The enjoyment of a film can also be
affected by the pre and post-viewing experiences of the person who watches it and
where and how they watch it. For example if a viewer watched all the trailers,
promotional clips, interviews with the stars etc before a film is released,
they may have extremely high expectations of the film. This might mean the film
fails to meet these expectations. Comedies often have many of the best jokes in
the trailers of the films and these jokes will not be as funny when they are in the
final film if you have seen the trailer a few times. Similarly many trailers
give a great deal of the story away and show many of the best stunts. The
recent Fast and Furious 6 trailer seemed to have clips from all the major
set-pieces and therefore there was no sense of surprise when watching the film.
Prometheus was also a victim of its excellent marketing because people had huge
expectations and the film was not as good as many had hoped.
Before or after a film, reading reviews
might also affect a person’s enjoyment of a film. Sometimes I read a review and
I can’t get the words of the writer out of my head and it ends up affecting my
opinion. For this reason many wait till after they have seen a film to read any
reviews. Also discussing a film after it has finished can potentially change
your opinion of it. Though I still love The Dark Knight Rises, hearing people
pick out the all the plot holes has lessened my love for it a little bit.
How you watch a film is also important as
watching a film at an IMAX cinema with state of the art sound is a very
different experience to watching a film on a mobile phone or a dodgy pirate DVD
copy. Blockbusters particularly are supposed to be seen on a big screen in a
dark room with the sound up loud to get the full audio visual experience. If an
audience is laughing in a comedy or screaming in a horror, it will likely have
an effect on other viewers. Watching a film with mates is different to watching
it with parents or on a first date and watching it alone is very different to
watching it with a large audience. All these factors can affect enjoyment and
interpretation. 3D is supposedly more immersive but many hate it and some
people have home cinema set ups because they would rather watch a film in their
own home. I also find that if I see a really good film early (at a preview before
it is released) I think I often love it even more than if I was (seemingly) the
last to see it. I certainly feel the need to talk about it more to convince more
people to go and see it.
And that is the end of this series on the relationship between audience and films. Hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to argue with me all you want it the comments below and check out the other posts in this series. All the links are below:
The theme for the April edition of Media Magazine was ideas. I decided to try and submit two pieces for this issue and was successful at getting them both in.
The first article is on the simple idea that Hollywood is running out of ideas due to all the endless remakes, reboots, recycling, rehashing and repeating that is going on in modern Hollywood.
The second is on the ideology of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy and whether the films really are as right wing as many have suggested they are.
Is a Batman reboot really necessary... I mean ever? For my money, The Dark Knight Rises is the best comic
book movie that will likely ever be made. Christopher Nolan’s final take on Batman and Bruce Wayne
scaled dizzying heights of greatness with its grand, emotional and epic
storytelling.
The entire Dark Knight trilogy was a
miracle rebirth for a character that should have been all but forgotten after
the 1995 disaster that was Batman and Robin. George Clooney’s nipples, Alicia
Silverstone’s Batgirl and Schwarzenegger’s comical if he wasn’t so damn awful
Mr Freeze all nailed Batman’s coffin shut for eight years.
Looking to the future
Nolan revived the franchise with a new
direction, a new Batman and a very different vision from what had come before,
whether from Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher. Batman Begins began a new trilogy
but only in 2005 was this attempted after the wounds inflicted on Bat fans were
finally starting to heal.
Whoever takes on the frankly silly task of
topping Nolan’s trilogy is cruising for a bruising. It will take something
seriously impressive to do justice to what Nolan, Bale and the rest of the crew and cast achieved over the
past seven years.
Reports initially suggested the possibility
of a 2015 reboot (only three years after The Dark Knight Rises) but recent
rumours suggest it is more likely to be 2017 or possibly beyond. I’m sure that
most Bat fans will agree that this can only be a good thing!
See what is says there... The legend ENDS!!!!
If you want to watch a Batman film so
desperately, go out and buy Nolan’s trilogy on Blu-ray and watch the films
again, then work your way through the exhaustive special features. If that
doesn’t satisfy your desire for the masked vigilante then start a petition to
have Nolan’s films put back in the cinemas where they belong. I for one will
sign that petition if it comes along in 2017 or so. I’d even consider forking out
for an IMAX visit.
Please don’t urge Warner Bros into rushing
into a financially motivated reboot. We do not need any more Batman stories for
now. A script does not need to be hastily cobbled together, just because Warner
Bros want to keep milking their caped crusader cash cow. No one in their right
mind would try to best Nolan’s trilogy at this point so you will be most likely
getting the work of a madman.
