Horror filmmaker Eli Roth is a “brand” that he milks online and in other media. A creative force behind "Cabin Fever" and "Hostel," Roth provided a fascinating tour of the horror film genre in an interview at the Variety Film Marketing Summit last week. His big break came as director of “Cabin Fever” released in 2003, though that low-budget film that was a hit with $21 … [Read more...] about Confessions of a Horror Film Mogul
creative
Book review: ‘Creating Blockbusters!’
A new book provides insightful analysis of the building blocks for successful Hollywood films, from script to promotion to licensed merchandise—all from point of view of marketing to the audience. “Creating Blockbusters!” by consumer researcher Gene Del Vecchio covers movies, TV programs, video games and books. Most film books lean toward arty but “Creating Blockbusters!” is … [Read more...] about Book review: ‘Creating Blockbusters!’
Conviction for Fake Vintage Movie Posters
Vintage movie posters are a big business and there are pockets of fraud for posters and lobby cards. A Georgia man who was an active collector and seller was convicted in federal court to 6 ½ years in prison for manufacturing replicas of posters from famous old movies and selling them as original. The convicted man Kerry Haggard “worked his scam by paying a New York City … [Read more...] about Conviction for Fake Vintage Movie Posters
‘John Carter’ Rattles Disney
Disney’s mega-budget “John Carter” premiered with a disappointing $30 million in opening three-day box office after pushing an arty presentation in early marketing, though the film is not arty. The sci-fi flop -- whose budget reportedly is around $250 million -- likely will trigger a writedown of tens of millions or possibly over $100 million on Disney corporate earnings. … [Read more...] about ‘John Carter’ Rattles Disney
‘The Grey’ Trailer Quotes Tweeters
Variety spotted what might be a first in movie marketing: a trailer presenting on-screen text slides of comments from Twitter about Open Road Film’s thriller trailer “The Grey.” The comments are from film critics and bloggers who saw the film in a private industry screening. Marketing materials usually excerpt from published comments of professional movie critics. “The … [Read more...] about ‘The Grey’ Trailer Quotes Tweeters
‘Hunger Games’ Ramps Up Early
Lionsgate is making ABC Television’s “Good Morning America” the platform for the debut of a teaser trailer for its sci-fi action adventure “The Hunger Games,” which is scheduled to hit theaters March 23, 2012. “GMA” is an unusual choice because typically trailers premiere on websites related to movies, social websites, events such as the sci-fi enthusiast Comic-Con … [Read more...] about ‘Hunger Games’ Ramps Up Early
Brad Pitt Film Sneaks into Theaters
Other than reports from its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, “Tree of Life” is barely making a ripple in the U.S. The website and ads are a bit of blur. The movie’s first poster is a mosaic that didn’t catch the eye graphically and barely communicated the star power with the names of Pitt and Penn. Their names are hard to read. Another poster with a dominant image of a … [Read more...] about Brad Pitt Film Sneaks into Theaters
‘Source Code’ Arm-twists Journalist
A journalist for news website TechCrunch, which is owned by AOL, went public with an internal request sent by AOL asking that the journalist's article “tone down” a “snarky tone” about the Summit Entertainment film “The Source Code,” which is scheduled to premiere April 1. Alexia Tsotsis posted an inter-company memo from an AOL executive (AOL also owns MovieFone) complaining … [Read more...] about ‘Source Code’ Arm-twists Journalist
Critics Lambast ‘Adjustment Bureau’ Marketing
The trailers and other marketing materials for “Adjustment Bureau” are getting mentions in reviews for not representing the movie well, with some going as far as to claim that its misleading audiences. “New York Post” film critic Lou Lumenick wrote, “The misleading trailers for the supremely goofy ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ promise action-packed sci-fi. What you actually get … [Read more...] about Critics Lambast ‘Adjustment Bureau’ Marketing
Sony Sweats ‘Hornet’ Positioning
Update, Jan. 19: “The Green Hornet” was top film for the four-day holiday weekend with $40 million, which was at the low end of the forecasted opening cited in the story below. Overall, box office for the period was down, so the Hornet opening overcame the downward trend. /update “The Green Hornet,” which is a $130 million superhero yarn that opens tomorrow, did not have a … [Read more...] about Sony Sweats ‘Hornet’ Positioning