would have been fun, pre - and after the assassination.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

I must say I did like it.

Too bad I never saw the original hagiography.

With all due respect, the majority of cycling fans see a film about cycling, go "Yay! Bikes!" and park their critical faculties.

The first half of The Armstrong Lie gives a good idea of where Gibney seemed to want to take the original film. The second - questioning - part added nothing that wasn't already known. Gibney offered no new spin on the narrative, no fresh way of looking at the story and reframing it. As a documentary, it failed to deliver anything that hadn't already been on the news and in a million think pieces.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Shouldn't.

Should, if you read the full article, of which the Aspen decision is but a small part. LA has won more time to build his argument that USPS should have known he was doping and financially profited from his doping.

 

[Fearless Greg Lemond]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

With all due respect, the majority of cycling fans see a film about cycling, go "Yay! Bikes!" and park their critical faculties.

The first half of The Armstrong Lie gives a good idea of where Gibney seemed to want to take the original film. The second - questioning - part added nothing that wasn't already known. Gibney offered no new spin on the narrative, no fresh way of looking at the story and reframing it. As a documentary, it failed to deliver anything that hadn't already been on the news and in a million think pieces.

Just wonder how incroyable the original would have been...

Two hours full of hagio mumbo jumbo.

It wasnt so bad, with all the hindsight we have.

Did you ask Sir David on twitter about his dubious stance or did he block you?

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Did you ask Sir David on twitter about his dubious stance or did he block you?

I have only ever spoken to Millar once, he phoned me after I reviewed his first book. He appears to have blocked me since I reviewed his second, even though I said some nice things about it.

 

[MarkvW]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Shouldn't.

Should, if you read the full article, of which the Aspen decision is but a small part. LA has won more time to build his argument that USPS should have known he was doping and financially profited from his doping.

I was only commenting on the Aspen decision.

 

[thehog]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Did you ask Sir David on twitter about his dubious stance or did he block you?

I have only ever spoken to Millar once, he phoned me after I reviewed his first book. He appears to have blocked me since I reviewed his second, even though I said some nice things about it.

Why did he call? Did he want you to write nice things about him?

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Why did he call? Did he want you to write nice things about him?

He didn't like what I wrote. Couldn't understand why I was being so critical. He's still too used to people blowing smoke up his derrière and can't handle criticism, IMO. Which, sadly, you normally have to expect if you publish a book.

(To bring this back on topic: while LA blocked me for a while, that is no longer the case, now it's the likes of Millar, Walsh, Froome. So chapeau Lance, you're not as silly as some.)

 

[thehog]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Why did he call? Did he want you to write nice things about him?

He didn't like what I wrote. Couldn't understand why I was being so critical. He's still too used to people blowing smoke up his derrière and can't handle cricism, IMO. Which, sadly, you normally have to expect if you publish a book.

(To bring this back on topic: while LA blocked me for a while, that is no longer the case, now it's the likes of Millar, Walsh, Froome. So chapeau Lance, you're not as silly as some.)

Agreed. It's weird. One of the biggest criticism of Armstrong was that he tried to control the message. He'd often phone up people and tell them what to say or warn them against talking about him.

Now the emperor has fallen all those left use the same tactics. From Sky to Frankie to David Millar.

 

[Digger]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

Why did he call? Did he want you to write nice things about him?

He didn't like what I wrote. Couldn't understand why I was being so critical. He's still too used to people blowing smoke up his derrière and can't handle criticism, IMO. Which, sadly, you normally have to expect if you publish a book.

(To bring this back on topic: while LA blocked me for a while, that is no longer the case, now it's the likes of Millar, Walsh, Froome. So chapeau Lance, you're not as silly as some.)

This exactly - but look I am honest enough to know I deserve to be blocked as I am certainly not as moderate as you...lance also unblocked me - it's all a bit bizarre
But the tipping point for me was winter 2012 when the 'winning' side met in a bar in new York at a roller event - it sat badly with me - as though they were celebrating getting the villain whilst clapping each other on the back
walsh blocks people who are civil but simply point out the inconsistencies of his arguments - it's insane.

 

[fmk_RoI]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

the tipping point for me was winter 2012 when the 'winning' side met in a bar in new York at a roller event - it sat badly with me - as though they were celebrating getting the villain whilst clapping each other on the back

Was it the Paul Kimmage Defence Fund picked up the tab that night?

 

[Archibald]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

...

Like the many other things Lance has been "prepared to admit" to and "accept responsibility for"...

with his warped sense of logic, I could see a thought process of him doing this in the hope that the other party wouldn't seek the cost of repairs or press charges... the thinking being that they'd not repair the damage, but have bragging status of pointing out to people that "this is where Lance Armstrong drove into my car" or "see that, that was done by Lance Armstrong"...

A 'I got hit by a train wreck' kind of thing?

Dave.

i was thinking more like the celebs that pay their restaurant bills with cheques so that the owners will frame them on the wall for the autograph instead of cashing them...

 

[thehog]

Re: Official Lance Armstrong Thread: Part 3 (Post-Confession

I must say I did like it.

Too bad I never saw the original hagiography.

With all due respect, the majority of cycling fans see a film about cycling, go "Yay! Bikes!" and park their critical faculties.

The first half of The Armstrong Lie gives a good idea of where Gibney seemed to want to take the original film. The second - questioning - part added nothing that wasn't already known. Gibney offered no new spin on the narrative, no fresh way of looking at the story and reframing it. As a documentary, it failed to deliver anything that hadn't already been on the news and in a million think pieces.

What I thought interesting about the Armstrong Lie was Gibney filmed another film crew following him. Greg LeMond had actually commissioned a film crew to follow a film crew!

Most bizarre. Another than that the Armstrong Lie was fairly routine, the Bruyneel scene on Contador's attack in 2009 was about the most interesting aspect.