The Disaster Artist

I haven't seen it yet, but James Franco gave this movie a gay subtext? Of course, guy can't help himself.

Pineapple Express wasn't even meant to be homoerotic til he played it that way.

When will Franco realize that you don't have to make a movie in order to suck a dick?

It might be in the book, but Franco almost turns it into a gay obsession story. Wiseau meets Sestero in SF and Sestero is smitten by his fearlessness. The early scenes do play out like a weird courtship with the older Tommy feeding Greg's dreams. They move to LA together and Tommy just about sweeps him off his feet with his money. When Jeff get a girlfriend, that's when Tommy goes into a snit and Franco runs the analogy to "The Room" when Johnny finds out his girlfriend is cheating on him. In the end, Franco gives us the "nothing can come between us" moment.

He's straight though, R2, because he's masculine and enjoys the presence of men exclusively.

The best performance in The Room is by the guy who plays Chris R and Zac Efron does it here and he's surprisingly menacing and excellent.

I think it's more like that Tommy is/was obsessed with Greg, because Greg represents everything Tommy will never be ( american, good looking, popular etc.), at least that was my impression after reading the book, haven't seen the movie yet.

"THE ROOM" has awkward/creepy adulations between Wiseau and the pretty "men." I got a bi and desperate vibe, not to mention a homoerotic one.

THE SEX SCENES ALL EMPHASIZE THE MEN'S PHYSIQUES, not the women's. It's practically a David Decoteau film.

James Franco was runner up to Timothee Chalamet in the LA Film Critics awards for Best Actor.

Watched this yesterday. It really is a surprisingly strong movie and Franco gives a great performance.

That is true of the movie as well r6, don't get me wrong, The Tommy seems in love with Greg humor is there, but really he wants to be him. Greg has the All-American good looks and people actually like him.

Two movies at once about Tommy Wiseau (whoever he was)?

I can’t believe after all those lousy films he directed he has made an Oscar worthy one. Was it because he improved as a director or it because the movie has a good script ?

I don't looking at Franco's face so I'll pass.

In this movie they go to a lot of trouble to make Franco to look like the real life character he’s playing. Why? No one knows what he looks like.

Huh...?

People absolutely know what Tommy looks like. The Room became a big phenomenon dear.

And of course Franco wants to look like the person he is supposed to be. I don't get that post.

I guess I must have missed it. Can’t find someplace to watch it not even on Amazon. I can’t wait to see Disaster artist.

It became a cult classic that has screenings in cities where people go and yell things along with the movie r15. Similar to Rocky Horror.

You can see it on YT. You can also see clips of audience interaction with it.

R13, a lot of people know what Tommy Wiseau looks like. In fact, he's kind of famous for how weird looking he is.

Nepotism. Dave Franco looks nothing Sestero who was a tall hunk.

Dave Franco didn't have the vapid handsomeness of Sestero, but I thought he was quite good. Very appealing and had he moldable quality that made him an easy target for Wisseau. His performance just pales next to his brother's, which is really outstanding.

I feel like you actually lose something by not going with a hunkier actor though r20, it feeds into why Tommy is so drawn to him and so jealous of him.

Saw it yesterday and really enjoyed it. Having known a few actors this film is right on about them and their issues and the absurdity of show business.i think the undercurrent of homoeroticism is just a Franco tease.

[quote]i think the undercurrent of homoeroticism is just a Franco tease.

Greg Sestero's mother did directly tell him not to sleep with Tommy as she thought that was what he was after. Greg discusses it in the book.

And Tommy did tell Franco he wanted to direct him in a movie about gay sex.

Who knows.

The best scene from The Room

The Laemmle 5 theatre played this movie for years. I wouldcsee the poster andcthink it was a Bob Dylan documentary.

R15 Tommy, you did not look too hard.

It’s very funny. The gay vibe between the Franco brothers is a bit weird though.

I like that Franco found the humanity in Tommy, but I couldn't sympathize. Dealt with too many crazy visionary directors.

I didn't get the gay vibe with Tommy and Greg. I just took it as Greg was the first person he knew not to (rightly) run screaming from his crazy ass.

