6 February, 2001

MGM disses the online press

A report over at Coming Attractions indicates that MGM has decided to shut out the internet press from screenings of its new movie Hannibal. The apparent reasoning is that they fear the internet press will promptly blab the storyline and ending to the world. This despite the fact that the websites generally granted access to press screenings have shown absolutely no tendency to do that.

Furthermore, many of these same sites have known the storyline and ending for some time now and haven't reported it. Why would they sit on this information for months only to spill the beans a couple days before the movie comes out? Also consider that this movie is based on a best selling novel so a lot of the story details are already easily available to the general public.

This site and many others have been digging up details on this movie for many months, stirring up interest in the movie. When print journalists stir up interest in a movie, they get the studio's appreciation. When online journalists do it though, they get largely ignored. Some studios have changed their attitude toward the internet and have become very helpful. I've found that the publicists willing to work with me to be very helpful and forthcoming. MGM though apparently has some growing up to do.

They need to learn that the reach of the internet is extremely broad and that angering its residents is not the way to generate good faith toward their products. As I see it there are two explanations for their behavior. One is that they are worried the movie isn't very good and thus want to minimize early word. The other is that they simply have little respect for the internet press. Neither is a particularly good choice for them. Hopefully they can prove both of those ideas wrong.

Spoof is the word

The startling success of Scary Movie threatens to overload theaters with spoof movies in the near future. We already know that Scary Movie 2 is in the works despite the original movie's ads proclaiming no sequels. Now comes word that Columbia Pictures is signing up a gaggle of young actors for Teen Movie, which will spoof, what else but teen movies. JoAnna Garcia, Samm Levine, Sam Huntington, Mia Kirshner, Chyler Leigh, Cody McMains, Jaime Pressly and Chris Evans are all onboard for the movie from the writers of Scary Movie, Buddy Johnson and Phil Beauman.

At the same time we learn that MGM has snapped up a script by Lance Khazei for Romantic Comedy. This one will spoof, brace for it, romantic movies. It follows a man who tries to woo a woman by stealing ideas from romantic movies. Jeff Lowell will be doing a rewrite.

The recent trend towards gross out comedies won't be safe either. Producers Cary Woods and Gina Mingacci have a script for Rauncy Movie, by two other (there were six) Scary Movie writers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, set to go over at New Line. I know that Hollywood loves to jump all over a profitable notion but doesn't this seem just a bit excessive?

Richards up for Starship Troopers 2

Finally today, we wrap up with some comments from TNMC favorite Denise Richards. In an interview with Sci-Fi, Richards said she would love to do a Starship Troopers sequel, should one ever be made.

"I don't think they will," says Richards. "It's been so long. I don't think they will do it." She enjoyed working with director Paul Verhoeven. "He's a good maniac," she said. "I hope one day I do another movie with him. I really admire him as a director. He's so passionate. And he is a wild madman when he wants something, and I admire that. He's great."

The original movie was apparently a lot of fun for her. "I had so much fun on that. Six months of working with such a young, fun cast, all at the same level. We had a great time. ... It was my first real movie, and the funnest part was working ... with a cast where we were all at the same level, and just so excited to be there. And just the newness of everything and not knowing. It was fun."

I think I speak for everyone here at TNMC when I say that we hope she gets the chance to do another Troopers. Years later it still ranks as one of our all time favorite bad movies.