There was eight years between Batman and
Robin and Batman Begins. Eight years it took to get the right director, script
and cast and to let us Bat fans come to terms with a reboot. That was after a
disaster. Whatever follows The Dark Knight Rises is taking on a modern
masterpiece.
Marvel only waited five years to reboot
Spider-man and grosses were down and frankly the new film felt completely
pointless. Man of Steel may only be arriving seven years after Superman
returned but at least it has Nolan behind it and is again, following a
disappointment.
I urge Warner Bros to give The Dark Knight
a rest at least until 2020. He’s
earned it. Or is it just me?
2012 was an incredible year for me. Basically a big part of starting this blog was to share some of the cool film related things I had been doing. I was desperate to tell anyone and everyone that I got to ask Danny Boyle a question at a 127 Hours screening organised by Lovefilm at the end of 2010. Since then things have gotten better and better and although I may not be getting paid for my efforts yet, I am living the dream of what I have always wanted to do, writing constantly about films!
If anyone reading this hates those self-indulgent blog posts where people look at their successes or cannibalize their own work instead of writing something new and original then please look no further. This is as much for me as it is for anyone who reads this. I feel like looking back into the past to see how far I've come this year and this will be my hopefully permanent record of what has been achieved.
This year I intend to continue taking all the opportunities I can get and seeking out more ways to get paid for doing what I love. I hope that you will continue to stick with me.
I reviewed
this at Filmoria when it came out on home release. The story of a boys prison on an unforgiving island, King of Devil’s Island makes for stirring viewing. The performances are
sovereign, lead by a sinister Stellan Skarsgård and the
cinematography and score are supreme.
The second of two films about child abuse in my top 10 which is a
bit depressing but they do have a tendency to make very powerful viewing. It’s a haunting, horrible film with a breathtaking open ending. It’s not going to be a film for everyone, but you
will find it hard to forget after you have seen it, mostly due to the ending
which will leave you thinking about it for days and possibly even months or years.
Untouchable
Powered by a wonderful performance from Omar Sy, I reviewed
this one for Filmoria and also got to interview
the directors. Telling the true story of a young black ex-con from the
projects going to work as a carer for a wealthy quadriplegic, Untouchable
flies beyond expectations right from the start. See it for Sy’s joyful
performance and to witness an inspiring tale of a cross-cultural friendship.
I'm not a huge Bond fan but this is possibly my favourite of the franchise. I thought the opening scene was filled
with spectacular action, the cinematography and production design was
some of the finest of the year and the mixing of the old with the new
made it a Bond for all audiences. I can't see how it would fail to
satisfy any Bond fan or anyone who just loves a good action film.
Life of Pi
Reviewed
this for Static Mass Emporium finding it an enchanting, inspiring and
surprisingly emotional film filled with wonder, awe-inspiring visuals and a
character to root for in the stranded, bereaved but determined Pi. Despite taking
eleven years to get from page to screen, it is absolutely worth the wait. Ang
Lee has created an unbelievably cinematic treatment of the novel. Though the
film itself takes its time getting to the heart of the story, the
cinematography is spellbinding, the score is stirring and newcomer Suraj Sharma
gives a heartfelt and compelling performance as hero Pi.
Argo
A tense thriller directed by and starring Ben Affleck, this
delivered on the promise of its unbelievable true story. Smuggling American officials out of Tehran at the height of the Iranian Embassy crisis in 1979 by creating a fake science-fiction film sounds too silly to believe but not only is this a true story, it is a bloody tense and hilarious one at that. Affleck makes the early scenes at the embassy the best and goes for a seriously Hollywood ending but this is consistently exciting and funny with a smidgen of politics thrown in for good measure.
Turning genre conventions on their head in
a hilarious and smart puzzle of a film for horror fans, Cabin in the Woods is
fast-paced, fresh, frightening and ridiculously funny! If you haven't
seen it yet, be careful what you read/see before you go in. Blessed is
s/he that knows next to nothing about what is in store. Destined to be studied
by film studies students for some time.
End of
Watch
Reviewed
for Static Mass Emporium, it provides a sensationally exciting climax with,
director/writer David Ayer getting beneath the bravado, the bravery and the
brashness of the boys in blue. Fuelled by superb performances, realistic
dialogue and a fantastic soundtrack, End Of Watch is a cop thriller with
everything you expect from the genre and more. By the end of your watch, the
film will have made you laugh and cry and all from the precarious position of
the edge of your seat.
