Why ‘King’s’ flopped : Let’s count the ways

IT was surprising to read that Steve Zaillian, the writer and director of “All the King’s Men,” was shocked that his movie took a giant flop at the box office [“A ‘King’-Sized Collapse,” by Scott Martelle, Oct. 3]. Frankly, I can give him a few reasons: no character development; a superficial, confusing story line; and the unforgettable miscasting of Sean Penn as Gov. Willie Stark.

JACK WOLF

Westwood

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THE reason I did not go see “All the King’s Men” is simple: Why spend $10 to see a remake of a movie that already won the Academy Award for best picture?

JOEL RAPP

Los Angeles

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THE reason “All the King’s Men” bombed at the box office is because the public is sick of people (Sean Penn’s character) yelling at us, and we have had it up to here with politics. In-your-face entertainment has had its day, thank goodness.

ANNE SALAZAR

Huntington Beach

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WHY did this film do so poorly? Here is a factor: Sean Penn.

The 2000 presidential election was a virtual tie. That means 50% of the voters approved of George Bush. In my opinion, when Penn, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Julia Roberts, Barbra Streisand and the rest of the “Bush haters” degrade the president, they are going to lose fans -- maybe 50% of them.

I wouldn’t see a flick starring these stars if you paid me and gave me free popcorn. They have the right of free speech, I have the right of choice -- and I choose not to watch them.

TIM ELLIOTT

Burbank

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THE film’s failure should not be a surprise to Zaillian. Audiences are now going out to movie theaters to see four distinct genres: event blockbusters (based on comic books, video games, etc.), family films, horror pictures and broad comedies.

TV has now become the premiere platform for adult dramas. The sooner the people who made “All the King’s Men,” “Hollywoodland” and “The Black Dahlia” learn this, the better it will be for everyone, especially the people who foot the bill.

It is a youth market. What was considered lowbrow in the ‘70s and ‘80s is now what is keeping the studios alive. Look at what happened to the summer’s “adult drama” version of “Miami Vice.” Universal could have had a smash hit and a big franchise had it made the youth-friendly/action version and booted Michael Mann.

PETER ROGERS

Valencia