stuff

[the_grynne]

Nothing much is going on:

The Convenant sounds like The Craft, cutting across the Nouveau Angleterre Riche territory of The Skulls; visually is a lot like Underworld, down to the style of the special effects and the camera angles. I've never heard of it till today, when it's trailer popped up at Apple Trailers, and the cast is basically all

Comments

Three cons, one semi-pro

[tiffleigh]

The Case Against The Covenant (facts via IMDB):

1) Coming September 2006: This month has morphed into the "soft" release date that previously used to be reserved for August. Sometimes, studios release a movie they know will be terrible, or have forsaken & left for dead (due to new administrations, troubled pictures, marketing etc).

February and August used to be the months where these bodies were buried because they're after huge critical and box office movie release date cycles, and before another huge one -- February is after Christmas but before the summer; August is after summer but before fall/Thanksgiving/Christmas.

September is the New August, now, because of some "counter-programming" which occurred from time to time. For example The Fugitive was released intentionally in August 1993, & since everyone had already seen all the summer blockbusters, and every other released movie was crap, it made huge box office from the contrast. The Matrix & American Pie did the same thing, only both in February 1999.

2)

Re: Three cons, one semi-pro

[the_grynne]

the conceit of "four hot guys instead of four hot girls" is a clever high-concept shift.

At least a high-concept enough for Mr. Harlin and Mr. Cardone.

:) I agree. Hence the reserved interest.

I was thinking about Cruel Intentions a little while ago, this movie that for better or worse had a huge influence on teen movies after it, like American Pie did. I remember when it came out, the rating barred kids my age from seeing it in the cinemas - which of course just made us want to see it more. And it was based on this rather clever concept shift itself, and the strength of the first one was how it could borrow the glamour and class of Les Liasons Dangereuse. The sequels, not worth renting, fell down because of that.

[trailer_spot]

Convenant: I think Harlin could be sued by Wiseman (I always wonder if that's a pseudonym) if he doesn't list 'Underworld' as an influence. ;)

Zwartboek/Black Book: I could translate you the German words that are spoken, but I think the pictures tell you more about the story. ;)

Miami Vice: I have to admit that 'The New World' isn't the first movie that comes to mind when I think of 'Miami Vice'. :)
But your quote shows me where he's going even without reading the linked review. Interesting thought indeed.

[the_grynne]

Seriously. That shot of the guy leaping head-over-heels over the roof of the car? Such a rip off.

I could translate you the German words that are spoken, but I think the pictures tell you more about the story.

I think with all the complaining I've been doing about trailers giving too much away, I'm better off not knowing. :)

[trailer_spot]

And also the 'jumping off a building and landing on one foot and knee' in the middle of the trailer, even if it's a different angle.