One thing never mentioned in all these years...dies anyone know? How did he get the woman who plays Lisa's mother? In The Room? How did she get in the film? Nobody ever mentions it. That's all I wanna know.

Why is The Room called The Room?

R24, I've never watched it unRifftraxed. Ever.

Anyone who actually buys that Wiseau is not American born and bred is high. He's a Cajun from Louisiana, non?

No way is he American born. He acts like he just learned English.

He is polish. no?

I didn't get a gay vibe. I got that he was the only person that didn't run from him. He saw Greg as the physical type he wished he was.

I found the homoerotic undercurrent very interesting in the book. I am looking forward to seeing how it's handled in the movie. I agree that they should have gone with a gorgeous actor to play Greg Sestero.

Greg is very handsome I wish there were some nude photos of him somewhere. I haven’t seen Disaster yet Franco casting his brother seems like a mistake. Zac Efron would have been better. Who does he play in movie?

Does anyone know where I can watch riff track does The Room?

He's born aND bred Louisiana.

R33, can you not discern the inconsistencies of a fake accent? That's pretty much the point of the Rifftraxx version. He's just trying to seem exotic like a retarded teen.

Tommy was on late night talk show with Franco and he skirted the issue of being an American. The host was trying to make him admit the truth.

Oh hi Mark.

The line between fame and infamy grows thinner still.

Guess mom had that surgery for her breast cancer transferred to her face!

Yeah I heard it was really good.

I don't think Franco really wanted to 'ugly' it up enough to actually resemble Wiseau.

It doesn't work. You really need for Tommy to look freaky, and despite the makeup and effects, Franco's Tommy isn't freaky looking enough.

Plus the sibling resemblance is too strong between the Tommy and Mark.

Tommy Wiseau is Polish, the internet has long figured this out.

The mom role just says that it's her 1st successful audition.

In the book they said she was a retiree who wanted to act, she lived in San Clemente and drove down every day, she was the only decent actor besides Chris R.

Thanks R47.

R45, I've been into the Room since it was Riffed years ago and it was determined that Wise author was born and bred in Louisiana. His last name is actually Acadian so it makes sense. I'll see if I can find it for you.

Notice how he skirts the issue here:

That's not a Polish accent and if he came here before 10 yrs old he wouldn't have much of an accent at all.

See for yourself

Here's a Rifftrax sampling..one of the many on YT.

I have no idea what you are talking about r48.

He is polish, it has been confirmed many times.

Sestero in "Disaster Artist" reveals he saw Tommy's immigration papers and that he was from "an eastern bloc country"

And the documentarian for "Room Full of Spoons" confirms their investigation found Wiseau was born in Poland, they literally there even tracking down graves of his family members.

Even "cheep cheep" is a polish onomatopoeia to taunt a bird. (PL: "cip cip")

Who is Chris R?

A character in "The Room" r51, you know, what the Disaster Artist is all about.

Why did James' brother play Greg/Mark? I don't get it, that's a terrible casting choice in terms of script and he doesn't look the part at all.

R3 Bull feathers. It was Lisa that was tearing him apart. That was The Room Canon. I believe Wiseau not James Fagco and his dumb view on things.

Because it is James Franco's movie and he wanted to give the role to his brother.

The power of nepotism is strong in the entertainment industry.

[quote]James Fagco

Why are you even on a gay board, r54?

I don't think he's gay, he's just playing the sympathetic ally to play down his love of very young females.

Tommy Wiseau's bare ass is hot.

People still pretend like gay or straight are the only two options and there is nothing in pretend.

R58 - I know. I want a piece of that hard Polish rump roast.

I’ve known about this obscenely bad movie for quite some time now, and am itching to see The Disaster Artist. How ironic that Wisesu’s hideous movie is, in some weird, way finally being heralded after all these years.

I’ve seen several reviews about The Room, but this one is about the funniest...

rofl

Dave also gets a producing credit so he might have helped finance the movie. I like him and he is handsome but he not the kind of handsome as the real life guy is.

Dave is also a good 7 inches shorter than the real Greg. Dave is cute but in a Hobbit with a bad dye job way in the movie.

