edited by Jonathan Doyle

Cloverfield [BLU-RAY] (Paramount Home Entertainment, 6.3.2008) Disguised under deliberately goofy, yet deliciously edible-sounding, aliases such as Cheese and Slusho, Matt Reeves' Cloverfield was produced and rushed into theaters under an equally appetizing shroud of secrecy. From last year's incredibly elusive Super Bowl ad to the film's viral marketing campaign, Cloverfield had everybody scratching their heads and drooling in anticipation. Aside from the as-yet untitled title and the Blair Witch-ian visual style, the film's biggest appeal was the enigmatic creature who was last (un)seen hurling the decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty onto the crowded streets of New York City. All we knew about the mysterious beast was that it was big and angry. Now that the highy-anticipated project has come and gone, one question has fortunately been answered: Cloverfield was a major success. (continued)

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October 17

Mary

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Fear(s) of the Dark

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Indifference

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"For all the warnings of history, the makers of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull will stage their film's world premiere at the festival on the French Riviera tomorrow night," writes Times Online correspondent Dalya Alberge. "The film, which opens in the setting of 1957 at the height of the Cold War, is arguably the most anticipated movie release of 2008. Such is the interest that the trailer was seen more than 200 million times in its first week of release on the internet.

{[But] the last time a studio dared to premiere a major blockbuster in this sanctum of high-brow cinema, it was savaged. The actors and director of The Da Vinci Code barely escaped with their lives."

Except The DaVinci Code made lots of money after that. The '06 Cannes beat-down was embarassing, sure, but the general public didn't care. Hundreds and hundreds of millions were spent on DaVinci Code admissions. And nobody in ticket-buying land will give a damn if Cannes critics whack Indy 4. At all. Obviously Paramount marketers know this, and that's why they're here. The Cannes spotlight will boost the film's European, Eastern European, Russian, Asian, African and South American earnings. And that's what matters.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on May 17, 2008 at 4:12 AM

comment #1

The Pope says ...

Also, people were loaded AGAINST The Da Vinci Code even before it went into production. Soooo many people hated the book and its success... then there was the anti-Ron Howard constituency... and the let's beat up Tom Hianks brigade.

For Indy, I think at the very most, people are apprehensive. They fear that what befell Star Wars will visit upon the man with the hat. I don't sense the hate coming from the media in the run up to this.

Posted by The Pope at May 17, 2008 4:57 AM

comment #2

Hickenlooper says ...

The whole 'Indiana Jones' thing feels depressing to me for some reason. I enjoyed the originals but in the post 9/11 world this event feels bloated with all the relevance of a MacDonald's Happy Meal being sold at an organic fruit stand. I have as much desire to see this as I would seeing a sequel to Spielberg's 'Always.' Spielberg is a great director who should be doing original material. 'Munich' is one of the best films of the last ten years.

Posted by Hickenlooper at May 17, 2008 5:26 AM

comment #3

markj says ...

Too bad you're missing out on the fun Hickenlooper. I'm looking forward to the new film. So long as it's a well-made, fun adventure film i'll be happy. It can never top Raiders, but it could still be a good film. We'll find out tomorrow...

Posted by markj at May 17, 2008 5:46 AM

comment #4

K. Bowen says ...

Is there a single still of this thing that looks anything but disastrous?

Posted by K. Bowen at May 17, 2008 8:19 AM

comment #5

Edward says ...

It's not just the stills K. Bowen, some of the sets scream "fake."

Posted by Edward at May 17, 2008 8:44 AM

comment #6

The Winchester says ...

Out of curiosity, with the Dark Knight coming out this summer, how is Indy claiming the "most anticipated" crown? People flip out for that trailer, and go on city wide scavenger hunts just to see a picture. When I see the trailer before a movie, I wish I was seeing that instead of whatever I've paid money to see.

And Hickenlooper, careful what you say about Munich round these parts. Wells took that movie down a few years back.

Posted by The Winchester at May 17, 2008 9:23 AM

comment #7

sweet_billy says ...

cannes only matters to like 2% of the moviegoing audience. most people cant even pronounce it.

Posted by sweet_billy at May 17, 2008 9:30 AM

comment #8

K. Bowen says ...

"some of the sets scream "fake." "

SOme of the people look fake.

