I’m awesome. I wrote a book. It’s got little to do with movies. Download and read “Thank You, Goodnight†right HERE for free.
And now, you can follow me on Twitter under the name: Stipp. Some weeks you get lucky with the kind of information that people are talking about. This week, though, was all about ShoWest and the plethora of crumbs that fell from Hollywood’s summer movie season table.
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE – Now Available in the iTunes store!
So, stop me if you’ve heard this: on April Fool’s Day eve the word went out that a leaked version of Fox’s X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE had made its way to the Internet. Those who have been around these parts for a while have come to expect a bit of juvenelia from those in the online community be it in the form of fake stories, fake rumors, fake DVD releases (I still remember the one that mentioned the existence of a PEARL HARBOR preview on copies of THE ROCK) and basically stupid shit that still surprises me that webmasters everywhere think is amusing to perpetuate. However, that said, and like Sally Forth’s daughter wondering whether her mom would bite the ears off of her chocolate Easter bunny in the Sunday funnies, it always amused me to see what would come up next however lame or uninspired.
This rumor, though, had a different tenor. Spread across Twitter, there was some urgency in the message that WOLVERINE had popped up on the Internet. First the screen shots appeared, the quality was incredible I have to admit, and then like a pack of people wondering if something was real or not “Has anyone heard whether this is legit?”, “This is a bad day for Fox”, “Someone is going to prison” the chatter was enough to make you wonder. Then, not succumbing to the peer pressure just yet, Ethan from Screen Geeks Radio took the plunge for all of us and gave a play by play of what he was seeing.
It was real and it was DVD quality.
For once the Internet got it right. It was a bad day for Fox and then the commentaries started from all the usual suspects across the film spectrum. Was it right to publicize this? Is this news? Is it a news story that, if someone ran, would just inspire people to download it more? How awful were the people who downloaded the film and did these people represent any considerable dent to the possible box office if it proliferated?
It was the latter question that got me thinking about who ARE the kind of people that download these kinds of things and whether they did represent any threat to the overhaul haul this film would eventually bring in? The easiest answer is no. It’s not. No matter how many people download it, the bell curve of the people who are, right now, rabidly consuming the bits and bytes off torrent sites everywhere to see this unfinished film represent a subset of users who not only don’t mind watching an unfinished film but users who roll up to these sites looking for cam copies of I LOVE YOU, MAN or blurry versions of KNOWING.
The difference between me and a lot of other movie site contributors is that I don’t have any animosity towards these people. Derision, hatred, abject disgust are just a few things those who are leaders of the bully pulpit of commentators are using to describe those downloading the film. Why? I can understand where they’re coming from, I understand their position but I don’t think I can empathize with their negativity. Now, keep in mind this is obviously my opinion, but when you are in a position of having it all, and many of those lucky enough to be writing about film for more than just yourself are enjoying this moment in their life when their comments and opinions matter, it’s easy to cast aspersions on those who would hazard to download this movie. I could list a few popular podcasts out there right now who are sometimes aided in their reviews of films that never quite made it to their part of the woods but using “special antennae” were able to get copies of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, GOMORRAH, THE HURT LOCKER and countless others simply through a few mouse clicks. It doesn’t make the downloading better or right when someone is doing it for professional purposes but I can certainly understand where the temptation comes in to play.
It’s the tastemakers who have access, who can pick up a phone and verify a rumor, can shoot off an e-mail and get things done, can go to places like the Comic-Con and get treated like the royalty they are not by the publicists looking for some favorable buzz, a favor or two when and if they need it. (Anyone want to take a stab at how many sites were “asked” to take down images from X movie or risk any modicum of power being dimmed like a dying bulb) There are no true outlaws on the Internet; only those willing to play quid pro quo.
The issue here really has to come with why we seem to be a culture that is warp speeding towards free. Some people, not all, have an expectation of access to everything, at all times, without having to pay for it. Just ask how your local newspaper is doing with regard on how they’re doing on creating a fiscal model where the print paid product can be replaced with their online, free version. It’s not working well, I can you that. And it’s just this microcosm of anomie among media companies that illustrates why WOLVERINE being on the Internet not only represents the pain it’s causing the money men at Fox but it is also indicative of the issues surrounding of what happens when you have a current climate of those who can consume their media at no cost to themselves. This movie, if I were to go back to when I was 13 and screwing around with my man Brandon Murphy and we were dream casting the X-MEN if and when it would ever get made, would represent a temptation even greater than porn. Now think of what it represents to those who use the ‘net to get their music, their television shows (show of hands: who has used BitTorrent to download a show that has long since gone away or who wanted to use it to see an old episode of The Office?) and other uses that some would consider “awful”, “shameful” or any other word ending in “ful.”
So, seriously, save your sanctimonious bullshit, your disdain for those who are downloading this film at a rather healthy clip and your upturned nose at those who you were many years ago when you had no one to listen to your empty praise of how awesome SCOTT PILGRIM is going to be or how awful 12 ROUNDS is because, I get it. I understand where the viewers are coming from and it’s the reason why your business model will never allow you to charge one fucking cent for your own content. The money won’t come rolling in, it’ll slowly trickle like a torrent file.
Oh, yeah, almost forgot, the review. I have to admit it is hilarious to see Ryan Reynolds, in the middle of a great action sequence, polished , well choreographed and slick looking, doing a forward flip assisted by wires attached to his harness.
If you want to know the rest you know where to find it.
THE MIGHTY BOOSH
With that out of the way I wanted to give a shout out to a most strange but entrancing series that hit television this week: The Mighty Boosh.
Now, the title may throw some people off but this show, honestly, is one of those unique visions of both creativity and complete insanity. I was falling ill with the flu earlier this week and I found it was just what my mind needed. I’ll allow the press release to put the program in context but do yourself a favor and schedule it in your TiVo and give it a chance. I’ve attached some sample clips to whet the proverbial appetite and to show you why it’s so hard to explain what this program is about without sounding like I’m on something.
Eels:
Trailer:
THE MIGHTY BOOSH ARRIVES TO ITUNES
Starting today, Season Three of the UK hit comedy series from award-winning creator-stars Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, The Mighty Boosh, is now available on the iTunes Store in the U.S. (www.itunes.com), with the first episode offered at a discounted price of 99 cents.
The Mighty Boosh joined the Adult Swim Sunday line-up this week, with episodes airing weekly at 1 a.m. (ET/PT). New episodes will be available on the iTunes Store each week following broadcast at www.itunes.com/tv/themightyboosh.
The third season sees Vince Noir (Noel Fielding, IT Crowd) and Howard Moon (Julian Barratt, Nathan Barley) working in Naboo’s second hand shop in Dalston. Needless to say they don’t get much work done. This doesn’t bother Naboo too much, firstly as the shop is really only a cover for his shady interplanetary Shaman business and secondly, he’s usually quite chilled out from sampling his own magical herbs and remedies.
With a massive cult following in the UK, Barratt and Fielding launched their first nationwide tour The Mighty Boosh Live across the U.K in 2006. Their second tour Boosh Live sold out venues at 90 stops across the U.K. and Ireland and wrapped up earlier this year.
Comments: None
Leave a Reply |