Cigarette smoking is increasingly drawing ire from activists who want an R-rating slapped on any film with characters puffing as a child protection measure. A “New York Times” article by A.O. Scott said smoking seems to be the enduring controversy from 20th Century Fox’s “Avatar”—the blockbuster in which viewers claim to see all kinds of other messages. In the PG-13 film, … [Read more...] about Cigarette Tussle Over ‘Avatar’
controversy
Black Actors Erased from ‘Couples’
You have no idea of the hazards of being a film marketer! First studio brass and the stars blame you when their films flop. Now, there’s escalating media chatter suggesting that the removal of a black couple from the poster for the international version of “Couples Retreat” might be a racist move. You be the judge, but altering international posters is fairly routine (see … [Read more...] about Black Actors Erased from ‘Couples’
Advocate Rips Kid Ads for PG-13
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood launched a letter writing campaign to pressure major studio film distributors from marketing PG-13 rated films to children audiences. The issue is not clear-cut because a PG-13 rating usually flags some content as potentially unsuitable, such as language or violence, but parents may decide such movies are okay for their kids … [Read more...] about Advocate Rips Kid Ads for PG-13
Shaming Hollywood Over Smoking
The advocacy wing of the American Medical Assn. is criticizing movies depicting tobacco use in a summer-long campaign that will culminate with naming the studio that is the biggest offender in its view. The campaign includes posting advocacy ads on outdoor billboards to shame the alleged offenders. Says a “New York Times” article: ‘“Which Movie Studios Will Cause the Most … [Read more...] about Shaming Hollywood Over Smoking
Actor Rips His Film on YouTube
Low-budget independent movie “Midgets vs. Mascots” is getting the worst kind of publicity on YouTube, courtesy of one of its stars. Pint-sized TV series actor Gary Coleman (TV series “Webster”) does a rant knocking the film in which is stars. “It was worse than any film school project that I think I could ever bear to be involved in,” Coleman says in the YouTube video. “I … [Read more...] about Actor Rips His Film on YouTube
Verizon Sues Film Telemarketer
A small theatrical distributor and its telemarketing agency were sued by Verizon Wireless, which alleges its mobile phone subscribers were deluged with hundreds of thousands unsolicited phone calls. The telemarketing campaign pushed the family film “The Velveteen Rabbit.” The lawsuit names as defendants Family 1 Films, which is distributing "The Velveteen Rabbit," and … [Read more...] about Verizon Sues Film Telemarketer
Film Marketer Dials Up Bombast
Lionsgate’s chief theatrical film marketer Tim Palen gets a flattering profile in “New Yorker,” which pegs his style as hard charging. Palen blasts publicity at every opportunity and spares the subtleties. That's in contrast to most other film marketers who choreograph cinema campaigns into segmented waves that grow increasingly larger. “Many Hollywood marketers … [Read more...] about Film Marketer Dials Up Bombast
Angelina Jolie Stage-Manages People?
A New York Times article reveals that People magazine let actress Angelina Jolie tailor the celebrity magazine’s future coverage of her as part of a deal for exclusive baby pictures. People – owned by Time Warner Inc. – denies that allegation in the story. It’s not hard to believe film stars and their publicists call the shots with celebrity media – TV shows, magazines and … [Read more...] about Angelina Jolie Stage-Manages People?
Documentaries in Collapse
It’s always amazing to see industry insiders forgeting that it’s moviegoer behavior that runs the business. The documentary sector is suffering a meltdown because insiders like highly-partisan content like anti-Iraq war critique “Fahrenheit 9/11,” ignoring industry wisdom that it’s an outlier from this rule of thumb. Political films with an angry bent have a long history of … [Read more...] about Documentaries in Collapse
Watchdog Raps Kids Ads For PG-13 Films
An advertising watchdog organization has asked the major studio trade group MPAA to check if ads for Paramount’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” and Warner Bros. “Get Smart” were placed in broadcast TV programs with inappropriately young audiences. The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) made those referrals. CARU monitors marketing of all … [Read more...] about Watchdog Raps Kids Ads For PG-13 Films