Greg has really gone to seed. He's starting to look transgender.

Well yes, he was a 20-something when The Room came out and he is like 40 now.

DL is always astounded that people have the audacity to age.

He looks really fucking weird tho, it's not just age. Maybe it's a bad picture.

It looks like he got his teeth capped and went big.

Even at the height of his hotness, if there ever was such a time, I would not get into bed with Tommy Wiseau.

R68 - Blasphemer!

Sorry R69. He's like Dracula to me. And I'm fresh out of garlic.

Efron would have made a better Greg. Just knowing that they are brothers completely eliminated any sexual tension between them.

r65 is right, he looks like fucking Ellen Degeneres!

I like he looks like a transsexual tennis player.

Has anyone seen Best F(r)iends? It actually got good reviews at IMDb.

Why do they throw spoons ?

R75, that's because the apartment of the Tommy Wiseau character features numerous framed pictures of spoons. It's never explained and it's one of the film's many weirdnesses.

It was said that the set decorator just went to Ikea to get art and that was what they had so they didn't change anything out, just used them as is.

the movie started well, but got boring and strange knowing youre watching a film about mental illness and those who followed this man because he had $

The guy who plays Greg is not even close to being cute enough, did Franco do this intentionally to make himself look better? And the fucking wigs on Greg and Lisa are distractingly horrible.

I thought the wigs were a gag to show it was his brother

r48, that is not an american accent, it is not Acadian or Cajun or anything remotely from New Orleans.

ever hear that story a few yrs back where some guy whose house he broke into had to call the authoritys, evid some ex beau...who had dared to say its over! to la franco..

the whole bi thing ....i dont know

his smugness trumps any talent he has. he needs a nap

BAD

Who the fuck are you talking about, R82?

Tommy is that you? R82

Film is a huge bomb. The Room actually did better.

The film seemed like a one-note joke to me.

I didn’t see any gay subtext in the film and I was looking for it. You queens are just projecting your own desires.

R87, they do that all the time here. Didn't you know Leo was gay?

[quote]Film is a huge bomb.

No it is not. Do you think this is some blockbuster? It is a low budget indie. Cost 10 mil, has so far made 19.6 mil.

I am mystified what people see in this dumb ass movie. unreal,

as for franco, he is known as the most egomaniacal ass in the biz.. amongst other things.

would i eat his load and fuk it into him? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

People have been talking about latent homoeroticism between Tommy and Greg since The Room came out. Then Sestero talks about it in his book the Disaster Artist, and many critics mentioned it in their review of the film.

But yeah r87/r88, your explanation works too.

[quote] No it is not. Do you think this is some blockbuster? It is a low budget indie. Cost 10 mil, has so far made 19.6 mil.

And $20m in P&A. And it won't do much more overseas than it's already done. So it's returned about $8.5m on a $30m investment and will be off screens within the next two weeks. And I'll bet Franco and Rogen had healthy back ends in order to get this thing made for $10m.

Sounds like a bomb to me.

Um, you do know when a movie gets Oscar nominated it can increase box office.

[quote] Um, you do know when a movie gets Oscar nominated it can increase box office.

Not when all it gets is Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay. And that's all it has any hope for. It will likely get the latter (even though the script was not very good) because the category is woefully underrepresented this year. Franco may squeak in, too. But that ain't gonna do shit for its future box office potential, especially when the movie will be long gone before the nominations come out.

I don't think the film was ever expected to reach Titanic numbers. It is a small independent film that has already made a handsome profit and will go on to make more once nominations are made and word gets out.

Again, how has it made a profit? It's returned under $9m on a $30m investment with back end slices going to Franco and probably Rogen, and it's currently on fewer than 500 screens on its way out the door.

I haven’t seen it but inexpect to like it. You don’t set out to make a cult film cause it is very hard to do so if Franco has made a cult film (more long term profits) about a cult film it is very impressive.

A film doesn’t stop making profits out of theaters.

[quote] A film doesn’t stop making profits out of theaters.

I think you mean money, not profits. Anyway, you should just stop talking because you really don't know anything.