That said, that little three-second clip in banner ad looks fairly rip-roarin'. But it should.

Posted by K. Bowen at May 17, 2008 9:39 AM

comment #9

breadlymoore says ...

"People flip out for that trailer, and go on city wide scavenger hunts just to see a picture."

Those are geeks. Geeks are not "people."

Posted by breadlymoore at May 17, 2008 10:24 AM

comment #10

The Pope says ...

sweet_billy,

Saying that Cannes only matters to 2% is like saying that Comic-Con matters to only 2%. The reason why it matters is because the world's press are there. All in one place. And the critics. It is the ultimate place to launch a movie. High risk, but if you're critic proof like Indy seems to be, and Star Wars was, and The Da Vinci Code and Shrek... well, I rest my case.

How about this for a spin on the really odd stills. They are NOT from the film. A la Hitchock. Or maybe at most, they are mock-ups from the film... and as we know all publicity shots are taken AFTER the scene has been wrapped and the photographer comes in and takes the snaps with the actors holding their positions... I can't recall seeing a publicity photo for a film that actually lens for lens, frame for frame was the same as the finished product.

But again, I do agree that shot of Cate and Harrison looks really bad... what's with the deep focus. Can you get that when shooting anamorphic?

Posted by The Pope at May 17, 2008 10:47 AM

comment #11

CinemaPhreek says ...

"Such is the interest that the trailer was seen more than 200 million times in its first week of release on the internet."

Where is the source to back up this bullshit claim? Everyone keeps repeating it, but a quick check of YouTube shows if you combine the highest rated versions of that first teaser (which is what the 200 million supposedly refers to), you barely get 10 million (the highest viewed version only has 1,774,429, compared to the highest viewed one of DARK KNIGHT at 7,449,142 proving which is the summers actual most anticipated film).

Posted by CinemaPhreek at May 17, 2008 11:29 AM

comment #12

CinemaPhreek says ...

HICKENLOOPER - you always struck me as a guy who loved all the old movies, but I guess you must hate all those old serials and genre pictures of the 30's. I mean, talk about frivolous nonsense while the country was suffering FAR worse during the Depression than anything we've seen after 9/11.

Man, you must really think Busby Berkley was irrelevant to his times...

Posted by CinemaPhreek at May 17, 2008 11:34 AM

comment #13

Roman says ...

The main difference of course, is that Indiana Jones 4 will get MUCH BETTER Reviews than craptastic Da Vinci Code. How dare you even compare Ron Howard to Spielberg? Just because they are two big movies doesn't mean they'll get similar reviews.

And Spielberg should do whatever he wants, it just happens that fans like myself like seeing him do fun action/adventure films once in a while.

P.S. Only an idiot would even begin to compare anticipation for Dark Knight to Indy. In fact, Indy will probably make more money domestically than TDK worldwide. Also, mediocre Batman Begins has nothing for

Posted by Roman at May 17, 2008 12:23 PM

comment #14

D.Z. says ...

The Da Vinci Code probably did well, in spite of bad press, because Hanks didn't have three underwhelming, albeit highly anticipated films, which preceded it, and because no one watches Ron Howard movies because of Ron Howard.
But if people have an axe to grind against Speed Racer, because of the Matrix sequels(which I personally liked), you can bet that the SW prequel haters be even more vicious to Indy 4, if it doesn't deliver.

Posted by D.Z. at May 17, 2008 1:27 PM

comment #15

The Bandsaw Vigilante says ...

Nice to see that Cate's Russkie-chick has the almost-wifebeater-thing going on underneath, there...

Posted by The Bandsaw Vigilante at May 17, 2008 1:56 PM

comment #16

tommysunshine says ...

The director of Factory Girl lectures Spielberg on originality. That's like King Herod complaining about a hospital's mother and baby unit.

Hickenlooper, you had your shot with Factory Girl. It was terrible. I saw the "improved" director's cut. I wanted to like it especially as I thought your documentary on that freak Rodney was above average. But it was retreading old ground and had nothing new to say.

Will you apologize for Factory Girl to all those- not many of us, actually, but as a symbolic gesture it would be appreciated- who saw Factory Girl in the cinema or on DVD?

Best of good wishes,

Tommy Sunshine

Posted by tommysunshine at May 17, 2008 3:23 PM