Martin Scorcese’s big Christmas film “The Wolf of Wall Street” is a three-hour plunge into a cinematic cesspool of excess that has generated ten times more pub and debate than any other holiday release — including far better offerings.
There are several reasons for the buzz, contrived hype and effective selling among them. Others include:
- A-lister Leondardo DiCaprio stars and is featured prominently in nearly every scene.
- The film sets a world record for “f-bombs” (544 or so), which appeals to younger ticket buyers.
- The film has been (and is still) hyped on digital media everywhere we turn.
- It is loud and pushes the boundaries of good taste — which young men also pay to see. Dozens of naked girls helpl
- Scorcese’s reputation. To casual film goers, “If Scorcese made it, it must be good.”
- And, as usual, Hollywood paints the profession of selling — a job hundreds of millions do — in a typically tawdry light.
Let’s look at these one at a time from a selling perspective.
DiCaprio. This is Leo’s fifth picture with Scorcese and he paid $1 million for the rights to the story, outbidding Brad Pitt. When Leo’s got skin in the game, Leo will hustle to get his money back. Women love him, so they will pay to watch him preen and rant for three hours.
Language. In addition to averaging an f-bomb every 20 seconds from start to finish, Scorcese litters the screen with in-your-face bombast at every turn: flesh, drugs, greed, color, and music. The film has no limits, nor boundary for taste. Like PT Barnum said, “No one ever went broke underestimating the American public,” and Wolf tries its very best to double-down on Barnum’s showmanship and confidence.
Marketing. No one loves the film but some say they like it and try to defend it. Viewers overall rate it a “C,” which makes it one of the worst holiday releases. Paramount’s marketing strategy ignores the film’s bad word of mouth, advertising it prominently on every conceivable medium to its target audience — Leo fans and young people with money to burn. Despite its advertising saturation, Paramount is faced with more work to do. The film cost $100 million to make and probably at least that to market. Domestically its take to this point (worldwide) is less than half that. Expect the hype machine to continue. If there’s one thing Hollywood does not have, it is a conscience about foisting flawed product on a gullible audience. Over the long haul, there’s a decent chance the media blitz to pay off and the film to at least break even. If it does, the money will have to come from overseas. Time will tell whether the film appeals to other cultures.
Questionable choices. The film opens with a close-up of DiCaprio snorting cocaine off a nude hooker’s butt crack — a shock scene that sets the stage for what’s to come. Bad taste can sell — witness the Porky’s and Hangover franchises — and young men will pay to see on screen what they fantasize about and read in Penthouse. This film demeans women in a very calculated way and pawns that decision off as “Well, that’s what happened.” Master filmmakers do not need to bare all, as the true art of the craft is seducing the audience fill in the blanks. This film suppresses innuendo and inference, trading it for vivid debauchery. For the most part Wolf is little more than “Caligula” with neckties.
Scorcese. No one working today loves movies more than Marty but great directors don’t always make great films. Reputation helps a thousand ways in the movie industry and gets films made that otherwise would not. Marty faced a hard stop — a Christmas release date — and was cutting and re-cutting Wolf right to the deadline. One man and one woman own the finished project: Martin Scorcese and his long-time editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Thelma has edited Marty’s films for forty years — a remarkable and legendary run as a team — but up to the film’s release Marty was too busy trying to make something good out of too many question marks and hadn’t even seen Wolf’s trailer. Marty’s reputation will take a shot with this one, but only until his next superb work. People will always be loyal and buy his name.
Salesmen as targets. I consider selling the world’s greatest profession because it is fair; and because it is fair it honors those who honor their profession hard work hard and steady effort. But there is no Hollywood sizzle in salespeople doing the right thing. The sizzle comes from those who raise an index finger and laughingly screw others to rake in the dough.
For me there was little to like about this film, other than that eventually it ended. Like all films I see, I stayed to the bitter finish, which means I outlasted the dozen or so who walked out during the screening, taking with them the popcorn and soda they paid too much to buy.
The Wolf of Wall Street’s defenders have a right to do so — and I will zealously defend that right — but educated filmgoers should always know how their thinking was influenced by those in the film business and how they were lured to see the show.
Leo and Marty and Thelma will rise again and Paramount’s hucksters will continue to beat the loud drum, waving like carnival barkers to lure you into the tent.
But when time comes to decide which movie shall earn your hard-earned take-home pay, make sure understand how the distributors are selling it. They are hawking this one, very much as its villain huckstered the innocent.
As with everything, buy quality — not hype.