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Originally Posted by WEG Cory
It was a commentary on society. It was in some ways a farce, but mostly a deep and insightful look into the ways of small town america.
It was marketed poorly. The type of people that went to see the movie are not the type of people that would have went had they known it was "a commentary" on culture.
The movie is good. Actually, the movie is real good.
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You're right.
I have a lot of respect for M. Night Shyamalan. He's a gifted storyteller AND a savvy participant in the unfortunate Hollywood movie-making machine.
I'm not going to criticize Hollywood because they make so many mindless, vapid, formulaic movies. Sure, they're ignoring the most creative possibilities of the art form -- but only because they're chasing maximum box-office revenue.
Many people in the movie industry would say that you can make a smart film OR you can make money, but NOT BOTH. I respect M. Night for trying to have it both ways.
It's clear from looking at his previous movies, especially "Signs", that he's trying to create films that gratify on different levels for different audiences. On the one hand, you have mainstream America, with its appetite for expansive heroes and global stakes. On the other, you have your film nerds who like to talk about metaphor and dramatic structure -- for weeks after they see the movie. I'm usually in the latter category, but, as a marketer, I always take note of the movies that make money -- even if I would never see them myself.
As a marketer, given the objective of spending money to promote "The Village", I would make the SAME choices made by the producers of this film.
The BIG money is in getting the people who would not pay money to see a "cultural commentary" to do so. This is what the marketing campaign sought to do. Cory, they know that guys like me and you will go because we know the director's work. Take note that, however many misleading explosions or "moments of horror" they might show in the trailers, they ALWAYS say "...from the director who brought you such and such..."
THAT'S for us, Cory.
j-