During an interview last night at the American Magazine Media Conference in New York, former 30 Rock star Alec Baldwin spoke candidly about his problems with the current state of filmmaking, lamenting the lack of originality in Hollywood films while also owning up to his own missteps. In particular, Baldwin condemned his involvement in Adam Shankman’s 2012 jukebox musical Rock of Ages, stating quite simply that, “It was a complete disaster.”
According to Baldwin, he only joined the project out of interest in working with Shankman and co-stars Tom Cruise and Russell Brand. However, Baldwin quickly regretted his decision to sign on, noting, “A week in you go, ‘Oh God, what have I done?’”
Baldwin didn’t hold back regarding his opinions on the project, calling the finished product a “horrible movie.”
Audiences must have agreed with Baldwin; the film disappointed at the box office, pulling in only $38 million domestically on a budget of $75 million. Internationally, the film did even worse, and it never recouped its budget.
Critics also disliked Rock of Ages, taking issue with its silly nature and bland acting. Tom Cruise was singled out for praise, with many reviewers enjoying his vocals and acting as rock legend Stacee Jaxx, but the performances of leads Julianne Hough and Diego Boneta were widely panned.
At the conference, Baldwin also targeted the recent surplus of superhero movies. He observed that, “Now people’s own lives are more interesting than what’s in the theaters.”
“They only want Spider-Man,” Baldwin told moderator David Remnick, the editor of the New Yorker, opining that large amounts of “derivative” blockbusters have driven original filmmaking underground in recent years.
Baldwin can next be seen alongside Rachel McAdams, Emma Stone and Bradley Cooper in Cameron Crowe’s currently untitled upcoming project. He will also appear in the 2014 thriller Caught Stealing alongside Patrick Wilson.
What do you think of Baldwin’s dismissal of both Rock of Ages and Hollywood blockbusters as a whole? Let us know in the comments section!