The Hunt
Reviewed
for Static Mass Emporium, it’s a film about the precarious position
teachers are in, at the mercy of imaginative children and pitch fork carrying
adults. Mads Mikkelsen brings a virtuous integrity to the role, his popular and
fun teacher giving way to a reserved and wounded man losing trust in those
around him. His character’s arc is compelling and flawlessly written creating a
compassionate, caring individual that is forced to show his cracks.
Saw this the day before my wedding so I was in a very good mood despite just
getting over being ill. I’ve since reviewed
the Blu-ray release for Filmoria. This is a thrilling, perfectly fitting
conclusion to one of the greatest trilogies of all time. With a beautifully
haunting and stirring score from Hans Zimmer, it achieves the impossible of
making the outcome for Batman, Bruce Wayne and Gotham
itself never certain and stands as the pinnacle of comic book movies.
I hope that by now many of you will have seen this already but just in case anyone missed it, I felt it my duty to share the news with you that Batman listens to 90s techno when flying around Gotham City. The video below also reveals that Bane is obsessed with diet- hardly surprising considering the epic man boobs.
If you grow weary of Bane banging on about the dietary requirements of his henchman then skip forward to 2.25 through the video to see how Batman rolls when flying through the night sky. Even Bane can't believe it. It's also interesting to see that Bane is a big Mortal Kombat fan himself. Check out the fight scene where he declares Batman to be 'Toastie'!
I don't know who these Auralnauts are that made this parody video but I look forward to seeing what they come up with next!
Films with large marketing budgets can also
afford to do radio and television advertising. These TV and radio spots are
very short mini-trailers for the films and are expensive but tell a large
audience about the films. They can be targeted by the programmes and times that
they appear in the media. A film can have several different TV spots that
target different audiences by highlighting different elements of the film. For
example Shaun of the Dead had TV spots that emphasised the romantic comedy
elements and others that accentuated the zombie conventions. Some TV spots highlighted the critics reaction to the film by including quotes (see below). Distributors can
also place adverts in other types of media such as magazines and newspapers.
Film magazines in particular will feature many mini-posters for new release
films.
Increasingly film producers and
distributors are using the internet to market films. This can be similar to
other media advertising with banners and other images from the film appearing
around websites. For example at the top of the Total Film website on 7th
December 2012, there was a banner for The Dark Knight Rises out now to buy on
iTunes.
Also YouTube and other video sharing websites have become some of the
best places to watch trailers. Not only are they all uploaded by either fans or
the studios, but often before people watch a video on YouTube, they have to
watch an advert which could be a trailer for a film. Studios also fork out for
an official website for their films. For example The Hobbit has a site that has
an image gallery, videos, and special features and downloads and these official
sites also often include games, particularly if it is a family film. It also
features the official worldwide release dates.
The Blair Witch Project was an excellent
example of a website that built interest in a film. The makers had not a lot of
money to promote their film and so created a detailed backstory about the
events in the film and made the website appear as if all the events in the film
were true. It got people talking and allowed them to explore the mythology
further.
Other films have since made fake websites to help sell the film. This
viral marketing is becoming one of the most popular ways of building interest
in a film long before it is released. The idea is that people get involved with
the marketing and share it and discover it themselves. Cloverfield had fake
websites including one for the fake drink Slusho that tied into the film (http://www.slusho.jp/). Warner Brothers also
created fake campaign websites for the character Harvey Dent in The Dark
Knight. They even went much further:
‘On December 3rd
a new page appeared at whysoserious.com/steprightup
with a hammer game and some teddy bear toys. Each toy had an address on it
located in a number of cities around the US. The note on the game told
people to go to that address and say their name was "Robin Banks"
(get it, "Robbing Banks") and they'd get something there. It was
first come, first serve, and each location was a bakery. What they were given
was a cake
with a phone number written on it. Now here's the best part: inside the cake
was an evidence bag (complete with Gotham City Police printing) that contained a cell phone, a
charger, a Joker playing card and a note with instructions.’ (http://www.firstshowing.net/2007/the-dark-knights-viral-marketing-gets-very-real-cakes-cell-phones-and-all/)
Another type of
marketing is using other companies to create promotional tie-ins. The hope is
that if the film studios let a fast food or drinks company use their logo, it
will increase consumer awareness and the company hopes to increase sales of
their product through association with the film. This is like branding and
increasing brand recognition. Burger King and Warner Brothers joined forces to
create the The Dark Whopper and a cinema and television advertising campaign
promoting the product and the film.
