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MGM Excited Over Valkyrie Online Buzz - Quotes FS.net

by Alex Billington
October 1, 2008
Source: Deadline Hollywood

Late last week we ran a second trailer for Bryan Singer's Valkyrie and it finally looked like the great movie I think we were all hoping it would be. The comments seem to be in agreement with my excitement, give or take complains about the accents, but it looked like Valkyrie might finally be gaining some much needed early buzz. Earlier today, Nikkie Finke over at Deadline Hollywood ran an article about an e-mail that was being sent around by a Digital Marketing rep at MGM, one of the studios involved in distributing the film (in addition to United Artists). The e-mail was discussing the "online buzz" generated by the release of the trailer and the poster, and remarkably, it quotes one of my articles extensively.

So the reason why this is interesting news is because everyone, from Nikki Finke to Hunter Stephenson at SlashFilm to Russ Fischer at CHUD, has been making fun of MGM and United Artists for this memo. I'm certainly not praising it, but I'm a bit surprised that they're quoting us so readily, but no one is thinking about the sources. I'm trying not to sound pretentious, but this report is fairly accurate, at least when it comes to describing what was said by various writers on the internet. As for whether there really is positive buzz? I'm not entirely sure. Here is the specific section from the e-mail with my quotes.

Additional Assets Also Garner Rave Reviews – In addition to the trailer, the Valkyrie one-sheet, featurette, and stills have been generating largely positive user reactions. The poster comprises the majority of discussion, as fans laud the "stylized design" and hope that it represents the "gritty" feel of the film. "I definitely want one of these up on my walls right away." The stills garnered high profile placement with features including the LA Times – The Envelope and Fan-Boy sites such as Joblo.

You can head over to my article on the poster and see the quotes that they pulled, including: "stylized design", "gritty", and "I definitely want one of these up on my walls right away." (I still do - if you're listening now MGM!) Getting back on topic - why are all these writers making fun of this memo? It's standard reporting regarding reactions to various movie material that shows up online, I guess it's just surprising to see it show up like this. And I'm not sure what the problem is when the trailer and the poster both looked fantastic? Maybe everyone is just jumping on the bandwagon of making fun of them for putting together an "exaggerated" report? I'm not sure, but I've got nothing bad to say about it.

Or maybe most people really weren't excited by the Valkyrie trailer and poster? What does it take to please people these days? I thought both of them were great, from the very stylized and catchy poster, to the very well-done trailer that definitely created some early buzz. So what is there to complain about? The full e-mail can still be found on Deadline Hollywood if you're interested in reading it. I'll stand by my opinion that Valkyrie looks great and should be one of Singer's better movies. For now, let's stop worrying about what internal memos are saying and get back to our typical daily operation of covering real movie news.

Explore tags: Discussion, Hype, Opinions

dom

yeah but come on you've provided them with the exact material they want to boast about!!
John39

Valkyrie looks awful and it lacks any kind of authenticity. It is a polished normal Hollywood film made more by the executives and ego's than anything else. Your a tool just like Brett Ratner.
http://www.bleepinggeek.com Peter

"...and it finally looked like the great movie I think we were all hoping it would be." Who's this "we" you speak of? I'm hoping this movie is a total and complete flop - a disaster, a box office bomb, to quote Mel Brooks, I hope it "stinks on ice". With any luck, this will be so bad that Tom Cruise will stop getting movie roles and Brian Singer can go back to doing the kind of subtle, nuanced work he's good at.
Vinnie

You need a refresher course in film. Go back and watch some real WW2 movie like Saving Private Ryan and Letters from Iwo Jima. See what real WW2 movies are supposed to be like. None of this pussy shit. Imagine what Valkyrie COULD have been had they not fucked it up.
Red Buttons

Have any of you seen it yet. If not, don't judge, if so, judge away.
slappy

noone is excited. In fact, yaawwwnnnnn....
Richard

I don't know if its just me but the total lack of even an semblance of a German accent kills this movie for me. That total lack of commitment at the most basic level totally takes me out of the movie and doesn't make me wanna see it at all.
Mark Ywain

