Hey folks... Harry here. I've been busy as could be, as well as being completely sleepless for a couple of days now. I just have no desire to sleep, and no energy dropoff. I imagine I'm going to crash hard sometime in tonight's realm of updating. Which sucks... cause I have a lot to get into with yall. BUT... for now, here's TRAILER MAN.... Enjoy.
TRAILER MAN here Harry, and before I start, I thought it would be best to address briefly what we originally bounced around on what makes a great trailer. Some Talk Back comments reveal that many may not be fully aware of the challenges and restrictions that must be observed when producing a movie preview. A few basics:
1. Trailers cannot exceed 2:30 in length without an appeal and notification to the MPAA and NATO (National Association of Theatre owners.) However, a studio is allowed one exception in the course of a calendar year. Currently DreamWorks' "American Beauty" regular trailer is the only extended length preview currently in rotation and clocks in just short of 3:00 mins. 2. The preview 99% of the time has to have been approved for all audiences by the MOTION PICTURE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA referred to as a "green band" trailer. This term comes from both the green title card that precedes every trailer on screen and literally from the green wrap or sticker, that the individual 35 mm trailer is shipped with for easy identification by the theatre and booth management. On occasion a studio might opt for a "red band" trailer not wishing to make cuts in language or content. As you'd expect, exposure of trailer is strictly limited to R- rated and, when there actually is one, NC-17 rated films. However a studio's options and opportunities for maximum exposure to all audiences is since disallowed on PG-13, and PG films films. For example, if the THREE KINGS trailer was rated R due to action violence it could never be programmed on SIXTH SENSE, a PG-13 rated feature that is drawing big crowds likely be intrigued by the premise of THREE KINGS.
Apologies to those already aware of this system and my inability to distill shorter these two paragraphs. However now it should explain the frequent comments of why do previews frequently "soft-pedal" "skirt" or "wimp" on scenes of violence, language, themes etc. that would TRULY be more representative of the film as a whole.
DOGMA is a perfect example of this conundrum and I think very successful with its shrewd positioning of the film in playing up its powerhouse cast, marketable director, and arresting visuals, all punctuated by humor and a voice over that creates appeal with an insouciance both playful and free wheeling. Well the film does indeed deliver all of that. Is it totally honest in its representation of the film as whole? Honest???? THIS IS MOTION PICTURE MARKETING.....It's about getting butts-in-seats.........creating awareness............and opening weekend. Saints running abortion clinics, Alanis as GOD, Catholics, horn-dog angels, a shit-for-brains (and everything else) monster, Papal chicanery etc. all lifted out of context in two-plus minutes might not play so well in.....well 38 states and 6 Canadian provinces............you get the point.
So, reading from the same page lets check out two new trailers and evaluate their effectiveness by how well they impact "want-to-see". Harry...can class be dismissed?
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (United Artists/MGM) Anyone venturing out to see STIGMATA will undoubtedly see this the new "regular" Bond trailer that replaces the "teaser" trailer version that has been around for what seems like months. I can't help but think that if you have a franchise unlike anything in film history (I think this is the 19th), it's as critical to win over the established fans as it is to generate new devotees. What defines a Bond film...? A dapper lead, big action, sex, drop dead gorgeous women, nifty locations, chases, outrageous chases, weapons, familiar characters, a global feel, killer gadgetry, more sex, chaos, jaw dropping stunts, a semblance of plot and a villain- intelligent, maniacal, charismatic, and memorable. Attention Bond fans! Look no further for this trailer in pulse quickening edits, confidently flaunts all things Bond and then some. Brosnan is a Bond for the new millennium, Sophie Marceau exudes sex. beauty, and sophistication, Denise Richards delivers....a terrible line reading but okay she wasn't hired for her thespian qualities, and there are quick cuts of Zukovsky (Robbie Coltrane), Q (Desmond Llewelyn) showing Bond his new BMW no Z3 here but wait, there's a new face assisting, an inspired piece of casting if that's really John Cleese, and Judi Dench back as M and in trouble, seriously in danger by a very worthy nemesis, Robert Carlyle. If he nails his villainy in the entire movie as hinted in the trailer, (how cool, its explained that due to a bullet lodged in his head he is impervious to pain, which seems to frequently come in handy) coupled with his slightly disfigured, (great makeup) weasel face, I am sure fans will rejoice once they see this dangerous nuclear weapons expert masterminding global annihilation and engaging in nefarious intentions with M. Add to that what appears to be London's waterways made mincemeat in a chase with Bond navigating a high octane "stealth" looking speed boat, helicopters that have attached underneath gigantic saws that cut into buildings, steel an enormous submarine in what appears as the site for a huge action packed climax. All winning elements in a 007 film conveyed in no more than 2 minutes and 10 seconds- Efficient, exciting. it is indeed "Bond, James Bond" and this "World" is truly "Enough".
