Don Murphy and fans

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N.Y. Times reporter Laura M. Holson on the whole boolah-boolah about Transformers fans being not only listened to but creatively consulted by producer Don Murphy during pre-production, as well as the recent who-did-what scuffle between Murphy and producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and director Michael Bay.

Composite photo of Don Murphy/Transformers fan community, designed by a Transformers fan for donmurphy.net.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 9, 2007 at 12:07 AM

comment #1

Noah says ...

What's interesting to me is how easily these "geeks" are bought off. It seems like if someone just gives them a call, then they're willing to give the film a pass because their egos were stroked. Producers have obviously figured this out and seek out the geek community so that they will have their undying support, even when the film blows. So the producers of Transformers pretend like they are actually listening to the geeks, but in reality they are just listening to whoever is willing to buy product placement. Nobody in the geek community (especially Harry Knowles) is willing to call a spade a spade anymore.

Posted by Noah at July 9, 2007 3:41 AM

comment #2

Ogami Itto says ...

"What's interesting to me is how easily these "geeks" are bought off. It seems like if someone just gives them a call, then they're willing to give the film a pass because their egos were stroked."

In the nerds' defense, maybe they were bribed with sex and drugs. It isn't often that someone who dresses up like that and calls himself
"Wonkimus Major" gets pussy.

Posted by Ogami Itto at July 9, 2007 3:50 AM

comment #3

Deege says ...

Noah, I see where you're coming from, but when's the last time you think any of these guys had anyone listen to them? Why else do you think they spend major time on the internet building these fan communities? It's because that's the ONLY place they have a voice. It's easy to buy them off because their price is very low: a phone call, an email, a ticket to the premier.

Posted by Deege at July 9, 2007 6:49 AM

comment #4

Don Murphy says ...

Is boolah Boolah a place in Wellsville?

Posted by Don Murphy at July 9, 2007 7:23 AM

comment #5

corey3rd says ...

Joe Besser was a greater Stooge than anyone in that shot.

Was that pic taken at a casting call for Idiocracy 2: They Breed At Night?

Posted by corey3rd at July 9, 2007 7:48 AM

comment #6

D.Z. says ...

Noah: I'm actually surprised that, considering he was such a Bay whore in the past, Knowles would actually pan Transformers. That was the first "honorable" thing I've seen out of the guy in a while.

Posted by D.Z. at July 9, 2007 7:57 AM

comment #7

dixiedugan says ...

I'm a Shemp girl myself.

Posted by dixiedugan at July 9, 2007 8:10 AM

comment #8

corey3rd says ...

a woman that likes Shemp? Marilou Henner swears you don't exist.

Posted by corey3rd at July 9, 2007 8:59 AM

comment #9

Rothchild says ...

Yeah, it was honorable to be too stupid to realize Transformers was a Michael Bay film. It should have been better than Iron Giant? He sat through a whole film by a director that even the Amish know is great at high octane, blow-shit-up fun. We knew Spielberg would inject a little sense of awe and wonder, and that maybe some of Bay's instincts would be pulled back a bit. But every trailer and TV spot loudly declared that it was "A MICHAEL BAY FILM." Which isn't a bad thing, unless you're a cliche nerd typing away at your computer. But it did function as a warning, so that there would be no surprises.

The only way his review is excusable is if somehow he had no idea who directed the film until he got to the theater, and his dissapointment and heartbreak was borne out of shock. He has no excuse to go into a Michael Bay film expecting it to be anywhere near on the level of Brad Bird, an American master. Ratatouille was down the hall. He should have just gone there.

Posted by Rothchild at July 9, 2007 10:20 AM

comment #10