Yeah who's this "we". Alot of ppl want it to fail, from ordinary posters to Fox News Roger Friedman. THATS why they're making fun of the memo. Mostly because of hatred of Tom Cruise and even some cause of Bryan Singer (for making Superman Returns) However good news is that, so far, ordinary ppl who've actually SEEN test screenings in Nevada thought it was pretty good; even Friedman's "sources" liked it. ps. I don't want it to fail and I eagerly look forward to seeing the movie.
http://www.firstshowing.net Alex Billington

I'm amazed there is such a negative reaction? I really thought there were a lot of people who thought this looked really good after the second trailer?? Maybe not the best movie of the year... Maybe not the best WWII movie... but still pretty good, no??
Alec Baldwin

Hey screw you Alex Billington!!!!
Red Buttons

Go yell at your daughter. Wink Wink. But srsly # 10 if you will comment at least make sure it is worth something.
Ima Confused

The report says that 80% of the people who saw the trailor want to see the movie and you say it's " fairly accurate," but then are unsure "as for whether there really is positive buzz?" Regardless the present buzz, I read they spent $100 mil on the flick. That ain't a good sign given the X-mas release. Wonder when the last time a non-family movie with that kind of budget got released then. My guess is never.
Marlow

Tom Cruise scientologist = me not seeing this movie
Red Buttons

To respond to Number 12. Munich was released in December of 05, and i went 2 weeks after it came out, so roughly the first week of Jan, and the theater was packed. I checked its budget and it is around 75 million and made 130 mill world wide, which is exactly what this movie is going for. So there is one movie that is "non-family" that was released in christmas holiday area. Just this past year was I am Legend. Those are just a few.
werdnafaz

Tom Cruise Haters are sheep! Bahhhh Bahhhh lets regergitate everything we read bahhh bahhh. I like his roles i like his style maybee that means i don't have good taste but im still a fan and i still love catching up on his films from time to time.
Ima Confused

Red Buttons -- thanks for correcting me. That "never" comment on the budget was way too absolute; I keep forgetting how much money they put into films these days (and $75 million is the reported budget while some Hollywood "insiders" have leaked that it is $100 mil., for whatever those anonymous opinions are worth). I'll bet the kind of success Munich had is exactly what United Artists/MGM is shooting for. It would have to be one of the 15-20 best grossing films of the year but keep in mind that, even putting aside Cruise's curious position with the public, they've got a tough road to that. Opening at the same time are Revolutionary Road (DiCaprio and Winslet), Frost/Nixon (by Ron Howard), Shanghai (Cusack), Hurricane Season (Forest Whitaker) , Marley and Me (Jennifer Aniston) and Bedtime Stories (Adam Sandler). Opening the week before are movies by Brad Pitt, Will Smith and Jim Carrey. It is almost inevitable that some big names are going to be carnaged. Cruise's studio seems to -- after three or four previous dates -- have chosen the very worst release time in Christmas weekend.
Red Buttons

Oh yeah. This movie is in for a fight when it opens. Partly because of the dilly dallying on the release date. Although i won't go to see this in the theater (work/school) i will surely watch it on dvd. But i just want it to be released. Or atleast a screener copy leaked to the web.
Ima Confused

I'm in the same boat Red. Even assuming I want to see this after the reviews come out, my wife would rather go to her own execution than a Tom Cruise flick. Not that she would have wanted to see a WW II film anyhow, but she's never forgiven him for attacking Brooke Sheilds for getting treatment for post partum depression. Makes me turn the channel when Top Gun or Thunder come on.
Red Buttons

lol. Yeah. But i am willing to forgive his misguided beliefs. I still feel he has lots to offer.
Lady Aerin

The lack of accents doesn't bother me; it's a standard film convention that is supposed to convey that the characters are speaking their native language, and you understand it. If they all had German accents, I'd be wondering why all these Nazis are speaking English. I think this movie's going to get lost among all the other December releases, personally. Unless I can somehow score a job reviewing movies this winter so I don't have to pay to see all these films, I just won't have time or money to see everything. This film's just not going to be very high on the priority list.
Lady Aerin

Oh, and I have my personal issues with Tom Cruise (aside from his personal beliefs, he's a major pain in the ass to work with) but that doesn't stop me from enjoying his work. He's generally a solid actor, even if he has the worst height complex I've ever encountered.
Vintzent Schwarzmiller

I thought this movie spectacular. They did a fantastic job, and I was enjoying every second of it. Not the best movie of the year, but it's damn good.