AMERICAN BEAUTY (DreamWorks) Everyone I hope has seen the regular, three minute trailer for this film. I cannot think of another preview this year that weaves a spell and creates such a buzz. Now having seen the film, I now know it admirably captures the off kilter, at times dreamlike essence of the feature. In a film as original as "Beauty" quite possibly this proved a necessity to prepare the audience for a rewarding, and emotional experience punctuated with humor and startling character development. No wonder it never felt like three minutes. Now a "review" trailer is being introduced that lifts the best elements from the original trailer and drops in wonderful quotes, mostly from Rolling Stone, (GREAT ACTING) (GREAT WRITING) (GREAT DIRECTING) and it coaches the perception of the film with voice overs "When can a drama be funny?" "When is a comedy dramatic" or close to that. But marketing at DreamWorks must know they're close to the awareness and positioning of this gem that they need to be and so as not to tax moviegoers who have seen the original, slash the running time of the trailer by more than 50% clocking in without losing any of its tone or magic at 1:15. This will allow, I presume, an ability to blitz theatres just prior to opening since now a much shorter trailer and easier to program on upcoming choice features . Asking the audience to embrace a funny drama, supported with raves by name critics, then still delivering the arresting visuals and tone of the first trailer speaks volumes to the passion this studio has demonstrated to do everything possible to nurture the audience for this film. Maybe they could take on Iron Giant pro bono..
SUPERNOVA (MGM) This is another trailer one should expect to see on "Stigmata". Boom! It's starts off with a few seconds of zippy distorted electrical pulses and bolts with a searing electronic rushing sound..then the MGM studio logo. Okay that was an attention grabbing bit of editing since we're so used to footage following studio or production company logo. But then immediately the incongruous sounds of Counting Crows (I think) layers in during a voice over explaining this is a medical rescue ship, Nightingale 9 and the team are about to go into some sort of time transportation leap, okay "Dimension Jump" And boy are they excited since it increases sex drive and lets all screw and party, and what happens on the ship stays on the ship. What is this American Pie is space? Then a distress signal is received and they pickup a naked guy who evidently benefited from some sort of intergalactic augmentation since one of the more enlightened babettes on board gasps in delight staring somewhere south his navel.... then again he's just beaming showing it off undoubtedly from pride of ownership. Hmm maybe they should have titled the movie Deep Space 9....oh but he is not what he appears and chaos ensues as he morphs into all kinds of alien looks, causing death and destruction. Hey who changed the music? It's now the classic "Momma told me not to come"... very clever since, you see, they are dying horrible and painful deaths they probably wished they were not there, get it?. More destruction (wait that ship has already blown up) explosions and the standard snide, cutesy banter between crew members that one usually engages while fighting for your lives and seeing your friends crushed or tossed into the oblivions of space without benefit of a helmet never mind a Met-RX bar for the road. More death and destruction continues caused by Cosmoshlong cackling now editorial comments as total annihilation nears. Whoosh enter title SUPERNOVA Jan 2000. end of teaser...... end of Cinefantastique coverstory.....But is it an honest appraisal of the film??????????? I am afraid so.