Without question I don’t know everything like you think you do.

God that poster has a stick up their ass and manages to be overconfident regardless of them not knowing what they are talking about.

What is it about the internet that attracts so much of that behavior.

Where does it say they did 20mil in P&A? Prove it.

Why would a movie cost twice as much in advertising as it cost to make?

I'd be more worried about Matt Damon's Downsizing with $12 mil at one week against a $68 mil budget. The trailer looked fun enough but people hate it. They really hate it.

I didn't know it was a small budget film but I guess that makes sense since "The Room" is kind of niche. Still though, those fucking wigs...jesus, and Lisa just looked like Ari Graynor in a cheap wig (which she was) could they not find anyone who resembled anyone in that movie? Chris R was and continues to be the only good part of that flick. Oh and I loved Dina from Superstore being the flower shop owner.

[quote]I didn't know it was a small budget film

It is from A24. The same studio that did last years BP winner "Moonlight" and also "Ladybird" from this year. Currently it is their 5th highest grossing movie the studio has released, and its run still has a ways to go.

[quote] Why would a movie cost twice as much in advertising as it cost to make?

Because if you don't advertise a film, if you don't make people aware of it in a big way, then no one will come to see it. Even when you do spend a bunch, they sometimes still don't come (King Arthur, anyone?). And marketing costs big bucks. Even for small films. You could spend $200m on a film, but if you don't spend money to advertise it, it doesn't matter. Also, the general rule (I say general, not always) is any film that's got a budget of $10m or more, their P&A budget will always be above a certain number (a sliding scale depending on budget, but usually starting above $5m). There are actors out there whose agents won't consider them for films under $10m in budget because they know there's a good chance the film will fall through the cracks. If a film costs $10m or over, then they know the financiers and producers are going to pursue a decent P&A budget to help sell the film to make their money back for the investors. it doesn't always work, but that's the plan.

Something like Moonlight (also from A24) probably wound up spending under $5m for P&A, and that was definitely incremental once they started seeing the positive response. (I would say their initial P&A budget was no more than $1m.) Of course, it only grossed $27m, even after winning Best Picture (still a good haul for the subject matter), but because it did win Best Picture, it pretty much had its ancillary revenue set (though A24 has an exclusive deal with Amazon Prime, so they miss out on Netflix, and all the pay cable channels, so their US TV revenue is severely limited- something that will also curtail The Disaster Artist's ultimate revenue). But Moonlight was a good example of a film whose word of mouth and awards attention really helped it at the box office. There's no way $5m in P&A will ever get you $27m gross at the box office without something else helping.

[quote] and its run still has a ways to go.

No, it doesn't. It was on fewer than 500 screens last week. BOM hasn't listed last night's gross for the film yet. (It doesn't appear that A24 has reported any of their grosses for Friday thus far.) I would assume that with the weak box office of TDA, a number of those screens will likely be taken up by the inter-theater expansions of both the Jumanji sequel and The Post, which seem to be exceeding expectations. If TDA holds all of its screens, it will probably go to a split screen schedule with some of those other films.

I work in exhibition, if you want to continue to question me. I actually do know something of what I'm talking about and am not just spouting off recklessly.

All I know I just went to a matinee it was pretty crowded and I live in Bumfuk USA and I got the feeling the audience loved it just like I did.

How does the ‘positive word of mouth’ work into your scheme of things , genius? The reason you are getting negative feedback and you might even be 100 % right is that those who have seen the film want it to do good BO which may translate to good word of mouth.

Franco gives his best performance and the movie has such a good heart. I questioned the casting of Dave but I had no problem with him in the movie. You walk out of the movie loving Tommy.

Bag wigs are something Only us gays notice but iwhen you see both movies side to side Franco went to a lot of trouble to recreate the hair of the stars of The Room so he had to use wigs.

People said Rocky Horror Picture show was a flop when it came out. Look what it eventually did.

People are giving negative feedback, because no one on earth considers The Disaster Artist a bomb except this one "expert" poster who is on a mission from god to prove it is.

R110 is right on!

