As a seasoned movie critic with decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that the world of film journalism has certainly evolved since the days when studios would fly us out to premieres and ply us with free cocktails in exchange for glowing reviews. However, the allure of being courted by Hollywood hasn’t diminished, even for old pros like myself.
As a longtime film enthusiast with a soft spot for the works of Francis Ford Coppola, I was initially intrigued by the recent trailer release for “Megalopolis.” However, my excitement quickly turned to disappointment upon learning that Lionsgate had already recalled it. Having followed Coppola’s career closely, I am well aware of his ambition and creativity, but this late-career project seems to have gone too far, veering into the territory of an “ugly monstrosity.” While I remain hopeful that the final product may still prove me wrong, the initial impressions leave me with a sense of unease. I eagerly await further updates on the film’s development and hope for the best.
Typically, trailers feature exaggerated praise from biased critics, often referred to as “quote hounds,” whose comments are taken out of context and embellished with exclamation marks. This style of punctuation is rarely seen in genuine critic reviews but is commonly used in movie advertisements.
“An edge-of-your-seat thrill ride!” (“Any Given Sunday”)
“Among the top-notch Westerns, it’s often praised as highly as ‘Unforgiven’. The movie could be ‘3:10 to Yuma’, ‘Hostiles’, or ‘Bone Tomahawk’; opinions vary.”
“Thumbs-Up from Two Enthusiastic Critics, Siskel and Ebert, on Countless Movies!” (or)
For “Megalopolis,” the marketing team opted for an unconventional approach. Rather than featuring praise from the Cannes Film Festival (where critics, generally speaking, were underwhelmed, with a few exceptions who stretched themselves to find favorable comments regarding the film), Lionsgate chose to misrepresent its reception.
As a movie enthusiast, it feels like the person behind the “Megalopolis” trailer is operating under the belief that you’re already aware of its alleged downfall. Instead of addressing the film’s merits, they seem to be countering criticisms by concocting fictional negative reviews for Francis Ford Coppola’s past masterpieces like “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now.” They even quote critics like Andrew Sarris and Pauline Kael criticizing “The Godfather,” and reference harsh reviews of “Apocalypse Now” from John Simon and Rex Reed. Essentially, they’re attempting to prove that The Critics Were Wrong about those films, presumably implying that the same will be true for “Megalopolis.”
A voice reminiscent of Laurence Fishburne’s states, “One filmmaker consistently outpaces contemporary trends.”
Having spent years immersed in the world of film criticism, I’ve come to appreciate the nuances and complexities that each movie brings to the table. But let me tell you, there’s nothing quite like diving headfirst into a sea of controversy, as Rex Reed did when he lambasted “Apocalypse Now” with his scathing review, labeling it a “gumbo of pretentious twaddle.” And John Powers wasn’t far behind, decrying the film’s supposed genius by saying its brilliance was nonexistent, not even a peach pit to be found.
I’ve been a movie buff for as long as I can remember, and I’ve seen my fair share of trailers that try to sell a film by using clever dialogue or catchy music. But sometimes, it feels like the trailer creators are taking shortcuts and resorting to fabricating quotes to make their movies seem more appealing than they really are.
Request an AI assistant to look up criticisms directed at the films ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Apocalypse Now’, and the algorithm will generate responses that seem reasonable. To verify the hypothesis, I inquired from ChatGPT, “What were some of the harshest remarks film critics made about the movies ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Apocalypse Now’?”
Out popped this:
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I’ve always admired the legendary status of “The Godfather.” However, not everyone shared this sentiment upon its release. Here are some of the most severe criticisms:
It also referenced Renata Adler’s review for The New York Times, despite her departure from the publication in 1969. Just like modern programs such as ChatGPT, they provide information that appears tailored to your requests.
It’s been argued that the creator of the trailer might have come up with the quotes themselves, which is a possibility (they could have been temporary phrases that ended up being included). This explanation was given in 2000 when Sony released trailers attributed to someone named David Manning, who consistently had positive comments about their films.
“The makers of ‘Big Daddy’ have struck again with another box office hit, ‘Big Daddy 2: Big Schneider!’ However, it seems that ‘The Animal’, a movie starring Rob Schneider, was more like an abomination, and the so-called ‘Hollow Man’ featuring Kevin Bacon was labeled by critics as ‘one hell of a scary ride.’ Unfortunately, it was later revealed that there was no David Manning and the studio had misled audiences with false advertising, prompting them to offer $5 refunds.”
The truth is, nothing goes further to undermine film criticism than when studio marketing departments clip and contort our words to sound like hyperbole. They’ve been doing it for decades, and any savvy moviegoer knows to take the “critics are raving” strategy with a grain of salt.
In essence, I view my job as a movie critic similar to the traditional role of the Yeomen Warders (Beefeaters) at the English court. Just like they taste the food before serving it to ensure no harm has come to it, we check the movies first to make sure they’re not tainted or subpar. If a film is safe and enjoyable, we recommend it to viewers. However, our responsibilities extend beyond this consumer-guide role. We also assess the artistic merits of each movie, offer constructive criticism, and suggest ways in which a less-than-perfect production could be improved.