More recently Volvo teamed up with the
producers of the Twilight Saga:
‘Volvo launched the Lost
In Forks online contest, in which Twilight fans navigate an XC60 through
the town of Forks,
Washington following clues that lead to Edward’s home. It doesn’t matter that
many of the contest participants won’t be old enough to drive in real life.
Volvo said moms will take a look at the XC60 based on their kids’ enthusiasm’ (http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/06/twilight-fans-root-for-team-volvo/)
Part 3 on merchandising and premieres coming soon!
All my reviews for Filmoria will now be updated and added to this post. Way back in September I received my first couple of screeners. These were a British found footage horror film called A Night in the Woods and a sickly sweet family movie called Foster. After that I started getting sent to screenings such as for Hungarian Rhapsody and Paranormal Activity 4 and I'm still getting sent regular screeners and occasionally heading into London for film screenings. Writing reviews for films used to be my least favourite type of writing about films but soon realised that this was because I always felt that I was the last to see anything and therefore there was little I could add to the existing body of reviews that were out there.
However I've got in the swing of it and am just trying to make sure I don't repeat myself in reviews too often. The least critics can do is try and say something original in their reviews after all the effort that has been put into making the films for us. And I always look for the positives as I am only too aware that film making is incredibly difficult and any person who gets a film made deserves respect!
It's also very interesting to tuck into the special features on some discs when doing a DVD or Blu-ray review. It takes a lot longer than just reviewing a film but often helps with gaining insights into the films. Anyway here are my reviews for Filmoria so far and I will keep adding to this list as I go along. The newest will always be at the top of the page:
Well look what I forgot to post before I went on honeymoon! My humble apologies as this is a little bit late now but still, these are some great posts for you to check out! Happy reading!
The rules are:
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the 11 questions the person giving the award has set for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you will be giving the award to.
4. Choose 11 people to award and send them a link to your post.
5. Go to their page and tell them.
6. NO TAG BACKS
11 THINGS ABOUT ME
Ever heard
of the reality TV show Freaky Eaters?I was on it.I am Pete: Addicted to Meat from series
2, episode 3.This also led to me
being on Harry Hill very briefly.
I was in a
plane crash on the island of Ko Samui in 2009.Sadly the pilot died but me and my
girlfriend were in the front row right behind the cockpit.We were interviewed for another reality
TV show called Big Trouble in Tourist Thailand. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8182962.stm
I teach film and media for a living but I want
to be a film journalist.
I’m doing
a PhD thesis on found
footage horror films.
I love
making music videos for my friend’s band Feud.
I’m
running my first half marathon in October.
This year
will be my twelfth consecutive Reading Festival.
My best
man’s speech was littered with Mallrats
references as when my best man and I first met, we bonded over our love
for Brodie.Why buy the cow when
you can get the sex for free?
I love
travelling, especially Greek Island Hopping and exploring Thailand.
I lived in
Australia
for 7 from the age of 10 to 17.
I just got
married to the love of my life that I have been with for 11 years already!
Questions from I Luv Cinema
LOTR or Harry Potter?
LOTR no
contest.Never much liked Harry Potter
but I haven’t read the books.
What’s the
longest you have waited in line for a movie?
Probably about half an hour.
Have you
ever fallen asleep in a film? If so, which one?
Plenty.At the cinema, I
definitely fell asleep in Conspiracy Theory, Con Air and Mercury Rising.At home, many more!
What was
your first concert experience?
Bush at an arena in Perth,
Western Australia.
If you
could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Still want to see parts of China,
Alaska, loads of islands, parts of Africa.
Any hidden
talent(s)?
I’m pretty good at digital editing.
Subtitles:
Yea or Nay?
Yea.It’s not ideal but it’s
better than dubbing.
What book
would you like to be seen made into a movie?
I’d like to see The Beach remade but better this time.Also I’m waiting for the sequels to Tomorrow
When The War Began.I LOVE that series
with a passion!
What is
the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?
Depends how much.But
probably buy a house on a Greek
Island.
Have you
ever snuck into a film without paying for it?
Yes.After watching another
one.
What is
your favorite silent film?
Modern Times
Questions from Movies and
Songs 365
1.When and how did you become
interested in movies?
When I went on the set of a film at age
6.I was fascinated that there was a ‘behind
the scenes’.
2. Who is your favorite director, and why?
David Fincher because he made Fight Club,
the perfect blend of style and substance.
