Postby Nate » Fri Apr 09, 2010 1:36 pm
Cloverfield was an excellent example of how viral marketing can make a mediocre film into a box-office sensation.
I think the most telling sign of Cloverfield's absolute failure is that Abrams was all going on about how he wanted America to have a monster movie like Godzilla. He then proceeded to do absolutely everything in the movie to ensure that wouldn't happen.
See, the thing is, the Godzilla movies focus on, well, Godzilla. You saw Godzilla a lot in the movies. In fact, Godzilla is the star! On the other hand, we only get a halfway-decent look at the Cloverfield monster like what...twice in the movie? It isn't even IN the movie for most of it, whereas Godzilla is always center focus.
Second, Godzilla has a decent story, we know where he's coming from. Nuclear tests woke him up and he's MAD. Where did the Cloverfield monster come from? Who knows! Why does it want to destroy the city? Beats me!
Oh yeah, and finally, it helps that Godzilla actually has, y'know, a name. Rather than just "giant lizard" or something. Cloverfield monster has no name and therefore is instantly forgettable. Also helping the Cloverfield monster be instantly forgettable is that it was barely shown in the movie, and even when you saw it, it didn't stand out as anything interesting. Godzilla was shown a lot, and had distinct features instead of being an amorphous CG blob.
Also Godzilla was, y'know, EXCITING because a monster was destroying a city and you got to see it blowing nuclear fire breath at tanks and stomping them and knocking down buildings and power lines...instead of some scruffy guy who can't let his ex go.
Anyway that's why Cloverfield sucked and Godzilla is awesome.
Ezekiel 23:20