As a film enthusiast, I’ve often found myself standing against the tide, championing extravagant, high-budget epics like “Megalopolis.” In 1979, when “Apocalypse Now” was released, Canby lamented the absence of artistic restraints and criticized Coppola for investing his own fortune on such a grandiose project. Fast forward to the release of Michael Cimino’s “Heaven’s Gate,” which was mercilessly ridiculed due to its astronomical budget overruns. The press even dismissed James Cameron’s “Titanic” as a monumental blunder (why would anyone want to see a movie when they already knew the ending, they joked) until it shattered box-office records and tied with “Ben-Hur” for the most Academy Awards of all time.
As a film enthusiast, I must confess that my initial expectations for “Megalopolis” were high, given Francis Ford Coppola’s reputation and the long gestation of its ideas. However, watching it, I can’t help but feel that it’s a disorganized jumble. It’s clear that there are grand concepts at play, concepts he’s been cultivating for 25 years, but unfortunately, the over-the-top execution gives the impression that our master director may have lost sight of his craft along the way.
The “Megalopolis” trailer seems peculiar because it appears as though Lionsgate didn’t gather enough favorable reviews to enhance its appeal, which is unusual since studios often do this for the sake of skeptical audiences. However, they may be particularly cautious about a film that begins without any endorsements from critics or industry insiders.
Over time, marketing teams in studios discovered creative methods to craft blurbs without outright fabrication: For instance, instead of attempting to persuade serious critics in the early 2000s, why not invite enthusiasts – bloggers and online media who were inclined to boost reviews for “G.I. Joe” and superhero movies – and let them publish their reviews first. After that, select the most effusive responses for your advertisements.
Today, instead of traditional advance press screenings, they prefer using influencers, organizing unique promotional events. At these events, individuals with a large following on platforms like TikTok are treated to complimentary drinks and are motivated to express their reactions on social media.
Typically, this approach often succeeds with individuals who are unfamiliar with studio courting. A notable instance that comes to mind is when Sony invited Harry Knowles, the founder of Ain’t It Cool News and a self-proclaimed “geek,” to New York for the premiere of Roland Emmerich’s 1998 “Godzilla” remake. In exchange, they received an excited endorsement from him.
Experienced professionals aren’t immune either, particularly those in the junket press – these are semi-serious film journalists who are expected to share their reactions following screenings, which can later be used in movie advertisements. Lately, consultants for awards have begun reaching out to Oscar pundits, inviting them early and tailoring the awards campaigns based on their feedback. These arrangements, where favors are exchanged, have clear conflicts as no one wants to miss out on such access.
Several critics, such as Shawn Edwards, Peter Travers, and Pete Hammond (in his Maxim days), once found having their work blurbed as a double advantage: it brought them personal recognition while also boosting the profile of their respective platforms. However, they were known for exploiting their early access privileges by writing excessively glowing reviews, which some deemed overly enthusiastic praise.
If you’re aiming to be quoted and you’re a self-promoter, here’s an easy trick: Add an adverb ending with “-ly” before a strong adjective (for example, “remarkably original” or “shockingly derivative”). This structure is irresistible to marketing teams, who are attracted to phrases that seem positive, even when they might not be.
Movie marketers have occasionally transformed unfavorable criticisms into advantages, as shown in the “Megalopolis” trailer. For instance, in John Waters’ early days, he enjoyed harsh critiques and showcased them on posters for his movies (“Pink Flamingos” featured a Detroit Free Press review quote: “It’s like a septic tank explosion – you have to see it to believe it”). Similarly, trailers for films like David Lynch’s “Lost Highway,” Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!”, and the original “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” leveraged negative reviews to their benefit.
At EbMaster, we ensure our writing maintains its intended meaning by avoiding misinterpretation. The brief reviews you find in advertisements are approved by the critics who penned them. Our company follows a rule where critics only express their opinions after the review is published. This practice has been established based on experience, as it prevents others from using a critic’s initial reactions against them. For instance, if a producer learns that the critic didn’t enjoy the movie, or marketers exploit an early, informal comment in their promotional campaign.
On several occasions, reviews from EbMaster are utilized in advertisements, a practice that holds some logic. The publication is committed to reviewing a vast number of films immediately upon their release into the public domain – at festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto – and we provide coverage for numerous movies that often receive no reviews whatsoever from other sources.
As a film enthusiast, I’ve got a unique tradition that keeps my critic pals grounded: whenever one of their reviews gets plastered on a movie poster or trailer for all to see, I celebrate by designing a personalized T-shirt for them. The front boasts “QUOTE WHORE,” while the back showcases the quoted phrase that earned them such recognition. It’s my little way of poking fun at their newfound fame!
It’s perfectly fine to be accurately quoted, even if it doesn’t happen often. I don’t want to dissuade emerging film critics from advocating for worthy movies. However, I find it odd when a film critic’s name is displayed more prominently than the director or actors on a poster. It’s important to remember that your words can be twisted and used against you in unexpected ways.
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2024-08-23 05:18