3.) What is your favorite movie discovered in 2012 (old or new), and why?
Too early to tell but probably The Dark
Knight Rises.Despite massive expectations,
it still exceeded them.Easily my
favourite comic book based film ever.
4.) If you had to recommend any movie you think everyone should watch, what
would it be, and why?
This is tricky.I’d like to say Fight Club but I know a lot
of people would hate it or be offended by it.Maybe I’ll go with Back to the Future.It’s just a family friendly and absolutely perfect piece of
storytelling.
5.) Have you been to a film festival, and how was the experience?
I’ve been to the London film Festival to see a Gaspar Noe Q&A,
a Nick Park Q&A and a talk from documentary makers on the difference
between fact and fiction.I love the
atmosphere of being surrounded by real film buffs.
6.) Which soundtrack or score do you keep going back to?
Requiem for a Dream.
7.) What films do you find yourself daydreaming about every so often?
The Goonies when I was a kid.Terminator 2 when I grew up a bit.Now not much really.
8.) Who do you talk movies with in real life, outside of blogosphere ?
My wife!My students, my colleagues, my friends.Anyone really.
9.) Favorite film poster?
The Rules of Attraction humping bunnies.
10.) What movie is the record holder that you have seen the most times, and
why?
Tricky.Maybe Fight Club.I just love
it.And I teach it so I watch it a lot
in class.
11.) Which movie websites (not blogs) do you visit?
Empire Magazine.Filmoria.Lovefilm.Den of Geek.
Questions from Life Between Films
If you could change the ending to any movie, what movie and
what would you make different?
Can I go with a
TV show and say Lost?That ending was
terrible.Wish they had not bothered
trying to answer any questions and just made it go even weirder and then just
ended it abruptly.
2. Have you ever thought about writing a screenplay?
Wrote one at
university called The Only Answer.It’s
a dystopian future thing about a corporation that is running the world from
headquarters on the moon.Terrorists
from Earth plan a suicide mission to destroy the moon base.
3. What is one artistic choice in a film that still stands out for you?
The use of red
in American Beauty.The use of black and
white in La Haine and Schindler’s List.
4. Who is your favorite actor that is also a musician?
Probably Jack
Black off the top of my head.
5. What is your favorite independent film?
The Blair Witch
Project.
6. What actor do you think is the most underrated?
Sacha Baron
Cohen.I think he’s going to get an
Oscar one day.
7. Have you ever bought something or done something because you saw it in a
movie? If so, what was it?
Yes but I can’t
answer it in public as I’m a teacher and it may have been illegal.
8. Has blogging ever got you in trouble?
Not yet.
9. Has a movie ever scared you so much that you were frightened for days? If
so, which movie?
Loads.A Nightmare on Elm Street.The Exorcist.Wolf Creek.The Ring.
10. Do you prefer to watch foreign films with subtitles or dubbed?
Subtitles
11. What is your favorite book to film adaptation?
Fight Club.A rare example of film improving on the book.
Questions from To The Escape Hatch
Favorite actor/director performance?
Charlize Theron in Monster
Favorite comedy?
Team America
Any place you’d like to visit because of
a particular film?
Hill Valley from Back to the Future
Biggest character crush?
Probably Isla Fisher's character in Wedding Crashers
Least favorite movie?
Sex Lives of the Potato Men
If you could get a sequel to any movie,
what would it be?
Probably Mallrats or La Haine
If you could keep any movie off limits
in terms of a reboot or remake, what would it be?
Fight Club
Last movie you saw in the theater?
Ted
Movie you can’t bring yourself to watch?
Gone with the Wind took me a loooooong time to sit through.
Someone who should stop acting?
Nicholas Cage
An actor whom you’d like to see
directing?
Edward Norton
Now here are my
questions for anyone who hasn't received the award yet:
What is the most important thing you learned from a movie?
What is your favourite TV show?
If you could be a film character, who would it be?
What is your favourite British film?
What is the ideal way to watch a film? Place, time, technology,
company?
What is your favourite shot from a film?
Ever visited a film location just because it’s in a film and if
so which one?
Can documentaries be better than fiction films?
Favourite found footage film and why?
Ever met a movie star?
Who makes better blockbusters… James Cameron or Steven
Spielberg?
It looks to me like every blogger and
her/his dog has had this award now so I’m going to leave this open.If there is anyone who reads this who would
like to take part, please leave a comment below and I will gladly edit this and pass
it on. Or if you feel like answering any of these questions for the hell of it, then please feel free!
