Leftovers
A Barrage of Convenience: Hollywood’s Non-Punk Sensibility
The modern movie is perfect as a Punk allegory.
For the last few years, everyone’s been complaining that numbers are down on screens; the LA marketers are all panicked. It’s true, but not because we would rather stay home and make our own popcorn watching Kate Hudson on pay-per-view. We still wish to be around folks during while we escape from reality. So stop telling us it’s that slim window between movie release and home video or some other lame-ass reason.
There are fewer butts in the seats because the titles suck.
They’re all the same boring, easy-to-forget screen toppers that under no circumstances leave an impression. Movies from Hollywood are our greatest export, so you’d think being unique instead of rehashing something “that sounds like X” would be the way to make it in film.
And yet stale or no, Cars is a marketer’s dry dream since it’s about toy cars at a NASCAR rally fighting for a win. It has Americana pouring from its clichéd pores. According to IMDB.org, 47 other recent movies have cars in their title. Even with State Farm and Chrysler in on the maximum sponsorship act, you’d be hard pressed to find folks run around singing, “Oh Cars! The movie I got to see – the new one right?” Makes you long for Forrest Gump.
The laziness of La-La is an example we should take to heart. For those trying to gain attention, go for originality – or at least a nutty title. Don’t choose something because you think it may make buyers feel “yeah that’s what I was thinking too.” Customers are already pleased with themselves. They don’t need your help.