I couldn't help but see a similarity between a certain movie that is set to open this week (we all know what movie it is, there's no need to mention it by name) and a movie I saw several years ago (Dogma). Now I'm not arguing anything about the movie itself, I'm just intending to make a point about the unintended result of the movie protesting.

In the case of Dogma I think I saw one preview in a movie theater and a couple of commercials on TV. The biggest reason I knew about it was because it was by Kevin Smith. I do however know that a lot of religioius groups were outspoken against the movie, thus giving hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free advertising.

In the case of the new movie I'm seeing the same thing. Excluding the news, I haven't seen a single commercial or preview anywhere. In fact the news coverage is the only reason I know the movie exists. Now I understand the principals behind the protests and I don't want to go into it here (in fact it was done in another thread which was locked so don't even mention the theology), what I don't get is the timing. Instead of creating an artificial, Lord of the Rings-ish pre-release hype, why not wait untill the movie actually premeires? Instead it has been on every newscast for the better part of two months, doing little more than making people want to see it out of curiosity to see what all the fuss is about.

Now I really don't care who plans to see the movie or why some of you may find it so offensive. What I do want to know is, what is the mentallity behind the hype creating protest? I just know one thing, if I didn't want people to see a movie, I sure as heck wouldn't give it that kind of publicity.

 

Some people think if they raise a big stink about things of this nature, or against their own beliefs, that others won't want to be seen going to such, it kinda comes back to being politically correct, but the motivation always backfires as like you say, it makes the general populace MORE interested, not less.

 

Do you think the movie producers/ad people might be aware of this effect and taking advantage of it?

Seems to be an old trick, I think at times the movie people might even go so far as to protest their own movies in order to get media attention. (The movie "Colors" comes to mind in the 80's)

 

Anybody remember Burn! with Marlon Brando? It was a movie that was basically a blueprint for the creation of an Imperialist Banana Republic. It was so controversial that UA "dumped it" as they say without much fanfare.

http://brando.crosscity.com/HTMLVer/...B/filmod24.asp

 

Maybe they dumped it because it stunk. I saw it again recently.

 

In reference to the new movie,I don't know what all the fuss is about.If it offends someone,don't watch it.IMO.

 

I'm not sure I can remember any movie that had to resort to this type of publicity (yes I think it is pre-planned hype) that was worth going to. Yes I liked Dogma but it wasn't worth the price of a movie ticket.

 

Thanks to the protests, the movie is predicted to have the largest ever opening box office by a land slide.

Waxy

 

I don't think it will, though. It was released on a Wednesday at Midnight. Of course, it was Ash Wednesday

 

I think they meant opening weekend - ie all sales until Sunday midnight. I believe that's the standard that they work off of, I could be wrong though.

It's also a world wide phenomenon, not only a North American one.

Waxy

 

Mel allows only a hand-selected audience to preview the movie, while his father begins spouting anti-semitic garbage. This is after the movie is rejected by every major distributor.

We hear the Pope no less gives it two thumbs up, maybe not, and many conservative talk show hosts begin raving.

Hats off to Mel for pulling it off. You're about to watch a two hour movie that depicts almost in its entirety violence.

 

That's because the real event was mostly an act of violence. There's a reason it was called "The Passion".

 

What amazes me is the fact that everyone is in an uproar about the violence...what about all the other violent movies that come and go without 1/10th the attention this one is getting?

IMHO, people are more afraid that it may strike a chord and have a positive outcome for many.

Regards,
Scott

 

the last time I checked there wasn't a non-violent way to depict someone being flogged and crucified.

 

by the way i saw opening night brought 20 million dollars.