Old DL thread about The Room

[quote]He looks really fucking weird tho, it's not just age. Maybe it's a bad picture.

Greg Sestero has definitely had some bad plastic surgery to help hold onto the good looks of his youth. Didn't work. Pity, he was stunner at his peak.

Men usually look worse when they have plastic surgery.

Sestero is a blondie and they don't age well. He looked in the mirror and tried to recapture his looks. The weird, emasculated look he now sports suggests a face lift.

Another shot of Sestero's bad facelift.

He looks good there. Wonder how old he is. They say he was 19 when he did The Room.

[quote]They say he was 19 when he did The Room.

They say? You can check imdb lol.

Sestero was 24 when he filmed The Room, He is 39 now.

Also is big role other than The Room was a David DeCoteau film, of course. Wonder if DeCoteau had him running around his underwear. I want to see pics.

I’m watching DudeBro Massacre 3 and Greg is looking well fat.

Jesus, that shitty dye job in r116 is awful, it looks like it would run if he went out in the rain, like Gene Simmon's hair. I can't believe he's only 39.

R116 - He's turning into Way Bandy.

I will say one thing about Sestero (and Tommy as well, but he is such weird human being) is that the end of the day he still is that person with a dream that wants to be taken seriously as an actor. That is what he has always wanted.

While he is definitely enjoying the attention he has been getting with the interest in this terrible movie and his book and movie adaptation, he is still only famous for being in a terrible film.

[quote]I’m watching DudeBro Massacre 3 and Greg is looking well fat.

When he did a reddit AMA for his book a few years back he was also trying to promote this movie, still desperately hoping for his big break and people to start taking him seriously.

I have trying to watch The David DeCoteau film he did The Pit and the Pendulum but can’t find it. If you ever watched a DD film they are so low grade you can barely call them a movie. I wonder if it was true he didn’t do a bit part in Malcom in the Middle because of The Room.

[quote]I wonder if it was true he didn’t do a bit part in Malcom in the Middle because of The Room.

Nah, that anecdote is not from his book, it was made up for the film.

(I highly recommend his book btw, the audiobook is fun because his impersonation of Tommy is great)

One of the strangest things about this movie for me is that this is the hottest James Franco's body will ever be (he worked out like a fiend for this), and yet the hair and the brow prosthetics are such a turnoff you can;t find him sexy.

Sestero is as delusional as Tommy if he thinks he has talent as an actor

Yes r126, that! He can blame that shitty script but there is no worse scene, in the history of acting, than his car phone chat with Lisa.

He spends part of his book trying to justify his bad performance.

Greg honey, you were able to nab a big name agent who sent you off on tons of auditions (the benefit of being hot). The reason you never booked anything other than David DeCoteau films is that you can't act.

You feel bad for the guy that all these years later he still refuses to accept that truth. He should thank his lucky stars he became friends with Tommy Wiseau, at least you will get to be remembered for something.

Or R109/R110, one could say the same about your desperate need to proclaim this film a hit. I've already illustrated how it actually works. All you've got is fangurl wishes. But good for you. It's nice to have dreams.

Franco gave a bit part to both Greg and Tommy. For the first time in the scene Tommy doesn’t have the accent.

[quote]Franco gave a bit part to both Greg and Tommy.

Greg Sestero did film a cameo but it was cut so he isn't in the movie. He was a casting agent when Dave Franco was going to go in and book Retro Puppet Master, but they cut that out.

Also the funny thing about Tommy Wiseau's cameo. In typical Tommy fashion he demanded to have a scene in the movie in order to sell the rights, which they were fine with. But then he insisted that it was opposite James Franco himself.

James Franco tried to talk to him out of it, saying they could put him opposite anyone but Franco since obviously James is playing him. Tommy refused to listen. So they filmed that scene to pacify him, and put it at the very end of the credits.

