Posted: Sun., Dec. 25, 2005, 5:00am PT

Creative engines turn creaky in '05

By Peter Bart

Jury's still out on 'Munich' and 'King Kong,' while things look better for 'Brokeback Mountain'

This is the week when pundits busily mobilize their year-end data and conclude what a great year it's been. The year 2005 truly has been upbeat for the media world, unless you consider that:

• Box office is down 5%, and a couple of the major studios are wracked by rumors of management change.

• Album sales have dwindled by 7.8%, and volume at Virgin Megastores alone is down nearly 20%.

• Videogame sales are sagging badly despite the heralded introduction of the Xbox 360.

• The Time Warner monolith is celebrating Christmas by continuing its layoffs, while Sony circles the wagons in response to its intense divisional problems.

• The TV business seems caught in a technological no man's land; everyone knows the ground is shifting, but no one is sure how to adjust.

To be sure, there must be a bright side to this picture -- it's just hard to peel away the layers of paranoia to find it. The upshot is a curious form of creative paralysis: Difficult times must breed new ideas, but are there enough new ideas to reverse the tide?

Why weren't there more breakout hits during 2005? In the videogame industry, for example, only three of the top 10 games were actually released during 2005 -- the rest were holdovers. Film critics are struggling to fill out their lists of the "10 best." Creative executives in the TV and music businesses are being hammered by their bosses, who are asking why the machinery for producing hits seems to have broken down (as though breakthrough ideas were ever produced by machinery).

In view of all this, Gotham's transportation strike seems an apt metaphor. If you're going to suffer creative paralysis, throw in a little traffic paralysis. That will bring out the true holiday spirit in everyone.

Muted 'Munich'

Steven Spielberg, who covets favorable publicity as much as any filmmaker, surprised admirers by proclaiming that he would remain mute during the opening of his new film, "Munich." The film must speak for itself, he intoned. Then he issued a few pronouncements for a cover story in Time magazine and later came forward with a lengthy interview for the Los Angeles Times.

Spielberg fans would be relieved if he reverted to his cone of silence. The Times' described the normally convivial Spielberg as "pale" and "soul-tired ... almost emptied out." He confessed to his interviewer that he felt "a sort of negative energy" drawing him to the subject matter.

In describing his film, Spielberg essentially underscored the very issue that some critics found off-putting -- the New Republic called it "the sin of equivalence."

Fearful that he was making a film that could be construed as "an attack on Israel," Spielberg returned time and again to a careful presentation of all sides of every issue. The result is a series of Talmudic debates in search of a story. "The film is a discussion -- like the Talmud is a series of discussions," the director reiterated.

Some filmgoers might appreciate Spielberg's intent to present all sides. Others, however, looking for a passionate personal story, may find Spielberg's approach to be detached and pedantic.

It was Sam Goldwyn who always reminded his filmmakers, "If you want to send a message, try Western Union."

I'm not sure Spielberg had a message to send or merely an ambiguity to convey. In any case, ambiguities aren't great grist for movies.

Holiday surprises

It's too early to draw conclusions about the two most provocative releases of the holiday season, but the clues are abundant.

"Brokeback Mountain" seems to be winning acceptance not only in coastal cities, but in those sectors of the country that previously were hospitable to "The Passion of the Christ" -- communities like Plano, Texas, or Phoenix, Ariz. Even in Wyoming, exhibitors seem eager to book the film, which bodes well for its ultimate rollout.

The big question: Can a gay cowboy film surpass the levels of previous arthouse hits like "Lost in Translation" or "The Constant Gardener"?

Then there's the mystery of the Struggling Simian, who has failed to meet his lofty expectations. Is the three-hour running time of "King Kong" inhibiting ticket-buyers or are the early distractions of the holiday season simply delaying audience response? Stay tuned.