Why does it always say Cult?

POSTED BY: DeckRoid
UPDATED: Monday, May 30, 2005 10:15
VIEWED: 4874
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DECKROID

Sunday, May 29, 2005 3:00 PM

*** W A R N I N G ***

This might go off on a tangent rant.

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Everytime I read something in the main stream press (EW, Yahoo, Newsweek, CNN, numerous others) about this flick, it always includes the words Cult, Sci-Fi, TV show, Failed or Cancelled. Can anyone think of any other words to keep the Everyday Joe from this flick?

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying this is going to flop. How can it? Joss and company look to have made a great flick. Also, you and I are not going to allow it to flop. If that means I have to buy 8 tickets per time I go see it, so be it. Frankly, its worth that much to me and I got the spare cash.

However, the Action Flick movie goers do read. And with a few exceptions (ie Star Wars et al) they avoid anything labeled "SCI-FI". Oh, the ones I know went and saw "I, Robot" and "Minority Report" and are planning on seeing "War Of The Worlds", but only because the term "Futuristic" is replacing the term SCI-FI. I never said they were bright, just that they do read.

I have tried to convince 3 of such AF movie buffs I know by showing them the trailer. What were their responses?

Jason: "Looks cool... but I just read that it was a failed tv show. Man, tv shows turned movies always blow!"

Robert: "I like the fighting chick... she's hot. Eh, maybe when it hits the dollar theater."

Mike: "Huh. (Yes, he actually said "Huh") Looks good." Then, after reading something, somewhere, "Dude, if it was so good, why'd FOX cancel it?"

I swear upon all that I hold holy, these were their responses. These three go see every action flick, unless they come across SCI-FI or CULT in the movie description. ("Its gunna be like that Dr. Who show isn't it? God, I hated that.", said about Hitchhiker's Guide.)

It's not that I am worried about being associated with such terms. Hell, my office has 2 walls dedicated to comic book posters, Serenity posters, both offical and from here (long live the DesignJet down the hall!), but I am worried that these 3 average joes are turned off because of the terms afore mentioned. I want this movie to score big. I want everyone I know to go see it. I want it to blow SW: ROTS outta the water when it comes to longevity. (I agree with most that ROTS is going to drop after this weekend)

Maybe I am upset about my failure to bring these 3 into the fold. Maybe I am upset because the ones writing the damn descriptions cant find another word for "Jubilant Fan" other than CULT in their Thesaurus. Maybe I am upset because my coffee is cold...

*** End of Line ***

EMBERS

Sunday, May 29, 2005 3:05 PM

personally I'm always kind of curious about the 'cult' films...
I figure there has to be something compelling about it for a fandom to arise,
and of course it usually is attributed to a 'genre' film
sci-fi
fantasy
horror
and those are frequently interesting.

I'm not sure the term 'cult' really scares away viewers
hasn't everyone on the planet seen 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'?

DECKROID

Sunday, May 29, 2005 3:08 PM

Ahhh, but you are here. Posting here. Planning on seeing the movie... maybe many, many times.

I expect that most here do go see those films. I like those same kind. However, the Average Joe types might not.

*** End of Line ***

EMMA

Sunday, May 29, 2005 3:08 PM

I am with you!

I have the same problesm with the trailer 'millions of fans worldwide'. Ridiculous, 'creator of Buffy and Angel'. God help us!

My mates will come if I beg and grovel enough but only because I have a few months still to hassle and blackmail them

extremely dimensionally transcendental

STAGGERLY

Sunday, May 29, 2005 3:15 PM

I'm with Embers, 'cult' always piques my curiosity and I'm usually not disappointed. In fact it's a big part of what brought me to Firefly in the first place. And people like us, who will follow the 'cult' label to new movies/series/whatever, are usually the die-hards who'll also try to get the word out and buy merchandise and basically become obsessed (which, I guess, is why they call it 'cult' to begin with!).

However I saw one writer somewhere refer to Serenity as being an "occult" movie, which might bring in an entirely different crowd.

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"Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it." - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

BIKISDAD

Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Staggerly:

However I saw one writer somewhere refer to Serenity as being an "occult" movie, which might bring in an entirely different crowd.

Geez, just because Mal once says (about River in "Safe") "Yeah, but she's our witch." some idiot goes and calls it an "occult" movie.

Let's face it, we can't do anything about the fact that there are a LOT of clueless morons in the world who just won't "get it". If someone you're trying to convert/get to the movie is too closed minded to go with the flow, just tell them it's their loss and move on to others.

Apathy on the Rise. No One Cares.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:15 PM

Calm yourself.

Let’s face it, it is a cult hit.

If people are turned off by a single word what makes you think they’ll survive a single minute? As I understand it in the US a movie doesn’t pass or fail based in viewers, it’s based on repeat viewers. Bringing that kind of person to the movie isn’t going to get them coming back another two or three times.

Christianity was, and by the actual definition of the word still is, a cult. Look at how well it’s done.

You don’t increase a cult by spreading the word to closed-minded people, you increase a cult by spreading the word to them that might accept it.

-

The movie coming out means it’s mainstream now, Christianity had to wait 300 years for that. I’ll things considered I think we’re making good time, especially since the one-systemists haven’t started killing the FTLers yet, or vice versa.

CHRISTHECYNIC

Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:24 PM

To Emma:

The trailer sucks, there will be another. The other might be better.

THEGERG

Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:24 PM

The comment "Why'd Fox cancel it" seems to me a rather spurious reason for avoiding a movie. Fox are well known for lowest common-denominator stuff! Their coverage of the Iraq conflict being a case in point.

If they cancelled it, isn't it just possible that it was just too intelligent for that kind of viewer? Surely that is a good reason to see it?

CHRISTHECYNIC

Sunday, May 29, 2005 7:25 PM

Something went wrong, this should not be here.

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