[quote]As it turns out, Wiseau had made his scene a contractual obligation when the producers were buying his life rights. But for someone whose rather unique appearance and voice make him almost instantly recognizable, the filmmakers had hoped they could put him opposite absolutely anyone but Franco. “We just tried to explain to him: ‘Tommy, I don’t mean to insult you, but you just can’t play anyone other than yourself,'” says Franco. But Wiseau wasn’t having it. “They tried to give me different guys,” The Room director tell THR. “And I was like, it doesn’t work for me.” It had to be Franco. “So we wrote a very short scene,” he says. “In our defense, we had to make it disposable, because he was insisting on doing it opposite me. It was like, there was no way that that was ever going to work in our movie. It just doesn’t make sense.”

r48- he even says he's "Originally from Europe" around 1:10 in that clip.

Tommy circa 185:

Tommy maybe 90's?

I think Greg was fated to look like an old lesbian- he's eerily similar looking to Bruce Jenner:

Having given The Disaster Artist another go through recently, I decided to make a mental note for gayish content

Several times Tommy told Greg about older gentlemen that tried to pay him money for sex that Tommy always says he refused.

Tommy mentions a special (male) friend that he had when he lived outside of New Orleans.

Tommy calls Sestero chicken for not sleeping in the bed with him their first night together in the LA apartment

When Greg goes to visit someone at a nice house, Tommy thinks Greg is working as a rentboy and tells him "it won't work out how you think"

When Greg's mom pestered Tommy about never sleeping her son, Tommy gives a non-committal response about how humans have sex.

Also in light of the #metoo stuff, Sestero met with a potential (male) agent who heavily implied that he wanted Greg to sleep with him.

Did someone say there was no gay vibe about the relationship?

I know Tommy is very secretive but what past relationships? Is Lisa based on a past woman or man?

Franco actually toned down the homoeroticism that Greg describes in the book. Tommy got so possessive of Greg, a neighbor once knocked on their apartment inviting Greg to his play and it caused a huge fight with Tommy about who this other guy was.

[quote]I know Tommy is very secretive but what past relationships? Is Lisa based on a past woman or man?

Greg says in the book Tommy told him a story of a woman in his past, though he never met this person or knows if it is true. Perhaps the inspiration for Lisa.

Speaking of which, I just watched this interview with Greg today. Someone at min 37 asks "has Tommy had any love interests" and Greg immediately quips "I've never met [italic]him/italic] if he has"

He looks like Nancy Wilson of Heart.

just watched TDA, is a fun, even touching movie. James Franco is incredible as Wiseau, he really nails it. And i did not recognize Zac Efron in his cameo!!

[quote]James Franco is incredible as Wiseau, he really nails it.

Yep, best performance he has ever given. Hopefully he will win the Globe for it later today.

R141, the cameo was great because everyone knows that the best performance is given by the guy who played Chris R. and Zac gives it the same terror.

[quote] Tommy circa 185:

185 AD? That IS old.

yes, R143... but i'm still shocked i didn't recognize him. Has he changed A LOT or am i going senile?

R145, you're not alone. I didn't know it was him either until I saw the credits.

I loved this movie and predicted Franco for the win. Dave Franco was horribly miscast, and I agree that it removed the layer of sexual tension that is present in the book.

Thought it was sad that nobody thanked Greg Sestero at the GGs.

Seriously r147. His book was the entire basis of this movie. James Franco read his book before he ever saw the The Room.

Felt bad for the guy he didn't get his mention.

Franco winning bout caused Greg to start crying though.

Pics of James Franco's bare ass from the movie?

I agree R148. Perfect gif.

R149's picture is fascinating, not so much for his reaction but for the expressions on the faces of the people around him.

They remained friends. In 2004 they made a documentary together called Homeless In America in 2004 that wasn't terrible and they are making a movie together to come out in 2018 sometime called Best Friends and I think it is about a road trip.

Tommy is Polish-Jewish. Birth name Wieczor, Wiseau is a play on Oiseau from when he used to sell toy birds. He did live in New Orleans with his uncle when he first came over. There are some suggestions he made his fortune in organized crime, rather than “wholesaling”.

This movie is already so over. NEXT!

Oh hi, Datalounge. Just saw TDA and I really loved it. Didn’t wan’t to because of slimey James Franco.

I think both Tommy and James as Tommy are hot. I guess I have a thing for disturbed euro goths.